This Case could have a huge impact on how Gay people’s rights are impacted in Zambia By Melanie Nathan, May 15, 2013. When Zambian Paul Kasonkomona was arrested and detained some minutes after he spoke on a TV show it was clear to many that a flagrant abuse of personal freedoms had occurred and now … More Zambian activist’s constitutional challenge to homophobic arrest and charges
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 14, 2013 The dust has now settled a bit in Belize after last week’s whirlwind 4 day trial of the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General. The case challenged the constitutionality of Section 53, a law inherited from the colonial legal system, that criminalizes same gender sexual conduct in Belize. The case brought … More Belize: Final thoughts from the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General Case
AND HOMOPHOBIC VIOLENCE | PETITION: It is time to invigorate the sleeping SA Task Task team – we must fight the violence with transparency and a plan By Melanie Nathan, May 14, 2013 Activists in South Africa are calling for immediate invigoration, transparency and action by the Task Team that was established to combat so … More Call to SA Government Task Team for action on rape of lesbians
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 14, 2013. Yesterday the Minnesota Senate voted 37 to 30 to approve marriage equality. Their vote followed last Thursday’s 75 to 59 vote in favor in the Minnesota State House. Today Governor Mark Dayton will sign the bill into law at 5 p.m. CT with the bill going into effect on August 1st. … More Minnesota brings marriage equality to an even dozen U.S. States
Anti-gay sentiment increases after the export of more Western Evangelical hate By Cathy Kristofferson Zambia and Ethiopia appear poised to be the next ‘Kill the Gays’ countries. Is that really something nations should aspire to? Melanie Nathan has documented the current struggles in Zambia here on OBLOGDEE , from the arrest of HIV/AIDS rights activist … More Zambia and Ethiopia are the ‘next Uganda’
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 10, 2013 Court opened for the fourth day in the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General of Belize trial challenging the constitutionality of the Section 53 anti-sodomy penal code trial. The Churches continued their claim that social issues such as public morality and health do not belong before the court. Once again … More Belize anti-sodomy penal code trial wraps-up its final day
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 09, 2013 Day Three of the Caleb Orozco v. The Attorney General of Belize trial challenging the constitutionality of the Section 53 anti-sodomy penal code started with chatter in the courtroom about the Claimant Caleb Orosco’s home being vandalized: This came on top of new reports last night on Belize Channel 5 … More Belize Attorney General argues to maintain anti-sodomy penal code
By Melanie Nathan, May 08, 2013. We have been reporting on the two young Zambian men charged with sodomy, (see related Articles below). The men are currently detained in deplorable conditions. They have denied the charges. The arrests followed a call by Zambian authorities for people to report gays, noting that authorities were prepared to … More Amnesty accuses Zambia of violating treatise in arrests of alleged gay couple
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 08, 2013. Today, on Day Two of Caleb Orozco and the United Belize Advocacy Movement’s (UBIBAM) constitutional challenge of Belize’s Section 53 anti-sodomy law, lead attorney Christopher Smith‐Hamel SC, made his closing arguments. During his closing, he quoted Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Anglican humanitarian leader from South Africa: “’Our lesbian and gay brothers and sisters … More Belize Court hears Closing argument in Penal code anti-Sodomy case
Source fears for their lives as they face stiff sentences By Melanie Nathan, May 08, 2013. Police in Kapiri Mposhi have revoked police bond for two men arrested over the weekend for engaging in homosexuality after they were found in the act again, according to reports out of Zambia. ZANIS reports that Central Province Commissioner … More Zambia detains alleged gay couple in deplorable conditions
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 07, 2013 Today began the four day constitutionality challenge trial of Belize’s Section 53 anti-sodomy law in their Supreme Court. I have been watching the #UNIBAM twitter feed all afternoon (Belize = CST) for wonderful live-tweeting from Asa DeMatteo and now have been emailed (thank you!) the Press Release for Day One. … More Opening Arguments in Belize Urge Supreme Court to Uphold the Constitution
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 07, 2013. Tomorrow, the Every Child Deserves a Family Act (ECDF) will be re-introduced in Congress. The Act would ban discrimination in adoption or foster care placement based on the marital status, sexual orientation or gender identity of the potential parent, or the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child. … More Re-introduction of the Every Child Deserves a Family Act
By Melanie Nathan, May 06, 2013. 5/7 Update: Today the couple has been re-arrested, now denied bail, and more charges added following another tip off from relatives. We wrote recently about the police hunting for “homosexuals” in Zambia. Well its seems as if neighborhoods have joined in the cry to hunt out homosexuals and turn … More Zambia gay arrests | force medical tests for sodomy on 2 men accused of gay marriage
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 05, 2013. First off – Happy Cinco de Mayo! I saw a headline just now – “Gingrich: LGBT rights fight ‘one sided’ because Catholics are oppressed too”. Oh, really. Wonder what in Heaven’s name Newt is whining about now? Then I saw this quote: “But what I’m struck with is the … More Tiny violins for Newt and the oppression of his new-found Catholicism
Getting rid of the old British Colonial penal code criminalizing homosexuality in Central America… By Cathy Kristofferson, May 05, 2013 The nation of Belize, bordered by Mexico and Guatemala, is the last country in Central America where homosexual acts are still illegal and punishable by long prison terms. But that could change for Belize and set … More Belize Government and Christian right fight Supreme Court Challenge to decriminalize homosexuality
