Police arrest men on suspicion of homosexuality | Photo: Facebook/Arc en ciel
25 September 2018
LGBTI groups in Senegal said an increase in arrests for alleged homosexuality is a government crackdown on the LGBTI community.
The latest arrests of two men and two women in the capital, Dakar, prompted the comments. Police arrested the four after people in their neighbourhood circulated videos of them engaged in sexual acts.
‘Acts against nature’ are illegal and punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of up to US$2,500.
The recent arrests follow the conviction of Cheikh Abdel Kalifa Karaboué for ‘acts against nature ‘for drugging and raping a coworker. Dakar’s High Court sentenced him to four years in jail and ordered him to pay the victim US$3,586 in compensation.
But LGBTI groups argued the arrests are a political ploy to appear tougher on the LGBTI community.
‘As the elections in Senegal approach, parties are making their stand against the LGBTIQ+ community by arresting members of the community,’ PanAfrica Ilga wrote in a statement. Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) is the African region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).
‘The Senegalese candidates and government needs to be held accountable for their homophobic stance and the human rights violations being perpetrated as a platform for election. We stand in solidarity with our Senegalese comrades,’ the group said.
Senegalese LGBTI group Arc en Ciel said young LGBTI people needed training in coping with the crackdown.
‘With the approach of presidential elections, the hunt for sexual minorities begins because the government is preparing to answer those who label them pro-homosexual,’ the group wrote on Facebook.
Homosexual men are being tortured with electric shocks and beaten to death in concentration camps in Chechnya. This is the first concentration camp for homosexuals since Hitler’s camps in 1930s.
Reports have emerged that 100 gay men were detained and three killed in these camps last week. Novaya Gazeta, a Russian newspaper known for its critical and investigative coverage of Russian politics and social affairs, said that several camps have been set up in Chechnya where gay men have been forced to promise to leave the republic.
The report in Novaya Gazeta said that those arrested include well-known local television personalities and religious figures.
President Ramzan Kadyrov, a key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, allegedly ordered the clampdown and is known to have previously encouraged extrajudicial killings of homosexual men as an alternative to law enforcement. Kadyrov claims that there are no gay men in the republic and denies the arrests ever took place. He described the allegations as ‘absolute lies and disinformation’. He, instead, claims that such people would be killed by their own families. In some cases, gay men in prison have been released early specifically to enable their murder by relatives.
In October 2017, the BBC had reported about a young Chechen man, Maxim Lapunov, who had escaped illegal detention and torture in Chechnya. He had described being held for 12 days in a blood-soaked cell, beaten with sticks, threatened and humiliated by the police. He was released only after his family members and friends started putting up missing posters around the Chechen capital and his family reported his disappearance.
MailOnline talked to Svetlana Zakharova, from the Russian LGBT Network, who said: “Gay people have been detained and rounded up and we are working to evacuate people from the camps and some have now left the region.”
“Those who have escaped said they are detained in the same room and people are kept together—around 30 or 40. They are tortured with electric currents and heavily beaten, sometimes to death.”
A prisoner who escaped told Novaya Gazeta that prisoners were beaten to force them to reveal other members of the gay community. Another said that before being incarcerated in one of the camps, he survived by bribing Chechen police thousands of rubles every month in order to survive. By creating these camps, the survivor said, the regime had taken another step against gays.
Alexander Artemyev, from Amnesty International in Russia, told MailOnline: “We can only call on the Russian authorities to investigate the allegations. Homosexuals in Chechnya are treated very harshly and prosecuted daily, and they are afraid to talk about it.”
Artemyev said homosexuals are forced to hide or leave the country. He said they were keeping in touch with the LGBT network that helps people in Russia find shelter. People there cannot talk to anyone about it as it puts them and those they speak to in danger.
Ekaterina Sokirianskaia, Russia project director for the International Crisis Group, told MailOnline: “The story is very much developing…victims are escaping.”
A brutal campaign against LGBT people has been sweeping through Chechnya, said Tanya Lokshina from Human Rights Watch in Moscow. The climate of fear is so overwhelming that people do not dare to speak to human rights monitors or journalists even anonymously, she said. “Filing an official complaint against local security officials is extremely dangerous, as retaliation by local authorities is practically inevitable,” she said.
“It is difficult to overstate just how vulnerable LGBT people are in Chechnya, where homophobia is intense and rampant. LGBT people are in danger not only of persecution by the authorities but also of falling victim to “honour killings” by their own relatives for tarnishing family honour,” she said.
Campaigners have expressed concern with the findings of the first round of public consultation on what schools should be teaching in the Relationships Education and Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) curricula.
