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The Messamendongo crossroads in Yaounde, Cameroon. (Tontonjer photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)

Cameroon: Narrow escape by a trans woman

In the dark of night, motorbike driver raised a homophobic alert: ‘He’s a f—-t, a…

Map of LGBT Rights in Oceania — BLUE: Same-sex marriage legal and sexual orientation/gender identity discrimination prohibited; PURPLE: Foreign same-sex marriages recognized, no discrimination protections;GREEN: Sexual orientation discrimination prohibited; YELLOW: Sodomy illegal; YELLOW with GREEN outline: Sodomy illegal, but some sexual orientation discrimination prohibited; RED: Constitution bans same-sex marriage, but homosexuality is legal, no discrimination protections; GREY: Sodomy legal, same-sex marriage not permitted, no discrimination protections
2024 LGBTQ rights global update: Progress and reversals in Oceania and Australia
John Dramani Mahama, Ghana's new president. (Photo courtesy of Bloomberg)
Ghana’s new president says anti-LGBTQ bill not needed if schools teach family values

Resources

This site's activist journalists have laid the groundwork for Project Not Alone, which frees imprisoned victims of African homophobia. This illustration shows two gay men waiting for donations that will pay their fines and set them free.
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Map of the 65 countries where sexual relations between people of the same sex are illegal. YELLOW countries have sodomy laws that are currently being challenged before local courts. Sri Lanka, in PINK, currently has a bill before its parliament to repeal its sodomy law. Indonesia, in ORANGE, has laws that criminalize homosexuality only in some subnational jurisdictions. All states in RED have nationwide sodomy laws and no known legislative efforts or court challenges to remove them. 
In a reversal, homosexuality is now illegal in 65 nations
21 varieties of traditional African homosexuality
Death penalty, ex-gay therapy, 100s of prisoners, the Commonwealth, more

Upbeat news

Nigeria’s first androgynous model Prina Boo is changing the narrative
Erasing 76 Crimes article leads to discussion of LGBT+ rights in Gabon
This site's activist journalists have laid the groundwork for Project Not Alone, which frees imprisoned victims of African homophobia. This illustration shows two gay men waiting for donations that will pay their fines and set them free.
Giving Tuesday: If you support LGBTQ rights, support LGBTQ rights journalism
LGBTQ rights supporter Duma Boko is in line to become Botswana's next president. (Johannes Simon photo courtesy of Getty /News24.com)
If you support LGBTQ rights, please support our LGBTQ rights journalism

Important work funded by our readers

Revealing the background of the Erasing 76 Crimes news site and its editor
Word cloud showing the names of the 46 prisoners for whom Project Not Alone has won early release.
Readers’ donations have freed a total of 46 victims of African homophobia
After their release, Yane and Hage pose for photos but hide their faces in order to avoid anti-lesbian violence. (Photo by Steeves Winner)
Readers’ donations set free two imprisoned lesbians in Cameroon
Food deliverer last week to four gay men imprisoned at New Bell Prison in Douala, Cameroon.
Cameroon: Malnourished gay detainees get food delivery from Project Not Alone

Africa

The Messamendongo crossroads in Yaounde, Cameroon. (Tontonjer photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
Cameroon: Narrow escape by a trans woman
John Dramani Mahama, Ghana's new president. (Photo courtesy of Bloomberg)
Ghana’s new president says anti-LGBTQ bill not needed if schools teach family values
Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba (Photo courtesy of Chimp Reports)
What to believe? Uganda’s possible next president vows to repeal Kill the Gays Law
Map of the 65 countries where sexual relations between people of the same sex are illegal. YELLOW countries have sodomy laws that are currently being challenged before local courts. Sri Lanka, in PINK, currently has a bill before its parliament to repeal its sodomy law. Indonesia, in ORANGE, has laws that criminalize homosexuality only in some subnational jurisdictions. All states in RED have nationwide sodomy laws and no known legislative efforts or court challenges to remove them. 
West African nation of Mali becomes the world’s 65th to criminalize homosexuality

