Africa
African states bid to stop work of U.N. gay rights investigator
African states launched a bid at the United Nations on Friday to halt the work of the first U.N. independent investigator appointed to help protect gay and transgender people worldwide from violence and discrimination. The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council, based in Geneva, created the position in June and in September appointed Vitit Muntarbhorn of… Read more »
Teenage girls face prison for ‘hugging and kissing’
The girls face up to three years in prison if found guilty. Two teenage girls have been arrested in Morocco for kissing and hugging. The young women face up to three years in prison under the country’s strict homosexuality laws, with their trial due to start next week. Reports suggest that 16-year-old Sanaa invited 17-year-old… Read more »
In Uganda, gay men say police use torturous method to ‘prove’ homosexuality
Cape Town (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – It was early in the morning when Jackson Mukasa was awakened by the chants outside his Kampala home. “The homos are in there!” the crowd yelled, banging spoons on metal cooking pots. Mukasa, a 21-year-old gay man living in the Ugandan capital, was terrified. “We opened the door, and… Read more »
Living As A Gay Person In Malawi: Coming Out In Hell
If you live in Malawi, I would advise you to be very careful if you are planning to come out. It happened to me. I had underestimated the extent and impact my coming out would have on my life and the rest of my family and friends. I literally saw my world crumbling beneath my… Read more »
Tanzania suspends some HIV programs for gay men, says health minister
Dar Es Salam (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Tanzania has suspended community-based HIV/AIDS prevention programs for gay men, the health minister said on Monday, in the latest crackdown on the high-risk group. Ummy Mwalimu, Tanzania’s minister for health said the government had received reports that some local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were promoting and normalizing same-sex relationships… Read more »
Kagame: Rwanda has no problems with gays
Rwanda President Paul Kagame doesn’t want to have the same trouble as his neighbors Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda when it comes to the LGBT community. Some of Rwanda’s neighboring countries have passed anti-gay laws and harassed their queer communities, resulting in criticism from around the world. “It hasn’t been our problem,” Kagame said before an… Read more »
Uganda gay rights activists try again to hold a pride event — again, police intervene
More than a dozen armed police officers shut down Uganda’s fifth annual gay pride celebration on Saturday — the second major government crackdown on the gay community since August. Yet, gay rights activists said the raid at a private beach resort outside Kampala marked one of the most important moments in their careers. “In the… Read more »
Ugandan police block gay pride parade
Ugandan police have blocked gay pride celebrations from happening in two resorts outside the capital, Kampala. Gay rights activist Frank Mugisha said more than 100 LGBTI people tried to participate in the celebrations in Entebbe near Lake Victoria. But many were escorted by police back to Kampala in minibuses. The minister for ethics and integrity… Read more »
Botswana deports American anti-gay pastor after radio hate speech
A pastor from Tempe, Ariz., has been trying to spread his fervently anti-gay message in Africa. Steven Anderson’s message is conveyed in his church’s doctrinal statement, which says that “homosexuality is a sin and an abomination which God punishes with the death penalty.” Most African countries have laws against homosexuality. Perhaps Anderson thought he would… Read more »
Swedish police slammed for deporting gay Ugandan
Sweden’s justice watchdog has sharply criticised the the way in which a gay Ugandan man was sent home to face possible life imprisonment and even death, even though his case was under review. The man, who first sought asylum in 2012, was expelled from Sweden three days after a court had ordered his rejected asylum… Read more »
South Africa To Provide Free Treatment To All People Living With HIV
South Africa, which leads the world in HIV infections, said Thursday that it will offer free treatment to all people living with the disease. Previously, only people with a low white blood cell count were eligible for free treatment. “This new policy extends this to all people living with HIV,” South Africa’s health department said.… Read more »
US based Liberian gay rights activist calls for protection of their rights … cautions Liberians ahead of 2017 elections
A Liberian gay rights activist based in the United States has admonished Liberians to vote leaders in the pending 2017 general and presidential elections that will promote and protect the rights of all, including gay and lesbians in the country. Speaking in an interview with the GNN via mobile phone from the United States, Roosevelt… Read more »
Sweden to deport gay soccer player back to Liberia, where he will be jailed, beaten and raped
The Swedish government says they know Andrew Nagbe will face hardships in Liberia, but because they don’t believe physical beatings “are sanctioned by the state,” they are fine with it. Even as the “gayest” team in the Olympics, the Sweden women’s soccer team, advanced to the gold-medal match in Rio, we’ve learned that Sweden plans… Read more »
