“You start losing your mind” – Victims of Chechnya gay purge speak out
A new report details the horrific experiences of the victims of the recent deadly persecution of gay men in Chechnya. Released on Friday, the Human Rights Watch report confirms that “police in Chechnya rounded up, beat, and humiliated dozens of gay or bisexual men in an apparent effort to purge them from Chechen society”. The 42-page […]
Church of Scotland to apologise to gay people, moves to accept same-sex marriage
In a groundbreaking move, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has voted to apologise to gay people for the history of discrimination they have faced in the Church. Church leaders, known as Commissioners, agreed that the Church should take stock of its history of discrimination against gay people, at different levels and in […]
LGBTQ people nearly invisible or punchlines in Hollywood movies
Despite the critical success of the Oscar-winning Moonlight, a new report has found that LGBTQ people have little screen-time or are the butt of jokes in big Hollywood films. GLAAD, the LGBTQ media advocacy organisation, has released its fifth annual Studio Responsibility Index, which maps the quantity, quality, and diversity of LGBTQ people in films […]
Health care gone wrong: Beaten in hospital for being gay
Highlighting discrimination faced by LGBT people in the public health care system, a gay Johannesburg man says he was attacked by a security guard at a Hillbrow clinic because of his sexual identity. Alfred Msimanga, 28, told Mambaonline that he went to the clinic on 6 May because he was not feeling well. “When I […]
LGBTI community marches against hate crimes and homophobia
Members of the LGBTI community in Durban and Cape Town stood up against homophobia, transphobia and anti-LGBTI hate crimes on the weekend. Saturday’s protests came in the wake of a disturbing spike in attacks against the LGBTI community in the past few weeks. In Durban, a small but determined group turned out for a Beach […]
Gay university students feel invisible. It’s time to shine a light on their issues
The Eastern Cape is South Africa’s most conservative province when it comes to attitudes about homosexuality. Even in spaces that might be considered more liberal – like university campuses – gender non-conforming students and those who belong to sexual minorities face open discrimination. This is happening even though discrimination based on sexual orientation is outlawed […]
Breaking! Taiwan’s top court rules for same-sex marriage
Taiwan’s LGBT community is celebrating after the country becomes the first in Asia to start legalising same-sex marriage. On Wednesday, Taiwan’s constitutional court, the Council of Grand Justices, said in a landmark ruling that the government has two years to change the law to enact marriage equality. The 14 panel court ruled that previsions of […]
France | Fury as presenter mocks gay men on live TV
A French television presenter has been slammed after he created a fake gay dating profile and then mocked the men who responded to his ad, live on air. Cyril Hanouna, who pretended to be bisexual and used a high pitched voice, spoke to the men on the phone during his popular show Touche pas à […]
Despite facing persecution acclaimed Ugandan rapper Keko comes out as lesbian
Keko, the popular Ugandan rapper, has bravely chosen to come out as lesbian in one of the world’s most homophobic countries. The 29-year-old, who’s long been the subject of rumours about her sexuality, became a household name in East Africa thanks to her 2011 breakout single How We Do It. “I’ve always been a tomboy,” […]
Uganda | Christian group says schools must “correct” gay students
The Ugandan branch of a global Christian group has condemned throwing gay and lesbian pupils out of schools but has instead called for them to be “corrected”. Last week, the Provincial President of Mothers’ Union Uganda, Ruth Sennyonyi, spoke out against schools that expel learners for being homosexual, reports The Observer. “We cannot keep sending […]