Caribbean

2024 LGBTQ Rights Global Progress – Latin America and Caribbean

On Martinique, an LGBT association campaigns in the midst of a social crisis

Gang members roam the streets of Port-au-Prince. (Photo courtesy of US News)

Violent gang leader threatens Haiti’s lesbians

Europe

Map of LGBT Rights in Oceania — BLUE: Same-sex marriage legal and sexual orientation/gender identity discrimination prohibited; PURPLE: Foreign same-sex marriages recognized, no discrimination protections;GREEN: Sexual orientation discrimination prohibited; YELLOW: Sodomy illegal; YELLOW with GREEN outline: Sodomy illegal, but some sexual orientation discrimination prohibited; RED: Constitution bans same-sex marriage, but homosexuality is legal, no discrimination protections; GREY: Sodomy legal, same-sex marriage not permitted, no discrimination protections
2024 LGBTQ rights global update: Progress and reversals in Oceania and Australia
Protesters in Red Square, Moscow, in 2013 carry a banner declaring "Homophobia is the religion of bullies". (Evgeny Feldman photo courtesy of AP)
LGBTQ+ Russians live in fear following new laws and court rulings, activists say
Jail cell of the Zabaikalsky Investigative Department. (Photo courtesy of Chita.ru and the Zabaikalsky Investigative Dept.)
Owner of Siberian gay club charged with ‘extremism’ and placed under house arrest
On Martinique, an LGBT association campaigns in the midst of a social crisis

Asia

Sunil Babu Pant was the first openly gay member of Parliament in Nepal, cultural emissary for inclusive (Pink/Rainbow/LGBT+) tourism in Nepal; and founder of the Blue Diamond society, the first LGBTIQ rights organization in Nepal. (Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Blade)
LGBT migrants face abuse and danger in homophobic countries
Global update: The struggle for LGBTQ rights continues in Asia
Graphic from the 2020 report “Hate Speech Spreads Like Wildfire” on hate speech in social media in the Middle East and North Africa.
Facebook opens the door to more anti-LGBTQ lies and hate speech
Mau Hijra (Photo courtesy of JMBF)
Bangladesh LGBT advocates demand investigation of trans woman’s death

Middle East/North Africa

Website tracks legal rights for trans people in Middle East and North Africa
Morocco flag and rainbow flag
LGBTQ+ Moroccans endure widespread abuse: 83% were abused online
Manuel Guerrero Aviña was was released in August 2024 after being detained since February 2024 in Qatar in connection with his use of the Grindr gay dating app.
Qatar: Grindr ‘sting operation’ sees gay man arrested, deported
Supporters of Iraqi militai leader Muqtada al-Sadr burn an LGBT flag in Baghdad's Tahrir square in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Facebook via Middle East Eye)
New Iraqi law calls for prison for same-sex love, gender changes

Americas

Graphic from the 2020 report “Hate Speech Spreads Like Wildfire” on hate speech in social media in the Middle East and North Africa.

Facebook opens the door to more anti-LGBTQ lies and hate speech

The social network loosens restrictions on anti-trans posts.

2024 LGBTQ Rights Global Progress – Latin America and Caribbean
Revealing the background of the Erasing 76 Crimes news site and its editor
LGBTQ rights defender in Ghana wins U.S. award on Human Rights Day

Oceania

Map of LGBT Rights in Oceania — BLUE: Same-sex marriage legal and sexual orientation/gender identity discrimination prohibited; PURPLE: Foreign same-sex marriages recognized, no discrimination protections;GREEN: Sexual orientation discrimination prohibited; YELLOW: Sodomy illegal; YELLOW with GREEN outline: Sodomy illegal, but some sexual orientation discrimination prohibited; RED: Constitution bans same-sex marriage, but homosexuality is legal, no discrimination protections; GREY: Sodomy legal, same-sex marriage not permitted, no discrimination protections

2024 LGBTQ rights global update: Progress and reversals in Oceania and Australia

In a tradition that's unique to Vanuatu, women in the South Pacific island nation make music in the water. (Photo courtesy of RitmosGlobales.com)

Anti-gay moves in South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu

Tonga scene

Anti-gay lawyers seek to oust Tonga’s openly gay chief justice