Mamma Mia! Abba to release new music
It’s official! Abba have been secretly recording music in the studio and will release two new tracks for the first time in 35 years. In a post on Instagram, the foursome revealed that the new songs were an “unexpected consequence” of their work on a virtual tour, which initially was believed to only focus on […]
South Africa rallies around Caster Semenya
There’s growing outrage at the latest attempt to strip away Caster Semenya’s natural talent so she can be classified as a “normal woman.” On Thursday, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) issued new regulations dealing with women athletes with high levels of testosterone. Based on the idea that these levels give some women athletes, […]
UK | More than a third of LGBT staff in the closet at work
Thirty-five percent of LGBT staff in the UK have hidden that they are LGBT at work for fear of discrimination, and black and transgender people are the worst off. New research from Stonewall, Britain’s leading charity for lesbian, gay, bi and trans equality, reveals troubling discrimination in Britain’s workplaces. The report, based on YouGov research […]
Turkey | LGBTI people living in fear
Amnesty International has highlighted the increasingly dire scenario facing LGBTI people and human rights activists in Turkey. The country is being strangled by the ongoing state of emergency, which was declared in July 2016 as a “temporary” measure in the wake of a failed coup attempt. The state of emergency was renewed again last week. According […]
Janelle Monáe comes out as queer
After much speculation about her sexuality, singer, songwriter, rapper and actress Janelle Monáe has revealed that she identifies as a “queer black woman”. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Monáe finally addressed the rumours, stating: “Being a queer black woman in America, someone who has been in relationships with both men and women – […]
Welkom gay bashing caught on tape (Watch)
A man was set to appear in the Welkom Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday on a charge of assaulting a gay Free State man because of his sexuality. On 11 April, 32-year-old Divan Cross, his partner of three years, and a group of friends went to a local pub for their weekly karaoke night out. “We […]
Leave to appeal granted in Qwelane hate speech case
There’s no end in sight to the Jon Qwelane homophobic hate speech case as he is given leave to appeal the August 2017 judgement against him. On Friday, the high court in Johannesburg allowed the former journalist and columnist to take the matter to the Supreme Court of Appeal. Judge Seun Moshidi said he believes […]
Opinion: Humping When A Hug Would Do
Are you having sex when all you need is to be touched? asks Bruce J. Little. We all need to be touched. It’s well-documented that babies who were not touched and held after birth stopped developing and often died, even if they received all the nutrition they needed. We may not be babies anymore, but […]
President of Kenya says LGBT human rights are not important (Watch)
In an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, President Uhuru Kenyatta has dismissed the human rights of Kenya’s LGBT citizens as unimportant. Kenyatta was asked by Amanpour if he supported the idea that LGBTQ people should have “the same privacy and equality as all other Kenyans do.” Shaking his head, the president responded that, “I will […]
SA psychologists adopt landmark LGBTQ affirming practice guidelines
The Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) has published the country’s first guidelines to help psychologists work with sexually and gender diverse people. The organisation launched the landmark 84-page booklet, an LGBTQ best practice manual for mental health professionals, at a function in Johannesburg on Thursday. The PsySSA is the professional body representing psychology professionals […]