Zimbabwe officials disrupted a workshop for people most at risk of HIV infections over the weekend, seizing documents at the Harare airport and tearing down an exhibition stand displaying materials they found offensive. The seizure is just the latest example of government obstruction of Aids fighters’ attempts to provide health information to sexual minorities, who … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: November 2015
Disappointed by Pope, Ugandan activists remain hopeful
Pope Francis has avoided talking about homophobia during his trip to Africa, despite urgent pleas that he rein in the un-Christian hatred that many of his followers and other Christians display for LGBT people. But Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) “still hopes that the Vatican will take sexual minorities issues seriously. We are open to working … Continue reading
Support ailing gay Kenyan author, but beware of scams
Popular Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina, recently hospitalized after suffering a stroke, needs help paying his medical bills. His friends and fans have launched fundraising appeals to provide him with financial assistance, but some scam artists apparently have taken advantage of the situation to launch fraudulent fund drives. Shortly after news of Wainaina’s hospitalization spread, the … Continue reading
Rainbow Catholics to Pope: Preach love of gay neighbors
A newly formed coalition of LGBTI Catholics is urging Pope Francis to speak out against faith-based homophobia during his current trip to Africa. The Rainbow Catholic Network of Africa issued this appeal to the pope: No to Religious Homophobia and Yes to LGBTI Catholic Inclusion in Africa Today Rainbow Catholic Network of Africa welcomes the … Continue reading
Uganda OKs bill that allows repression of activist groups
The Ugandan parliament unanimously passed a bill late Nov. 26 that would give the government broad powers to disband any nongovernmental organization that it considered contrary to the public interest or “contrary to the dignity of the people of Uganda.” Leaders of any organization operating without government approval could be imprisoned for up to eight … Continue reading
Protesters seek to end LGBTI repression in Commonwealth
African LGBTI activists and their allies are urging 40 countries that formerly were part of the British Empire to throw off the chains that the colonial empire created for LGBTI citizens in the form of now-ancient anti-homosexuality laws. During a protest at the Commonwealth’s London headquarters on Nov. 25, they called for action during the … Continue reading
Coming out in Nigeria: ‘Hate, isolation, loneliness may come’
Among trends that produce change, the process of coming out is one that can subtly persuade a society of the importance of recognizing the human rights of LGBTI people. When enough friends, colleagues, family members and celebrities come out, fear and hatred of LGBTI people tend to dissolve. But for an individual, coming out can … Continue reading
In Malaysia, Obama focuses on LGBT rights
President Obama focused attention on the human rights of LGBT Malaysians during his just-ended Asia trip. While in Malaysia, he met with trans activist Nisha Ayub, who seeks an end to the frequent arrests of trans women. He also lent tacit support to Malaysian opposition politician Anwar Ibrahim, who is serving a five-year prison sentence … Continue reading
Arrest reports in Nigeria: 21 in Delta, 2 in Lagos
Nigeria’s homophobic and untrustworthy media has published reports — unconfirmed reports — about two sets of arrests of gay youths: Two teenagers, ages 14 and 19, were arrested in Ikotun, near Lagos, after police allegedly caught them having anal sex, according to Absolute Naija. The report gave their alleged names and school affiliations, but no … Continue reading
U.N. vs. anti-LGBTI laws; plus news in brief
In brief, here is recent news from countries with anti-LGBTI laws. These items are excerpted with slight modifications from UNAIDS’s Equal Eyes recap of the world’s LGBTI-related news: UNAIDS released a new five year strategy to end the AIDS epidemic that calls for the removal of 76+ countries’ laws against same-sex sexual relations. The new … Continue reading