The consultation, which runs until November 7, 2018, was called following government plans to introduce the mandatory subjects in schools across the country by September 2020.
Then-Education Secretary Justine Greening promised the revised curricula would be inclusive of LGBT issues, although the draft guidance published under her successor Damian Hinds in July leaves schools “free to determine how they address LGBT specific content,” even if the ministry’s recommendation is that the teaching “is integral throughout the programmes of study.”
Campaigning group Level Up believes this position risks excluding LGBT+ students “from the information they need to have happy, healthy relationships,” particularly following the review of the open consultation’s responses so far, which the group obtained following a Freedom of Information request.
The findings from the Ipsos MORI executive summary show that the vast majority of respondents to the consultation are adults (15,528 of the total 17,852) and only 13 percent came from young people—a majority of these were cast by people aged 15-18 years old.
The report also indicates that “opinions were split regarding when children should be taught about LGBT relationships,” with several respondents believing that it wasn’t appropriate to teach about these issues at primary school.
This is despite “relationships with family” emerging as the most popular topic of discussion for pupils taught about Relationships Education, which is meant to encompass an understanding of different kinds of family compositions.
In secondary education, the report noted “teaching about gender and sexual identity was seen as important. Other themes that emerged were marriage, sexual health, contraception, safe online relationships, mental health and physical health.”
But as Level Up campaigners noted, there is a big discrepancy in responses with regards to the importance of marriage as part of the RSE teachings—only 3 percent of young people who responded to the survey wanted information on marriage, compared to 39 percent (5,746) of adult respondents who stated that commitment is the most important subject area, with an emphasis on traditional marriage.
In comparison, 31 percent of young people who answered the consultation stated that teaching about gender and sexual identity in SRE would contribute to “raising awareness and acceptance” of LGBT+ youth.
“We would encourage schools to ensure RSE truly represents LGBT identities and communities because that’s the only way it will be relevant, effective and truly inclusive of all students,” said Lisa Hallgarten, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Brook, a charity working to provide wellbeing and mental health support for young people.
“I grew up in a violently homophobic home, I would do anything to turn by the clocks and get a decent sex education at school for me and my brothers and sisters. And now’s our chance,” she said. “Providing young LGBTQ+ people with the information they need to have happy healthy relationships is essential, not optional.”
Greetings and Welcome to the First Annual Russian River Sisters Project Nunway! This event was first created by the San Francisco Sisters over ten years ago by Sister Babra Ganesha and has become a world wide phenomenon! It has spawned hundreds of events around the globe with the same premise: to create a new and unique Haute Couture designs out of recycled and/or recyclable materials called “Trashion” or “Garbage Couture”. And what better place to do it but the Russian River, a place known for it’s River Clean Up and recycling efforts.
Members of the Sisters have been paired with designers from all ilks: San Francisco and New York fashion houses, LED sculptors, master fabricators, Renaissance costume designers, cage builders, corset constructers, Burning Man Installation artists, etc.
Our theme, To Infinity and Beyond, evokes magnificent winged magical Beasts, the Gods of Olympus, Superheroes above a great Metropolis, fanciful fluttering faeries and glittering glowing insects, the Cosmos and the Stars within, the possibilities are Infinite!
Come share the spotlight with us!!
Starring the Russian River Sisters and the World Wide Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, with your emcees Sister Sara Femme Fatale and Sister Phyliss Withe Litaday
With Illusionist Dustin Coupe
Ella DuGoode LED hoop display
Special Guest Celebrity Guest Judge Bruce Vilanch of Broadway, Hollywood Squares, and Oscar writer
Special Guest Judge Tom Orr of Dirty Little Show Tunes
Guest Judge Vira The California Mermaid (R)
Guest Judge Christina Pappan
Guest Judge Sister Atilla D’Nun
A Christian College has stopped a man from returning to finish his degree because he’s gay.
Gary Campbell hoped to resume his classes at Clarks Summit University in order to receive the final six credits for a Bachelor’s degree. Afterwards, he planned to start a job working with recovering addicts.
However, Gary says the school dismissed him because he’s gay.
The college, in Pennsylvania, prohibits students from engaging in same-sex relationships and ‘reserves the right to dismiss or deny the enrollment of those whose behavior or influence upon our community should prove to be contrary to the best interests of our students, the Clarks Summity University Community Commitment and to our Lord Jesus Christ,’ according to the school handbook.
No public affection
They originally accepted him into the college. But once informed of his sexuality they repealed the offer.
The prospective student wrote to the college: ‘One of my top goals being in recovery was to finish my bachelor’s degree. Having a degree is much more to me than a certificate, it’s a culmination of hard work, sweat and tears, and I owe it to myself and to my recovery to accomplish this goal.