Seems to be exactly where the Religious Right is digging in these days. By Cathy Kristofferson, May 02, 2013. Two legislative initiatives now underway on Capital Hill greatly underscore the fact that it is the Religious Right who is seeking ‘special rights’ not the LGBT community, as we are so often accused. The Comprehensive Immigration … More The Special Rights Battleground of ENDA and Immigration Reform
Andre Bekker, Richard Cohen and Christopher Doyle | While their modus operandi may be different to accused murderer de Koker, their ideology stinks the same stink! By Melanie Nathan, May 01, 2013. A South African, Andre Bekker, who proclaims to be an ex-gay and an authority on converting gays, teamed up with tired extremists in … More Ex-Gay extremists try to defend their exploits by distancing their quackery from murderered teen
National Day of Prayer to be headed by pastor who thinks marriage equality is a Satanic ploy… By Cathy Kristofferson, April 30, 2013 President Obama just, just!, held a press conference where he remarked that “the LGBT community deserves full equality, not just partial equality, not just tolerance, but a recognition that they’re fully a … More Oh no not another anti-gay pastor hosted by President Obama
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 29, 2013 Here on this BLOG Thursday, we reported that directly preceding the introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) of 2013, a press release came out expressing “very grave concerns” about the religious exemption clause contained in the Bill. The American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal, the National Center for … More Understanding those very grave concerns about ENDA’s religious exemption
UNITE and LGBT Activists Unite | “THIS HOTEL IS OWNED BY HOMOPHOBES” By Melanie Nathan, April 25, 2013. Back in February, we reported that gay rights activists pledged a boycott of the Beverly Hills Hotel, citing the hotel owner’s state-sponsored homophobia. The hotel is owned by the nation of Brunei, a country in South East … More Gays and Workers Protest Beverley Hills Hotel
And you thought refusal of service ended in 1964 with the Civil Rights Act… By Cathy Kristofferson, April 23, 2013 In Massachusetts one of the legislative campaigns we are working on is the Act Relative to Equal Access in Hospitals, Public Transportation, Nursing Homes, Supermarkets, Retail Establishments, and all other places open to the public. … More NOM’s new “Right to Refuse Service” campaign harkens to pre-Civil Rights days
Apartheid in the Boy Scouts Movement is not the way to evolve By Cathy Kristofferson, April 21, 2013 I keep seeing articles and posts about how great it is that the Boy Scouts are now, once again, considering allowing gay scouts (an idea that was proposed and went down in flames not that long ago) … More Boy Scouts Apartheid is bigotry not evolutionary
By Melanie Nathan, April 19, 2013. Two reports have appeared out of Ghana, using the usual anti-gay rhetoric to describe the mass expulsion of students from local schools. Falsely blaming recruitment, the expelled were likely forming support groups. The reports reads: “19 ‘homosexual’ students of Opoku Ware SHS sacked Date Posted: April 15, 2013: 19:55 … More Ghana’s press vilify students in mass expulsions for forming of LGBT support group
By Melanie Nathan, April 18, 2013. Norwood – South African press is reporting that a University of Johannesburg professor of law, might be the ninth victim in a series of serial murders of gay men. The latest victim is Dr Carl Mischke, 47, whose body was discovered on Monday morning, laying on his bed, face … More Gay Professor Ninth Victim of South African Serial Murders of Gay Men
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 15, 2013 “Ladies, gentlemen, and all those in between” is how Espen Barth Eide, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, opened the United Nation’s Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’ conference today in Oslo. Potential for something good, I thought. He spoke not only of grave human rights violations (in general … More Keeping the UN Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Conference Opening Remarks Lively
By Melanie Nathan, April 15, 2013. As Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered patient, especially those who have yet to come out, and others who are less pronounced in their declaration of being gay, those who live in less accepting communities, can pose different challenges for doctors and professional medical staff, starting with language and trust. … More Medical schools innovate on care for LGBT patients
By Melanie Nathan, April 14, 2013. The ANC South African government on Saturday condemned all forms of violence against homosexuals following the assault of a gay man in a Cape Town township. However one incident used to spark the warnings involved aspects of custom that may without education continue to be the root cause of … More South African Government condemns attacks on gays as custom and constitution clash
Press Release invokes questions The struggle to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons is a global challenge, and one that is central to the United States’ commitment to promoting human rights.” –President Barack Obama By Melanie Nathan and Cathy Kristofferson April 14, 2013. The Press release: Secretary of State John Kerry has … More Will Sec. John Kerry do enough to help LGBT international human rights?
By Cathy Kristofferson, April 13, 2013 Very early this morning (7am BST) HIV/Aids activist Paul Kasonkomona was to speak on the Crossfire BlogRadio program about his recent arrest for advocating for gay rights. Due to legal issues surrounding his going on the radio similar to the TV appearance which sparked his arrest, along with death … More Zambia doubles-down with threats to ‘stiffen laws against homosexuality’
National Fair Housing Alliance Report Calls for Modernizing Fair Housing Act to Include Protection for LGBT People and Source of Income By Melanie Nathan, April 13, 2013. Washington, DC – Today the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) released “Modernizing the Fair Housing Act for the 21st Century,” its 2013 Fair Housing Trends Report. This year’s … More Housing Discrimination against Gays, Lesbians, and Poor Still Legal in Most States
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