Category Archives: News

News stories on lesbian rights, violence and discrimination against the lesbian community, and our unwavering response.

Indonesia: Stop Raids on Homes of ‘Suspected Lesbians’ | Human Rights Watch

Posted on 23/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

National police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian and President Joko Widodo at Karnavian’s inauguration in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 13, 2016.
© 2016 Reuters

(Jakarta, September 6, 2017) – The Indonesian government should urgently investigate the September 2, 2017 police raid on the homes of 12 “suspected lesbians,” Human Rights Watch said today. The raid and ensuing forced evictions violate the rights to privacy, non-discrimination and basic due process.

The police raided a residential compound in West Java province’s Tugu Jaya village in response to complaints from local Islamic youth groups and religious leaders that the women’s cohabitation was “against the teachings of Islam.” Police demanded that the women immediately relocate from the area without providing any legal justification for the order, according to authorities, Human Rights Watch interviewed.

Continue reading at: Indonesia: Stop Raids on Homes of ‘Suspected Lesbians’ | Human Rights Watch (Source)

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Tagged compulsory heterosexuality, Discrimination, Freedom from religion, Hate crimes, homophobia, Lesbians in Indonesia, Lesbophobia, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Atlanta: Lesbian Reverend helps honor defrocked clergy with ‘Shower of Stoles’

Posted on 23/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Rev. Kim Jackson knew as a child she wanted to be a pastor.

Raised near rural Cowpens, South Carolina, in a small Baptist Church, she said the people in her home church “nurtured me in the faith, encouraged me to participate in children’s and youth ministries.” When she expressed at age nine she wanted to become a pastor, she was told that was impossible.

“I was told that I couldn’t become a pastor because I was a girl,” she told Georgia Voice.

She moved to Atlanta a decade ago, when she was 22, where she came out as gay, another blow, she was told, in her journey to become a pastor.

Continue reading at: Atlanta church honors defrocked LGBT clergy with ‘Shower of Stoles’ (Source)

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Tagged compulsory heterosexuality, Discrimination, homophobia, Lesbians and religion, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, representation

Two officers fared differently in similar bias cases, lesbian officer loses most

Posted on 23/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Umpierre is Rochester’s first full-time female officer and its first openly gay officer. She is of Puerto Rican heritage. She was accused of misconduct, including prejudicial bias, encouraging unlawful behavior and unprofessional conduct, for one comment about “white male cops” and another siding with the protesters at the Dakota Access Pipeline that said, “sometimes laws have to be challenged and broken for the good of the masses.

“Schlag is a white man who made postings that talked of shooting Muslims and running over people protesting the police shootings of black men.

Continue reading at: Two officers fared differently in similar bias cases | Local News | postbulletin.com (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, Eli Umpierre, homophobia, lesbian police officers, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, workplace discrimination

Lesbian woman from Nigeria attempts suicide shortly before Home Office tries to deport her

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

nnekeobazee

A lesbian asylum seeker attempted to take her own life in order to stop herself being deported from the UK.

Nneka Obazee, 34, was meant to be flown on a charter flight to her home country of Nigeria but she overdosed on pain medication which led to her hospitalisation, according to activist group Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants.

Continue reading at: Lesbian woman from Nigeria attempts suicide shortly before Home Office tries to deport her | The Independent (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, homophobia, Lesbians in Nigeria, Lesbians in the U.K., Lesbophobia, persecution, seeking asylum, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Man found not guilty in murder of lesbian caterer

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A Fairfax County Circuit Court jury on Oct. 4 found a former county parks employee not guilty in the August 2016 stabbing death of lesbian chef and caterer Tyonne Johns during an altercation at a wedding reception in a park that Johns catered.

Continue reading at: Man found not guilty in murder of lesbian caterer (Source)

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Tagged Lesbian Murder Victims, Lesbians in the U.S., Tyonne Johns, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Lesbian couple sues airline, claiming discrimination on LAX flight

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A same-sex couple is suing Allegiant Air, alleging they were harassed by a flight attendant because they are gay and wrongfully escorted off a plane at Los Angeles International Airport as they tried to return home from a cremation service last fall.

Continue reading at: Lesbian couple sues airline, claiming discrimination on LAX flight – Press Telegram (Source)

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Tagged Allegiant Air, Children of lesbian parents, Discrimination, harassment, homophobia, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia

Jewish lesbian speaks up after being ‘fired’ as a church volunteer

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Carmen Hix, the Texas woman who was let go as a relief volunteer following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey, recently spoke to GSN about her experience of discrimination.

Hix was told she was no longer allowed to volunteer at a Houston church’s food bank after church officials discovered she was both Jewish and a lesbian.

