LGR's Melanie Nathan with Stan Wright and Chely Wright

(San Francisco, CA, May 22, 2011)—The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) presented its highest honors to five trailblazers in the movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality at its 34th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, May 21, 2011 in San Francisco.

LezGetReal was there to enjoy the dinner and after party, which turned out to be a huge success.  It seems that NCLR out-does itself each year.  The women were magnificent.  The trailblazers inspiring, speeches lending sousing aplauses and standing ovations.  What a night!

Voice & Visibility Award: First-ever openly LGBT country music star Chely Wright and her father, Stan Wright.
Chely, who attended with her fiance, looked stunning in a simple black evening dress, gave a moving acceptance speech, thanking her father Stan Wright for his support and giving special thanks to NCLR’s  (Prop 8 and more) attorney Shannon Minter, whom she described as a close and good friend.

The Awardees:-

• Founder’s Award: NCLR founder and retired San Francisco Superior Court Judge Donna Hitchens.
• Justice Award: Former Belmont University soccer coach Lisa Howe.
• Spirit Award: First-ever openly transgender Division I basketball player Kye Allums.

“I am so honored to be recognized with Chely and Stan and such incredible clients, who are my true role models,” said Judge Hitchens. “Their courage and willingness to stand up for what is right is and always has been the real foundation of this organization. I have been lucky to be a part of it from the beginning, and to see NCLR turn 34 is truly amazing.”

Said Howe: “It’s a privilege to be recognized with this honor from NCLR, which has provided me with a tremendous amount of guidance and support over the last six months. They have literally been at my side, helping me through this process and coaching me through media interviews. One of the most memorable experiences was a conference call I had with them the morning before I gave my first interview. Without saying it directly, the tone of that phone call made me understand how influential I suddenly was, and how many people of all ages in all parts of the country were depending on me to represent the LGBT community. I’m truly grateful for them, as well as my Nashville attorney Abby Rubenfeld. I am honored to get to work with such an amazingly powerful group of people, and to receive this award.”

Added Allums: “I am truly humbled that NCLR honored me with the Spirit Award. The love, and support from my friends and family has made my coming out experience an unforgettable one.”

Additionally, NCLR’s special guests were NCLR clients Desiree “Dez” Shelton and Sarah Lindstrom, out high school lesbians, who successfully challenged their Minnesota school district in January 2011 so they could walk together as part of the royal court of their school’s winter formal. (Pic: Mel with Dez and Sarah)

“Each of our honorees and special guests are our true role models,” said NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell. “They stood up for their beliefs, not only changing history, but helping positively change the lives of thousands of LGBT people across the country for years to come—making them champions in our movement for equality and justice.”

More than 1,300 people from across the country attended the Anniversary Celebration, NCLR’s signature event that each year celebrates victories in the movement for full LGBT equality, and honors those who have become role models for thousands of people through their unfailing commitment to justice.

Founded in 1977, NCLR is a national legal organization devoted to advancing LGBT justice and equality through litigation, public policy, and public education. Since its start, NCLR—which helps more than 5,000 people each year—has embraced every aspect of the diverse LGBT community through its work, recognizing that the community comes from many different backgrounds and faces a wide range of issues.

About the awards and honorees:

The Voice and Visibility Award: Country Music Star Chely Wright and her father Stan Wright

The Voice and Visibility Award honors an individual who has helped to give voice and visibility to LGBT people. This year’s award was presented to country music star Chely Wright and her father Stan Wright. Chely has shown unwavering courage since coming out in 2010, at the height of her career in Nashville, as the first openly LGBT country music star. She became a role model for others by sharing the painful, inspiring, and moving story of the heartache she suffered by trying to live in the closet, and the despair that finally propelled her to choose between taking her own life or coming out. Chely has used her fame to speak out about the terrible shame, pain, and harm that are inflicted on LGBT people—and especially on LGBT youth—by a culture that still views LGBT people as sinful and immoral. Chely’s father, Stan Wright, has stood by her side through every step of her journey, showing his unconditional love—an example for LGBT children and adults who may fear losing their family’s loving support by living authentically. Chely and Stan continue to stand up and speak out as people of faith, unchanged by the fact that Chely is a lesbian.

Founder’s Award: The Honorable Donna Hitchens

The Founder’s Award acknowledges a person whose life embodies NCLR’s vision and values of equality and justice and who has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to activism on behalf of our communities. This year’s award was presented to the Honorable Donna Hitchens, who, known as one of the nation’s most well-respected judges, retired from the San Francisco County Superior Court in November 2010. She has changed the lives of thousands of people through her commitment to justice, not only while serving on the San Francisco County Superior Court bench, but by founding the National Center for Lesbian Rights in 1977, where her vision of fighting for LGBT equality continues to change the nation’s legal landscape.

Justice Award: Former Belmont University Soccer Coach Lisa Howe

The Justice Award honors an individual who has shown the courage and perseverance to fight for justice and sacrificed to make broad social change for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. This year’s award was presented to former Belmont University soccer coach Lisa Howe. Howe stood strong in the face of ignorance and bigotry, becoming a role model for not only her players and students, but this country, by living honestly and loving her family. She has put a face on the continued need to fight employment discrimination in Nashville, Tennessee, where Belmont University is located, and in every corner of this country. Lisa has helped to transform the hearts and minds of her community and colleagues, inspiring them to launch an unprecedented public discussion about the place of openly LGBT people in private Christian colleges and universities, and prompting Belmont to change its non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation.

Kye Allums Photo: Mel Nathan

Spirit Award: George Washington University Basketball Player Kye Allums

The Spirit Award honors an individual whose strength of character embodies and invigorates the spirit of the LGBT community. This year’s award was presented to George Washington University basketball player Kye Allums. Kye is a pioneer in the world of intercollegiate sports. In November 2010, he became the first Division I basketball player to come out as transgender, demonstrating extraordinary bravery and character in living genuinely and unapologetically as a transgender man. Through his simple act of continuing to play the sport he loves as the man he is, he has helped to change the landscape for other athletes.

###

The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.NCLRights.org

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

The Ugandan Message of Hate

The Ugandan Parliament is about to debate the Kill The Gays Bill, (see below) which could literally execute LGBT Ugandans and imprison their friends, families, doctors, priests/pastors, etc. The Bill is currently completed its Committee hearing and is up for public comment. Now IS the time to comment.

It may pass it in the NEXT DAY OR TWO.

GetEQUAL says: – We need to let Uganda know that they cannot write the genocide of its LGBT citizens into law under the cover of darkness. The whole world is watching, the whole world is justifiably outraged, and the whole world will hold them accountable for their actions.

PROTEST
Tuesday, May 10 · 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Embassy of the Republic of Uganda -
5911 16th Street, NW

Please bring signs, banners, and your best protest chants Tuesday afternoon to the Ugandan Embassy as we let Uganda know that we stand in solidarity LGBT Ugandans, their families and friends, and we will not sit idly by while Members of Parliament debate whether to imprison or kill them.

