After being fired, director Bryan Singer accused of raping teen boy
Bryan Singer, who was fired as director of the Queen movie, has – alongside Kevin Spacey – become the second major openly LGBT public figure to be implicated in Hollywood’s growing sexual abuse scandal. It’s been reported that Singer, who identifies as bisexual, is being sued by Cesar Sanchez-Guzman, who claims he was raped at […]
It’s love! Meet Ekurhuleni’s longest married gay couple
One of Gauteng’s longest-married same-sex couples, Jackie and Wiseman Mndaweni, recently renewed their marriage vows while also celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary. On 25 November, the two men held a colourful celebration in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, to commemorate their happy day in front of 150 friends, family and members of the community. The tent was adorned […]
Jubilation as Australia’s Parliament legalises same-sex marriage
In a historic landslide vote, Australia’s Parliament has passed a marriage equality bill to finally legalise lesbian and gay marriages. In an almost unanimous vote on Thursday, only four MPs rejected the bill to define marriage as a union between two people, regardless of their sex. There was an air of palpable excitement and anticipation in parliament […]
Russia bans naked rowers’ anti-homophobia calendar
A charity calendar featuring naked rowers from England’s Warwick University Rowing Club has reportedly been banned by Russia. Sales of the annual homoerotic calendar, and associated videos and merchandise, help keep the club afloat and go towards Sports Allies, an organisation that combats homophobia in sport. According to the calendar’s creators, Russian customs officials recently blocked […]
Costa-Rican legal expert appointed as new UN LGBTI watchdog
Victor Madrigal-Borloz, a Costa-Rican jurist, is the new UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. His appointment follows the shock resignation in September of Vitit Muntarbhorn, the first-ever person to hold the position, due to poor health. Madrigal-Borloz currently serves as the Secretary-General of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims, and spent […]
License to discriminate? US Supreme Court hears gay wedding cake case
The US Supreme Court is considering whether or not a baker is allowed to refuse to make a cake for a same-sex wedding, in a case that could have major implications for LGBTQ Americans. The matter involves Jack Phillips, owner of Colorado’s Masterpiece Cakeshop, who in 2012 refused to make a wedding cake for a […]
“Sweet closure” as Botswana finally agrees to recognise trans man
The government of Botswana had agreed to abide by a historic court ruling ordering it to acknowledge a transgender man’s gender identity. According to the Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC), the national registrar confirmed that it will supply the man, identified as ND, with a new identity document that reflects his male gender identity on […]
Queen movie in crisis as director Bryan Singer is fired
Bryan Singer, the director of the long anticipated movie about iconic rock band Queen and singer Freddie Mercury, has left the production midway amid a flurry of rumours. It was earlier reported that filming had been suspended because Singer had to deal with a personal issue, but it’s now been confirmed that he has been dumped, […]
Austria legalises same-sex marriage from 2019
Austria’s Constitutional Court has thrown out the predominantly Catholic country’s ban on marriage equality, describing it as discriminatory. Although same-sex couples have been allowed to register their partnerships since 2010, marriage has been defined as only being possible between ‘different sex’ partners. On Tuesday, the court backed a complaint by two women who were not […]
Man alleged to have raped lesbian teen TWICE to ‘turn her straight’ granted bail
Two men who are alleged to have brutally raped a young KwaZulu-Natal woman who identifies as a lesbian have been released on bail, reports the Gay & Lesbian Network (GLN). The 17-year-old girl from Watersmeet, just outside of Ladysmith, who is open about her sexual orientation (she identifies at a butch lesbian), was viciously attacked […]