Gay and Transgender Egyptians, Harassed and Entrapped, Are Driven Underground
Cairo — The last days of the government of Hosni Mubarak and the turbulent revolution that followed were tense, occasionally gut-wrenching times for many in Egypt. But for gay and transgender Egyptians, it was also a period of unaccustomed freedom. They socialized in bars and sidewalk cafes and met partners over cellphone dating apps with… Read more »
Uganda’s Government To ‘Rehabilitate’ Members Of LGBT Community
Uganda’s government said Monday that it has developed a program to “rehabilitate” members of the LGBT community to give them a chance to lead “normal lives.” At a press conference, Ethics Minister Simon Lokodo said that the government “will continue to suppress” the public activities of the LGBT community. Organizers behind Uganda’s annual pride celebration… Read more »
Ugandan activists released without charge after brutal police raid on Pride pageant
Dozens of activists have been released without charge after a Ugandan police raid on a Pride event – leaving one activist fighting for their life. Last night, Ugandan police raided the ‘Mr. & Miss Pride Uganda’ LGBT event inside the Venom nightclub in Kampala. More than 20 people were arrested including prominent Ugandan activist Frank… Read more »
This Country Wants To ‘Curb’ Gay Sex By Stopping NGOs From Importing Lube
Well… that’s interesting. In what’s been described as a crackdown on gays, government officials in Tanzania have approved a ban on the import and sale of sexual lubricants to local NGOs that service the LGBT community. Among those who believe that access to lube is directly correlated to how many locals engage in gay sex… Read more »
Everything you need to know about being gay in Muslim countries
The official fiction, Brian Whitaker explains, is that gay people don’t exist in the Middle East. They do – and for many of them, the attitudes of family and society are a much bigger problem than the fear of being persecuted When the US supreme court ruled in favour of same-sex marriage last year, the… Read more »
Kenya’s ‘gay tests’ ruled legal
A Kenyan High Court has dismissed a case challenging the legality of anal tests as proof of homosexuality. Two men, who say Kenyan police forced them to undergo the procedure to prove they had had gay sex, launched the case, calling for the tests to be declared unconstitutional. “There was no other way evidence could… Read more »
Namibia’s Swakopmund celebrates its first Pride march
The Namibian coastal city of Swakopmund marked its first LGBT Pride last weekend, only the second such event in the country’s history. Around 150 people turned out for the inaugural Swakop Pride, described as “a celebration of the LGBT and queer community,” on Saturday the 4th of June. The event included a festive midday procession… Read more »
Humans Into The Pride – The 11th LGBT Pride March 2016, Mauritius
Humans Into The Pride – The 11th LGBT Pride March 2016, Mauritius Filmed by Shirish Ramma Source – YouTube
Swakopmund celebrates first Gay Pride
The city of Swakopmund on the coast of Namibia celebrated their first Gay Pride on the main street of the city on June 4, 2016, Namibia. People from all over the country met for the first time for the march in Namibia. We are one of the most development and peaceful countries in Africa but… Read more »
Desmond Tutu’s daughter leaves clergy after marrying female partner
Mpho Tutu-van Furth says move was forced on her as the South African Anglican church does not recognise her marriage The daughter of one of the world’s best-known Christian leaders has given up her right to officiate as a priest in South Africa following marriage to her female partner. Mpho Tutu-van Furth – whose father,… Read more »
Seychelles repeals colonial-era law banning gay sex
Popular holiday destination the Seychelles is opening its arms to LGBT people – passing a law to legalise gay sex. Section 151 of the country’s Penal Code states that a man who has sex with a man “against the order of nature” can be jailed for up to fourteen years. The law is a hang-over… Read more »
Jozi Cats: South Africa’s first gay and inclusive rugby club
Subverting stereotypes in new campaign, players tell the Daily Maverick they’ve been overwhelmed by the positive response Africa’s first gay and inclusive rugby club has launched a provocative campaign featuring homophobic slurs in a bid undermine stereotypes. The new recruitment drive features posters of team members accompanied by words such as “queen”, “fairy” and “pansy”.… Read more »
Homosexual students under threat
Walking with a spring in her step, her left hand thrown around the waist of another woman, Ressina Chimuka, a student at Midlands State University in Gweru, walks around the campus. They draw the attention of onlookers. The lovers pretend to not notice the glaring, though it does make them uncomfortable “Belonging to a sexual… Read more »
South Africa’s first gay rugby team smash homophobic stereotypes
The Jozi Cats are South Africa’s first openly inclusive gay rugby team. After starting up in early 2016, the team began their campaign in the world of rugby with a photoshoot that was designed to challenge masculine stereotypes that surround the sport. The shoot presents the players in provocative poses in front of images that… Read more »