IF YOU CANNOT BE THERE IN PERSON, YOU CAN STILL HELP!

Please call, write and fax the Ugandan Ambassador to the United States:

His Excellency Professor Perezi K. Kamunanwire
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Tel: (202) 726 4758
Fax: (202) 726 1727
pkamunanwire@ugandaembassyus.org

Call, write or fax ANY TIME beginning RIGHT NOW and continuing until you hear that the bill has been dropped! Tell the Ambassador that the United States and the world are watching the developments in his country, and will not sit idly by while Uganda commits genocide against its lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender citizens and their families, friends, and supporters. Tell him you don’t know how America could possibly justify maintaining diplomatic relations or providing any aid whatsoever to a country intent upon murdering its own LGBT citizens. Remind him that civilized people all around the world will shun any country that threatens to put to death its LGBT citizens.

Added by Melanie: Tell him if the Bill Passes we expect that President Museveni will Veto it in the economic interests of the Country and in the interests of the Countries viability in the Global context.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/05/uganda-the-insanity-of-the-anti-homosexuality-bill/

THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL, 2009;
On the 14th of October 2009, David  Bahati tabled the  Anti-Homosexuality Bill in the Ugandan Parliament. The Bill is currently before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee.

The objective of the Bill is ” to establish a comprehensive consolidated legislation to protect the traditional family by prohibiting:-
(i) any form of sexual relations between persons of the same sex; and
(ii) the promotion or recognition of such sexual relations in public institutions and other places through or with the support of any Government entity in Uganda or any non governmental organization inside or outside the country “.

Amongst other aims, the Bill seeks to prohibit all marriages except those between man and woman, to prevent and penalize homosexual behavior, including a death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”, to prohibit ratification of any international treaties, conventions, protocols, agreements and declarations which are contrary or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, and to prohibit the licensing of organizations which promote homosexuality. Read the Bill !!

On a critical analysis, the Bill covers much more than the title alone proclaims. A much better title for this Bill would have been the “The Anti Civil Society Bill”, the “Anti Public Health Bill”, or the “Anti-Constitution Bill”. We, the various member organizations of the Uganda Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law see many unconstitutional and Human Rights violating implications of the Bill. As a matter of fact, this Bill represents one of the most serious attacks to date on the 1995 Constitution and on the key human rights protections enshrined in the Constitution including:

• Article 20: Fundamental rights and freedoms are inherent and not granted by the State
• Article 21: Right to Equality and Freedom from discrimination
• Article 22: The Right to Life (the death penalty provisions)
• Article 27: The Right to Privacy
• Article 29: Right to freedom of conscience, expression, movement, religion, assembly and association (this includes freedom of speech, Academic freedom and media freedom)
• Article 30: Right to Education
• Article 32: Affirmative Action in favor of marginalisd groups and
• Article 36 on the Rights of Minorities

The Bill has serious implications for instance Parents, Teachers, Lawyers, Medical Personnel, Counselors, or Landlords who do not report homosexual behavior of their child, pupil, client or tenant. They can be fined 5 million Uganda shillings, or put away for three to seven years in prison. Furthermore, it puts at serious risk any civil society leader or religious leader trying to work with homosexuals, resulting in closing down his or her organization, or punishing him or her accordingly. In short, this Bill targets everybody, and involves everybody: it cannot be implemented without making every citizen spy on his or her neighbors.

For more comments on the Bill by our coalition, click HERE

PLEASE send Press releases and Statement here to LGR re your condemnation of the BILL – time is of  the essence.. LGR@privatecourts.com

all articles are located at :- http://lezgetreal.com/?s=Uganda%2C+Bahati.

SIGN THE PETITION – TELLING PRESIDENT MUSEVENI TO VETO THE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALITY BILL http://www.allout.org/petition/uganda

LISTEN TO OUR MAY 07, 2011 – Swirl Radio INTERVIEW WITH BAHATI – Michelle Meow and Melanie Nathan spoke to David Bahati on Swirl Radio, aired yesterday – and here the podcast can be found by clicking here: First the News, then Bahati- http://swirlradio.com/

READ ARTICLES ON UGANDAN Kill THE GAYS BILL – all articles are located at :- http://lezgetreal.com/?s=Uganda%2C+.

______________________________________________________________________________

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Melanaie Nathan, Tlali Tlali and Ndumie Funda March 2011

A 13-year-old lesbian  was raped in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, the Department of Dustice and Constitutional Development (DOJCD) announced today.  How many more South African men are cowards?  Today the South African Department of Justice came out in probably one of the strongest statements we have seen to date, calling men who rape women, cowards.

“Government condemns this senseless and cowardly act of criminality,” department spokesperson, Mr.  Tlali Tlali said in a statement. He said the girl, who was open about her sexuality, was raped in what seemed to be an act of “corrective rape” on Thursday.

SAPA reports  that according to activists, lesbian women are often victims of “corrective rape”, which is forced sex with a man to “cure” their sexuality.The department said every South African had the right to express themselves in the sexual orientation of their choice.

Tlali said police and the National Prosecuting Authority’s sexual offences and community affairs unit would investigate the case. The girl and her family would also receive assistance from the department of justice and the department of social development.

“Gay and lesbian rights are human and constitutional rights which must be protected and respected at all times,” he said.

Just two weeks ago, Noxolo Nogwaza, a 24-year-old member of the Ekurhuleni Pride Organising Committee, a gay rights group, was brutally raped and stoned to death in Kwa Thema township outside Johannesburg, targeted because she was a lesbian. Neighbors report hearing that  the men threatening to rape her to  take away her lesbianism.

Activists  have held two meetings with Mr. Tlali Tlali, one such meeting just this past Monday,  to bring reforms and awareness and shed light on homophobia with particular reference to so called corrective rape.

Ndumie funda, director of Luleki Sizwe said “It kills me. It tears my heart apart. Especially a 13 year old, it is almost an infant. It is time that the entire community stood together, also gay friendly people, churches and leaders. This task team needs to act now. We cannot sit and fold our arms. We need to act ASAP. Justice is all we are asking for, this bastard needs to be ARRESTED, prosecuted to the full extend of the law. We ask the community to help the SAPS getting this person.

We also need to see justice for Nxolo. We need to beyond just task teams, we need an imbizo where the whole community comes together and where we protect and govern vulnerable people like. In this regard we need to act immediately. We ask President Zuma to speak out at the soonest in this time of sorrow. ”

Melanie Nathan of LezGetReal, who attended one such meeting reported: “We have been imploring upon Minister Radebe to openly condemn Corrective rape of lesbians and to legislate such rapes as hate crimes. To date this is the strongest statement from the office of the Minister.  However we would like to have Minister Radebe himself stand before a microphone and call all South African men who rape women  “cowards” as well as call upon the people of South Africa to stop the homophobic attacks on lesbians and other LGBT people.”