Continue reading at: Jewish lesbian speaks up after being ‘fired’ as a church volunteer (Source)

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Tagged compulsory heterosexuality, Discrimination, Freedom from religion, homophobia, Jewish lesbians, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia

Melbourne: Moving tribute for lesbians convicted for holding hands on a tram

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Hold Hands on a Tram was organized to remind people of lesbopobia – the discrimination uniquely faced by lesbians. It was also a chance to highlight some of the struggles older lesbians face.

‘Often LGBTI histories are talked about as a collective – as though each subgroup had the same experiences,’ Barrett said.

‘These experiences need to be understood – because the past is not dead, there are still legacies of history present in contemporary society.

‘We see this in older lesbians fears about services, in the elder abuse some experience by family members, in the attitudes and behaviours of some community members and community leaders.’

Continue reading at: Moving tribute for lesbians convicted for holding hands on a tram (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, Dyke Pride, Elder lesbians, Hold Hands on a Tram, homophobia, Lesbian history, lesbian voices, Lesbians in Australia, Lesbophobia, persecution, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians

Tajikistan: 48 lesbians added to new gay and lesbian citizens register for “safety” and prevention of STD’s

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Zakonnost reported the government created the list after two state ‘operations’ last year called ‘Morality’ and ‘Purge. It did not elaborate on what that meant.

It is not known what kind of checks the gay and lesbian people will undergo, but said were ‘put on a register due to their vulnerability in society and for their safety and to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases’.

Continue reading at: Tajikistan has made a gay and lesbian register of its citizens (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, Freedom from religion, homophobia, lesbian erasure, Lesbians in Tajikistan, Lesbophobia, persecution, Politics, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Man jailed for kicking lesbian couple in the head simply for holding hands

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A court jailed a man for viciously kicking a lesbian couple in the head while they walked down the street holding hands.

Ross Paterson, 29, from Carluke, Lanarkshire in Scotland attacked the pair after they ignored his homophobic abuse. The incident occurred in Penrith, Cumbria in England in August last year.

Continue reading at: Man jailed for kicking lesbian couple in the head simply for holding hands (Source)

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Tagged Hate crimes, homophobia, Lesbians in the U.K., Lesbophobia, Ross Paterson, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Amazon Studios exec resigns following lesbian producer’s sexual harassment accusations

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Last week, producer Isa Hackett came forward with her accusations against Price. In 2015, Hackett was at San Diego Comic-Con with Price to promote the Amazon series The Man in the High Castle. The series is based on the work of Hackett’s late father, Philip K. Dick. Hackett is also an executive producer.

While in a taxi with Price, Hackett alleges he propositioned her, telling her: ‘You will love my dick.’

Later at a party, Price reportedly went up to Hackett and loudly proclaimed, ‘Anal sex!’

Continue reading at: Amazon Studios exec resigns following lesbian producer’s sexual harassment accusations (Source)

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Tagged Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, sexual harassment, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, workplace discrimination

Missouri teen says ’20 to 30′ boys assaulted her because she’s a lesbian

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Missouriteen2

They were walking to VanHoutan’s uncle’s house and tried to ignore the boys. However, then one of the boys allegedly hit her in the back of the head and punched her, giving her a black eye.

Continue reading at: Missouri teen says ’20 to 30′ boys assaulted her because she’s gay (Source)

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Tagged bullying, Discrimination, Hate crimes, homophobia, Lesbian students, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians

Lesbian couple harassed in Huntington Beach, CA

Posted on 22/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Tiffany Steinberg and Jessica Lundquist are a California-based couple who have been dating almost three years. On 15 October, they were harassed on the Huntington Beach pier for being gay. They filmed the encounter in a video that has since gone viral.

Continue reading at: Lesbian couple harassed in Huntington Beach, film encounter (Source)

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Tagged bullying, Discrimination, homophobia, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Black Lesbians Targeted by Violent Homophobes in Dallas and NYC

Posted on 21/10/2017 by listeninglisa | 2 comments

Black gay women were the targets of two separate homophobic attacks that happened this month in Dallas and in New York. In both cases, the women were attacked by Black men and the women felt like witnesses did not try to help stop the men or defend them.

Continue reading at: Black Lesbians Targeted by Violent Homophobes in Dallas and NYC | Autostraddle (Source)

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Tagged African American lesbians, Black lesbians, Discrimination, Hate crimes, homophobia, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, violence against women

British lesbian wins landmark spousal visa case in Hong Kong

Posted on 21/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A British lesbian has been granted a dependent visa in Hong Kong in what is being seen as a landmark judgement in a city which does not recognise same-sex marriage.

