New reports coming out of the UK and US report that LGBT people report poorer health compared to straight counterparts. In the UK, half of the over 27,000 LGBT people surveyed reported negative experiences with the health care system. A randomized sample of LGBT in the US found that lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women in particular have lower physical well-being than either straight women or GBT men.
Women and PrEP: Dissed By Her Doctor for Wanting HIV Protection
In 2010, Poppy Morgan wanted to stop using condoms so she could have a baby with her HIV-positive husband. She asked her doctor to prescribe Truvada, an HIV drug that can keep her from contracting the virus. But Morgan’s doctor didn’t just say no; she told her that she would no longer treat Morgan if she went ahead with her plan.
Of the 2,319 Americans prescribed Truvada for PrEP in 2012 and 2013, almost half were women. And women are taking it for good reason. Outside of gay enclaves, another HIV epidemic is flourishing that overlaps with but isn’t the same as, the one in gay communities. The African American community has been devastated by HIV, especially in the South. African Americans make up only 12 percent of the population but comprise 44 percent of HIV cases. And it’s African American women who are among the most at risk. Read More
Need for Intimacy Plays Role in Condomless Sex, Study Finds
New study from Brown University finds gay, bi men, and trans women in relationships with other men forgo condoms to "preserve intimacy." Taking a swipe at PrEP naysayers, study authors note that the findings do not indicate MSM will stop using condoms once they get access to PrEP; rather the study finds the participating MSM were already forgoing condom use. Read More
Kazakhstan: Media are ‘brainwashing’ children with gay ‘propaganda’
Mayor Akim Tasmagambetov of Kazakhstan's capital city has accused the international media of “promoting” homosexuality, and “brainwashing” children. “It has not just become a political norm in a range of developed countries, but the perception of the society has been distorted to such an extent that the US state of California approved a compulsory course on historical accomplishments of representatives of sexual minorities. I think you see for yourself how the topic is promoted in the international media.” Read More
Did Anti-Gay Evangelicals Skirt US Sanctions on Russia?
US sanctions may forbid the World Congress of Families' involvement in an upcoming family values conference in Moscow. The conference titled "Large Families: The Future of Humanity," will focus on defending "the way of life of large families" and includes workshops on topics such as the "natural family." Two of the WCF's key Russian allies have placed on a list of individuals sanctioned by the US Treasury Department, making the conference possibly forbidden. Read More
Russia LGBT Activists Worried After Crimea Leader Lashes Out
Head of the Republic of Crimea, Sergey Aksenov, announced that LGBT people will not be allowed to hold public events and may be deported. Gay Forum Ukraine estimates there are about 10,000 gays and other sexual minorities living in Crimea. Russian activist Kochetkov says they have been caught up in the “general deterioration of human rights” in the region since it was annexed by Moscow where the anti-gay propaganda law has led to increased rights violations and violence since the new law was passed last year. Read More
Countries That Criminalize Homosexuality Don't Just Hurt Adults
Youth leader Abongwa Victor delivers an impassioned plea for Cameroonian youths: Over and over the LGBT youth of Cameroon have been subjected to “corrective” rape, torture, and abuse in detention cells, extended stay in custody before being charged, refusal of family visits, denial of counsel — just because of who they are. Read more
Cameroon AIDS support groups evicted for supporting LGBTs
Two AIDS support groups, Colibri and Humanity First Cameroon, have been evicted from their respective headquarters due to homophobia, according to the organizations' leaders. Both centers provided human rights advocacy, health counseling, STI treatment, and HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Read More
Youth in Chile support same-sex marriage and adoption
A poll undertaken by Chile’s National Youth Institute (INJUV) has found that 70% of young people in the traditionally conservative country said that they supported same-sex marriage, and most approved of adoption for same-sex couples too. Read More
First member of Chile’s armed forces comes out to fight homophobia
Member of the Chilean Navy, 24-year-old Mauricio Ruiz has come out as gay and says his superiors support him. He told the press conference that, as a gay man in the armed forces, he had ‘no reason to hide.’ ‘In life there's nothing better than to be yourself, to be authentic, to look at people in the eye and for those people to know who you are.’ Read More
Kenyan filmmakers at the Toronto International Film Festival did something brave
— they told people their names. Jim Chuchu, George Gachara and Njoki Ngumi are just three of the 10 filmmakers in Nairobi’s NEST collective. They produced Stories of Our Lives, LGBT stories about love, sex, and friendship set in Kenya. The film was anonymously released to protect the crew from retaliation. Premiering at TIFF last week, it received a standing ovation and has been described as one of the top 10 films to watch at this year's festival. Read More
Out and Proud Gay Kenyans
As part of an ongoing series looking at gay rights around the world, DailyXtra talks with one of Kenya’s highest profile LGBT activists. Monica Mbura is a Kenyan judge who is one of the few out lesbians in the country. Watch Now