Mel Nathan and Ndumie at parliament Corrective Rape Meetings And the SA Gay Flag

Mr. Tlali Tlali, from the department said every South African had the right to express themselves in the sexual orientation of their choice.

The meeting held with DOJDC and National Prosecuting Authority this week, with Luleki Sizwe and other activist groups, rendered a commitment to effect the sought after LGBT Task force on the issue in partnership between the DOJDC, DPA, SAP and grass root activists aqs well as NGO’s. The meetings have been held under the leadership of Mr. Tlali Tlali.

As part of the team talking with government, Henry Bantjez (Luleki Sizwe ) commented, “We can categorically state that we are confident that the Department of Justice and president Zuma’s ANC Government condemns this cowardly act.” A spokesperson in the DOJ (Tladi Tlali) stated that the government would like to reiterate that everyone in South Africa has the right to express themselves in the sexual orientation of their choice. “Gay and Lesbian rights are human and constitutional rights which must be protected and respected at all times.”

Our sources informed us that Department of Social Development is assisting the young girl and her family during this trying time and interacting with the South African Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority’s Sexual Offences and Community Affairs unit in an effort to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice and are prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Luleki Sizwe is calling for maximum sentencing in this case, given prosecution. Eugene Brockman (Gay flag of South Africa) commented “We are saddened by this violent act against this very brave young girl who did nothing wrong but being herself. Enough is enough and we are not ending our plight (and talks) with the government to escalate issues of corrective rape…”

We extend our love and support to the young and her family. No longer will we tolerate any form of discrimination or violence against the lgbti community,” Bantjez said.

Studies by the government-funded Medical Research Council in 2009 and 2010 found that one in four South African men admitted to committing rape, and one in three in north-central Gauteng province, where Nogwaza and Simelane were attacked.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Chilpancingo, Gro., (IRZA).- The body of Leija Herrera’s  – LGBT activist, Mexico, was found with his face badly beaten, apparently with a rock, causing his death.     It is alleged that the crime took place in an area where police provide constant patrols -  in the area and also the State Police guarding the Palace of Culture.

Leija Herrera, 33 years old, fought for the legislature in 2009 the Law Against Discrimination, which was approved and Coexistence Act, to promote the law in favor of gay adoption and also worked on various actions in conjunction with gay organizations statewide. He also promoted initiatives to decriminalize abortion, legislative representative for lesbians and homosexuals, as well as condemning the interference of the Catholic Church in activities of the state.

El presidente de la Comisión Estatal de los Derechos Humanos (Coddehum), Juan Alarcón Hernández, lamentó el homicidio de Quetzalcóatl Leija Herrera, dirigente del Centro de Estudios y Proyectos para el Desarrollo Humano Integral, (CEPRODEHI).

El cuerpo de Leija Herrera, quien también fue defensor de las violaciones a la comunidad Lésbico- Gay, fue encontrado sin vida entre las 4y las 5 de la madrugada de ayer a un costado del palacio de la Cultura y del ayuntamiento de Chilpancingo, del centro de esta ciudad.
Alarcón Hernández, sostuvo que ya solicitó al Procurador General de Justicia, Alberto López Rosas, intervenga legalmente a fin de que se esclarezca el asesinato de Quetzalcóatl Leija Herrera, y se dé castigo ejemplar a los verdaderos responsables del homicidio.

El ombudsman guerrerenses sostuvo, que al momento en la Coddehum no se presentó ninguna queja por parte de familiares o denuncia de sus amigos; sin embargo, agregó por ello procedió a formular la petición al Procurador General de Justicia, López Rosas para que se inicie una averiguación previa y se detengan a los verdaderos responsables. Sostuvo que Quetzalcoatl Leija Herrera trabajó en algunos proyectos relacionados con la Ley de Convivencia y también la Ley Número 375 para Prevenir y Eliminar la Discriminación en el Estado de Guerrero, publicada en el Periódico Oficial del Estado, el 20 de febrero de 2009. (www.agenciairza.com).

Google Translation
Chilpancingo, Gro., May 4, 2011 (IRZA) .- The president of the State Commission for Human Rights (CODDEHUM), Juan Alarcón Hernández, lamented the killing of Quetzalcoatl Leija Herrera, head of the Centre for Research and Development Projects Integral Human (CEPRODEHI).

The body of Leija Herrera, who was also champion against discrimination and violence against Lesbian and Gay community, was found dead between 4and 5 in the early hours of yesterday on the side of the Palace of Culture and the city of Chilpancingo, the center of this city.

Alarcón Hernández, said that it asked the attorney general, Alberto López Rosas, legally intervene in order to shed light on the murder of Quetzalcoatl Leija Herrera, and give exemplary punishment to the real perpetrators of the murder.

. Quetzalcoatl said Leija Herrera worked on some projects related to the Law of Cohabitation and Act No. 375 to Prevent and Eliminate Discrimination in the State of Guerrero, published in the Official Gazette of the State, February 20, 2009. (www.agenciairza.com)

source: http://www.coddehumgro.org.mx/coddehumgro2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=368:el-c-presidente-de-la-coddehum-deplora-el-homicidio-del-c-lic-quetzalcoatl-leija-herrera&catid=38:boletines-2011

Melanie Nathan, LGR & Michelle Meow, Swirl

On May 7th, 2011 Swirl Radio and LezGetReal present the first in a series of three joint interviews featuring  radio host Michelle Meow and human rights activist and blogger, Melanie Nathan. The subject of the series:  “Debating Homosexuality and the Uganda Anti-homosexuality Bill, with its author, Member of Ugandan Parliament, David Bahati.

This first LGBT radio interview with Bahati, follows a series of private discussions between Nathan and Bahati which have been reported through her blogging at http://lezgetreal.com/?s=bahati Listeners can hear Bahati attempt to justify his Bill and his views on homosexuality as a crime.

The first discussion may shock or anger the listener and illustrates Mr. Bahati’s firmly entrenched perspectives on Uganda’s stance against homosexuality.

This timely debate heralds the close of Uganda’s 8^th Parliamentary session on May 12, 2011 – and the controversy – whether or not the Anti-Gay Bill will in fact be voted upon in this session.

Tune in for part one, Saturday May 7, and thereafter on podcast at www.swirlradio.com or connect via www.lezgetreal.com‘

Broadcast Swirl Radio on the air:
San Francisco (Green 960am) Saturday – 1pm
Seattle (1090am) Saturday – 5pm
Boston (1510am) Saturday – 5pm.

www.swirlradio.com

www.lezgetreal.com

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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Noxolo's Blood

“Break the Silence – Say No to Homophobia” is the call of South African LGBT activists and friends and family of the silenced victims of violence against sexual minorities.  South Africa is country of contradictions, yet  great promise and it started with the awesome  “post-apartheid -never again oppression-esque” Constitution.

