Category Archives: News

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

No action taken against principal who outed ‘lesbian’ pupils

Posted on 14/04/2017 by listeninglisa | 2 comments

It appears that the principal accused of the homophobic abuse of 38 high school pupils in the Eastern Cape will not face any disciplinary action.

It was reported last month that Principal Nomampondomise Kosani of Ulwazi High School ‘outed’ the girls, aged 14 to 18, as lesbians to their parents, guardians and teachers after two female pupils were found kissing in the toilets. The humiliated girls were allegedly subjected to insults and were told to ‘stop’ being gay’. Some of the parents reacted with anger and said they were prepared to use violence to ‘make their children straight’.

Continue reading at: No action taken against principal who outed ‘lesbian’ pupils – MambaOnline – Gay South Africa online (Source)

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Tagged compulsory heterosexuality, Discrimination, homophobia, lesbian children, Lesbians in South Africa, Lesbophobia

$500 Million Lawsuit Filed Against Man Who Brutally Raped, Shot, Young Lesbian Couple

Posted on 14/04/2017 by listeninglisa | 1 comment

The man who brutally assaulted a teenage lesbian couple in Texas is being sued for $500 million by the survivor of his horrible attack.

David Strickland was convicted in September of raping and shooting Mary Kristene Chapa, 18, and her girlfriend, 19-year-old Mollie Olgin, in a park near Corpus Christi in 2012. Olgin died at the scene, while Chapa, who was shot in the head, survived.

Continue reading at: $500 Million Lawsuit Filed Against Man Who Brutally Raped, Shot, Young Lesbian Couple | NewNowNext (Source)

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Tagged Hate crimes, lawsuit, Lesbians in the U.S., Mary Kristene Chapa, Mollie Olgin, murder of lesbian, rape culture, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Corrective Rape Culture: Rugby player sexually assaulted teenage lesbian after saying he was the ‘only one who could turn her straight’

Posted on 14/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Innes Frazer, 30, who is engaged to be married, confessed to describing the vulnerable 18-year-old autism sufferer to others as “my favourite lesbian”.

Continue reading at: Rugby player sexually assaulted teenage lesbian after saying he was the ‘only one who could turn her straight’ (Source)

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Tagged compulsory heterosexuality, corrective rape, Hate crimes, lesbian children, Lesbians in Scotland, Lesbians in the U.K., violence against lesbians, violence against women

Toronto: Anonymous letter sent to lesbian politician threatening attack on pride parade

Posted on 14/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A letter has been sent to an out politician in Canada threatening an attack on a Pride parade.

The letter was sent to Kristyn Wong-Tam, an openly gay politician who sits on Toronto City Council, as the city marked a day against homophobic bullying on Wednesday.

Continue reading at: Anonymous letter sent to gay politician threatening attack on ‘faggot’ pride parade · PinkNews (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, homophobia, Lesbians in Canada, Lesbophobia, Pride parade, Threats of violence

Scotland: 18-year old disabled lesbian sexually assaulted by groom-to-be at Ardrossan rugby club party

Posted on 13/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A DISABLED lesbian has told a court she was physically sick after being sexually assaulted by a groom-to-be in a storage container at a rugby club Christmas party.

The 18-year-old, who is autistic and dyslexic, said she ran to the toilet and vomited after being groped by Innes Frazer.

Continue reading at: Disabled lesbian ‘sexually assaulted by groom-to-be in storage container’ at Ardrossan rugby club Christmas party (Source)

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Tagged Lesbians in Scotland, Lesbians in the U.K., sexual assault, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Australia: Victoria offers creative grants to fight homophobia, lesbian voices needed

Posted on 13/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

THE Victorian government is offering grants for creative projects to combat homophobia.

The $300,000 Combatting Homophobia social impact program, part of the government’s Creative State strategy, will enable creative projects to make a positive impact in the community.

Continue reading at: Victoria offers creative grants to fight homophobia – Star Observer (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, grants, homophobia, Lesbians in Australia, Lesbophobia

South Africa: Threats to decapitate lesbians as murder suspects released in death of Nonkie Smous

Posted on 13/04/2017 by listeninglisa | 2 comments

According to activists on the ground, three men have been arrested in connection with the murder, with two subsequently released. It is believed that one man remains in custody.

Shockingly, it appears that he has only been charged with robbery after being found in possession of items belonging to Smous.

