We want to thank all 23000 signers who signed our petition to grant honorary Parisian citizenship to the Russian band: Pussy Riot - Nadejda Tolokonnikova, Ekaterina Samoutsevitch, and Maria Alekhina. Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk-rock collective based in Moscow. Founded in August 2011, it has a variable membership of approximately 11 women ranging in age from about 20 to 33, who wear brightly colored balaclavas and use only nicknames during interviews. They stage … [Read more...]
SOUTH AFRICA, confronts sexual violence and discrimination
In South Africa — a country often referred to as the murder and rape capital of the world—one group of women are especially at risk. Lesbians are increasingly the targets of a particularly heinous crime: "curative" or "corrective" rape, which perpetrators believe will change their sexual orientation. We travel to South Africa to meet several survivors, who are speaking out to confront sexual violence and discrimination. Corrective rape is a hate crime in which a person is raped because of … [Read more...]
‘Homophobic hate crimes on the rise’ – NAVI PILLAY
Homophobic hate crimes on the rise, UN human rights chief warns Hate crimes against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people are rising around the world, the United Nations human rights chief said today, urging governments to do much more to eliminate discrimination and prejudice based on sexual orientation or gender identity. When it comes to hate crimes, there are sometimes people who abuse the system and accuse innocent people of hate crimes. If this has happened to you … [Read more...]
'Homophobic hate crimes on the rise' – NAVI PILLAY
Homophobic hate crimes on the rise, UN human rights chief warns Hate crimes against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people are rising around the world, the United Nations human rights chief said today, urging governments to do much more to eliminate discrimination and prejudice based on sexual orientation or gender identity.In a video message marking the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said homophobia … [Read more...]
HIV Infections Among Gay and Bisexual Men and Transgender Women
Working with the Community to Reduce New HIV Infections Among Gay and Bisexual Men and Transgender Women “The United States cannot reduce the number of HIV infections nationally without better addressing HIV among gay and bisexual men.” So declares the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), boldly and accurately. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gay men make up approximately 2 percent of the U.S. population, but account for 53 percent of all new HIV infections. That … [Read more...]
Avaaz – STOP `Corrective Rape`: TAKE ACTION!
‘Corrective rape’, the vicious practice of raping lesbians to ‘cure’ their sexuality, is becoming a crisis in South Africa. But brave activists are calling on the world to help stop these heinous Hate Crimes -- and finally the government is beginning to respond. Let's support them. Sign the petition and send it to friends! Millicent Gaika was bound, strangled, tortured and raped for five hours by a man who crowed that he was ‘curing’ her of her lesbianism. She barely survived, but she is … [Read more...]