‘I ask that you not view me only as a homosexual, but as a determined, compassionate, hard-working man who is of good moral character. My goal again is to assist my community and help those who are struggling in the grip of addiction.’
Originally, Campbell earned 109 college credits from 2001 to 2003, before dropping out. He planned to finish at community college. Instead, he enlisted in the Navy.
He struggled with alcoholism throughout and was discharged after driving drunk on base.
Gary is now 19 months sober and wants to use his degree to help other people. He even crowdfunded the $795 (£612/686.65EU) to finish it.
According to the handbook, students must attend chapel, cannot display physical affection (including holding hands) and cannot spend time alone with members of the opposite sex. They also can’t smoke, drink, or watch R rated movies, even if over 21-years-old.
A gay student is suing his school after teachers ignored him as he was being attacked by bullies.
Guadalupe Paredes, 19, has said the school were ‘deliberately indifferent’ to his daily torment.
One official even allegedly told his mother Parades brought it on himself by ‘acting gay and telling other students he was gay’.
The 19-year-old has named the Kenosha Unified School District, and five administrators as defendants.
In fifth grade, when he was around 10 years old, he was hospitalized for psychiatric treatment over the abuse he suffered at school.
The lawsuit says the assistant principal at Edward Bain School of Language and Art changed when Parades came out in fourth grade.
He says the principal told him to bring concerns to him because the assistant principal, Ron Sandoval, ‘did not feel comfortable with [Parades’] kind’.
The anxiety of returning to school each day got worse, vomiting on Sunday nights.
When his mother spoke to administrators, they suggested Parades just ‘avoid’ the harassers.
He then started hiding from and sometimes missing classes to avoid contact.
In sixth grade, he moved to a different school. Many of his harassers followed.
One told him in a restroom he should kill himself.
Despite his mother complaining to school officials, there is no written record of any investigation.
And that was when a school official told Parades that he brought the trouble onto himself by ‘acting gay and telling other students he was gay’.
Harborside school officials at one point decided the teen and his main bully should work together on a poster project or face a three-day suspension.
Parades couldn’t face spending time alone with the other student and chose to be suspended.
When he began Reuther Central High, he no longer reported bullying ‘because he believed it was hopeless’.
His grades declined. Later, he was hospitalized.
The lawsuit brings claims under Title IX which bans discrimination based on sex in schools that receive federal funding.
The suit claims the harassment prevented Parades from receiving the educational opportunities offered by the district.
A Kenosha Unified School District official has declined to comment.
Dust off your pink, purple and blue blue flags because it is Pride season again. Bi Pride, that is!
The City of West Hollywood, amBi LA and HRC LA is hosting the first city-wide Bi Pride celebration in the country on Saturday, Sept. 22 at the WeHo Park Auditorium.
The event will begin with a rally in front of the auditorium and continue with a Bi Visibility Walk through the heart of West Hollywood before culminating with a party back at the Auditorium. Artists include Torrey Mercer performing her new single Boys/Girls. L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs Artist-in-Residence Kai Hazelwood who will be offering a chance to experience her project Story Time Silent Disco.
“While a small number of cities have issued proclamations recognizing Bi Visibility Day, this is a historic celebration as the first full-fledged Bi Pride celebration hosted by any U.S. city,” amBi President Ian Lawrence-Tourinho said.
Admission to the event is free. Free parking is available at the library parking structure on a first-come-first-served basis.
Hong Kong has made spousal visas available to same-sex couples for the first time in the wake of a court ruling—but the government has firmly ruled out permitting same-sex marriage.
Hong Kong only recognises marriage as between a man and a woman, but the international business hub has come under pressure from employers and LGBT+ activists to respect the rights of same-sex couples.
A security guard stands at an entrance to the Court of Final Appeal in Hong Kong on July 4, 2018. (VIVEK PRAKASH/AFP/Getty)
In the wake of the ruling, the government has announced a revised policy that goes into effect this week. The new policy allows the recognition of same-sex unions for visa applications, but no other element of law.
The Hong Kong government confirmed: “From September 19, 2018, a person who has entered into a same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union, ‘same-sex marriage’, opposite-sex civil partnership or opposite-sex civil union outside Hong Kong with an eligible sponsor in accordance with the local law in force of the place of celebration and with such status being legally and officially recognised by the local authorities of the place of celebration will become eligible to apply for a dependant visa/entry permit for entry into Hong Kong.”
LGBT activists in Hong Kong (Isaac Lawrence/AFP/Getty)A spokesman added: “As the [court] recognised in its judgment, a valid marriage under Hong Kong law is heterosexual and monogamous and is not a status open to couples of the same sex.
