As the industrialized West looks on with horror as a variety of new laws aimed at squelching the rights – and in some cases lives – of members of the LGBT community in places like Nigeria and Uganda are enacted, opponents are gathering the speed and courage to speak out against them. ““Homosexuality is as…
NEW YORK — The Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) has been identified by Funders for LGBTQ Issues as the largest funder of programs for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals throughout the southern United States, according to their recent special report Out in the South. “We are immensely proud to be recognized by Funders…
NEW YORK, — Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay have spoken out against the anti-homosexuality law signed into force in Uganda, saying it violates basic human rights and endangers lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the country. The law criminalizes and imposes life imprisonment for homosexuality,…
Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni signed a law imposing harsh penalties for homosexuality today, defying protests from rights groups, criticism from Western donors and a U.S. warning that it will complicate relations. Reuters reported that the new bill strengthened existing punishments for anyone caught having gay sex, imposing jail terms of up to life for “aggravated…
President Obama has condemned the decision by Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni to sign an archaic anti-gay bill into law. The bill, which once even included the death penalty, calls for gay Ugandans or anyone “promoting” homosexuality to be jailed – potentially for life. Museveni made the decision to sign the bill after consulting with a…
BERLIN — The David Kato Vision & Voice Award has announced that the 2014 award will go to Cambodian transgender activist Sou Sotheavy. Now 75 years old, she has spent the last two decades working to establish a national network of organizations to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people across the country. Sou will…
NEW YORK–The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has publicly deplored the treatment of gays in Nigeria. The harassment, imprisonment and torture of gays, sanctioned by a Nigerian law enacted last month, was the focus of a major front-page story in yesterday’s New York Times. “Nigeria’s unforgiving attitude towards gays violates the most basic human rights of individuals,” said Eliseo Neuman,…
NEW DELHI– More than 100 community stakeholders and activists came together today for a national consultation on Section 377 and the launch of Pehchan’s new advocacy campaign, ‘207 against 377’. The ‘207 against 377’ campaign initiated by Pehchan brings together the 207 organizations implementing the Pehchan program on a common platform to undertake advocacy at…
Chris Kluwe, the highly respected former punter for the Minnesota Vikings and outspoken supporter of LGBT rights, has penned a scathing editorial for Britain’s The Guardian. In the widely read piece, Kluwe goes to great lengths to underscore how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has threatened to dethrone any athlete who speaks out against Russia’s anti-gay…
In a landmark moment for LGBT rights the Scottish Parliament has passed the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Bill with an overwhelming majority of 105 votes to 18. Thirty-four years after Scotland decriminalized homosexuality, this victory comes after heated debates between religious bodies and MSPs (members of the Scottish Parliament) since the first petition was…
