by Melanie Nathan, Dec 28, 2011 The five year long trial of the men found guilty of murdering lesbian Zoliswa Nkonyana continues its untenable delays. After over 40 delays, and five years of mayhem, including escapes and recaptures, in a trial reflecting incompetency by police and justice system, finally it seems that the sentencing of … More Lesbian Zoliswa Murder Trial – Sentencing Postponed
by Melanie Nathan; Dec 20,2011. From Far Away I observe and wonder…Witsies show their gay pride -The University of Witwatersrand held a pride march for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people (LGBTIA) community in September of this 2011 year! Now it is time to Protest against discrimination in the rest of Africa and for … More Who are The Witsies Now?
by Melanie Nathan, Dec 15, 2011 UN High Commissioner for Human Rights: “ Repeal laws used to criminalize individuals on grounds of homosexuality for engaging in consensual same-sex sexual conduct, and harmonize the age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual conduct. “ The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCR) today released the … More UNHCR Issues Report Highlighting Violence Based on Sexual Orientation
by Melanie Nathan, December 14, 2011 Back in August 2003, then United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan came out in favour of marriage equality. LGBTI Africans knew they had a friend in Kofi Annan, who attended part of a LGBTI activist conference held at the United Nations which demanded that international treaties such as the … More What is Kofi Annan Doing About LGBTI Human Rights In Africa?
Cross Post Article by Robyn Dixon – Dec 1 2011 VIA LA TIMES Robyn Dixon – REPORTING FROM JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — Activists marked World Aids Day on Thursday with warnings that severe shortfalls in global AIDS funding by donors would cost many lives, particularly in hard-hit southern Africa. After scientific research this year concluded … More On World Aids Day, Activists Condemn Global Donor Sortfalls
By Melanie Nathan, December 01, 2011 The fight against HIV/ AIDS took to the World stage today, with countries focusing on plans and accomplishments, as the globe partners to bring an end to the epidemic that has taken so many millions of lives. This internationally most recognized time of year dedicated to health, all … More World AIDS Day Around the Globe
Ndumie Funda attended to the brutally beaten Millicent Gaika and I was asked to show the world the face of so called “corrective rape” of lesbians in South Africa. I followed the story from three days after the brutal attack until the time of the court proceedings, only to witness the lack of solicitude, funding, … More 2011 Reflections- The Face of (so called) Corrective Rape in South Africa
Breaking News – Uganda’s Kill the Gays Bill Back in Parliament for discussion By Melanie Nathan October 25, 2011 “President Zuma of South Africa must take a leadership role in the decriminalization of Homosexuality in Africa, and more specifically he must speak out vehemently against the Kill the Gays Bill of Uganda, before its too … More Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill Is Back: Urging South African President Zuma to Take Lead
Johannesburg, Aug 25, 2011, South African President, Jacob Zuma has nominated Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng as the Chief Justice to the South African Constitutional Court. A social conservative will now be responsible for upholding one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. Critique comes as some believe others are more qualified; 0ne wonders why the … More South African Constitutional Court: New Chief Justice belongs to anti-gay Mega Church
July 18, 2011 By Paul Canning As South Africa gears up to remove more than one million refugees, advocates are warning that gay asylum seekers risk being ‘refouled’ – returned to a place where their lives or freedoms could be threatened. Most asylum seekers in South Africa are from Zimbabwe – but the country hosts … More Chaos expected as South Africa to Repatriate LGBTI Refugees to Zimbabwei
Nelson Mandela turned 93 on Monday surrounded by family, as South Africans and many across the World honored his legacy by performing at least 67 minutes of public service. Sixty-seven is the number of years the former South African president devoted to public service. Mandela spent the day in Qunu, in the Eastern Cape province … More Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela
Eugene Brockman Designer of Flag The team behind the Gay Flag of South Africa (Designer Eugene Press release from Gay Flag S.A. – Permission to cross post granted to all and use of Photo. Brockman and his partner Henry Bantjez) are glad to report that Mika Stefano will be joining the team of the Gay … More Esteemed Blogger, Mika Stefano in Bed with Gay Flag of South Africa
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
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
06/01/2011, by Melanie Nathan Falling madly in love, even when you know that by loving you risk all you have…it could happen to anyone! So is the premise of this extraordinary journey, by an author into a realm of truth; one which may have, like many, remained unexplored, even when wrenched by voracious desire. The … More Au Pair – New Lesbian Book Bound to be a Classic
05/31/2011, by Melanie Nathan Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has asked President Jacob Zuma to provide DNA samples from South African photographer Anton Hammerl to help the Libyan authorities find his body. Zuma had promised Hammerl’s family that he would ask Gaddafi for help in locating Hammerl’s remains when he met Gaddafi in Tripoli yesterday to … More Zuma in Libya – Gaddafi to Help Find Body of Photographer Anton?
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
August 30 is International Day of the Disappeared. Only thirteen countries have ratified the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance; twenty are needed to bring it into force. Among those which have not yet signed are the United States and the United Kingdom. I picked up the Blog of a South … More Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
Caster Semenya, an 18-year-old South African, dominated the women’s 800 meters in Berlin on Wednesday at the 2009 World Championships. While she ought to be track and field’s newest star, instead, in less than the time it took to win the race, 1:55.45 minutes, the accomplishment produced a hail of speculation, one ominously oozing with … More In the meantime I say “jolly well done young lady!” Gender Identity Test for South African Teen World Champ Athlete, Caster Semenya
Post Apartheid South Africa where -the poverty is apalling; the crime is outrageous, the suffering is disgusting, the corruption is voluminous, Unemployment forty percent – HIV-AIDS – one in five! Jacob Zuma what now? asks Melanie Nathan. The protest poster says “AWB was better than ANC” and appeared in The Star Newspaper, Johannesburg, South Africa, “A strong … More Precursor to Future Obama Visit to South Africa
Racsim: Alive and Well and Living in America.. I came to live in the US some 24 years ago, in the earnest belief that there would be no racism in this my new country; I believed that this America was the greatest and most free place on earth. Clearly my impression stemmed from the context of … More Racsim: Alive and Well and Living in America
Who will Jacob Zuma make South Africa’s first lady? The ANC leader launched legal action last year after a Zapiro piece depicted him about to rape the female figure of Justice, while his political allies looked on. Burma’s Suu Kyi ‘to face trial’ Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is to be charged … More Just a reminder that there is more to this world than mere America
STATEMENT FROM WITS UNIVERSITY PERTAINING TO THE GOVERNMENT’S REJECTION OF A VISIT BY HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA TO SOUTH AFRICA … More Glad to see my University taking a Stand- letter to Alumni re Dalai lama
Story Highlights Spokesman: “Not in South Africa’s interest for him (Dalai Lama) to attend” South Africa says it is worried focus will switch away from 2010 World Cup It added South Africa has gained much from its trading relationship with China Fellow laureate Desmond Tutu said he would boycott the conference … More Dalai Lama vs. World Cup 2010
I received a surprise email (ala facebook) from a childhood friend; we share a name. She told me that Table Mountain is ablaze. I went online and found this link with pictures. Wow – beautiful Table Mounntain and parts of the city in danger. Take a look, Good luck down there!! http://imod.co.za/2009/03/18/cape-town-fire-is-too-much-to-comprehend/
Crime in South Africa; violence against lesbian -stats- murders in South Africa – refer to tha article referenced…. credit to blogger Brielle. … More ATTENTION, I said “A.tT.e-N?T/ioN?”
South Africa / President Kgalema Motlanthe appoints justice Edwin Cameron as Judge of the Constitutional Court … More South African Constitutional Court
O-blog-dee-o-blog-da 