Dependent visas, which allow the holder to live and work in Hong Kong, are normally only granted for husbands or wives of those who move to the city for employment.

The woman, who was named as QT in court filings, entered into a civil partnership in the UK in 2011.

Continue Reading at: British lesbian wins landmark spousal visa case in Hong Kong (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, homophobia, Immigration, Lesbians in China, Lesbians in Hong Kong, Lesbians in the U.K., Marriage equality

Nigeria: Thugs attack ex-wife suspected of lesbian affair, victim flees to Canada

Posted on 20/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A Nigerian woman accused of lesbian sex has escaped to Canada after surviving an attack by thugs who she said were sent by her ex-husband. The attack and her escape occurred after she was released from police custody following her arrest on homosexuality charges at her ex-husband’s instigation.

Continue reading at: Nigeria: Thugs attack ex-wife suspected of lesbian affair | 76 CRIMES (Source)

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Tagged compulsory heterosexuality, Discrimination, Hate crimes, homophobia, Lesbian Mothers, Lesbians in Canada, Lesbians in Nigeria, Lesbophobia, seeking asylum, Threats of violence, violence against women

Nigeria: Study reports harassment, expulsion for committing lesbianism on university campuses

Posted on 20/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A Nigerian researcher, Kehinde Okanlawon, has released a report on the experiences of gay and lesbian university students in Nigeria, detailing harassment they experienced.

The report, titled “Homophobic bullying in Nigerian schools: The experiences of LGBT university students,” was based on interviews with 14 gay and lesbian students at a university in Nigeria and on accounts of Nigerian LGBT students’ experiences compiled from other sources.

Continue reading at: 14 Nigerian university students talk about being gay on campus | 76 CRIMES

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Tagged bullying, compulsory heterosexuality, Discrimination, homophobia, Lesbian students, Lesbians in Nigeria, Lesbophobia, persecution, personal stories, Threats of violence

Lesbian Ugandans among others facing isolation, violence and starvation in Kenyan refugee camp

Posted on 20/10/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, where many Ugandan LGBTI refugees are held (Photo courtesy of Ephemerian)

In the wake of their miles-long trek last month from the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, LGBTI Ugandan refugees returned to the camp with a few offers of future help. Soon after their return, the whole camp was hit by a cutback in food distribution.

The trekkers had sought protection from other refugees’ homophobic hostility and relief from the camp’s harsh conditions.

Continue reading at: LGBTI refugees in Kenya: Food cutback, new security plan | 76 CRIMES (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, homophobia, Lesbian refugees, Lesbians in Kenya, Lesbians in Uganda, Lesbophobia, Threats of violence, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Egypt: Authorities Arrest at Least 57 Suspected Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual People at Concert–Lawyer Reports Lesbian Sexually Assaulted in Cell

Posted on 20/10/2017 by listeninglisa | 2 comments

Lawyer Doaa Mostafa who attended the interrogations with a detained girl said that the hardest thing wasn’t the irrelevant questions. However, it was when the girl knew that she was going back to a prison cell where she is allegedly sexually assaulted by other prisoners.

Continue reading at: Egypt: Authorities Arrest at Least 57 in Crackdown on the LGBT Community — Equal Eyes (Source)

Additional information and links at: https://76crimes.com/2017/10/12/repression-worsens-in-indonesia-and-egypt/

Update: Egypt: Lesbian held in Egyptian anti-gay crackdown freed on bail

Update: Egypt: Arrested and tortured for waving rainbow flag, lesbian Sarah Hegazi dead at 30

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Tagged Discrimination, homophobia, Lesbians in Egypt, Lesbophobia, persecution, Sarah Hegazi, Sarah Hegazy, sexual assault, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Ukraine: Lesbian couple keeping low profile, but open with family

Posted on 13/07/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Despite being open about their family with relatives and friends, Moskovchenko was the only one from her family who attended this year’s Kyiv Pride on June 18, a march of around 4,000 people in Kyiv in support of the rights of the lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people (LGBT).

They said they were worried about their children’s safety. Although nobody was hurt during the march, there were reports later that day that several participants were followed and attacked after the march.

“Staying safe and sound is our duty to our children,” Svidnitska said.Ukrainian law prevents gay couples from adopting children, so the couple don’t have legal rights to each other’s kids — if something happens to Moskovchenko, Svidnitska won’t get custody of her daughter, and vice versa.

Continue reading at: Lesbian couple keeping low profile, but open with family | KyivPost (Source)

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Tagged Children of lesbian parents, Discrimination, family law, homophobia, Lesbian Mothers, Lesbians in Ukraine, Lesbophobia, Marriage equality, parental rights