Back in March British Airways kindly sponsored me to be the keynote speaker for Cape Town Pride.  I did not prepare a speech until I landed and spent a day talking to friends and hosting an activist gathering.  It then hit me – awesome Constitution – yet oppression?  I was asked to speak because of my years of activism against so called “corrective rape” of lesbians. So I tied the two together – living your Constitution is a right and a responsibility – of the people. It is up to the people to hold government responsible, and the accomplishment of the post apartheid era will only be truly felt when people do the imperative work to live the Constitution – that will  be the true accomplishment.

Now the the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) has decided to break its silence and add its lone voice amongst the progressive forces in condemning the brutal rape and stoning to death with bricks of Noxola Nogwaza, KwaThema township, Ekurhuleni, Gauteng province.

This is an example of living the Constitution – true citizenry – a model for South Africa, Africa and even the World. Who would have thought? Metal workers of South Africa. Thank you. Now the challenge remains:

Noxolo Nogwaza’s body was found lying in an alley in the township and her head  was completely deformed, her eyes out of her sockets, her brain spilt, teeth scattered all around and face smashed beyond recognition. The bloody rocks the subject speak the pain.  “This is the highest form of brutality and barbarism meted on a fellow human being for her sexual orientation and a choice to be in an intimate relationship with a same sex being. No person or human being can be allowed to be inflicted such torture and brutal killing in our society.” ( via Cobus Fourie, SA GLAAD.)

“We send our heartfelt and deepest condolences to his family and friends. We call on the South African Police Services (SAPS) to work tirelessly in apprehending the culprits of these gruesome and evil acts against a fellow human being by a mob of scavengers that belong in the gallows of shame and life imprisonment. This heinous and dastardly killing of Nogwaza is a reflection of the deep-seated homophobia and intolerance directed towards the gay or lesbian people by some male chauvinists’
remnants in our society post apartheid South Africa.

As Numsa we abhor homophobia with all its manifestations since its against the noble objectives of a non sexist society as envisaged in the Freedom Charter.

We call on the ANC WL to be in the forefront struggles in sharpening the awareness of our people around the rights and gays or lesbians. The front-line role of the ANC WL will go a long way in creating a climax of understanding and acceptance of gay and lesbian’s people as key integral part of our society. The gays and lesbians people have a right to exist and be free in our country without any fear or threats of murder or intimidation. Our continued silence on the rights of gays and lesbians will gradually make South Africa another Zimbabwe or Namibia where gays or lesbians rights are being trampled upon by their governments.

The struggle for a free and democratic South Africa was also about the struggle for free and liberation of gays and lesbians in our country from the bondages of patriarchal domination and suppression.

The attack on lesbians or gays in our country is a hate crime and should be classified as such by our legal system. The people who commit acts such as “corrective rape” and murder of lesbians or gay’s people do so with the full guarantee that they will not be prosecuted by the justice system. The justice system continuously fails the Lesbian, Gay, Transgendered and Bisexual People (LGTBP) community through insensitive law enforcement agencies, repeated postponement of trials and delaying
sentencing.

We call on all the progressive forces to be in the forefront of the struggle by breaking their silence on homophobia.”

I hope Leadership of South Africa will show the same courage – Break the Silence – Say No to Homophobia!

1. Call upon President Jacob Zuma in a show of Solidarity to  our sister Noxolo’s family, the SA LGBT community, to recall outspoken homophobe, Jon Qwelane from his Ambassadorial post to Uganda, where the “kill the gays” bill is still pending a possible vote.

2. Minister Jeff Radebe – please make a formal statement calling upon South African men to desist from raping women and lesbians. It is not their right – it is UNAFRICAN – Call it un-manly – call it oppression – call it cowardice.  Tell the people of South Afirca that rape will be met with very harsh consequences.  Announce, Minister Radebe, a WAR ON RAPE!  Come OUT and speak against homophobia, in very specific and conclusive terms.

Ous Sister Noxolo RIP - You will Not die in vein

Homophobia  is a last frontier of discrimination – fight for it!

More Articles:

http://lezgetreal.com/?s=south+africa%2C+melanie+nathan

South Africa: Badly Burnt Body of Murdered Lesbian

Melanie Nathan – 12-02-2010-  When dogs are dragging human bones pulled from the ashed remains of a lesbian sister; raped, murdered, burnt and left in a public toilet, an entire world is  deprived of its dignity – because this horror… (Continue reading)

Calling out Media & South African Government on Corrective Rape of Millicent Gaika

Melanie Nathan; Nov 21, 2010 -  A  wealthy young British couple, traveling in Gugulethu on Honeymoon, was hijacked last week, and tragically the beautiful wife, Anni Dewani, was fatally shot, causing an international media blitz and outcry.  South Africa… (Continue reading)

Tagged with: Anni Dewani British Couple british couple on honeymoon Corrective Rape Gugulethu hijacked Lesbian Luleki Sizwe Murder Ndumie Funda shot in car South Africa Wynberg Magist

The Shocking Truth of Corrective Rape – Survivors Speak from South Africa….

Melanie Nathan – 11-14-10.  WARNING – This is not for the faint of heart. The verbal descriptions in the Video contain explicit language. Corrective Rape in South Africa has been on the rise. The term was coined in South… (Continue reading)

Tagged with: Brutal Corrective Rape Hate Crime LulekiSizwe Melanie Nathan

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Ndumie Funda, Luleki Sizwe & Hon. Tlali Tlali DOJCD

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, May 3^rd 2011. In March I attended the first meeting at the DOJCD in South Africa,  as a spokesperson with Ndumie Funda of Luleki Sizwe, and we  outlined the need for reforms and  hate crimes legislation, especially against corrective rape of Lesbians  in South Africa.

SA Gay Flag

Today, Eugene Brockman and Henry Bantjes, report for LGR, from the second meeting following the one back in March. It was decided that the meetings would result in  the formation of a Task Force, history in the making, as South Africa moves forward toward  supporting and enforcing the LGBT community’s rights under its all inclusive Constitution.

The right to safety is imperative and as it stands, the culture of homophobia must change in South Africa to one where a lesbian is free to work outside her home without fear of brutality, rape and murder.

The agenda for this second meeting might have been to address corrective rape, but the result is an intervention plan and task team against all forms of hate crime against LGBTI citizens of South Africa.  I sincerely hope this does not take the focus off corrective rape which is endemic in South Africa, especially heightened by the Easter day brutality where a 14 year old lesbian was savagely beaten, raped and murdered in such a crime.

Department of Justice representative Mr. Tladi Tlali; observed: “The fact that there was a meeting on the 14^th of March and again a meeting today, with the representatives of various departments of government and the progress we have made proves that this is a sensitive government that listens and is open to collaboration with its people.”

Through the work of Ndumie Funda’s  against  corrective / curative rape of lesbians, she has been able to make her small organization Luleki Sizwe into a pioneer for LGBTI rights. Ndumie made headlines by first raising a 170 000 signature petition, then a secondary petition on Avaaz.org which reached 920 000 signatures, and now Ndumie has successfully engaged the government and department of justice on addressing targeted rape and assault against lesbians.

