HEADLINES

South Africa LGBTIQ+ Rights Watch: October 2023:
An overview of LGBTIQ+ rights violations, hate speech incidents and case updates in South Africa in October 2023, collated by OUT and Mamba.

Ghanaian Cardinal: Homosexuality is not a crime:
Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana, said to be a potential candidate for the first African Pope in centuries, has spoken out on homosexuality.

Queer Music: S’BO GYRE releases modern Kwaito Gospel banger:
Fresh off his success with Nkoli: The Vogue Opera, queer musician S’BO GYRE collaborates with Dali Danger on a feel-good Kwaito Gospel song.

Ghana: US embassy warns LGBTQI+ travellers.:
The United States embassy in Ghana has warned LGBTQI+ travellers to the country that they face an increased risk of violence and arrest.

Escalating LGBTIQ+ abuses heighten concerns in Uganda:
Queerphobic violence against the LGBTIQ+ community in Uganda is on the rise, accentuated by the spread of abuse videos on social media.

First queer law clinic recognised by Legal Practice Council:
An LGBTIQ+ advocacy group has officially been designated as a Law Clinic by the Legal Practice Council in Gauteng, a first in South Africa.

Regional trans equality conference set to take place in Cape Town:
The 6th Regional Trans Health, Advocacy, and Research Conference will explore strategies to secure trans and gender-diverse equality.

Equality Court refuses to rule on LGBTIQ+ asylum discrimination:
The Equality Court in Pretoria has refused to address discrimination against an LGBTIQ+ asylum seeker by the Department of Home Affairs.

Russia: Bid to define LGBTI+ activism as an “extremist” movement:
The government of Russia is attempting to label efforts to secure LGBTI+ rights as "extremist," a move towards further outlawing LGBTI+ activism.

Queer Music: Peter Ngqibs unveils new album “WDYS?”:
South African Born, USA-based and proudly out Peter Ngqibs, a rising star in the music realm, is making waves with his new album, WDYS?.

Trans Day of Remembrance: Alarming trends in global transphobic violence:
It's been revealed that 320 trans people were reported murdered around the globe in the last year, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Nkoli: The Vogue Opera – the making of a musical about a queer liberation activist in South Africa:
Composer Philip Miller and members of the company reveal how they brought Simon Nkoli's life to the stage with Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera.

Report: Teachers accused of “gross misconduct” in “preventable” suicide:
A damning report on the tragic suicide

Kids of gay dads via surrogacy do better than other kids:
A new study comparing gay dads (via surrogacy) and heterosexual parents (via old-school conception) reveals that kids of gay dads thrive.

LGBTIQ+ activists face alleged Grindr Gang supporters in court:
Activists say they've been confronted in court by alleged members of the Grindr Gang who were supporting men accused of kidnapping a student.

Tanzania: Court backs homophobic arrest of human rights lawyers:
The High Court of Tanzania has upheld the arrest of three human rights lawyers after they were accused of "promoting homosexuality."

Top cop’s queer novel wins prestigious literary award:
Colonel Dimakatso Mokwena’s queer novel Here Comes the Gay King has been awarded the prestigious K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award.

In Pictures: The 2023 Feather Awards:
Dive into our image gallery of the 2023 Feather Awards - the fashionistas, activists, celebrities and unforgettable queer glamour moments!

Grindr Gang victim released after traumatic 5-day ordeal:
A 22-year-old Joburg man, who endured a harrowing five-day ordeal after being kidnapped by Grindr Gang criminals, has been released.

Armand Joubert: A distinctive queer voice:
Former The Voice South Africa contestant and rising queer hitmaker Armand Joubert talks music and life with MambaOnline.