Month: July 2013

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Protests of Russian Violations of LGBT Human Rights at U.S. Embassy and Consulates

July 31, 2013

By Cathy Kristofferson, July 31, 2013 Today kicked off Embassy and Consulate protests in the U.S. against Russia’s LGBT human rights violations with actions in New York City, Washington D.C., and San Francisco. We have blogged on the protests as actions people can take to help raise awareness about the worsening conditions for the Russian… More Protests of Russian Violations of LGBT Human Rights at U.S. Embassy and Consulates

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Bradley Manning now facing 136 years raises questions

July 31, 2013

By Cathy Kristofferson, July 31, 2013 Bradley Manning was charged in a 22 count indictment for releasing classified intelligence information to WikiLeaks. Yesterday the judge found Manning innocent of the most serious charge of ‘aiding the enemy’ and just one of the charges of violating the WW1 era Espionage Act.  For the remaining 20 charges,… More Bradley Manning now facing 136 years raises questions

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Minnesota will celebrate marriage equality at midnight

July 31, 2013

63 same-sex couples marrying on the first day it is legal to do so in Minnesota and generous City comes through with flowers to music, photography to wedding cake, and everything in between, Minneapolis steps up to donate to city’s first legal same-sex weddings By Melanie Nathan, July 31, 2013. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and… More Minnesota will celebrate marriage equality at midnight

Screen capture of Delfi's live stream. Parade start.

Success at Baltic Pride 2013 March despite eggs and bottles thrown

July 27, 2013

“Gay haters attacked the Swedish Minister with eggs” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 27,2013 After months of court battles, Baltic Pride 2013’s March for Equality, today successfully proceeded along Gediminas Avenue in the center of Vilnius, Lithuania’s capital city. Escorted by 500 police, fire brigade and a helicopter overhead, an estimated 600 proud marchers were met by an array… More Success at Baltic Pride 2013 March despite eggs and bottles thrown

V and A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa

As UN Launches Free and Equal Campaign Tutu speaks love and Mugabe death to Gays

July 26, 2013

We can try and change the tide of hate through education but will we if fail to hold leadership accountable? By Melanie Nathan, July 26, 2013. The United Nations is launching an unprecedented freedom, equality and anti-homophobia campaign amidst clashing ideologies in Southern Africa, not to mention the rest of Africa too. The launch of… More As UN Launches Free and Equal Campaign Tutu speaks love and Mugabe death to Gays

Pic: Anonymous LGBT Legion

10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture

July 26, 2013

10 ways to STOP the Russian terror of Gays By Melanie Nathan, July 26, 2013. Anti-gay sentiment and violence against LGBTI people has been a Russian habit for some time. However in recent months it has escalated with lack of basic law and order, exacerbated by Vladamir Putin’s legislative onslaught through various laws that criminalize… More 10 Actions you can take against Russia | shocking video of Russian Gay Teen torture

Photo courtesy The Telegraph

Why UK PM Cameron’s pro-gay remark is pure irresponsibility

July 26, 2013

By Cathy Kristofferson, July 25, 2013 British Prime Minister David Cameron declared last night that he wanted to “EXPORT” marriage equality “around the world”.  Mr. Cameron was speaking at a garden party to celebrate the recent passage of ‘his’ Marriage Equality Act for England and Wales. This is the headline in today’s UK Telegraph: The article… More Why UK PM Cameron’s pro-gay remark is pure irresponsibility

Jjuuko Adrian , Uganda

Outrcry as Petitioners Protest Delayed Justice in Ugandan Minorities Case

July 25, 2013

By Melanie Nathan, July 25, 2013. This week Ugandan Constitutional Court saw protests when, according to the Daily Monitor,  “minority groups stormed the Constitutional Court in Kampala on Tuesday, protesting what they called ‘delayed justice’. The potential landmark case of Jjuuko Adrian v. Attorney General Constitutional Petition No.1 of 2009,  has yet to receive a ruling,… More Outrcry as Petitioners Protest Delayed Justice in Ugandan Minorities Case