A group of LGBTI representatives from Triangle Project, Free Gender, End Hate Crime, Rape Crisis etc. invited by Luleki Sizwe attended the meeting along with representatives from governmental departments of justice (DOJ), national prosecutors office (NPA), social development, crime victims empowerment groups and SAPS.

An intervention plan was announced that has been put together with a 6 person task team that arepresents a cluster of government departments spanning from judiciary, policing, social development etc. The government has also put it to Luleki Sizwe and other NGO’s in attendance to select 6 further national representatives of the LGBTI community with grassroots following and support, who are in existing working structures for the LGBTI community.

On the agenda for the task team will be:

• - the terms of reference for operation.
• - situational analysis for needs of victims of hate crime based on sexual orientation.
• - a legislative intervention plan,
• - a public awareness strategy co-developed with LGBT NGO’s and communities.
• - LGBT sensitive shelters and social development.

The hardest of these would be the way forward with a legislative intervention plan. Though there are the beginnings of a hate crime bill the government and Department of Justice do recognize (especially with the recent murder of Nxolo Nogwaza) that corrective rape is reaching a fever pitch and should be addressed as a crisis. Therefore the NPA and DOJ are looking at methods to strengthen the Constitutional rights afforded its LGBT community. Possible methods are to:

• - amend the sexual offences act, with sexual orientation as an aggravating circumstance, which would lead to heavier sentences.
• - the use of any magistrates court as an equality court to address any harassment, discrimination or hate speech. This could be a viable preventative measure, which does not require paying for a lawyer.
• - to consult on the minimum sentences for hate crimes inclusive or rape on the basis of sexual orientation.
• - to stress LGBT cases for sensitivity in the service charter for victims of crime.

Henry Bantjez & Ndumie Funda at Today's Meeting

There was a strong emphasis placed on sensitivity training in both of the SAPS, DOJ, NPO and Social Development structures in the short and medium term. Luleki Sizwe also stressed that the department of Education should get involved to create tolerance within the youth of South Africa.

There was also a commitment on long term issues, such as national public awareness and engaging with traditional and spiritual leaders to break through homophobia in communities.

Ndumie Funda from Luleki Sizwe stated in retrospect that: “I acknowledge the response from the government. It shows that they are willing to work with the gay community, but we continue to fight for LGBTI rights until the last innocent drops of drops of blood are spilled because of hate.”

LGBTI representatives will meet on the 10^th of May to decide on the final six representatives who are to be announced on the 12^th of May 2011 to the Department of Justice.

The intervention plan and task team will gear into action on the 15^th of July, a day before Youth Day, celebrating the historic uprisings of Soweto.

This is an amazing accomplishment after two years of begging for attention. I am pleased to note that LezGetReal and Melanie Nathan in her capacity as Ambassador to Africa for MEUSA, played an integral two year role in the publicity generated that served as the impetus for the Petitions mentioned above, as well as Melanie’s draft reforms which continue to serve as the basis for the demands and changes needed. 

NDUMIE FUNDA needs financial support to continue this extraordinary work on behalf of lesbian victims of corrective rape . Donations are welcomed at   www.Lulekisizwe.com

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

• http://www.p2-ink.com
  Article contributors: by Henry Bantjes, Eugene Huge Brockman, Zanele Muholi.

The Brutal Murder of Noxolo Nogwaza

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/updated-points-to-extreme-brutality-in-the-horrific-corrective-rape-murder-of-24-year-old-lesbian/

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/05/exclusive-photos-funeral-of-lesbian-rape-murder-victim-noxolo-fiyona-nogwaza/

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/south-african-department-of-justice-promises-priority-in-rape-murder-of-noxolo-nogwaza/

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/05/south-africa-vigils-protests-second-parliament-meeting-against-corrective-rape/

Today's Funeral for Noxolo Picture by Imana Thuto Ditaba

TODAY we all stood on a mound of God’s Earth and held the Rainbow Flag – We held it close to our hearts and flew it high above the hallowed ground – now home to a battered and a savagely brutalized body – while we screamed into the sunny African sky – farewell beloved sister.

Noxolo – may your beautiful and loving soul, child of G-d,  soar in peace free and safe; and  the ravages of your murderous exodus pale to the brightness of your new star.

Your suffering shall not be for nought, dear sister, because we will fight till the last lesbian draws her last proud breath – for justice sought is righteousness gained and your legacy will empower our promise and indulge our pursuit.

No child of God should have suffered to the extent you did, our dear little sister;- and we cannot understand why – yet we know what we must do- while we find justice, advocate for change, we must hold your family in loving embrace, because we are people who love, nothing more and nothing less.  We are not the ones who hurt or cause pain – we are the ones who talk about love and it matters not who we love….

Global sisters stand as one -in solidarity – on that mound of sand next to the hole that refuses your soul,

Make your voice heard because Noxolo  is me, you – we are all one!

Rest In Peace NOXOLO – brave and beautiful sister, Child of G-d.

__________________________________________________________________________

Note: The meaning of the name Noxolo is Peaceful

The body of Noxola Nogwaza, a 24 year old lesbian was found on Sunday morning. This is just 4 weeks after the body of 20 years old Nokuthula Radebe was discovered and which has not even been reported in the media.  The pain of these brutal attacks grows and my heart goes out to their family and friends.  May both Nogwaza and Nokuthula Rest in Peace. Note the South African Main Stream media has failed to cover this – even in the wake of the the Government seeking to establish change via a series of meetings between activists and the MINISTRY of Justice and Constitutional Development.  The next meeting is scheduled for May 03, 2011.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/updated-points-to-extreme-brutality-in-the-horrific-corrective-rape-murder-of-24-year-old-lesbian/

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————–

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Melanie Nathan and Ndumie Funda Escorted into Parliament 3/11. Photo by Henry Banjtez

I truly believe that the South African authorities are  starting to tackle the issue of lesbians and corrective rape with a sense of urgency and that they have attributed a priority to the crimes – based on the brutality and special circumstances.  That is not to say all rape requires priority, especially in a country like South Africa where in some areas 75%  of the women have been brutalized.

In 2009 LezGetReal started covering stories of lesbians who had been raped by men purporting to believe that they could effect a change of the victim’s sexuality.  This we all know is a myth – and an excuse to express rage and hate against a sexual minority.  That is why, especially given the legacy of oppression, we have called upon the South African Government to take special measures.   Our two years of  reporting led to and served as the basis for a growing protest on behalf of victims and survivors, with Ndumie Funda of Luleki Sizwe at the helm, and then led eventually to a Petition on Change.org, yielding almost 200,000 e-mails – a record breaking campaign – to the offices of the DOJ and Constitutional Development Minister Jeff Radebe.

