When a deputy headmaster at one of Zimbabwe’s top schools recently came out as gay, he faced a backlash that revealed a deep-seated homophobia. One Zimbabwean decided to stand up – and out – in support of the LGBTQI+ community in general and GALZ in particular.
Denmark’s minister of development, Ulla Tornaes, is withholding US$9.8 million in aid to Tanzania and postponing a planned trip to the country over “unacceptable homophobic comments” by a senior Tanzanian politician.
Anti-gay rhetoric has steadily been on the rise in Tanzania since President John Magufuli took office. It is not the rhetoric that citizens need to be mindful of, however. The government is taking surveillance and intimidation action towards perceived homosexual activity. Now, it seems, the mere act of sitting in a pair is being viewed as criminal.
In South Africa, transgender discrimination is worse if you are poor. Hormone therapy and surgery are expensive and out of reach for many transpeople
In a possible first for Zimbabwe, a top teacher has gone public regarding his sexual orientation in an attempt to foster a safe space for learners of all sexual orientations.
Rafiki, the first Kenyan film to premiere at Cannes and the recipient of an international commendation, was banned in its country of origin by the Kenya Film Classification Board. The film’s creator has now won a court case to temporarily lift the ban, making it eligible to enter for the Foreign Language Oscar.
MultiChoice is partnering with Canada’s OUTtv Network and OUTtv South Africa to broadcast the latter as a pop-up channel on DStv channel 198 for a month. The channel will offer viewers premium programming aimed primarily at South Africa’s large and vibrant LGBTQI+ community and friends.
Bending to the will of the Executive Council of the African Union, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, whose mandate it is to safeguard human rights, has revoked the observer status of the Coalition of African Lesbians. The coalition is the only regional, membership-based organisation that works for the advancement of all women’s broader rights in Africa.
Wits University, one of Africa’s top five institutions of higher learning, is regularly at the forefront of progressive changes. In its drive for inclusivity, the university is now giving students the option of using the gender-neutral title “Mx” alongside the traditional titles
The Zimbabwean government has announced that it will set up special health centres for homosexual men, in a bid to curb the spread of HIV/Aids among groups that practice same sex. However, President Emmerson Mnangagwa says this is not a change in the country’s stance on sexual minorities.
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