Category: NEWS

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender news and perspectives of LGBT community

Zulu King Homophobic Remarks insult to his Gay Ancestor Shaka Zulu

January 22, 2012

By Melanie Nathan: I am calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobic remarks on Center stage in harsher terms; his feeble attempt at reprimand does not make leadership grade! Johannesburg – Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini has criticized people who engage in same sex relationships, labelling them as “rotten”, according to a newspaper report … More Zulu King Homophobic Remarks insult to his Gay Ancestor Shaka Zulu

Tunisia | Interior Minister Gay Scandal Inflames Homosexual Panic

January 22, 2012

By Guest Dan Littauer, Executive Editor of Gay Middle East Tunisia’s new interior minister, Ali Larayedh, has been embroiled in controversy and scandal as a leaked video allegedly shows him in a gay prison sex video.  This scandal has outraged and inflamed public opinion against homosexuality which was already jittery, due to the  electoral political … More Tunisia | Interior Minister Gay Scandal Inflames Homosexual Panic

Liberian Gays Assaulted | African Press and The Anti-Gay Attacks

January 22, 2012

by Melanie Nathan, January 22, 2012 In Liberia where same-sex relationships are outlawed and sodomy criminalized with fines, a Liberian pro-Gay group, “Movement in Defence of Gay and Lesbian Rights”  came under physical assault when promoting LGBT  rights. The group’s leaders, LeRoy Archie Pon-pon and Abraham Kamara, apparently escaped death last week at the hands … More Liberian Gays Assaulted | African Press and The Anti-Gay Attacks

Uganda | Visiting South African Mbeki Slams Bahati’s Kill-The-Gays Bill

January 22, 2012

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki has hit out at Ndorwa West MP David Bahati’s anti-gay Bill, telling a public audience in Kampala that what two consenting adults do in private “is really not the matter of law.” by Melanie Nathan Finally, a South African leader has spoken out publicly and forcefully against the Anti-Homosexuality … More Uganda | Visiting South African Mbeki Slams Bahati’s Kill-The-Gays Bill

Gay Zambia | Constitutional Recognition of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation

January 21, 2012

by Charles Zambia, Guest Writer “Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in Zambia live in constant fear of detention, discrimination in education, employment, housing, and access to services, and extortion – all buttressed by the existence of sections 155 – 157 of the Penal Code and the lack of specific legal protections for LGBT people under Zambian … More Gay Zambia | Constitutional Recognition of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation

South Africa Gay Men Murders | Possible Serial Killer Ignored by Police

January 21, 2012

“The police may well be indifferent and unmotivated to solve the murders because of the men’s sexual orientation….” SOUTH AFRICA – On 17 December 2011, 39-year-old activist and television presenter Jason Wessenaar was found stabbed to death in his home in Pretoria. The killing occurred in the early morning hours as neighbors heard screams for … More South Africa Gay Men Murders | Possible Serial Killer Ignored by Police

Russia | Pussy Riot Rock Group Arrested Protesting Putin & Sex Tourism

January 20, 2012

Russian police detained a punk group called Pussy Riot on Friday after they performed a protest song criticising Vladimir Putin next to Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. The Pussy Riot an all-female band, wearing  brightly colored mini-dresses and balaclavas, were arrested after their protest song slammed  the “Putin-system,” prostitution, and sexism. The all female group, … More Russia | Pussy Riot Rock Group Arrested Protesting Putin & Sex Tourism

California Health Care Bill | Senator Leno’s Single-Payer Bill Clears Senate Appropriations

January 19, 2012

SB 810 Creates a Private-Public Partnership That Provides Universal Coverage by Redirecting the Funds Californians Already Spend on Health Care  SACRAMENTO – The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved the California Universal Health Care Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). Senate Bill 810 guarantees all Californians comprehensive, universal health care while reducing the state’s … More California Health Care Bill | Senator Leno’s Single-Payer Bill Clears Senate Appropriations

Newt Gingrich Defecated on Traditional Marriage

January 19, 2012

Open marriage and divorce seems to be what Newt Gingrich thinks marriage is about. The old news is now well documented, Newt Gingrich, who while engaged in an affair with Callista, so insensitively asked his ex-wife Marianne for a divorce, over the phone while she was attending her mother’s 84th birthday. The would be Republican … More Newt Gingrich Defecated on Traditional Marriage

SOPA BLACKOUT | WordPress Announces Internet Blackout Day For Protests

January 17, 2012

  WordPress.org is officially joining the protest against Senate Bill 968: the Protect IP Act that is coming before the U.S. Senate next week. As I wrote in my post a week ago, if this bill is passed it will jeopardize internet freedom and shift the power of the independent web into the hands of … More SOPA BLACKOUT | WordPress Announces Internet Blackout Day For Protests

