Unaddressed protection needs, rigid systems, and research gaps imperil lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in humanitarian emergencies. Experiences of sexual and gender minorities during disasters and conflicts are drawing increased attention from some responders, but experts are urging a rethink of policies and protocols that could fuel exclusion and harm. Read More
Being gay in Kenya: ‘I’m a refugee in my country’
Mary Muthui’s scars tell a story of the harsh persecution that gay Kenyans face. Three years ago she and a friend were approached by 9 men who had noticed her T-shirt with the slogan 'Proudly Lesbian': “I crossed the road and kept running. They caught up and shouted that I should come back and find my friend, who they had grabbed. They raped us for three hours.” Her son was conceived in a similar attack with six men, during which her head was slashed by a machete. It was during that attack that she contracted HIV. Read More
Ugandan nurse appeals jail sentence over needle contamination
Rosemary Namubiru, a nurse sentenced for injecting a baby with a HIV contaminated needle, has appealed against her jail sentence on grounds that the offence she was charged with does not relate to HIV but to contagious diseases such as Ebola and measles. Read More
Wake Up Call: Kenya’s ‘Stone The Gays’ Bill Stopped, for now
A draft bill went to Kenya's National Assembly that proposed foreigners who commit homosexual acts be stoned in public, while Kenyan nationals found guilty will be jailed for life. According to unconfirmed reports, parliament’s legal affairs committee rejected the Anti-Homosexuality Bill as it to came into conflict with international interests.
Kenyan gay rights activist Denis Nzioka, who has seen parliament reports, says it should be a wake-up call for LGBTIs: ‘We have seen a lot of anti-gay sentiment being brought out by people, politicians, religious leaders. People want to go the Ugandan way, Nigerian way. ‘I thought Kenya was a safe country, the best in the continent apart from South Africa for gay rights. But things have got out of our hands. It just shows how in an instant – things can change dramatically.' Read More
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
A Good Man: a conversation between brothers
Bryan talks with his brother Mike about what it was like to reconnect years after their dad kicked Bryan out for being gay. Watch now
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
Russian Card Game Asking Kids to Feign Love for Rambo Is Deemed 'Gay Propaganda'
Court ruled the game “Fanty,” contained tasks that violate a law banning the promotion of nontraditional sexual relations to minors. President of the game company was fined $1,250 Read More