Cape Town lesbian murdered in New Year’s hate attack
The new year has begun with another tragedy for South Africa’s LGBT community. A young openly lesbian woman in Strand has been murdered on New Year’s Day in a suspected hate crime. Noxolo Mabona, known by many as Noxie, was stabbed to death during an altercation, allegedly related to her sexuality, at a party on the […]
Uganda’s defiant LGBTIQ film festival completes screenings in secret
The Queer Kampala International Film Festival has defied the Ugandan authorities and completed its second annual outing following a police raid. Early last month, the three-day LGBTIQ event was raided on the morning of its second day and forced to suspend the rest of the festival. Somehow – despite efforts to keep the Kampala venue […]
Malaysia to offer conversion therapy for transgender women
A state in Malaysia will attempt to “cure” transgender women in 2018 so that they can live a so-called “normal life”. According to AFP, officials in Terengganu will offer the controversial conversion therapy course once a survey of the transgender population in the state is completed. Participants will reportedly receive ‘treatment’ from medical, psychological and […]
US military begins accepting transgender recruits despite Trump ‘ban’
In a historic development, the US military began accepting openly transgender recruits from January 1, 2018, but it’s not clear for how long. The date to allow transgender recruits was first set for July 1, 2017 following former President Obama’s 2016 decision to authorise transgender personnel in the military. The date was pushed to the […]
Singapore | “Cruel” court bars gay man from adopting own son
A gay Singapore man has failed in a bid to adopt a child that he fathered via a surrogate in the United States. The man, who has not been named for legal reasons, is a doctor who has been a relationship with his partner for more than 12 years. The couple sought to raise a […]
Walmart sued over workplace transgender discrimination
A transgender woman is suing Walmart, the world’s largest company by revenue, after she was allegedly discriminated against and abused because of her gender identity. The lawsuit was filed by the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) against Sam’s East, Inc. and Wal-Mart Associates, Inc. on behalf of Charlene Bost. Bost claims that she […]
Jussie Smollett slams African anti-gay “propaganda”
Openly gay Empire star Jussie Smollett has spoken out about the crackdown by some African countries on TV shows that feature LGBT characters. The 35-year-old actor, singer and photographer was in South Africa recently to shoot a music video and promote the fourth season of Empire. In an interview with Channel24, Smollett was asked his […]
Lewis Hamilton apologises for shaming dress-wearing nephew
Is he the worst celebrity uncle of 2017? Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton has shouted at his young nephew for wearing a dress in front of millions of people. In a Christmas Day video posted on Instagram, the British racing driver says to the camera: “I’m so sad right now.” He then shows the […]
We knew it! Same-sex couples have better sex
We’ve always suspected it, but now it’s been confirmed! A new study has revealed that same-sex couples are more likely to be satisfied under the sheets, compared to heterosexual couples. The research, published in Archives of Sexual Behavior, explored the differences in orgasm frequency among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual men and women in the US. […]
Russia’s state homophobia spreading across the region
Russia’s crusade against “non-traditional sexual relationships” has helped fuel a rise in hostility towards LGBTI human rights groups in parts of the former Soviet Union, says a new report by Amnesty International. The report explores the increasingly discriminatory environment that LGBTI rights groups in four former Soviet states have faced in recent years, including within the […]