It is time to go out of our way and to show solidarity with Uganda’s Gay LGBTI community By Melanie Nathan, January 31, 2014. KUCHU DIASPORA ALLIANCE (KDA), the group of Ugandan LGBT and allies, living in the United States, invites you to join in a critical protest on Tuesday, February 4, 2014 @2pm at … More Diaspora Gays to protest at Ugandan Consulate and want you to Join them
GAY PROTESTERS WILL RETURN TO RUSSIAN CONSULATE | February 6 Queer Nation Demo To Mark Opening of Sochi Olympics Vladimir Putin’s Anti-Gay Laws and State-Sanctioned Anti-Gay Violence at Issue Posted by Melanie Nathan New York, NY (January 30, 2014) — Members of the gay activist group Queer Nation and others who oppose the Russian government’s … More Gays to protest Sochi Olympic opening at Russian Consulate
By Melanie Nathan, January 30, 2014. As a past Vice Chair of Fair Housing of Marin I wanted to post this tribute to Morrie Turner, Nationally Syndicated Cartoonist and creator of WEE PALS. WEE PALS was the first syndicated comic strip to portray characters of diverse backgrounds and to bring diversity into the world of … More FAIR HOUSING OF MARIN PAYS TRIBUTE TO MORRIE TURNER
By Melanie Nathan, January 30, 2014 Today, three Florida mayors whose cities have Sister or Friendship City relationships with cities in Russia co-signed a letter to Russian President Vladmir Putin criticizing the anti-gay laws and violence in the country that will host the Winter Olympics at Sochi. Tallahassee Mayor John Marks, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer … More Florida Mayors Urge Putin to End LGBT Discrimination
AS critical to promoting equitable, peaceful and prosperous societies in which we all wish to live: “The people of the Commonwealth are committed to equality and human rights for all…” By Melanie Nathan, 30 January 2014. In the wake of the rising terror now facing LGBT people in Commonwealth countries, where old draconian penal codes … More Commonwealth Secretary-General on Protection of Dignity for Gays
Mob Attacks, Police Parades and Violence on the rise as International Day of Protests in planning statges By Melanie Nathan, January 29, 2014. One of the worst fears with regard to the Anti Homosexuality bill was the possibility of witch hunts targeting LGBTI people in Uganda if the bill passed. Unfortunately, this fear has started … More Disturbing Hunt for Gays Heats up in Uganda | Update on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill
WATCH the TV Interview with Michele Meow of Swirl below – “The most dangerous person in your life could be your next door neighbor” Mugisha By Melanie Nathan, January 29, 2014. Frank Mugisha, Executive Director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and the award winning LGBT human rights defender from Uganda, who together with other Ugandan … More Frank Mugisha speaks about Increased Violence in Uganda due to the Anti-Gay Bill
Showing the World How Unsafe Uganda is for Anyone, Tourists, Foreign Nationals….. By Melanie Nathan, January 28, 2014. It seems that the recent passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which has yet to pass the 30 day period of assent by President Museveni, has provided license to fuel police brutality and the unconscionable practice of parading … More Ugandan Police Persecute by Public Parading Men Accused of Being Gay
The road to SOCHI is paved with Coke Cans – from Hypocrisy to Blood-money #shareacoke and Join the Anti-Coke revolution By Melanie Nathan, January 27, 2014. Coca Cola has a message for you – Let us share a Coke as long as it is not with Russian Gays, Ugandan Gays, Nigerian Gays, Gambian Gays, Zimbabwean … More Share a Coke with Gays
The Most Poorly Timed Social Media Post of All Time! By Melanie Nathan, January, 2014. Coca-Cola is not only a sponsor of the Putin Sochi Games, in homophobic Russia, but has now had the audacity to post ad on Facbook using an equality, love and happiness themed song. The LGBT community around the world is … More Coca-Cola Deleting enraged LGBT comments from Facebook Page
A witness to government persecution of gays in Uganda Posted by Melanie Nathan, written by JP Conly, January 23, 2014. JP Conly and I were in communication when he was in Uganda late last year. He was able to make contact with members of the Ugandan LGBT community while working as a nurse volunteer. Here … More Meeting with LGBT Activist Ganafa After Shocking Raid Arrest in Uganda
BECOMING MORE VISIBLE, – A burgeoning crisis Posted by Melanie Nathan, January 25, 2014. From behind the lens of photographer Josh Lehrer, a groundbreaking film will tell the compelling stories of five, homeless transgender teens. Their backgrounds are diverse, but their stories are strikingly similar. Rejected by their families and lured to New York City with … More Groundbreaking Homeless Trans Teen Film
Are gays nuts or sinners seems to be the question at hand given the Ugandan context? By Melanie Nathan, January 24, 2014. The NRM, Uganda’s ruling political party, under President Yoweri Museveni discussed the newly passed Anti-Homosexuality Bill at a caucus today. Word has it that the NRM has resolved that they will hire consultant … More NRM Uganda to Hire Doctors to Decipher Whether Homosexuality is Abnormal or a Choice
Human Rights Campaign’s Chad Griffin Heading to Sochi Olympics or simply playing footsie with the rest of the 1%? This what Michael Petrelis reports on January 23, 2014 on his BLOG at http://mpetrelis.blogspot.com/2014/01/human-rights-campaigns-chad-griffin.html “Recent history may provide clues about a potential action or two in the near future for the Human Rights Campaign and its new-found … More Chasing Chad
Queer and Trans Art-iculations: Collaborative Art for Social Change | Zanele Muholi and Gabrielle Le Roux Posted by Melanie Nathan, January, 23, 2014. The Wits Art Museum, ( The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa) in partnership with Wits Centre for Diversity Studies and Inkanyiso, is proud to announce the exhibition Queer and Trans Art-iculations: Collaborative … More Important Queer and Trans Art Exhibit at Wits
