Namibia | Small victory for gay couple suing for marriage recognition
The Namibian government has agreed to allow a South African man to continue to enter the country to stay with his husband and son – at least for now. In December last year, Namibian Johann Potgieter and his South African spouse Daniel Digashu filed an urgent application in the High Court to force immigration authorities to […]
Saudi Arabia | Several arrested after ‘gay wedding’ video goes viral
Video footage that’s said to depict a gay wedding in Saudi Arabia has led to public outrage and a crackdown by the authorities. A series of low quality cell phone clips posted on social media appear to show two individuals walking down an aisle accompanied by music and sprays of confetti. Reportedly filmed recently near the […]
Two gay dramas get 2018 BAFTA nominations
Two acclaimed gay love stories – Call Me By Your Name and God’s Own Country – have received nominations for the 2018 British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs). The nominations were announced in London on Tuesday, for what is seen as Britain’s equivalent of Hollywood’s Academy Awards. While it disappointingly failed to take home any awards […]
Ghana | LGBT people face mob attacks and family violence
A new report has highlighted the devastating scale of discrimination and abuse experienced by LGBT people in Ghana, both in public and in family settings. The 72-page Human Rights Watch report shows how the country’s colonial-era law punishing “unnatural carnal knowledge” relegates LGBT Ghanaians to effective second-class citizenship. “Having a law on the books that […]
Here’s America’s first openly gay Olympic male figure skater
Adam Rippon’s selection on Sunday for the 2018 Winter Olympics makes him just one of possibly two figure skaters who’ve been out while they competed at the Games. According to Outsports, Rippon, 28, “will become the first openly gay American male skater to compete in the Olympics” when he takes to the ice in South […]
Report: Transgender woman murdered in Rustenburg
The festive season continues to be a bloody one for LGBTI South Africans, as another possible hate crime murder comes to light. The body of Kagiso Ishmael Maema, a 25-year-old transgender woman from Seraleng in Rustenburg, was discovered on Saturday, January 6. Thabiso Mogapi wa Tsotetsi, Chairperson of Action For Social Justice International, spoke to […]
Now Jamaicans try to block ‘kill gays’ preacher Steven Anderson
After being banned by South Africa, American pastor Steven Anderson is now trying to spread his anti-LGBT hate in Jamaica. Anderson plans to visit the island nation on January 29 in order to “preach the gospel and preach about Jesus and preach about salvation”, he told The Gleaner. A petition has been launched calling on […]
New hope that India will finally legalise homosexuality
India’s LGBT community is hopeful after the Supreme Court announced that it will review the country’s continued criminalisation of same-sex love. The court said on Monday it was preparing to reconsider its 2013 decision upholding Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which punishes “carnal intercourse against the order of nature” with imprisonment. The decision […]
Was age controversy behind ‘Call Me By Your Name’ Golden Globes snub?
Despite multiple major nominations, the past year’s most beautiful and touching gay love story has failed to win any Golden Globes. Based on André Aciman’s novel, Call Me by Your Name is a haunting love story and coming of age film about a 17-year-old youth named Elio, played by Timothée Chalamet. He falls for Oliver […]
Seven arrested after horror torture and murder of lesbian couple
A lesbian couple from Mooinooi in the North West province are believed to have been tortured, raped, murdered and set alight, allegedly by seven people. Anisha (30) – a manager at an Anglo mine – and Joey van Niekerk (32) went missing on 10 December when they set out to drive to Pretoria for a family […]