SOPA BLACKOUT | Google and Wikipedia Go Dark

January 17, 2012

We have come to rely on Wikipedia, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter – our everyday lives so impacted  and adjusted accordingly. Thousands of websites are going dark today to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act, (SOPA) which is designed to thwart copyright infringement but that Web experts warn could threaten the Internet as we know it. … More SOPA BLACKOUT | Google and Wikipedia Go Dark

LGBTI South Africa | Human Rights Conference Deals with Homophobia and Health Issues

January 17, 2012

PRETORIA – The Aids and Rights Alliance of Southern Africa (Arasa)  addressed a meeting of Human Rights Defender organizations to discuss human rights issues with a focus on LGBTI issues and how to improve resources for health and responses to homophobia. The two day meeting, in Pretoria, South Africa, began today and brings together human … More LGBTI South Africa | Human Rights Conference Deals with Homophobia and Health Issues

Australian Open | Laura Robson’s Rainbow Hairband Defies Margaret’s Court

January 17, 2012

by Melanie Nathan, January 17, 2012 British tennis player Laura Robson defied the Court by wearing a rainbow colored hair band in Melbourne on Monday in support of gay and lesbian rights during her match at the Australian Open. There may well be a lot more to what was meant as a gesture of solidarity … More Australian Open | Laura Robson’s Rainbow Hairband Defies Margaret’s Court

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on Meet the Press 1965 Watch Video

January 16, 2012

Ned Brooks on NBC’s meet the Press in 1965 with guest Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr., from San Francisco after he delivered his sermon at Grace Cathedral.  A must watch video below will remind us on this important day of the force of the Civil Rights movement and what it takes to bring change. MLK … More Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on Meet the Press 1965 Watch Video

LGBTI Refugees hurt if Canada changes Refugee Sponsorship Program

January 16, 2012

Asylum for LGBTI refugees is fraught with hurdles. Canada has been viewed as a country that provides some measure of promise and hope; but now the Canadian government is proposing changes to regulations pertaining to refugee sponsorship, which could have a dramatic impact on LGBTI applications for asylum. The Department of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) … More LGBTI Refugees hurt if Canada changes Refugee Sponsorship Program

Saudi Man Arrested for Gay Dating via Facebook

January 15, 2012

By Guests Dan Littauer and Sami Hamwi, 13.01.2012 Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) As British Prime Minister, David Cameron visits Saudi Arabia today, activists report the plight of a man arrested by the religious police who may face corporal punishment. Activists are concerned for the safety of a 30-year-old man arrested by the religious … More Saudi Man Arrested for Gay Dating via Facebook

Suicide of Gay Anti Bullying Activist EricJames Borges

January 14, 2012

Raised in an extremist Christian household, assaulted in classroom with a teacher present, EricJames Borges, 19,  was repeatedly bullied, tormented, terrorized,  for the duration of his childhood and teen  years. He came out with the video “it Gets better”  below, yet he could not live through the pain. EricJames committed suicide yesterday! “Disgusting, perverted, unnatural … More Suicide of Gay Anti Bullying Activist EricJames Borges

SABC Allows use of Airwaves to Attract Listeners to Pastor’s Anti- LGBTI Agenda

January 13, 2012

The South African LGBT community is in an uproar about Riekert Botha, a radio evangelical from South Africa who has been spewing anti-gay comments at the expense of the South African taxpayer. South Africa, which  has a fully inclusive constitution outlaws discrimination against LGBTI people and have anti-hate speech laws to  protect groups against hate … More SABC Allows use of Airwaves to Attract Listeners to Pastor’s Anti- LGBTI Agenda

Oprah Winfrey on First Graduation for South African School – The Class of 2011

January 13, 2012

The South African school year ends in December in time for summer vacation. Oprah Winfrey is in South Africa to attend graduation of the first graduating class of her elite academy and while she has spent millions on this school for underprivileged South African girls, she is now contemplating the question of  lways to make … More Oprah Winfrey on First Graduation for South African School – The Class of 2011

Marriage Equality Bill Introduced into Washington State Senate with 2 Republicans Sponsoring

January 13, 2012

Today, the Washington state senate filed a bill that would make the State seventh in the union to legalize marriage equality.  If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law, anti-LGBT groups are likely to try and overturn it at the November ballot. The senate bill which is supported by Gov. Christine Gregoire … More Marriage Equality Bill Introduced into Washington State Senate with 2 Republicans Sponsoring