This resulted in a meeting in March 2011 – where the DOJ, held a meeting  at Parliament in Cape Town, and I was invited to attend with Funda as a spokesperson for Luleki Sizwe, the non-profit organization that has served as one of the only true and functioning resources for Lesbian women in the WESTERN Cape Township of Gugulethu, and beyond.

The meeting can be said to have been successful thus far because the DOJ took Ndumie Funda to heart and agreed to provide an ongoing dialogue- a commission to be formed – to explore, commit and implement resources to tackle the issue.   Indeed a second meeting has been set for May 03, 2011.

Another measure of success is the swift response of the South African authorities when this week, after I wrote an article about the latest horrific tragic rape and death of  Noxolo Nogwaza, a 24-year-old lesbian and a gay Pride organizer for Ekurhuleni Pride Organising Committee (EPOC), an LGBTI organization in Kwa-Thema. (Her badly beaten, mutilated body was found in the same area as that of the 2008 victim – soccer star Eudy Simelane.)  http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/another-lesbian-raped-and-murdered-in-south-african-township/

I sent my article via the e-mail below to The Department of Justice and was very pleased to note that in less than 24 hours, I received a response stating that the department has ordered that the rape and murder of the young woman receive priority attention and resources be applied accordingly.

I take this opportunity to publicly thank  Minister Jeff Radebe, the DOJ , SA  Mr. Tlali Tlali and Ms. Corlia Kok and all others who have responded to this case as a matter of urgency.

From: Melanie Nathan [mailto:nathan@privatecourts.com]
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 10:13 AM
To: Stakeholders and Department of Justice & Constitutional Development, South Africa

It is with great sadness that we learn of yet another victim  – a Lesbian who was raped and murdered. We hope that the authorities will do everything possible to find the perpetraitors and bring swift justice. This is such sad news.  Thanks you for your kind attention to my article which I have referenced herein.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/04/another-lesbian-raped-and-murdered-

Kind Regards,
Melanie Nathan
for Luleki Sizwe.

RESPONSE:_

From: Kok Corlia
To: Melanie Nathan
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2011 1:44 AM

Thank you Ma’am.

The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has requested the relevant Justice Crime Prevention and Security Cluster-partners, to give priority attention to this matter.

Thank you and regards-

Mrs Corlia Kok

Director: Child Justice and Family Law

On behalf of the DoJCD

———————————————————-

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

About To Exile to be with Partner

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Protesting the failure to Provide Same-Sex Spouse Green Cards:  This evening, Out4Immigration, GetEQUAL, and Marriage Equality USA are teaming up to draw attention to the need for urgent passage of the Uniting American Families Act — legislation that would solve the problem that binational same-sex couples face because LGBT American citizens are unable to “sponsor” their partner to stay in the country. Over and over again, binational same-sex couples are forced to flee the country in order to keep their relationships intact, while heterosexual Americans face no problem at all sponsoring partners who are not yet American citizens. IT must be noted that currently The Defense of Marriage Act that prevents the same-sex couples from obtaining green cards is also up for repeal,; Whichever  occurs first will be a matter of strategy on the part of the Democrats and a matter of the usual opposition by Republicans.

NOTE: TIME CHANGE 7:00 PM at  Nob Hill Masonic Center (1111 California Street) from 7pm-8.30pm

While couples are forced to fight court case after court case to avoid being deported, more and more couples are growing weary of the legal battles — and legal fees — they must incur in order to remain in the United States. American citizens like Gina Caprio, who is leaving the country next week to be with her partner in the United Kingdom, are forced to choose between the person they love and the country they love. Gina has spent thousands of dollars in unfair and unjust expenses to spend time with her partner, all the while keeping well within the confines of the law – never breaking it – only to be expelled via this injustice – by her own Country’s inept laws.

President Obama has a clear pathway to solve this problem. By either putting presidential power behind the recently-introduced Uniting American Families Act or by issuing an Executive Order to halt deportations while the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is in question, the President could take action to allow same-sex bi-national couples relief from the impossible choice between love and country. Just a few weeks ago, deportations were halted for a few days before being picked up again — the advocacy community hopes that the President will again halt these deportations…this time, permanently.

“The Obama administration has already indicated that DOMA section 3 is unconstitutional and that they will not defend it in court,” said Amos Lim, founding board member of Out4Immigration. “However, until that issue is settled, LGBT families are still needlessly suffering and being torn apart because we are being treated unequally under the law. We urge President Obama and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to stop the deportations and stop separating LGBT binational families until the issue of DOMA is resolved. We also hope that President Obama will urge Congress to finally pass the Uniting American Families Act as soon as possible!”

Gina Caprio, an American citizen in a binational relationship, said, “Immigration reform must include a focus on what is happening to Americans in same-sex binational relationships and the Federal government must stop tearing families apart or, as in my case, must stop forcing U.S citizens to choose between love or country. As an American citizen in a same-sex binational relationship who is about to leave her country to be with the person I love because I cannot legally sponsor her to immigrate to the U.S., it saddens me to think how my country has turned its back on me by denying me and my partner access to the same Federal immigration rights granted to heterosexuals in binational relationships.”

“The Uniting American Families Act has been introduced in Congress over and over again — with bi-partisan support — but has never made it over the finish line,” said Dennis Veite, an activist with GetEQUAL. “It’s time for the President to say, once and for all, whether he supports the right of couples to remain in the United States in order to build their lives here together, or whether he and the Department of Homeland Security will continue to force American citizens into exile simply because of the person they love. Enough is enough.”

I personally take the stand that the Repeal of DOMA is the answer and that the focus of advocacy groups and the President must  be on it repeal , while pushing for urgent remedy via a definitive plan to provide for a special interim visa process for same-sex spouses – while DOMA cases are being pursued and while DOMA pends repeal.  I do not think our families who are forced to make life changing decisions should be expected to wait any longer.  It is not enough to advocate for STOP THE DEPORTATIONS without also providing for those who are currently stranded on other continents or leaving the USA to start new lives abroad.

Tonight’s event will take place outside the Nob Hill Masonic Center (1111 California Street) from 7pm-8.30pm Pacific. More information can be found at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114167805332846.

Out4Immigration is a volunteer grassroots organization that addresses the widespread discriminatory impact of U.S. immigration laws on the lives of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and HIV+ people and their families through education, outreach, advocacy and the maintenance of a resource and support network. For more information, go to www.out4immigration.org.

Founded in 2010, GetEQUAL is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community and our allies to take bold action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information go to www.getequal.org. For more information, go to www.getequal.org, www.facebook.com/getequal, or www.twitter.com/getequal.

Founded in 1998, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. For more information, go to www.marriageequality.org.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

A hopeful candidate to run for presidency in Taiwan  refused to answer questions about her sexual orientation and lashed out at a political leader who had asked her to clarify whether she was a lesbian. “I don’t want to answer his question and I most certainly won’t do it. If I answer him I will become an accomplice of sexual suppression,” said Tsai Ing-Wen, chairwoman of the main opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).

