Ambassador of Angst

Jon Qwelane

South Africa's Ambassador to Uganda, Jon Qwelane, was formerly convicted in 2011 of making hate speeches against LGBT people. Speeches it was claimed only last month that he was extremely proud of.

Who knew?

Well, one would hope the South African government who made him Ambassador to Uganda...

Anyway, now he's challenging equality legislation that protects gay people's human rights.

His trusty campaign motto is: “Call me names, but gay is not okay.”

Prove You're Gay

 

The UK Border Agency, which was accused of murdering a Ugandan LGBT refugee earlier this year, has now been caught inflicting humiliating treatment on gay asylum seekers:

UK asylum seekers 'told to prove they are gay'

Gay and lesbian people seeking asylum in the UK from persecution abroad are being ordered to "prove" their sexuality, MPs have said.

In extreme cases claimants had handed over photographic and video evidence of "highly personal sexual activity" in an effort to persuade officials, the Home Affairs Committee found.

The gay rights group Stonewall called the testing system "distressing".

If you follow the link to the article, you can listen to one woman's story of what happened to her.

Lively Runs for Massachusetts

We had to rub our eyes for a double-take when we read this headline:

Anti-LGBT pastor running for Massachusetts gov. because ‘homosexuality is condemned by God’

Yup, the world's biggest floater on LGBT hate is hoping that once his court case with Sexual Minorities Uganda is over, and he's finished waging war on Russia's gay community, he can settle into a cushty job in politics.

Why?

Well:

In a statement earlier this week, Scott Lively said that prayer had convinced him to make a bid for Massachusetts governor.

I doubt many people are going to be saying 'amen' to that.

Ear-Bashing Bishop

The Bishop of Namirembe, Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira, maintains the Church's view that gay Ugandans are 'copying foreign lifestyles' whilst preaching to a group of school children and their parents.

UK Charity Commission Denies Human Dignity

The ominous shadow of the UK Charity Commission once again rears its head in the LGBT arena.

Having taken absolutely no action at all over Paul Shinners, head of a UK charity - Passion for Souls Ministries - who was caught preaching at a rally in Uganda run by lead anti-gay campaigners, they have now decided to deny registration to an LGBT rights organisation.

Charity Commission publishes decision not to register the Human Dignity Trust

The Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, has upheld its June 2012 decision not to register the Human Dignity Trust (HDT) as a charity.

The HDT works to support individuals who seek to challenge legislation criminalising consensual sexual activity between same sex adults in certain countries. It applied to register as a charity in July 2011, and requested a decision review after the Commission refused registration in June 2012...

The Commission says that the purposes of HDT are not cast in an exclusively charitable form and that it cannot meet the public benefit requirement for a charity as its purpose is directed towards changing the law.

Generally, that's known in the Voluntary Sector as 'campaigning and lobbying.'

We sense more than a little twisted thinking by the Charity Commission on the issue of international human rights where LGBT people are concerned. 

You can tweet to let them know what you think: @ChtyCommission

Stop Lecturing, Nick Westcott

EU Managing Director for Africa, Nick Westcott

Whilst the Commonwealth extols Rebecca Kadaga, the EU's Director for Africa tells Europe to stop condemning African politicians for trying to kill gay people.

Top EU official says Europe should stop lecturing Africa on gay rights

The European Union’s most senior official in charge of relations with Africa has said the EU should stop lecturing the continent about gay rights.

Nick Westcott, the managing director for Africa in the EU’s diplomatic service said at a debate in Brussels on Wednesday that the EU needs a “strong message” when it comes to foreign policy and that the message should be “two-fold.” It should be “less apologetic about our financial clout and, secondly … more humble on the cultural issues.”

Yup, Nick Wescott reckons that bullying, abusing and humiliating gay people is a cultural right.

Dan Dyson

Dan Dyson

Continuing with personal stories: Former Ugandan gospel singer seeks success in U.S.

Dan Dyson had been building a successful gospel music career in Uganda for nearly a decade when his life was turned upside down by a group of anti-gay activists bent on ridding the country of its LGBT citizens. Today, he is in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign trying to raise $5,000 to record a full-length album and restart his career in the United States.

In 2009, a group of United States evangelicals joined together with Ugandan pastors and held a conference in Uganda, developing an agenda against homosexuality in the country as well as a campaign to out LGBTI Ugandans through the media.

The campaign included bribery—often of other gay people—for names of known LGBTI citizens.

"A gay man that we knew … was paid to start naming and outing people," Dyson said.

A publication called Red Paper [sic] began publishing the names and careers of LGBTI individuals living in Uganda.

You can read the rest of the interview by following the link above.

Unfortunately Dyson's musical career is probably on hold, as is the rest of America, until congress gets its arse in gear.