Cameroon: Portrait of the activist as a young man, and now

The story of the first 32 years of his life, including his coming out, his decision to establish CAMFAIDS, the murder of fellow activist Eric Ohena Lembembe in 2013, and his decision to move to France, where he has been granted asylum.

“I knew that I wasn’t insane or possessed, but my family didn’t understand,” says Dominique Menoga, describing the awkward day when he came out to his family.

Menoga, the former president of the LGBTI rights and anti-AIDS activist group CAMFAIDS (the Cameroonian Foundation for AIDS), recalls that the revelation made his family  tense and upset, and that his father started planning to send him to a traditional healer. Read More

US: Survivors of 1980s AIDS crisis reveal what happened to them

From the role of lesbians to the vanishing of whole neighborhoods, real LGBTI people share their experiences. Survivors of the 1980s AIDS crisis have shared accounts of their experiences.

As the UK celebrates LGBT History Month, users of Reddit revealed what it was like to be living in what felt like a constant state of tragedy. Read More

Israel: Hebro Presents First-Ever Gay Jewish Auschwitz Tour

Jayson Littman, founder of Hebro Travel, a new tour company serving “gay Jews and those who love us,” is serving up trips that blend historical exploration, cultural discovery — and some serious partying.

An Israel trip timed for Tel Aviv Pride in June will take travelers to a famously gay-friendly environment. But it’s Littman’s latest tour offering that’s generating attention — and raising eyebrows. The history-making Poland & Prague Pride Trip includes a Jewish heritage tour of the Kazimierz District and Schindler’s List route; visits to historic synagogues; and stops at Auschwitz and Theresienstadt and ends with Prague’s Gay Pride festivities.  Read More

Chinese short film appealing to parents to accept their gay children goes viral

Ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays next week, PFLAG China has launched a short film to promote family reunions between parents and their gay children. The touching short film, which tells the story of a young gay man who became estranged from his parents after coming out, and eventually being accepted by them years later, has gone viral with over 100 million views. Read More 

Beverly Hills Hotel Boycott: John Legend Backs Out of 'L.A. Confidential' Party

Los Angeles Confidential's plans to host the first major entertainment industry party inside the Beverly Hills Hotel amid a widespread Hollywood boycott have backfired as its cover star John Legend has backed out of a planned appearance and the Human Rights Campaign has fired off an official letter to the mag's publisher.

The party would be the first notable event held at the BHH since early 2014 when the boycott started following the Sultan of Brunei's passage of barbaric Sharia Law, which calls for the stoning of gays and adulterers. (Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah owns the BHH and the Hotel Bel-Air through his Dorchester Collection.) Read More

In Depth: Dashed Hopes in Gay Ukraine

Ukrainians thought that, post-Maidan, their country would start to look more like Europe. But for members of the LGBT community, things may have even gotten worse. 

“I believe we are in between two evils: Russian homophobic culture and Ukrainian homophobic intolerance,” says Olena Semenova, an LGBT activist.

The Ukrainian gay and lesbian community is large and vibrant, especially in Kiev, where gay clubs and bars operate in relative peace. But many of its members prefer to remain closeted. Homophobia in Ukraine is pervasive and deep-rooted, sharing many parallels with Russia’s. Read More

King of the Double Life: Olympic hopeful Tom Luchsinger could hide being gay from the cameras but not the mirror

How Olympic hopeful and national champion swimmer Tom Luchsinger wrestled with being gay in front of the cameras - and his mirror. The former Univ. of North Carolina standout shares his experiences in the closet:

April 2013. I wake up and look at the clock. 2:58 AM. I have a long day ahead of me.

I don't have to be up for another two hours and five minutes for the first of three workouts. Yes, I'm that exact. In the wee hours of twilight my mind begins to race. I can feel my heart rate rising and my body beginning to perspire as I think, "You're gay." Read More

Appeals Court Upholds Condom Use In Porn Films Being Shot In LA

A Los Angeles County ordinance requiring actors in pornographic films to use condoms does not violate the porn industry’s First Amendment rights of free expression, a federal appeals court ruled Monday. The decision rejected the industry’s contention that having actors use condoms would interfere with a film’s fantasy element by subjecting viewers to real-world concerns like pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Read More

A 9-year-old girl gave this heartfelt letter to her teacher after he came out as gay

A 9-year-old girl has written a heartfelt letter to her teacher, after he revealed he was gay during a lesson on homophobic bullying. 

It reads: “Dear Mr R,

“Even though you’re gay, I will always treat you the same way as I do now. I still think about you the same way as I used to. You’re a great teacher and these are just some of the word’s (sic) that I would describe you as: great, amazing, fantastic, brilliant, awesome and brave.
“The reason why I say brave is because you shared a personal secret which was very brave.
“You don’t have to feel scared because I know that eveyrone in the class feels the same way as I do.

“From A x x

Face-sitting protest outside parliament against new porn rules

Sex workers and campaigners have gathered in front of parliament to protest against changes to UK pornography regulations.

Organiser Charlotte Rose called the restrictions “ludicrous” and said they were a threat to freedom of expression.

Protesters say the list of banned activities includes “face-sitting”, and campaigners planned to carry out a mass demonstration of this while singing the Monty Python song Sit On My Face. Read More

Legendary Hulk Hogan Says Pro Wrestling Has Moved Past Its 'Barbaric Mindset' About Gays

Judgments about someone's sexuality have no place in professional wrestling, said Hulk Hogan. During a recent interview, the legendary grappler -- arguably the biggest name in sports entertainment history -- stated the industry has moved past the "barbaric mindset" which once made it unsafe for athletes to be openly gay. 
"I think everybody's been reeducated, so it's not that big a deal," said Hogan when asked about the spate of professional athletes, including World Wrestling Entertainment superstar Darren Young, who have come out in recent years.

"At least for me -- and I can only speak from my heart -- I've got people all around me who are gay, so it's not an issue with me," shared Hogan during an in-person meeting at the new Santa Clara, California-based Levi's Stadium, which will house WrestleMania 31 next March 29. "I think the whole world feels like that now." Read More