Mambaonline has as yet been unable to communicate with the authorities in the area and officially verify these reports. pain-for-Nonkis-family-as-suspects-released

Local LGBTI activist Nthabiseng Mokanyane, who is also a relative of Smous, told Mambaonline that one of the released suspects had allegedly threatened a member of the community. “He said that they are going to kill all the lesbians and take off their heads,” she said.

Continue reading at: Lesbian South Africa Lifestyle | News | Dating (Source)

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Tagged Hate crimes, homophobia, Lesbians in South Africa, Nonki Smous, violence against lesbians, violence against women

ACLU backs Georgia woman fired for being lesbian

Posted on 13/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

The ACLU of Georgia argued that federal law protects LGBT people from workplace discrimination, weighing in on the case of a Georgia lesbian fired for being gay.

Continue reading at: ACLU backs Georgia woman fired for being gay — Project Q Atlanta (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, homophobia, law, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, persecution, workplace discrimination

Ontario Pioneer Camp alumni fight to end anti-lesbian, anti-gay staff policy

Posted on 13/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A group of alumni from one of Ontario’s largest Christian summer camps is fighting to end an anti-gay policy that requires staff to condemn “homosexual and lesbian sexual conduct” if a camper asks them about it.

Continue reading at: Ontario Pioneer Camp alumni fight to end anti-gay staff policy – Toronto – CBC News (Source)

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Tagged children, compulsory heterosexuality, Discrimination, Freedom from religion, Lesbians in Canada, listening2lesbians, Summer camps

This Powerful Instagram Chronicles Important Moments In Lesbian Herstory

Posted on 12/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Lesbian Herstory Project

Rakowski went on to talk about how lesbian history often tends to take a backseat to other identities along the queer spectrum when it comes to visibility and how history is remembered.“Women’s history is often not told or recorded or championed, lesbian history even less so,” she continued. “I think it’s valuable to learn from the past, learn what lesbians were experiencing and thinking in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s — there’s been so much progress is society but still so much oppression. Even if I don’t agree with lesbian views from the 1970s (for example) I still think it’s important we learn and read and respect their history and experiences.”

Continue reading at: This Powerful Instagram Chronicles Important Moments In Lesbian Herstory | The Huffington Post (Source)

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Tagged Instagram, lesbian erasure, Lesbian history, Lesbophobia, Politics, representation

“I Struggled Coming Out To Myself”

Posted on 12/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

After my coming out to my best friend, my life felt more real than it had ever felt. It was liberating to be able to go to school and be who I really was. Even though I had still had to lead a double life at home, I was happy that I could be out and proud at school. Slowly, my friends started to realize that I wasn’t actually attracted to guys at all. I was an out and proud lesbian by the age of 15. This was very liberating. School then became my sanctuary. I was able to be myself and be happy.

Continue reading at: “I Struggled Coming Out To Myself” (Source)

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Tagged Coming out, Freedom from religion, lesbian children, personal stories

The serendipitous path of Roberta Kaplan

Posted on 10/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Roberta Kaplan was once described by Arianna Huffington during a live interview at Fortune as “a powerhouse corporate litigator.”In the corporate legal field, brilliant litigators are a dime a dozen. But what differentiated Kaplan was that she met Edie Windsor and the two teamed up in a David and Goliath kind of a legal case.With Windsor, Kaplan entered the history books in 2013 when the Supreme Court invalidated certain sections of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the case of United States v. Windsor. This case later led to the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges two years later that struck down all barriers to same-sex marriage across the US. For a lot of the LGBT people, it was serendipity: the fearlessness of Windsor partnered with the passion of Kaplan.Thanks to these two lesbians, America could now enjoy the rights of same-sex marriage.

Continue reading at: The serendipitous path of Roberta Kaplan | Lesbian News (Source)

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Tagged DOMA, law, Lesbian history, Lesbians in the U.S., personal stories, Roberta Kaplan

Taylor Emery, lesbian player wins top award in women’s junior college basketball

Posted on 10/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Emery feels ready to return to Division I, and her three finalists are Mississippi, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech. She is making campus visits this month, and her final visit is Virginia Tech on April 29. Emery said she plans to make her choice during the first week of May.

That all three of her finalists are in conservative-leaning regions is not a concern for her.

“When you’re in athletics, it’s a lot different than being in society,” Emery said.

Continue reading at: Openly gay player wins top award in women’s junior college basketball – Outsports (Source)

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Tagged Basketball, College sports, Lesbians in sports, Lesbians in the U.S., Taylor Emery, Women in sports

The Amazon Trail: Questions from a lesbian high school student

Posted on 10/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

What still needs to be achieved in the current movement?