By Melanie Nathan, January 22, 2014. AP in BAUCHI, Nigeria, is reporting on the increasing anti-gay violence against Nigerians perceived as being gay. Apparently, thousands of protesters showed up at a Shariah court in a north Nigerian city Wednesday, throwing stones at the Court while yelling for the convictions and executions of 11 men arrested … More Nigerian Court Mayhem as Protestors Riot Calling for Gay Deaths
Suicide note : “I blame you all for my death. This world is not colorful enough for my colors.” By Cathy Kristofferson, January 22, 2014 This morning I saw tweets that the 20 year old head of Azerbaijan’s LGBT organization had committed suicide. Isa Shahmarli was the chairman of the Azad LGBT (Free Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, … More 20 year old Azerbaijan LGBT activist commits suicide
By Melanie Nathan, January 21, 2014. The protests and the controversy surrounding Mr. Z of Eastside Catholic High School in Sammamish, Washington firing has taken a new turn. The President of the school has finally resigned in the aftermath. Sister Mary Tracy, who apparently lied about the firing of the popular gay vice principal and swim … More Eastside Catholic’s Head Resigns in Wake of Mr Z Controversy
Cross Posted, January 21, 2014. NBJC BLOG: On the same day President Obama announced his nomination of Staci Michelle Yandle, the first black LGBT judge to be appointed in 20 years, he also made public his intention to appoint 15 individuals to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. Among the members that … More Obama Appoints NBJC’s ED to Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans –
By Melanie Nathan, January 20, 2014 When religious extremists in the form of Lou Engle, Scott Lively and others found that their war against homosexuality was floundering on home turf, they scrambled to capture a world ripe for scapegoating, using the Bible to spin their hateful yarn on African soil. Uganda became a target and … More The Deadly Silence of Shinners and other Christians on Anti-Gay Ugandan Law
Why this MLK Day feels like no other to me! Posted by Melanie Nathan, January 21, 2014. I cannot help but wonder about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jnr. and what he would do about the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda, as well as the Jail the Gays Bill in Nigeria. I imagine Dr. King in the … More LGBTI in Africa on Martin Luther King Jr Birthday
Canada acts, the UK folds, what will the US do? By Cathy Kristofferson, January 19, 2014 Reports out of Nigeria claim that Canada has cancelled a planned state visit by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan that had been in the works for February. Jonathan was due to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper but reports say … More Anti-Gay Nigerian President May be Banned from Canadian State Visit
I rebuke Chad Griffin, Executive Director of multi-million dollar organization, HRC, Human Rights Campaign, who boasts a million members at his fingertips, for failed leadership on this issue. By Melanie Nathan, January 18, 2014. The Ugandan Diaspora group, Uganda GAY on the Move, held a well attended “Drop The Bill Protest” in Amsterdam today, at … More Protests in Amsterdam against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill |Where is America
“President Museveni pledged to reject the bill as currently drafted, calling the legislation ‘fascist.’” By Cathy Kristofferson, January 18, 2014 The Robert F. Kennedy Center For Justice & Human Rights has posted a press release (below) saying they have met with Ugandan President Museveni today and he “pledged to reject” the Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB). Museveni reportedly … More Ugandan President Meets USA Group Pledges to alter Anti-gay legislation
By Melanie Nathan, January 18, 2014. Russian white supremacist, Neo Nazi, Ultra Nationalist and Gay basher Maxim Martsinkevich has been arrested in Cuba in an international arrest warrant, Russian police reported today, according to media reports. Russia was informed by Cuban police of the arrest of Martsinkevich, otherwise known as Tesak, through Interpol, the Russian Interior Ministry … More Russian Neo Nazi Gay Basher Captured in Cuba
By Cathy Kristofferson, January 18, 2014 Russian LGBT activist Pavel Lebedev today jumped out in front of the torchbearer of the Olympic Torch Relay in Voronezh, Russia and waved a rainbow flag. He was of course then tacked by event personnel and handed over to police. The information on social media from @ru_lgbt_teen who tweeted the … More Russian Gay Activist arrested waving Rainbow Flag at Sochi Olympic Torch Relay
Spotlights AIDS Memorial Quilt; Reveals Progress, Setbacks and Hope in the Quest to End AIDS Official Selection at Santa Barbara International Film Festival (Jan 30 – Feb 9) New York, NY, January 17, 2014 – Red Thread Productions announced today the upcoming release of a new feature-length documentary with a fresh take on the iconic AIDS Memorial … More New Documentary about the 50 Mile Long AIDS Memorial Quilt
Given this latest slander should Billie Jean King and Brian Boitano resign as delegates to Sochi? By Melanie Nathan, January 17, 2014. Russian media is reporting that gay people should feel comfortable at the Sochi Olympics but “leave children in peace,” a prescription by Russian President Vladimir Putin for a safe and fabulous Sochi Games. Yet … More Putin ok with gay Billie Jean King as long as she does not talk to Kids
President Museveni becomes an authority on Homosexuality while saving Uganda from the Kill the Gays Bill FOR NOW! In December 2013, The Ugandan Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill which criminalizes homosexuality and its so called “promotion” with harsh punishment. The legislation provides for a sentence of life imprisonment for anyone convicted of homosexuality, which covers … More Ugandan President May have Blocked the Anti-Gay Bill
By Cathy Kristofferson, January 16, 2014 A demonstration against Uganda’s so-called Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB), better known as the Kill-The-Gays Bill, has been called for this Saturday in Amsterdam by Out & Proud Diamond Group. Out & Proud Diamond Group was founded by African LGBTI and Human Rights activists fighting for equality for all. Last week the … More US LGBTs Silent while London and Amsterdam respond to Uganda Call To Action
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