Brock Neely Porterville

The critical intent of the person behind the Porterville Proclamation

July 23, 2013

A question never considered is now finally addressed by the person who advocated for the Porterville LGBT Pride Proclamation By Melanie Nathan, July 23, 2013. Brock Neeley (Pictured right) and his husband were the first same-sex male couple to marry in Tulare County, and Neeley was the person who first approached the Mayor of Porterville, Mayor… More The critical intent of the person behind the Porterville Proclamation

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Ugandan Langa prepares to use imported anti-gay propaganda to raise more money

July 23, 2013

to support the Kill the Gays Bill By Melanie Nathan, July 23, 2012. Do you recall the American evangelicals who attended a conference in Kampala causing anti-gay panic and heightened hate sentiment in that country, leading to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, calling for the death penalty to gays?  Do you recall that conference where these radical… More Ugandan Langa prepares to use imported anti-gay propaganda to raise more money

Cameroon

Cameroon men found guilty of being gay sentenced to prison terms

July 23, 2013

By Melanie Nathan, July 23, 2013. Two men have been found guilty and sentenced to time in prison for being gay. The court in Yaounde, Cameroon sentenced Joseph Omgba, one of the men accused of homosexuality, to two years in prison and a younger man was sentenced to one year probation. Both have been in… More Cameroon men found guilty of being gay sentenced to prison terms

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U.S. Christian Extremist Sees Russia’s New Homophobic Laws as Model

July 22, 2013

“I can’t point to any country of the world today that is a model for the rest of the world, except perhaps for Russia” Scott Lively, radical Christian extremist By Cathy Kristofferson, July 22, 2013 For a while we have been following the ramped up anti-gay extremism taking place in Russia, which culminated with the… More U.S. Christian Extremist Sees Russia’s New Homophobic Laws as Model

Photo courtesy NEWSru.com

Dutch tourists accused of gay propaganda freed

July 22, 2013

“They were discussing human rights when suddenly the police and migration officers burst inside.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 22, 2013 Today a court hearing scheduled in Murmansk, Russia for the Dutch tourists arrested on ‘gay propaganda’ charges. It would seem that the judge did not hear the matter but rather “returned the case materials for… More Dutch tourists accused of gay propaganda freed

lgbtrussiannetwork

Russia arrests Dutch tourists on gay propaganda charges

July 21, 2013

How will this not happen during the Olympics! By Cathy Kristofferson, July 21, 2013 Updates posted below. So it has begun.  Russia today arrested tourists ‘violating’ their new anti-gay propaganda law.About an hour ago, the LGBT Russian Network posted on their Facebook wall: “URGENT NEWS! In Murmansk city (North Russia) 3 Dutch citizens detained by the… More Russia arrests Dutch tourists on gay propaganda charges

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One brave teen comes OUT in the face of Porterville’s homophobia

July 20, 2013

One brave teen comes OUT in the face of Porterville’s homophobia Three arrested in act of civil disobedience protesting shameful rescission of Pride proclamation SEE ARREST VIDEO Melanie Nathan, July 19, 2913 On June 04, 201, Mayor Virginia Gurolla of Porterville, issued proclamation recognizing the month of June as Pride Month in Porterville.  A month later… More One brave teen comes OUT in the face of Porterville’s homophobia

Thony Belizaire / AFP/Getty Images

Rally against gays in Haiti includes death threats

July 19, 2013

“We’ll kill them, we’ll destroy them because we don’t need that in our country.”  By Cathy Kristofferson, July 19, 2013 Wednesday we posted about religious groups, under the umbrella of the Haitian Coalition of Religious and Moral Organizations,  planning to march against homosexuality. Today over 1,000 people took part in that Port-au-Prince demonstration. The protesters, urging… More Rally against gays in Haiti includes death threats

Mandela on Robben ISland

The Mandela Timeline

July 19, 2013

South African former President Nelson Mandela. This illustration depicts the life of Nelson Mandela and is a good reference for students who want to encapsulate his life in an easy reference time line. However it should not derogate from the extensive information available online to study Mandela in depth. There is so much more…. Source:… More The Mandela Timeline

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A most moving article of friendship by Nelson Mandela’s friend

July 19, 2013

By Melanie Nathan, July 19, 2013. When I went back to South Africa in 2011, to address the issue of so called “corrective rape” with the South African Government,  I wanted to speak to Nelson Mandela. With his house, mere blocks from my family home, I wanted to tell him that his vision for a… More A most moving article of friendship by Nelson Mandela’s friend