“So much. We will never erase all of the hate and fear directed at gay people. Difference is too threatening to many non-gays, especially those who follow religions that demonize us. Being out is the essential basic step to achieving and preserving something like equality. Encouraging and supporting one another, as the Golden Crown Literary Society and lesbian publishers do, for example, are necessary. Legitimizing our right to exist through the legal system will protect us to some extent. Electing supportive non-gays and gays to local and national office is another tool that can protect us in the future. Fighting demagogues every step of the way is a must. We will continue building our culture until it’s so strong our would-be oppressors and executioners can’t begin to tear it down.”

Continue reading at: The Amazon Trail: Questions from a lesbian high school student | LGBT Weekly (Source)

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Tagged Culture, Discrimination, Lesbian history, Lesbians in the U.S., Lesbophobia, Politics, power, representation, violence against lesbians, women's space

South Africa: Lesbian raped and stabbed in Potchefstroom, 3 male suspects arrested

Posted on 08/04/2017 by listeninglisa | 2 comments

L2LCapeTown

Potchefstroom’s lesbian community has been shaken by another possible hate crime incident after a young lesbian woman was attacked and raped.

According to reports from local activists, on the night of 31 March, the 26-year-old was talking to a friend on the phone outside her home in Mohadin, Potchefstroom.

As she was chatting, three men grabbed her and pulled her into a stretch of veld, where they assaulted her. They hit her on the head with a stone, stabbed her in the left side of her back and kicked her in the face.

Continue reading at: Lesbian Woman Raped and Stabbed in Potchefstroom| mambagirl.com (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, Hate crimes, Lesbians in South Africa, Lesbophobia, violence against lesbians, violence against women

Laura Clemesha: Australian lesbian netball player speaks out on homophobia

Posted on 08/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

THE Pride in Sport Rainbow Round returns this weekend and gives us all a fantastic platform to talk about sexuality in sport.

Continue reading at: Openly gay netball player speaks out on homophobia | Caboolture News (Source)

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Tagged Lesbians in Australia, Lesbians in sports, Lesbophobia

Alison Bechdel, Dykes to Watch Out For writer, says her comics are now more widely accepted

Posted on 08/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Vermont’s new cartoonist laureate has made a career out of illustrating the complexities of same-sex relationships and says the world has changed around her and is now much more accepting of her work.

Continue reading at: Alison Bechdel says her radical queer comics are now more widely accepted / LGBTQ Nation (Source)

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Tagged Alison Bechdel, cartoonists, Culture, Lesbians in the U.S.

This Lesbian Mom Shares An Amazing Story About Her Journey To Creating Her Family

Posted on 08/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

Fulfilling her heart’s desire to create a family was a personal odyssey for Natasha King, 46, of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Continue reading at: This Lesbian Mom Shares An Amazing Story About Her Journey To Creating Her Family | The Huffington Post (Source)

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Tagged Adoption/Fostering, Children of lesbian parents, family law, Lesbian Mothers, Lesbians in Canada

Lydia Polgreen: Black Lesbian Changing Journalism

Posted on 07/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

The last time Lydia Polgreen felt boredom — real boredom, the soul-crushing kind — she was 21 and working for a company in suburban Virginia that helped applicants for H-1B visas. The job was a stopgap between college, where she’d studied Marx and Hegel, and a hazy, uncertain future in which she imagined she might teach philosophy. In the meantime, there she was toiling in some random job, waiting for each day to end. “At some point I thought, This can’t be how my life is going to go. This isn’t for me,” she recalls. “I’m not a person who should ever be looking at the clock, waiting for things to be over — that’s not my destiny.”

Continue reading at: Lydia Polgreen: Meet the Queer Black Woman Changing Journalism | Out Magazine (Source)

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Tagged African American lesbians, Black lesbians, journalism, Lesbians in the U.S., Lydia Polgreen, personal stories, Politics

Lesbian asylum seeker says ex-husband will kill her if Britain deports her to Nigeria

Posted on 07/04/2017 by listeninglisa | Leave a comment

A Nigerian woman held at Britain’s most infamous immigration detention center has pleaded with the authorities not to send her back to her home country, where her ex-husband is allegedly waiting to kill her.

Continue reading at: Lesbian asylum seeker says ex-husband will kill her if Britain deports her to Nigeria — RT UK (Source)

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Tagged Discrimination, Immigration, Lesbian Mothers, Lesbians in Nigeria, Lesbians in the U.K., persecution, seeking asylum, violence against lesbians, violence against women