Tunisia: Attack targets LGBTQ activist from Shams
Physical attack against LGBTQ rights defender Bouhdid Belhedi Tunisia, 29 April 2016 — On 27 April 2016, a group of three young men brutally assaulted LGBTQ rights defender Bouhdid Belhedi in his hometown of Hammamet, after the group recognized his affiliation to Shams LGBTQ rights association. Bouhdid Belhedi is a defender of the LGBTQ community… Read more »
Pressures over homosexual rights
Donor agencies want Malawi to respect gay rights, but the Catholic Bishops and other religious leaders – including Muslim Sheikhs – have warned President Peter Mutharika against including such rights in the constitution. The Archbishop Thomas Msusa of Blantyre has told President Mutharika that this controversy is “alien to Malawi”. In his eyes, foreigners are… Read more »
Introducing Miss Woubi, Ivory Coast’s unlikely cross-dressing pageant
With a gay scene unrivalled by other west African countries, Abidjan plays host to an empowering celebration of gender fluidity On a warm Saturday night, an events space usually reserved for weddings and baptisms was overtaken by men in flowing gowns and rainbow hair extensions as Ivory Coast’s gay community celebrated the most raucous night… Read more »
Victims of homophobic attack freed from prison in Morocco
A court has released two men convicted of homosexuality after they were attacked and slashed in their own home. A Moroccan court has released two men convicted of homosexuality, after they were attacked and dragged out into the street naked. The court also jailed two men convicted of attacking the couple, in a case that… Read more »
Nigeria launch investigation into ‘gay’ Swiss Ambassador
The Nigerian Government is to investigate claims that Switzerland’s Ambassador to the country is living with his husband. Eric Mayoraz arrived in Nigeria last year and – according to local newspaper, the Daily Trust – did so with his husband, a Brazilian man known as Mr Carlos. Akinremi Bolaji, a spokesman for the Ministry of… Read more »
Mozambique’s enduring discrimination leaves gay men untreated for HIV
Despite a veneer of progressive policymaking, bias against the rising number of men with HIV remains commonplace in Mozambique, deterring many from seeking treatment In June, Mozambique dropped a colonial-era law criminalising homosexual activities. The change passed relatively quietly in the southern African country. After all, no one had ever been convicted. A few weeks… Read more »
Making sense of Homosexuality in Tanzania
Could you please begin by explaining the legal situation regarding the rights of homosexuals? In Tanzania homosexuality is punishable under the Penal Code which states that, homosexuality is considered an unnatural act punishable under the Penal Code, Cap. 16 R.E. 2002, section 154 of which provides that any person who (1) has carnal knowledge of… Read more »
Mozambique’s enduring discrimination leaves gay men untreated for HIV
Despite a veneer of progressive policymaking, bias against the rising number of men with HIV remains commonplace in Mozambique, deterring many from seeking treatment In June, Mozambique dropped a colonial-era law criminalising homosexual activities. The change passed relatively quietly in the southern African country. After all, no one had ever been convicted. A few weeks… Read more »
Malawi Catholic Church demands government resumes jailing gays
Malawi’s Catholic bishops want the government to end its moratorium on prosecuting sexually active homosexuals The Catholic Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi have publicly called on the Malawian Government to resume criminalizing members of the LGBTI community and end its moratorium on prosecuting those accused of indulging in gay sex. The government, under… Read more »
Mob trash university in hunt for ‘gay’ man
A mob in Senegal have “burned” and “ransacked” buildings at a university in search of a gay student. The crowd formed last Tuesday at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, after one student accused another of hitting on him in the showers. Amateur footage showed the group going around various buildings of the institution, shouting… Read more »
When rumours spread that a male student had hit on a classmate in the showers of Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, all hell broke loose. A mob formed to track down the suspected homosexual, causing serious damage to buildings on the campus. The events took place last Tuesday on the campus of Dakar’s main… Read more »
Malawi bishops attack government over homosexual acts
Catholic bishops in Malawi have attacked the government for placing a moratorium on ‘harmful’ homosexual laws. In a letter to parishioners, the bishops condemned homosexuality and the government’s actions. They said that although the homosexual “condition is disordered but not sinful in itself”, if a person was to act on their feelings and have sex… Read more »
Tunisia’s brave LGBT community is battling homophobia and anal ‘exams’
Ian Duncan MEP writes about meeting brave LGBT activists from Tunisia – and how the country can overcome its colonial past. The democratic uprisings that we know today as the Arab Spring, began in Tunisia. In short order the protests of the Jasmine Revolution had spread through much of North Africa and the Middle East.… Read more »
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