Iranian activists are making a new push for recognition of the human rights of LGBT people in Iran, in particular for an end to the nation’s coercive advocacy of sex-change surgery for LGBT people. Shadi Amin, coordinator of the Iranian lesbian and transgender network 6Rang, writes: As you are aware, Iran is one of the … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: July 2014
Iran data show growing coercion of LGBT sex changes
Iran’s coercive advocacy of sex-change surgery for LGBT people has become a growing problem in recent years, says the Iranian lesbian and transgender network 6Rang, which has launched a campaign against the practice. These timelines demonstrate the magnitude of the problem: 1973: Iranian press reports on the first case of sex reassignment surgery. 1976: Iran … Continue reading
In Ugandan court, ‘tomorrow is the big day’
Judges in the Ugandan Constitutional Court have scheduled a key ruling for tomorrow in the challenge to the legitimacy of the country’s harsh new Anti-Homosexuality Act. Yesterday the signs had seemed to point to a ruling today, as noted in yesterday’s blog post, “Ugandan court might overturn anti-gay law tomorrow.” But instead today’s court session … Continue reading
Ugandan court might overturn anti-gay law tomorrow
Ugandan opponents of the harsh new Anti-Homosexuality Act are hoping for an immediate victory tomorrow in their Constitutional Court challenge to the legitimacy of the law. The court is expected to rule tomorrow on whether parliament acted unlawfully last December when Speaker Rebecca Kadaga called for a vote on the bill when a quorum was … Continue reading
World health agency: Fight AIDS by repealing anti-gay laws
In an understated report, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared this month that nations should work to stop the spread of AIDS by removing obstacles to HIV prevention efforts that are caused by laws against homosexual activity, transgender status, sex work and drug use. Those laws limit health care access for groups that are most … Continue reading
Cameroon: Slain activist mourned; the fight continues
Friends and family of activist journalist Eric Ohena Lembembe gathered in Yaoundé earlier this month to mark the one-year anniversary of his murder by celebrating his life and vowing to continue his fight against AIDS and for justice for LGBTI people in Cameroon. The mass and memorial celebration was held on July 15 at the … Continue reading
Uganda: U.S. picks AIDS contractor, ousts anti-gay group
The United States has replaced the anti-gay Inter-Religious Council of Uganda as a contractor for HIV / AIDS services in Uganda. Effective Aug. 1, the work will be done by the international health, infrastructure and environmental services firm Cardno Emerging Markets, the Ugandan New Vision newspaper reported. Both the United States and Sweden recently announced … Continue reading
3 years, 450 lashes for Saudi man seeking men on Twitter
Gay Asia News reports: “A man has been sentenced to three years in prison and 450 lashes by a court in Saudi Arabia for using his Twitter account to meet with gay men. “The 24-year-old unnamed was arrested after he posted several tweets calling for same-sex relations and expressing his readiness to meet gay … Continue reading
Cameroon villagers attack gay ‘demon’ — and seek his land
By Erin Royal Brokovitch The author of this article is an LGBT rights activist in Cameroon who writes under a pseudonym. Two years ago, René M. opened a café on a small parcel of land that he bought in the village of Leboudi, located in the Lékié region of central Cameroon, about 30 kilometers … Continue reading
Uganda, don’t pray to ‘heal’ gays (or blacks or women)
In this brief commentary, Stella Nyanzi — an anthropologist, social science researcher and resident of Uganda, where Pentecostal churches are popular — speaks out against some anti-LGBT religious leaders’ practice of attempting to “pray away the gay.” After her commentary appeared on Facebook, it attracted a flood of readers’ comments, some of which are published … Continue reading