Study of Teens of Lesbian Parents shows Happy as Teens from Heterosexual Parents

January 12, 2012

The quality of life of 17-year-olds reared in lesbian-parent families did not differ from that of a matched group of adolescents who grew up in heterosexual-parent families, according to a new study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. The study took 78 17-year-olds from the NLLFS—all of whom have lesbian mothers—and matched them based on … More Study of Teens of Lesbian Parents shows Happy as Teens from Heterosexual Parents

Court Rules against Anti-Gay Breakaway Episcopals in Church Property Case

January 12, 2012

A Virginia judge today has ruled against the conservative anti-homosexual breakaway Episcopal Church in Northern Virginia. The conservative group of congregations, which included infamous Truro Church, Fairfax, broke away from the main Episcopal Church … More Court Rules against Anti-Gay Breakaway Episcopals in Church Property Case

CA State Sen. Mark Leno, Rep. Lynn Woolsey to be Honored by MHRC at MLK Jr. Award Dinner

January 12, 2012

Marin County’s Human Rights Commission Highlights Connections to Civil Rights Movement30th Anniversary Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.  Award Dinner Jan. 19th. Martin Luther King Jr., ‘The Little Rock 9,’ ‘Tuskegee Airman,’ and LGBT Education Bill SB 48 will all top this year’s renowned Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Marin Awards Dinner, while the Marin … More CA State Sen. Mark Leno, Rep. Lynn Woolsey to be Honored by MHRC at MLK Jr. Award Dinner

Petition New Hampshire: Hands off Marriage Equality Rights

January 12, 2012

by Melanie Nathan, January 12, 2012, New Hampshire wants to reverse two year old marriage equality law and we cannot let that happen. The U.S. is turning toward marriage equality and not away from it. If you have not signed this petition please consider doing it now. The entire country is impacted by marriage equality … More Petition New Hampshire: Hands off Marriage Equality Rights

Calling South African President Zuma in New York to Speak to AU for LGBT Human Rights

January 10, 2012

Melanie Nathan, January 10, 2012 President Jacob Zuma arrived in New York on Tuesday ahead of South Africa’s officially assuming the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for January. “SA will utilize its presidency to continue exploring concrete measures for strengthening the relationship between the United Nations and regional organizations, in particular the African … More Calling South African President Zuma in New York to Speak to AU for LGBT Human Rights

NBJC Calls For Hate Crime Investigation in FAMU Hazing Death

January 10, 2012

Posted by Melanie Nathan,  01/10/2012 Washington, D.C., January 10, 2012 – On November 19, 2011 Florida A&M University student Robert Champion Jr. was found unresponsive aboard a band bus after the school’s biggest game of the year. Police ruled the death a homicide from hazing; furthermore, the parents of Mr. Champion, a 26-year-old drum major … More NBJC Calls For Hate Crime Investigation in FAMU Hazing Death

LGBT People “are sick” says Iranian Human Rights Official

January 9, 2012

By Guest Dan Littauer, 9.01.2012 The secretary-general of the Iranian High Council for Human Rights described homosexuality as a western ”disease,” and said that same-sex marriage was “immoral,” according to a report of Radio Free Europe. General Mohammad Javad Larijani allegedly made these remarks in Tehran during a visit by German Tom Koenigs, who chairs … More LGBT People “are sick” says Iranian Human Rights Official

Call for Investigation into Numerous Sexual Abuse Reports of LGBT Immigration Detainees

January 9, 2012

LGBT Detainees Specifically Targeted for Sexual Abuse and Denial of Care in the U.S.A. Posted  by Melanie Nathan, 01-09-2012, WASHINGTON—Following repeated reports of sexual abuse in the immigration detention system by the Heartland Alliance, Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigate and offer possible remedies … More Call for Investigation into Numerous Sexual Abuse Reports of LGBT Immigration Detainees

Ugandan Monitor Article Suggests Gays Called for their Own Hanging

January 9, 2012

Melanie Nathan, January 01,2012 Mr. Bernard Sabiti, a self proclaimed social critic in Uganda, with clear political aspirations, and probably a Museveni Regime Bahati sock puppet, has upped the anti-gay ante in his country in an insidious attempt to discredit gays.   Activists around the world are responding to Sabiti’s claim in an article he wrote … More Ugandan Monitor Article Suggests Gays Called for their Own Hanging

Breaking: Facebook Timeline Glitch Could Cause Danger for GAY LGBTI Users

January 8, 2012

UPDATE: 8-08-2012 –  It would seem from checking back at the site concerned that the problem has been resolved.  It may not have been a problem at all, it is difficult to tell. However, exercising caution when using social media is advised at all time. by Melanie Nathan, Jan 08, 2011 SAN FRANCISCO –  Facebook … More Breaking: Facebook Timeline Glitch Could Cause Danger for GAY LGBTI Users