Shannon Power

A trip to the emergency room soon turned into a nightmare for two dads, who have had their adopted children taken away from them. Lawyers for the men have described their situation as ‘terrifying’ as Russian authorities try to seperate them from their children. On 19 June, two men brought one of their sons to a Moscow hospital to treat a suspected case of appendicitis. The men remain unnamed for their own safety. But the doctor found out the boy had two dads and immediately reported them to the Investigative Committee of Russia. The Committee went on to sue the social workers […]

Russia will pay a price for a series of anti-LGBTI actions thanks to a ruling at the European Court of Human Rights. From 2006-2011 Russia refused to register three LGBTI organizations. Those included Rainbow House, the Movement for Marriage Equality, and the Sochi Pride House. Authorities refused to register the groups, arguing they would ‘destroy the moral values of society’ or ‘undermine [Russia’s] sovereignty and territorial integrity…by decreasing its population’. While homosexuality is not illegal in Russia, the country introduced a ‘gay propaganda‘ law in 2013. It prevents the positive representation of LGBTI issue on any kind of media platform. The government argued it stopped the […]

Police in the east African state of Malawi have arrested two of its most prominent LGBTI campaigners. Authorities arrested Gift Trapence on charges of fraud. Trapence heads the LGBTI organizaton, the Center for Development of People (CEDEP). They also arrested Anglican priest and human rights activist, Reverend Macdonald Sembereka. The two men are members of the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC). Police raided Trapence’s home, just a week after he staged public demonstrations, protesting the May election results. Trapence has openly criticized and protested against newly reelected President Peter Mutharika. Recently, the president accused Trapence of trying to create a ‘lawless society’. Sembereka and […]

A landlord evicted a group of 76 LGBTI refugees in Kenya with no notice. Locals beat and stoned one man who tried to leave. The refugees known collectively as Great Lakes were living in the Kangemi area informal settlement in the west of Nairobi. But Great Lakes leadership claimed on Monday (10 June) that their landlord wanted them out of the properties ‘immediately. A local Kangemi chief even joined in on the eviction calling the group cursed and said ‘LGBT are not wanted here’. The chief accused them of spreading disease and called the police on them. One refugee who […]

A village in the Philippines which has survived typhoons, poverty and isolation will rise together to host its first Pride. The LGBTI community in San Julian in Eastern Samar is working hard despite a limited budget to put on Rampa Este.  ‘Rampa’ is Filipino gay slang which means ‘sashay’ or walk with pride or happiness. ‘Este’ means east in the local Waray language. Rampa Este is a jam packed multi-day festival. Organizers launched with painting a rainbow crossing in the middle of towns. Festival founder, Roel Andag, said the rainbow crossing sent a message. That message was not only to people […]

An intersex woman in Russia said her landlord evicted her after police allegedly harassed her. Olga Moskvitina lives in Makhachkala a city on the western shore of the Caspian Sea. She said a plain clothed police officer forced his way into her apartment. This happened after her identity documents which showed she had a male name were published on social media. People on social media left hateful comments including, ‘people like that should be killed’. According to a report on news site Lenta, the policeman allegedly made Moskvitina strip naked and examined her genitals. He also interrogated her about her genitals […]