Unfinished Business: Taking bolder action to address HIV among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men

MSMGF held the Civil Society Hearings Side Event, Unfinished Business – Taking bolder action to address HIV among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, at the United Nations in New York City in close consultation with the Global Platform to Fast Track the HIV and Human Rights Responses Among Gay, Bisexual Men and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men (The Platform), and supported by UNAIDS, UNDP, OGAC/PEPFAR, and the Global Fund. The event exceeded expectations with over 100 participants 

MSMGF notes: Following the Side Event and the Civil Society Hearings in New York, it is even more evident that activists, advocates and civil society organizations must work together tirelessly to influence the United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS (HLM) in June. We must ensure that gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men are adequately included and prioritized in the political declaration to emerge from the HLM, which will directly influence the global AIDS response for years to come. It is clear we will not come close to approaching the progress we need without partnerships and avid community activism. Read more via MSMGF

Experts unite to end human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity

LGBTI people across the world often face grave human rights violations, including torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, even killing – all because of who they are.

In an unprecedented dialogue, regional and UN human rights experts joined forces to look at their human rights situation, and to call for an end to violence and other human rights violations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

A report, launched during the 58th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in the Gambia, summarizes the historic dialogue that took place in November 2015 between the African Commission, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and UN human rights experts. The report highlights the impact that human rights violations have on the health of LGBTI people and their access to HIV prevention and care.The report also emphasizes positive developments made around the world in protecting the rights of LGBTI people.

“Violence and other human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity constitute universal challenges that require concerted responses by national, regional and UN human rights institutions,” said Pansy Tlakula, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Read more via OHCHR

US: New ‘Don’t Be Mean To People’ Beer Is Fighting Bigotry In North Carolina

Craft beer breweries in North Carolina are rallying together against anti-queer House Bill 2 (HB2) by creating a special beer, the proceeds of which will benefit pro-LGBT organizations in the state.

The beer, called “Don’t Be Mean To People: A Golden Rule Saison,” is the subject of an online fundraiser that has already passed $20,000. More than 30 craft breweries have committed to supporting the special brew with many “directly involved in creating the beer“ and others donating “ingredients, supplies, and time or are helping spread the word.” All profits from the beer and any funds raised beyond those needed to help create the beverage will be donated to Equality North Carolina and QORDS summer camp for LGBT youth. Read more via HuffingtonPost

China: Court refuses to allow gay marriage in landmark case

A Chinese judge has rejected a gay couple’s attempt to secure the right to marry in the country’s first same-sex marriage case. Sun Wenlin had sued the civil affairs bureau in the city of Changsha for the right to marry his 37-year-old partner Hu Mingliang, a security guard. In January a court in Changsha agreed to hear their case, which activists said was the first of its kind in China. 

The judge in Changsha announced he was dismissing the case shortly after the three-hour trial hearing had ended.  Shi Fulong, the lawyer representing the couple, claimed the court had provided insufficient grounds for dismissing the case but said gay marriage was destined to become a reality in China in the not-so-distant future: “If the law is unable to provide people with equality and justice, it means the law needs to be changed,” he said. 

Earlier hundreds of LGBT campaigners had gathered outside the court to show their support for the couple’s case. Read more via the Guardian

Nigeria: Hunting down gays

President Muhammadu Buhari has stood firm in support of anti-gay laws, despite pressure for its repeal, particularly from the United States. Under his administration, gay people will be arrested and prosecuted based on the law.

Incidents like the arrest of Lawal and Tahir and their guests in a supposed marriage ceremony are rare, but not unprecedented, particularly in northern Nigeria. Similar arrests have taken place in Bauchi and Kano, where witnesses say suspects were often tortured in detention and forced to give names of other gay people they know to the police.

In recent times, a number of human-rights activists have accused the police of arresting and detaining perceived homosexuals without cause, except for the purpose of extorting money from detainees to allow them to get out of jail.

Not long after the anti-gay law was passed, the UN agency fighting AIDS and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria expressed “deep concern that access to HIV services for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people will be severely affected” in the country, which has an estimated 3.4 million people living with the HIV virus. About half of that number are women, but unprotected intercourse among men puts them at especially high risk. 

 Read more via Daily Beast
 

US: Economic impact of HB2 mushrooms

The recent passage of anti-LGBT legislation in North Carolina and Mississippi has triggered protests and growing corporate backlash, with some companies refusing to expand in the states and high-profile performers canceling events.

The economic impact of the state’s controversial House Bill 2 continued to mushroom Tuesday, as Deutsche Bank announced it was freezing plans to create 250 jobs in Cary and a top Wake County economic development official said that five companies since early last week have canceled or postponed efforts to bring jobs to the county.  Read more via WRAL

Morocco: Homosexual couple in Morocco tortured... then imprisoned for defending themselves

A video showing a homosexual couple being tortured has provoked widespread condemnation throughout Morocco, where attacks against homosexuals are on the rise. But perhaps the most shocking part is the way in which the authorities reacted.

