Any news concerning the struggles of LGBTI is rare out of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, a West-African country of about 3.5 million souls that achieved independence from France in 1960. One of four African countries where same-sex relations between men are punishable by death, article 308 states: “Any adult Muslim man who commits an indecent act … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Men who have sex with men
Jamaican-style ‘Les Mis’: Help for LGBTs forced into the sewers?
Homeless LGBT men whom Jamaican police burned out of their shelter in a drainage ditch have relocated to the sewers, according to an informed activist. The men’s plight — evicted from their homes by family, chased out of abandoned houses by police, forced out of a ditch where they huddled, now hiding in the sewers … Continue reading
Jamaica police join attacks on homeless LGBT men
On Tuesday night, Oct. 15, police raided the gully in New Kingston where some homeless MSM (men who have sex with men) were living. The officers piled up the youngsters’ clothes and burned them before warning that they should not be seen in the area again. Yesterday (Oct. 16) some of the MSM went to … Continue reading
Fighting HIV among male/trans sex workers in Cameroon
Male and transgender sex workers: a seldom-recognized reality in Cameroon’s fight against HIV By Steave Nemande, M.D. Sex work is considered illegal in Cameroon. Prostitution and solicitation are penalized by Article 343 of the Penal Code, providing prison sentences of six months to five years and fines of 20,000 to 500,000 CFA francs ($39 to … Continue reading
Anti-gay Malawi law is pro-AIDS
Malawi has made progress in the fight against AIDS, but still has laws in place that allow the disease to flourish. That’s the finding of research by the Journalists Association Against AIDS (JournAIDS) in Malawi with support from the Southern Africa AIDS Trust (SAT). A key finding is that the fight against AIDS is hindered … Continue reading
Jamaica as a model for anti-AIDS, anti-homophobia action
One of several quick recaps of news related to this week’s International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C.: Lessons from “the most homophobic place on earth” Jamaican gay activist Maurice Tomlinson says his country is making progress in the fight against homophobia and could even serve as a model for activists seeking successful techniques for waging … Continue reading
Doctors, Tutu, Clinton appeal for LGBT rights in AIDS fight
Calls for an end to anti-homosexuality laws are growing more common, based on the growing understanding that such laws encourage the spread AIDS by denying health services to men who have sex with men (MSM). New drugs such as Truvada have generated optimism that many countries’ AIDS epidemics can be brought under control, but medical … Continue reading
AIDS in Africa: many straight women, but higher rate for gays
Isn’t AIDS in Africa more a problem for heterosexuals than for homosexuals? AIDS and HIV are severe problems for both groups in Africa. The largest number of HIV-infected people in Africa are heterosexual, especially heterosexual women. But in many African countries the rate of HIV infection is higher among gay men, in part because so … Continue reading
Glimmer of LGBT hope in Kenya’s anti-AIDS fight
“LGBT people find it hard, almost impossible to access medical services,” says one activist serving Kenya’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender population. “The situation is very grave. No one seems to care about preserving the lives of LGBT people in Kenya.” But several anti-AIDS initiatives in Kenya is trying to disprove that depressing conclusion. One … Continue reading
How not to fight AIDS — beat up gays
COMMENTARY Government harassment and anti-gay mobs in several African countries are hampering efforts of gay rights groups to combat the spread of AIDS. The most recent incident came on March 28, when police in Cameroon broke up a planned three-day meeting on AIDS and the human rights of sexual minorities. Cameroon official Martin Locko Motassi … Continue reading