Tsai, who is currently trying for the DPP’s nomination against former premier Su Tseng-chang in the 2012 presidential race is 54 and single, had been asked about her sexuality by a former chairman of the party, Shih Ming-teh.

“There is nothing wrong with any sexual orientation or marital status and no one has the right to question others … We need to work harder to defend the human rights of all sexual minority groups,” she said in a statement.

Shih had drawn criticism from gay and women’s rights groups for asking Tsai about her sexuality.  “If she really is a homosexual and she is willing to speak it aloud, Taiwan’s international status will be higher,” he said.  Shih, now estranged from the DPP, has stressed that he is a supporter of gay rights.

Taiwan is becoming more open-minded towards its homosexual population, and the island’s gay rights groups last year said they had hosted Asia’s biggest gay pride parade, with a turnout of 30,000.

Washington D.C. – LGBT Advocates Protest National Insurance Conference,Targeti ng American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC) for Discriminatory Practices ; GetEQUAL Protests Injustices on Behalf of Lesbian Couple Denied Claim After Hate Crime Arson Fire.

Today, GetEQUAL — the national direct action and organizing group known for using nonviolent civil disobedience to drive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality forward  — has called for a protest of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA) conference taking place in Washington, DC, on Thursday April 14. The National IIABA Conference — one of the largest insurance gatherings of the year — will be keynoted by current Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH).

The group is targeting the conference to put pressure on the discriminatory practices of one of the conference’s member companies, American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC).  After more than seven months, ANPAC — a company based in Springfield, Missouri — still refuses to pay out the homeowner’s policy of a lesbian couple whose house was destroyed in a hate-fueled, arson fire over Labor Day weekend last year.

What:
Protest of Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA) National Insurance Conference, targeting American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC) for their discriminatory practices against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community
Who:
GetEQUAL, a national LGBT direct action and civil rights organization
Why:
Protest Injustices Against Lesbian Couple Laura and Carol Ann Stutte
When:
Thursday April 14, 7:00-8:00am, Grand Washington Hyatt (1000 H Street NW)

GetEQUAL is calling for this protest to pressure insurance giant American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC) after the insurance conglomerate refused to pay out a policy on a lesbian couple whose Tennessee home is located outside of Knoxville, TN. GetEQUAL began working with the Stuttes, whose home was burned to the ground and whose garage was spray-painted with the word “QUEERS,” shortly after the incident. Returning from an anniversary celebration weekend over seven months ago to find ashes of their former life, they have been fighting with their insurance company, American National Property and Casualty, simply to honor their homeowner’s policy and allow their family to move forward.

After the fire, the couple filed a claim with their insurance company — American National Property and Casualty (ANPAC), a subsidiary of the giant insurance firm American National Insurance Company, based in Galveston, Texas. To date, the company continues to make the couple’s life a living nightmare — refusing to pay their claim, insisting that they continue to pay on their policy, refusing to pay the couple’s living expenses as detailed in a policy rider, and continually insisting that their paperwork has been lost and must be sent in again and again.

“The lengths that this couple has gone to simply to ask ANPAC to honor their fully-paid insurance policy are horrifying,” said Heather Cronk, managing director of GetEQUAL. “No insurance company should treat people the way the Stuttes have been treated, and we’re asking ANPAC’s peers and colleagues to dissociate themselves from such a soul-less and discriminatory company.”

The couple, with the help of GetEQUAL, has been pressuring the company privately and publicly to honor their policy, while the local community has chipped in to help the couple make ends meet and to provide a new insulin pump for their diabetic daughter. They have created an online petition asking the insurance company to pay the claim, which has garnered close to 50,000 signatures from across the country. (The petition can be found at http://bit.ly/f8POvz.)

READ MORE ON LEZGETREAL

GetEQUAL is a national, direct action lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. Emphasizing direct action and people power, the mission of GetEQUAL is to empower the LGBT community and its allies to take action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information on GetEQUAL, please visit: http://www.getequal.org. You can follow GetEQUAL on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/getequal, on Facebook athttp://www.facebook.com/GetEQUAL, or on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/getequal.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Equality California to Honor Judge Victoria Kolakowski,  and also Council-member Todd Gloria at San Diego Equality Awards – Equality California has  announced that it will be honoring Judge Victoria Kolakowski and San Diego City Councilmember Todd Gloria at the 2011 San Diego Equality Awards, presented by AT&T, set to take place on Saturday, April 30, 2011.

Kolakowski made history last year by becoming the nation’s first openly transgender judge. A trailblazing pioneer and inspiration to the LGBT community, Kolakowski has been a longtime advocate for LGBT equality, previously serving on the board of the Transgender Law Center and Equality California, where she was a founding board member.

LezGetReal interviewed the Judge at the EQCA awards in San Francisco. The event is highly recommended and the group must be supported for the amazing work they do in this State.

Gloria has worked tirelessly to increase protections and housing opportunities for LGBT people. Last year, Gloria introduced an equal benefits ordinance that requires city contractors to offer their employees domestic partner benefits, which the city council approved with unanimous support. The awards celebration will include an open-bar reception hosted by Blue Angel Vodka, silent auction, gourmet dinner and after party.

The event will be held at the San Diego Hall of Champions, Balboa Park, 2131 Pan American Plaza, San Diego.

Sponsors include Statewide Presenting Sponsor AT&T, Bank of America, Blue Angel Vodka, Sweet, State Farm Insurance, Joyce Rowland and Pam Morgan, Sempra Energy, Planned Parenthood of San Diego & Riverside Counties, Tom Maddox & Randy Clark, the BottomLine, Pulp Magazine, and Graphics Business Media.

Advance ticket purchase required. For event table and ticket information please visit www.eqca.org/sandiego. For sponsorship information, contact Kenny Cassady at 760-641-0082 or Kenny@eqca.org.

Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. Over the past decade, Equality California has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. Equality California has passed more than 70 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, electoral work, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

On March 31, 2011, President Obama nominated Alison J.  Nathan to a seat on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York to replace Judge Sidney H. Stein, who took senior status in 2010.^[1][2] Her nomination is pending before the United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary.

Alison Nathan, known as Ali Nathan is an out lesbian, and former associate White House counsel.

In a statement from the White House, Obama said, “Alison Nathan is a distinguished individual who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to justice throughout her career. I am grateful for her decision to serve the American people from the District Court bench.”

Reacting to news of the nomination, University of Pennsylvania Law School professor Tobias Wolff told Metro Weekly, “Ali Nathan is one of the most brilliant lawyers whom I have ever had the privilege to know. Her commitment to justice and the rule of law is exemplary. She will do America proud on the federal bench.”

Nathan lives in New York with her partner, Meg Satterthwaite, and their twin sons Oliver and Nathan.

_______________________________________________________________________________________-

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda
___________________________________________________________________________

(New York) – Today, on the heels of the second anniversary of marriage equality in Iowa, Lambda Legal announced that Camilla Taylor, lead attorney on the Iowa marriage equality lawsuit, has been promoted to national Marriage Project Director.

