TRANSGENDER VICTORY FOR MALAYSIA COULD BE APPEALED
A Malaysian appeals court has ruled that the country’s ban on cross-dressing is unconstitutional, reports Human Rights Watch. On Friday, a three-judge panel of the Putrajaya Court of Appeal said that a state Sharia-law ban on cross-dressing was “degrading, oppressive and inhuman” and that so long as it was in force, transgender people “will continue […]
NIGERIA: ISLAMIC VIGILANTES ARREST 25 GAYS
There are reports that Islamic vigilantes have arrested 25 men in the north-western Nigerian state of Kebbi. According to local media, the Kebbi arm of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria claimed in a press briefing last week to have arrested the men over the past year. The commander of the group, Sanusi Ibrahim Geza, said […]
NEW UGANDAN ANTI-GAY BILL EVEN WORSE
A draft of a new Ugandan anti-gay law intended to replace the previously annulled law has been leaked – and it’s in many ways worse than the original version! An apparent draft of the Prohibition of Promotion of Unnatural Sexual Practices Bill of 2014 has been posted online and it makes for chilling reading. Unlike the previous annulled […]
REVAMPED MR GAY SOUTH AFRICA 2015 LAUNCHED
A revamped Mr South Africa contest was launched in Johannesburg on Friday night, with entries now open for the 2015 edition. The competition was recently taken over by Johannesburg businessman Thinus van der Walt, who says he intends to elevate the event to more than just a pageant. “I believe our youth needs more heroes […]
BLOW TO GAY MARRIAGE FOR FOUR US STATES
After a recent series of stunning marriage equality victories in the US, an appeals court has shocked the country’s LGBT community by backing the ban on gay marriage in four states. Yesterday, the US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit overturned lower court rulings that struck down bans on marriage equality in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and […]
JOBURG PRINTERS REJECT QUEER ARTIST’S CATALOGUE
A genderqueer photographer is furious after a Midrand printing company refused to print the catalogue for her new exhibition, apparently because it includes nude images. Artist and photojournalist Dean Hutton first sent a mock up of the catalogue for her show #Transitions: in search of an authentic queer to Remata Cross Media Solutions on 22 October. […]
WATCH: ROCKY HUNK GIVES HOPE TO GAY AFRIKAANS CHRISTIANS
Openly gay Rocky Horror star Shaun Smit has posted an inspiring video in a bid to reach out to young gay Afrikaans-speaking South Africans. The Pretoria-born model and actor, who is building a following as a vlogger, has been playing the role of Rocky in the hit production of the musical that’s been touring the […]
NEW ZEALAND OLYMPIC ROWER COMES OUT
New Zealand rower Robbie Manson, who competed in the 2012 London Olympic Games, has revealed that he is gay. In an article published by Outsports on Tuesday, Manson said that he had spent much of his life trying to hide the fact that he is gay. This led him to become, he said, “very quiet […]
MOZAMBIQUE GAY RIGHTS GROUP FIGHTS TO BE REGISTERED
Mozambique’s only LGBT rights organisation has been struggling for more than seven years to be registered by the country’s government. LAMBDA (Mozambican Association for the Defence of Sexual Minorities) has still not been officially recognised as an NGO, a process that normally takes a maximum of 40 days. In 2010, after its requests were ignored by […]
NIGERIAN ACTIVIST SUES STATE OVER BIRTHDAY ARREST
A well known human rights activist in Nigeria is suing the state after he was allegedly arrested and assaulted by police for no apparent or justifiable reason. Blogger Melanie Nathan reported that on 22 October, Ifeanyi Orazulike, Executive Director of International Center for Advocacy on the Rights to Health (ICARH) and a board member of […]