A Moroccan court on Monday released two men convicted of homosexuality, which normally carries a jail sentence in the kingdom, in a case that stirred emotions throughout the country. The court also jailed two men convicted of attacking the couple, while outside two topless Femen activists from France were detained and deported after protesting for Rabat to decriminalise homosexuality. Residents of the town of Beni Mellal in central Morocco, meanwhile, gathered to demand the release of the jailed attackers.

A first victim was sentenced to four months in jail for "acts against nature", but an appeal hearing decided Monday to release him on time served. The other victim was handed a four-month suspended sentence for "sexual deviancy".

For the attack on the couple, one defendant was handed a six-month prison sentence and another received four months for forced entry, resorting to violence and carrying weapons. Two others were acquitted and a fifth was to be tried later in a minors' court. Rights organisations have demanded that Morocco decriminalise homosexuality, which is punishable by up to three years in jail.  Read more via Morocco News

Italy: Court of Appeal orders full recognition of two second-parent adoptions

The Court of Appeal of the Italian city of Naples today ordered full recognition of two second-parent adoption orders by the Court of Lille (France) in favour of a French-Italian family residing in the Province of Avellino. One of the mothers, Giuseppina La Delfa, is the founder and former president of Famiglie Arcobaleno, the Italian rainbow family association, and a NELFA board member.

The mayors of Santo Stefano del Sole and of Serino (both in the Campania region, of which Naples is the capital), acting in their capacity as civil status registrars, refused to update the birth certificates of the couple’s children. The reason for denying recognition relates to their sexual orientation, the parents being two mothers and the adoption depending on their married status. The Italian administrations objected that recognising the effects of those adoptions would be tantamount to recognising the women’s marriage. Yet the Court of Appeal of Naples already adjudicated the case on marriage recognition last year, holding that Italy is bound to recognise the French marriage.  Read more via Nelfa 

Wheaties box to feature openly gay Olympic diver Greg Louganis

Thirty-two years after winning his first two of four Olympic gold medals, openly gay American diver Greg Louganis will grace a Wheaties cereal box. 

Wheaties' decision comes after an online petition to get Louganis, 56, on the iconic orange box amassed more than 40,000 signatures. Julie Sondgerath, who created the petition, was inspired after watching the HBO documentary “Back on Board: Greg Louganis.”

“From the moment I hit send on the petition, I knew this was possible,” Sondgerath said, via the New York Times. “Having an authentic conversation with (General Mills) was helpful and was potentially a catalyst to genuinely think about it.”

General Mills, which will reveal Louganis’ box on Tuesday along with boxes featuring former Olympic champion hurdler Edwin Moses and swimmer Janet Evans as part of a legends series, denied the petition played a role in its decision. Read more  

Antarctica: is the 'World’s First LGBT-Friendly Continent’

Antarctica is known for frigid temperatures, parading penguins and now... being “the world’s first LGBT-friendly continent”?

That’s right — at least if Planting Peace has anything to say about it.

The non-profit advocacy organization, which created the pro-queer rainbow Equality House adjacent to the Westboro Baptist Church compound in Topeka, Kansas, recently traveled across Antarctica carrying a Pride flag in a symbolic effort to declare full human rights for all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people living in or visiting Antartica. The gesture is also meant to raise awareness about securing equality for queer people on a global level.

Read more via Huffington Post

South Africa: After Monday's Event At Wits We Know the Student Movement Has Been Deeply Fractured

In the confusion of an attempted campus shutdown at Wits on Monday, the national student movement suffered a severe fragmentation. And it's not like the movements across campuses this year have been a testimony to unity anyway. 

A protest at Wits University on Monday did not outline any specific demands, and many students - including those involved in the movement - questioned its legitimacy, after it came to light that secret and closed meetings had been held over the weekend. The labelling of the movement as "intersectional" was also doubted when it emerged that some members of the movement regarded feminism and consideration of LGBTIAQ+ rights as divisive to the movement.

Many called out the patriarchal culture characterizing the movement and spoke against defending student leaders who were violating women. Two images of female protesters being restrained by male protesters are being circulated on social media‚ prompting angry outbursts.

This is how the partial shutdown unfolded. Read more via All Africa

Greece: LGBTQ TEI Athens takes stand against homophobic bullying

A statement from LGBTQ TEI Athens: Homophobic and sexist attacks that occurred recently in various schools across Greece neither surprise us nor leave us speechless. e unfortunately are accustomed to hearing and experiencing these attacks. But we realized that these events must no longer remain hidden, but rather people like us must speak out. Read more via Gay Hellas