“The revision has nothing to do with legal recognition of same-sex civil partnership, same-sex civil union, ‘same-sex marriage’, opposite-sex civil partnership or opposite-sex civil union in Hong Kong. Nor should there be any expectation of such plan by the Government.
“The revision does not compromise the Government’s position in any legal proceedings.”
The government stressed: “The revision concerns the immigration policy on applications for entry of non-local dependants only and it does not affect the meaning of ‘spouse’ under this Policy. It does not affect any other policies of the Government or any other rights under the existing law in Hong Kong.”
It’s that time of the year again! The Russian River Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (with a tiny bit of help from Purple Stardust Productions) are throwing a big drag contest. Yes! Closet Ball is coming!
Join us on Friday, October 6th at the R3 Hotel for the 15th incarnation of this amazing show.
This show is, at its core, an amateur drag competition and fundraiser.
While our contestants, Earl Gilbert, Renee Ledford Combes, Joe Young and Nay Hulsey are the heart and soul of our effort, we’ve got an amazing variety show to entertain y’all while they are getting up in their drags.
This show is six months in the making. We’ve poured all we’ve got into giving y’all a great experience.
Every penny you spend on a table, every tip you throw onto the stage, every dollar you tuck into the waistband of a performer… It’s all a fundraiser for the Russian River Sisters of Perpetual IndulgenceGrants Fund.
Buy a seat, buy a table… come on down and join your community for a KICK ASS show.
A man from North Carolina in the US could be at risk of having to leave the UK and return to the States, despite the fact that he is married to a UK citizen.
Brian Page had his latest appeal to the UK Home Office for an extension of his visa refused earlier this month, and was told that he must either leave the UK within 14 days, or apply for permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal, the next stage of the process.
However, he has told PinkNews that he and his husband have been “cleaned out” by the legal fees up until now, having already spent over £16,000 on the application. They are now appealing to the public for help to cover the legal costs of their appeal to the Upper Tribunal.
Brian and Ben Page
Their GoFundMe page is here. If they are granted permission to appeal to the Upper Tribunal, they expect the legal fees to cost in the region of £1,500-£3,000.
Speaking to PinkNews, Brian said that they had considered returning to the US – however, they were horrified to discover that when they lived there previously, Ben had inadvertently overstayed his visa by a year and a half.
They had misunderstood the terms of his visa at the time, thinking he was allowed to stay in the country for two years. They later discovered that he was actually only granted permission to stay for six months, meaning he lived in the US illegally for a year and a half.
This means that he could be subject to a 10 year ban from the US if they attempted to return there.
With Brian facing deportation and Ben not allowed to enter the United States, the couple could end up being separated by immigration laws of the UK and the US.
“We would be split up. I would be heartbroken,” Brian told PinkNews.
“When Ben’s mother passed away, he went into a deep, deep depression and it really scared me. We are both suffering from mental health issues and are both on anti-depressants, because our lives are on hold.
“We don’t know where we’re going to be in a few months time. I’m afraid to leave Ben because I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Brian and Ben’s story began in 2012 when they met on a train in London when Brian was visiting the UK. They ended up talking and decided to stay in touch.
They got married two years later in New York after spending a period of time living together in the US.
However, tragedy hit the couple when, shortly after they got married, they found out that Ben’s mother – who was still living in the UK – was terminally ill.
They returned to the UK, with Brian on a six month visa, to spend her final months with her.
As his six-month visa came to a close, Brian’s mother-in-law’s condition was continuing to deteriorate. He then applied for an extension to the visa, which was ultimately rejected.
They now say they have been fighting the UK government to allow Brian to stay in the UK for a number of years.
They have now applied for permission to appeal their case to the Upper Tribunal, however if they are granted permission, they do not have the money to pay for legal representation.
Brian and Ben holding hands on their wedding day in 2014
They also estimate that, if they were to attempt to return to the US, legal fees there could cost up to $15,000 in order to get Ben’s potential 10 year ban overturned.
The couple now say that they are in a bind – they cannot return to the US together, as Ben is not allowed in the country. They cannot stay in the UK together, as Brian’s applications to remain have been rejected.
In the most recent rejection letter, which was seen by PinkNews, the judge suggested the couple could relocate to a third country, and gave Canada as an example, while trying to settle their immigration dispute.
The rejection letter also says that during the case, it was put to Brian that he could “return to the USA to apply for entry clearance to re-enter the UK as a spouse.”
Brian says that if he were to do this, the process could take up to two years.
Brian said that he was worried about leaving Ben alone in the UK as he suffers from depression and anxiety.
“It really scares me. I’m really scared right now about what the next couple of months are going to be like,” he added.
