This is the brave first Chechnya gay purge victim to publicly speak out
A 30-year-old Russian man has become the first victim of Chechnya’s gay purge to openly speak about the horrific abuse he faced. On Monday, Maxim Lapunov appeared alongside human rights activists at a press conference in Moscow. He revealed that he had been detained and tortured for 12 days by Chechen officials. While some victims […]
Pretoria Pride after party at ETC
The 2017 Pretoria Pride celebrations continued into the early hours of the next morning with a massive after party at ETC Pub in Centurion. The venue was packed with revellers intent on asserting their LGBTQ identity – and having a damn good time doing it! David Penney took these pictures of the night’s post-Pride shenanigans. […]
Lynne Brown | Africa’s most senior LGBT politician implicated in corruption
Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown – the most powerful openly LGBT politician in Africa – and her romantic partner, Ingrid Tufvesson, have been accused of corruption. According to reports that emerged on the weekend, it’s been alleged that E Smart Solutions, a company owned by Tufvesson, was awarded two contracts worth R1.2 million by […]
UK | Doctors ordered to ask if patients are gay or lesbian
A move towards better health care or an invasion of privacy? Doctors and nurses in England have been told to ask patients about their sexual orientation. In a new policy document titled “Sexual Orientation Monitoring”, NHS England has ordered staff to “record sexual orientation at every face to face contact” with patients over the age […]
Prince Harry honours Diana’s HIV/AIDS work at gay awards
Prince Harry has accepted a posthumous award on behalf of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, for her efforts to end the stigma and fear surrounding HIV and Aids. On Thursday, Harry received the Attitude Legacy Award at a star-studded ceremony in London, hosted by British gay magazine, Attitude. The prince told the audience that in 1987 […]
Kenya | Courts to consider appeal against forced anal tests
The Kenyan courts are considering an appeal against a 2016 ruling that allowed the authorities to force anal exams on men accused of homosexuality. A hearing was held this past Wednesday in the matter, which is being pursued by the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC). The case concerns two men who were […]
17 states & 76 major US companies push to end LGBT job discrimination
Simply being gay, lesbian or bisexual is reason enough to be fired in some places in the US; a reality that a lesbian security guard is fighting to change. Supported by Lambda Legal, Jameka Evans (pictured) has asked the US Supreme Court to hear her case and to decide once and for all whether Title […]
Groundbreaker Zanele Muholi takes New York
South African LGBTQ photographer and visual activist Zanele Muholi is heading to the USA to take on the New York art scene. Muholi recently wowed the Netherlands with her work, becoming the first black artist to have a solo show at the Stedelijk Museum. Now, from 1 to 19 November, she will be featured in […]
Burundi | Crackdown on LGBTQ community
There are reports that a number of individuals have been detained in Burundi on charges related to homosexuality and that the authorities are cracking down further on LGBTQ people. According to GSN, on 4 October, seven people were arrested at a Kamenge youth commune in the East African country, including two individuals who are under […]
Joburg to host international LGBTIQ+ conference in 2018
An international LGBTIQ+ conference has been announced for Johannesburg at the launch of the Global LGBTIQ+ Network. The network was unveiled at a ceremony attended by an array of activists and members and allies of the LGBTIQ+ community at Constitution Hill on Wednesday. Spearheaded by the Thami Dish Foundation, the network aims to bring together individuals, […]