An appeal for an end to persecution and marginalization of LGBT people in Lebanon comes with a useful twist: It argues that because “homosexuality is a natural variation of human sexuality,” it therefore should be exempt from Lebanon’s law against sexual intercourse “against nature.” The wording “against nature” is a common euphemism that many nations … Continue reading
Tag Archives: World Health Organization
Beware of new Ugandan law threatening LGBTI health
By Kikonyogo Kivumbi and Colin Stewart LGBTI citizens and sex workers in Uganda should watch out for possible threats to their health that could occur after Uganda’s new Industrial Property Act takes effect April 1. At issue is the law’s acceptance of patent rights on new medications and medical equipment, as required under the World … Continue reading
LGBTI briefs: Stigma and HIV in Africa, India, Russia
News briefs about LGBTI-related health issues in countries with anti-gay laws, excerpted with slight modifications from UNAIDS’s Equal Eyes recap of the world’s LGBTI news. Involving LGBTI people in the fight against Aids In South Africa, the Global Forum on MSM & HIV brought together health workers, government officials, and advocates to discuss HIV needs … Continue reading
Asia-Pacific: Inadequate funds for HIV help for gays
The Jakarta Post in Indonesia, reported yesterday on the recent report by the World Health Organisation that urges nations to put key populations at the heart of their HIV/AIDS response. In the article, an activist comments there is inadequate financial resources allocated by most countries in the Asia-Pacific region. While this article does refer to MSM, it … 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
Worldwide damage: What Exodus knew and kept lying about
For nearly 40 years, the world’s leading “ex-gay” group, Exodus International claimed it could cure people of homosexuality. This week, the group admitted defeat, apologized for the harm it caused by spurring homophobia globally (including through its Jamaican affiliates, WIRED and the Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS)) and closed down. This is hardly … Continue reading
Ethiopia balks at Western pressure for LGBT rights
Add Ethiopia to the list of places that are crying foul at Western governments’ decision to consider a developing country’s anti-homosexuality laws before renewing foreign aid. Current law in Ethiopia provides for prison terms of 10 days to three years for homosexual activity. In 2008, religious leaders advocated adding a ban on gay activities to the … Continue reading
