ZUMA APPOINTS LESBIAN CABINET MINISTER
President Zuma, widely perceived as being something of a homophobe, has appointed a lesbian woman as a minister to his Cabinet. On Tuesday, Lynne Brown, 52, was sworn in by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as the new Minister of Public Enterprises, replacing Malusi Gigaba. She is the first openly lesbian or gay cabinet minister in […]
NEW GAY BLOOD RULES: APPLAUSE & ANGER
While the change to South Africa’s blood donation rules allowing gay men to donate has been widely welcomed, some have reacted with concern and even anger. Last week, Mambaonline reported that the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) had put a new non-discriminatory policy in place that allows anyone who’s been in a monogamous relationship […]
US ENDORSES HIV PREVENTION DRUGS IN GAY ADS
America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched a controversial new HIV prevention campaign aimed at gay men. The ‘Start Talking, Stop HIV’ national campaign encourages gay and bisexual men to talk openly and honestly to each other about HIV before they have sex. “It’s time to turn the volume up on HIV […]
UGANDA: “WHITES BROUGHT HOMOSEXUALITY TO AFRICA”
Uganda’s Minister of Ethics and Integrity Simon Lokodo has claimed that white people brought homosexuality to his country, perpetuating the dangerous myth that gays and lesbians are not natural to Africa. In an interview with Radio Netherlands Worldwide, the minister spoke about the recent enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which further criminalised gay sex and […]
CANADA REFUSES VISAS TO UGANDAN GAY ACTIVISTS
Canada has refused to allow 10 Ugandan gay activists to attend the World Pride human rights conference in Toronto next month. It appears that the authorities fear the activists may refuse to leave the country or will apply for asylum. Canadian activists have slammed their government, which was one of the first to condemn Uganda’s […]
CATHOLIC CARDINAL PRAISES BEARDED DRAG DIVA
The Archbishop of Vienna has congratulated bearded drag star Conchita Wurst, performed by 25-year-old Austrian Thomas Neuwirth, who recently won the Eurovision Song Contest, becoming an international phenomenon. According to The Tablet, Cardinal Christoph Schönborn told Kathpress that he is “glad that Tom Neuwirth had such success with his artistic creation Conchita Wurst and I […]
ACTIVISTS STOP DEPORTATION OF UGANDAN LESBIAN
LGBTI activists have succeeded in getting the UK authorities to suspend the deportation of a traumatised Ugandan lesbian who was set to be forcibly returned to her home country on Saturday. On Friday, the Out & Proud Diamond Group announced that the UK’s Home Office had decided not to deport 27-year-old Aidah Asaba following an […]
WHITE HOUSE LAUNCH FOR HARVEY MILK STAMP
A stamp dedicated to Harvey Milk, America’s first openly gay politician, was officially launched at the White House in Washington on Thursday. The dedication ceremony, on what would have been Milk’s 84th birthday, was attended by high profile politicians, the Deputy Postmaster General Ronald A. Stroman and Stuart Milk, the nephew of the late icon […]
AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS BODY SLAMS ANTI-GAY ABUSE
The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights has finally spoken out against LGBTI violence, discrimination and abuse. The commission, which reports to the African Union, took the ground-breaking stand in a resolution adopted at its 55th Ordinary Session held in Luanda, Angola, from 28 April to 12 May. This comes amidst an onslaught of abuse […]
EXCLUSIVE: MEET AFRICA’S FIRST OPENLY-GAY BLACK MP
Wednesday’s swearing in of MPs for South Africa’s fifth democratic Parliament was an especially historic occasion; it featured the induction of the first openly-gay black Member of Parliament on the continent, Zakhele Mbhele. South Africa has boasted a handful of proudly gay MPs before, notably Ian Ollis, who game out to voters here on Mambaonline […]