Uganda in Flux: Anti-Gay & Criminalizing HIV

Over 200 MPs vowed to bring back Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act, while President Yoweri Museveni released a statement urging lawmakers to not ‘rush.’ Reportedly, Museveni said he backed the law's return, in a limited form.

"He wants the law back in the house but now says if two consenting adults go into their room and decide to be stupid, let them be," lawyer Bitekyerezo said. "What he said he doesn't want, and which we must even increase the penalties, is recruitment of children and exploiting financially vulnerable youths."  In light of Museveni's recent movement criminalizing HIV, human rights activists should be wary. Read More

'It's a huge human rights event. The Gay Games are changing the world'

Thousands of athletes from over 65 countries attended the Gay Games, the world’s largest LGBT-friendly athletics event. Read some of the experiences with international participants. 

Konstantin Yablotskiy was a figure skater, not an activist. Most of his friends did not even know he was gay. But in 2010 he watched international athletes competing openly at Cologne's Gay Games, unafraid of expressing their orientation. He decided to organize an LGBT athletics group in Russia. When he returned to this year's Games, Yablotskiy was leading a team of 33 athletes representing the 1,000-plus membership of the Russian LGBT Sports Federation. Read his story

New Front In Fight Against Same Sex Marriage? U.S. Evangelical Leaders Turn To Latin America

Losing the fight against same-sex marriage at home, leading US Evangelical Christians are joining the culture wars in Latin America as opponents of gay legal partnerships, abortion, and pornography.  Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, prominent Latino faith leader, and Mat Staver, who co-founded the Moral Majority, are working with evangelical pastors in Latin America to help strengthen their conservative message. Read More

The LGBT, feminist, and student voices behind Uruguay's radical reforms

From legalizing abortion to transsexual rights, marginalized groups in Uruguay have united to become a formidable force for change. While President José "Pepe" Mujica and his Broad Front coalition have been making international headlines for sweeping reforms, less well known is that 3,000 civil society activists have been the driving force behind the country's makeover. "Just 10 years ago, these laws would have been unthinkable," Michelle Suárez, a member of the LGBT group Ovejas Negras, or Black Sheep Read More 

Ugandan President Museveni passes HIV Prevention and Control Act of 2014

Museveni has signed a bill into law to criminalize HIV transmission and impose other measures public health activists say will make it even harder to get Uganda’s severe epidemic under control. The law imposes a fine and a ten-year prison sentence for “intentional transmission of HIV” and five years for “attempted transmission of HIV.” The legislation also allows for compulsory testing in some cases, such as when a woman is pregnant, and would enable courts to order the release of individuals’ HIV status without consent.

Civil society organizations reacted harshly to Uganda‟s controversial HIV Bill. This law has been publicly criticized by officials leading the HIV response in Uganda, such as the AIDS Control Programme of the Ministry of Health and the Uganda AIDS Commission, entities that repeatedly told media that this Act would take Uganda,s AIDS response in "the wrong direction." Lilian Mworeko of ICW East Africa: “How can we achieve the AIDS Free Generation that government has committed to when Uganda adopts such a law?”  Read More 

These Powerful Photos Challenge The Stereotypes People Fight Every Day

Lauren Renner, a New York based photographer, started an ongoing groundbreaking photo series called “In Others’ Words” that shows the different stereotypes that individuals are confronted with. “We can either continue to use our differences to divide us, or we can define our identities for ourselves.” NSFW: The photos in this series include nudity. Read More 

Show on African homosexuality shut down after fundamentalist attack Senegal

The Senegalese government has shut down one of the first exhibitions in Africa to focus on homosexuality on the continent. The move comes several weeks after an attack on the Dakar gallery by Muslim fundamentalists, says the French-Algerian artist Kader Attia.  Read More

Do Kids Movies Push The 'Gay Agenda'?

There’s a LGBT movement happening, not at the voting booth but at the box office: A quiet revolution that may be more threatening to far-right wingnuts than thought possible. It’s kids’ movies. From ParaNorman to Frozen, animated films aimed at children (but also enjoyed by adults) are shaping how kids think about LGBT issues without ever uttering the word “gay.” The latest threat: The Boxtrolls. Read More

John Barrowman praised for Commonwealth Games opening ceremony gay kiss

It was a joyous occasion amid a week of sorrow – and John Barrowman celebrated with a kiss. The actor and musician clasped the head of another man during the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games and planted a big smacker on his lips. 

The gay embrace has been hailed as a snub to homophobia in Commonwealth countries which criminalise homosexuality. The openly gay Doctor Who actor kissed his male “bride” at a mock Gretna Green during the showcase at Celtic Park, Glasgow, last night. Read More

Participate in the 2014 Global Men's Health and Rights Survey

By sharing your personal experiences, you join thousands of gay men and other men who have sex with men around the world working to promote health and human rights in our communities. The survey focuses on different factors that impact the quality of our lives, including community involvement, sexual happiness, experiences of stigma, knowledge about new HIV & STI prevention strategies, access to services, and how we feel about ourselves. Read More & take the survey now