ANC criticises anti-gay comments as mayor denies making them
The ANC has spoken out against homophobic comments attributed to one of its own, the mayor of the Umzinyathi District in KwaZulu-Natal. Mayor James Mthethwa was quoted as saying that gay men were to blame for the spread of HIV, that they brought shame on the community and that local health care workers need to […]
DA slams ANC mayor’s homophobic statements
The DA has called for the SA Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate homophobic comments made this week by ANC Mayor James Mthethwa. The party’s Zakhele Mbhele, MP and DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police, said in a statement that the mayor’s remarks, “made on a public platform” have “no place in our society.” He […]
KZN mayor says gays bring shame to community, must be stopped
The ANC Mayor of the Umzinyathi District in KwaZulu-Natal has blamed gay men for spreading HIV and has vowed to “clamp down” on homosexuality. According to a report in the Sowetan, Mayor James Mthethwa cited dubious statistics about the high rate of infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) to vilify and condemn this […]
Mayor of Venice won’t allow “kitsch” gay Pride in “his” city
The Mayor of Venice, Luigi Brugnarol, has outraged Italy’s LGBT community by stating that he will never allow a gay Pride parade in the city. In an interview with La Repubblica newspaper, Brugnarol insisted: “There will be no Gay Pride in my Venice.” Describing Pride events as “a farce” and “the ultimate in kitsch,” he […]
Judges: Personal religious views have no bearing on public service
Legal efforts by a county clerk in Kentucky to avoid issuing same-sex marriage licenses because of her religious beliefs have been dealt a major blow. On Wednesday, a US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit told homophobic public servant Kim Davis that her personal views should have no bearing on her obligation to fulfil […]
Calls to legalise sex work after Rentboy.com raid
Following yesterday’s crackdown on the world’s largest male escort site, a number of LGBT rights groups in the US have reaffirmed their belief that sex work should be legalised. On Tuesday, federal agents raided the New York City headquarters of Rentboy.com, arresting CEO Jeffrey Hurant and six employees. They have been charged with promoting prostitution […]
World’s largest online male escort service raided, CEO arrested
American federal agents have raided the New York City headquarters of Rentboy.com, said to be the world’s largest male escort website. CEO Jeffrey Hurant and six employees were arrested on Tuesday morning and charged with violating the Travel Act by promoting prostitution across state lines and international borders. According to officials, Rentboy.com is a male […]
Victim of Home Affairs transphobia finally gets service
A transgender woman who was turned away by officials at a Home Affairs branch can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel. Juanita van Zyl, 36, recently unsuccessfully tried to apply to change her gender in her identify document at the Centurion branch. She was horrified when she was humiliated, publicly questioned about […]
Women more likely to identify as bisexual than men
In the wake of the recent trend of female celebrities, like Miley Cyrus, coming out as “sexually-fluid”, a new study suggests that women tend to be more open to bisexuality compared to men. Study author Elizabeth Aura McClintock, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Notre Dame, found that women are more likely […]
History made as UN hears from gay victims of Isis
The UN Security Council has for the first time addressed LGBT issues as two gay men recounted their abuse at the hands of Isis. On Monday, Security Council member states were briefed on the horrific violence faced by LGBT people in ISIS-held areas of Iraq and Syria. It was revealed that Isis claims to have […]