Dream Defenders taking Florida back for the people

Taking Over Florida’s State Capitol | Racism in America

July 18, 2013

The Dream Defenders have taken over Florida Capitol to demand the #TrayvonMartinAct. Sign the petition here: http://bit.ly/fldreamdef By Melanie Nathan, July 18, 2013. Since Tuesday morning, July 16, 2013, Dream Defenders have maintained a presence at the Capitol for an extended stay to apply pressure and demand that Governor Rick Scott call for a special… More Taking Over Florida’s State Capitol | Racism in America

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Moldova secretly adopts anti-propaganda law

July 18, 2013

“Politicians specifically sought to avoid debating the bill in public.” By Cathy Kristofferson, July 18, 2013 An article introduced in the Parliament of Moldova on May 23rd titled “Public activities with negative impact on minors” has now been secretly passed and adopted.  Today, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBT Rights is reporting that “A new… More Moldova secretly adopts anti-propaganda law

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Challenging gay immigration entry bans in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago

July 17, 2013

By Cathy Kristofferson, July 15, 2013 Maurice Tomlinson, the Jamaican attorney and HIV activist who recently sued three Jamaican TV channels for refusing to broadcast gay positive public service announcements, will be in court again Wednesday. This time for the first hearing of his challenge to the immigration entry bans of both Belize and the Republic of… More Challenging gay immigration entry bans in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago

[File] photo courtesy The Sentinel

Haiti Religious Leaders to March Against LGBT Community

July 17, 2013

And the excuse – the fear of the marriage equality gains in the West By Cathy Kristofferson, July 17, 2013 Just as marriage equality’ is being celebrated in England and Wales, religious leaders in Haiti become the latest to use the threat of similar marriage legislation coming to that island as an excuse to march… More Haiti Religious Leaders to March Against LGBT Community

Robin McGehee Protest hate of Porterville City Council

Chaos erupts as Gays arrested when Porterville votes to rescind pride proclamation

July 16, 2013

Council chamber is in chaos as vote to rescind LGBT proclamation causes chamber to erupt in protest, with LGBT protesters arrested, and led out by Police. Mayor in tears.  By Melanie Nathan, July 16, 2013. Tonight a coalition of LGBT groups and allies attended the Porterville City Council meeting, to oppose the efforts of the… More Chaos erupts as Gays arrested when Porterville votes to rescind pride proclamation

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EU recognizes Gay asylees as new social group

July 16, 2013

As a result of asylum applications lodged by three gay men from Sierra Leone, Uganda and Senegal, seeking refugee status in the Netherlands, with all noting they have a well-founded fear of persecution in their home countries based on their sexual orientation, the EU’s Advocate General,  Eleanor Sharpston, said on July 11, that applicants for… More EU recognizes Gay asylees as new social group

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U.S. State Department condemns murder of Gay activist in Cameroon

July 16, 2013

by Melanie Nathan, July 16, 2013. The U.S. State Department has issued a statement condemning the murder of Eric Ohena Lembembe. Lembembe’s friends discovered his body on Monday evening after being unable to reach him by telephone for two days, and went to his home. They found his front door padlocked on the outside, but… More U.S. State Department condemns murder of Gay activist in Cameroon

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Cameroon Gay Rights Activist Tortured and Murdered

July 16, 2013

By Human Rights Watch, July 16, 2013. Cameroonian authorities should immediately conduct an effective and thorough investigation into the torture and killing of Eric Ohena Lembembe, an activist and journalist who was found dead at his home in Yaoundé on the evening of July 15. Lembembe, executive director of the Cameroonian Foundation for AIDS (CAMFAIDS),… More Cameroon Gay Rights Activist Tortured and Murdered

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Hypocrisy of Edward Snowden | If he was gay Putin could arrest him

July 15, 2013

by Melanie Nathan, July 15, 2013. Does Edward Snowden know that if he said one pro-gay or LGBTI supportive word Putin could arrest him and he could go to jail? I find Snowden’s actions in complimenting the Russian authorities and their human rights record self serving, unnecessary and nothing more than one big Putanic arse-lick… More Hypocrisy of Edward Snowden | If he was gay Putin could arrest him