July 06, 2011, by Melanie Nathan (USA) and Henry Bantjez (SA), One million or more took part in the annual Pride Parade through London today, through streets lined with curious onlookers. This year, unlike in the past, the march took place around the old BBC building in Portland Place, going down from there to Oxford … More London Pride: Politicians MIA, the SA Gay Flag and More
July 06, 2011, by Melanie Nathan, Inkanyiso brings together three new bodies of photographic work: new portraits in the ongoing series Faces and Phases (2010-11); Beulahs (2007-10) and Transfigures (2010-11), and the documentary Difficult Love (2010). As always, Muholi is upfront about her agenda as an activist, seeking to educate the viewer on ‘the complexities … More South African Lesbian Photographer Activist: Zanele Muholi’s Exhibits New Portraits
July 03, 2011, by Melanie Nathan, Early in 2010, I started covering the stories of women in the South African Townships, who were raped by men seeking to “correct” the fact that they were lesbians, touting that rape would change the sexuality of the victim. I never believed that these brutal crimes ever truly earned the … More South Africa Corrective Rape Task Force Helms Hate Crimes Reform
06/11/2011, by Melanie Nathan, Crossroads Informal Settlement, Cape Town; Nxolo Nkosana (23) is spending an angry yet terrifying night in her home as she deals with wounds, pain and trauma of a vicious attack on her life. She was walking home on the evening of May 10th with her partner and a few friends when … More Lesbian Survives Brutal Stabbing to Become Hero vs Hate
06/06/2011 By Melanie Nathan Johannesburg – South Africa’s ambassador to Uganda, Jon Qwelane, will apply for rescission of a judgment in which he was found guilty of hate speech, his lawyers said on Monday. The known homophobic envoy, a recent President Jacob Zuma (response to favors) appointee to anti-gay Uganda, will not come home from … More President Zuma returns the Favor to Qwelane – A Defense on a Silver Platter
06/06/2011, Melanie Nathan, Zapiro is a well known South African cartoonist; known for controversial and unabashed cartoons about President Zuma and other South African politicians. I met Zapiro at a birthday bash in Cape Town back in March of this year. I told him about my Uganda LGBTI activism and he gave me free license … More Zapiro Cartoons Qwelane
06/02/2011, by Melanie Nathan, When I immigrated to the United States in 1985, I marveled at the U.S. Constitution. It protected everything. I left a place where it was constitutional to discriminate – in fact it was required that one discern between races when it came to where people could live, who could vote and … More Apartheid Against LGBTI Americans – A View via the Hate Speech Ruling for South African Envoy to Uganda Jon Qwelane
05/31/2011, by Melanie Nathan The Guardian UK is reporting a case similar to many others, which we have reported upon in the past. The Asylum claim of a Ugandan lesbian, attacked by three men in her home country, has been refused by UK immigration authority. In fear of fraud, the UK authorities have been known … More Ugandan Woman Branded by Iron for being a Lesbian faces deportation from United Kingdom
05/31/2011, by Melanie Nathan Back in 2008, Jon Qwelane posted a piece in his column in the Sunday Sun. Well known to the South African LGBTQI community is the fact that Jon Qwelane, despite protest and outrage, was sent to Uganda as South Africa’s Ambassador to that country. Qwelane, inter alia, writes about the Anglican … More South Africa Ambassador Jon Qwelane Guilty of Anti-Gay Hate Speech
By Melanie Nathan, April 05, 2010 ‘The Victim Millicent Gaika contacted me via a caregiver; I was shocked to receive this and more photos. They may not be reproduced without my permission The Face Of Corrective Lesbian Rape In South Africa 4/5/10-by Melanie Nathan This is the face of South African lesbian who was beaten … More South Africa; Shocking Photos of Corrective Rape Victim
Today on TV (highlighted by Keith Olberman) I saw a woman who was seriously disabled, trying to express her needs regarding health care reform at a town hall meeting. She was heckled and treated in the most disgusting fashion, by her fellow Americans. For some reason it served as a metaphor for my article today; … More The Lady in the Wheelchair and the Apartheid for Gay America
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