“Camilla is the ideal person to take over the reins of our Marriage Project. She has done an extraordinary job fighting for the rights of LGBT and HIV-positive people in the Midwest and beyond for nearly nine years at Lambda Legal. She was the architect of our Varnum v. Brien case that won marriage equality in Iowa. She has become well known not only for her legal prowess, but also for her ability to passionately express to the public why same-sex couples deserve the freedom to marry,” said Legal Director for Lambda Legal, Jon Davidson.

“We’ve seen some extraordinary advances over the last few years for same-sex couples and their children as more and more states, counties, and cities have taken steps to respect their relationships and the right of same-sex couples to marry,” said Camilla Taylor, Marriage Project Director for Lambda Legal. “Lambda Legal has helped create this momentum, and I’m excited to work with a great team of colleagues and partners across the country to keep it going.”

During her tenure at Lambda Legal, Taylor was lead counsel in Lambda Legal’s four-year marriage equality lawsuit in Iowa, Varnum v. Brien, in which the Iowa Supreme Court, by unanimous decision, struck down Iowa’s marriage ban in April 2009. In Ohio and Michigan, she successfully litigated child custody cases at the appellate level including In re JDF, Morris v. Hawk, and Giancaspro v. Congelton, defending lesbian parents against efforts to deprive them of contact with their children based on now discredited arguments that the state’s antigay constitutional amendment invalidates same-sex couples’ adoption decrees or custody agreements.

Prior to joining Lambda Legal in 2002, Taylor was a staff attorney with the Criminal Appeals Bureau of the Legal Aid Society of New York City. She represented indigent defendants on appeal before the New York Appellate Divisions, First and Second Departments, and the New York Court of Appeals. Before her work with the Legal Aid Society of New York City, Taylor was a litigation associate with Shearman & Sterling. Taylor received her J.D. from Columbia Law School and her B.A. from Yale College. She is currently also an adjunct professor at Northwestern University School of Law.

Taylor fills the role recently vacated by Jennifer C. Pizer, who has become the Legal Director for the Williams Institute after 15 years of leadership at Lambda Legal.

http://www.lambdalegal.org

“We have never been so close to victory, and our expert advice and analysis has never been more needed. Our legal team is fielding 20 times as many calls and emails as usual, from families who want to know: Are we finally safe? We wish that the answer were yes, because we know that every day of separation or uncertainty is too long to wait to move forward with your lives.” (Rachel Tiven 3/30/2011)

I would like to do a montage of e-mails, blogs, webposts, conference calls where these words have been used by Rachel Tiven, and the other staff   over and over again -  how many years the same – ImmigrationEquality.org is singing the same tune – but now their relevance is at stake.

Again the mantra re-delivered   – and what an outright irresponsible lie it is – yet again!

Immigration Equality Organization will hold one of its Controlled Conference Calls this Tuesday, April 05, to push an Agenda for its continued  relevance as an advocacy group on Capitol Hill.

But  for the introduction of  repeal legislation for the Defense of marriage Act (DOMA) and the Stop the Deportations Project, we are no closer to Victory than we were on June 04, 2009, the day after Shirley Tan testified on UAFA in the Senate Judiciary Committee – when Immigration Equality decided to let go of pushing for UAFA as a stand alone Bill – in favor of the comprehensive Immigration reform – notwithstanding UAFA’s extraordinarily high number of sponsors during a time when we had a majority via the Democratic  Congress, Senate and Presidency, that could have provided the traction if pushed at the time.  Their strategy failed and as predicted killed UAFA!  Now they are asking victims to continue their support of an irrelevant and failed mission.

If Ms. Tiven did not have me blocked from comment I would ask: ” How are ” we” closer to Victory than ever -  when now the Republicans rule the venue and the menu and UAFA needs to be reintroduced?   Further – if we are  closer how relevant is UAFA to that “closer to victory call when the impetus is on the Repeal of DOMA, via pending Legislation and the Courts?

Yes, indeed, we may win our rights to immigration equality via the repeal of DOMA and via the Courts – but that has nothing to do with Immigrationequality.org’s work on UAFA; past present or future!

Immigration Equality’s Julie Kruse once told me “I am in it for the win!”  Yes they really want to win and winning will not be accomplished for Immigration Equality unless they throw UAFA into the mix and claim ownership to it. They will not win if DOMA is repealed – we will –   – unless they add UAFA to the mix now, under the guise perhaps of an “in case of” strategy.

What you are NOT being told is that the repeal of DOMA does not need UAFA for Immigration rights to confer on same-sex spouses.

So is the perception of victory the only reason  Immigration Equality is pushing so hard now for your support of UAFA’s reintroduction – while the repeal of DOMA is already on the table for this Republican non/un- supportive of gay issues Congress?

Nope, there is another compelling reason and that is pure relevance for their ACTION FUND, so recently established and providing the revenue stream for added staff and actions to maintain their DC relevance:-

“Immigration Equality Action Fund advocates on Capitol Hill for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and HIV-positive immigrants and their families. To end discrimination in U.S. immigration law, Immigration Equality Action Fund works to pass the Uniting American Families Act and LGBT-inclusive Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The Action Fund lobbies legislators and other policy makers, builds coalitions, and empowers LGBT immigrant families around the country to fight for change.”

Without pushing for UAFA – the Action Fund will see its demise; because its very existence depends on it.  Unless IE will continue its course without the power to lobby as this is what the Action Fund was designed to mission.    While DOMA is pending repeal, unless UAFA is reintroduced, IE loses its lobby arm for LGBT families.   It also loses its relevance to lobby for Immigration Reform per se.

So again Immigrationequality.org is asking you to trust in their strategy for your rights – while in truth it’s the DOMA lobby that may be closer to victory and Immigration Equality, has by virtue of its own bad policy, rendered itself irrelevant as an LGBT lobby for our same-sex green card  immigration rights!

NOTE: It is still very important for same-sex binational couples to stand up and tell their stories and to support the REPEAL of DOMA as that is the one battle we can all fight in unison. UAFA had its time – and that was when Repeal of DOMA was not an option.  But now it is and we should all unite with all our might behind it.  Binational couples should tell their stories to Congress and their reps non stop so they can see how DOMA impacts us a a group worthy of full civil rights.  The Courts are on our side….  The days of piecemeal and fragmented legislation are dimming and we must unite to  fight for full civil rights.

* UAFA -   he Uniting American Families Act (UAFA, H.R. 1024, S. 424) is a U.S. bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships.^[1][2]
*DOMA -  The Defense of Marriage Act (Pub.L. 104-199, 110 Stat. 2419, enacted September 21, 1996, 1 U.S.C. § 7 and 28 U.S.C. § 1738C) is a United States federal law signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996 whereby the federal government defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. Under the law, also known as DOMA, no state (or other political subdivision within the United States) may be required to recognize as a marriage a same-sex relationship considered a marriage in another state. The law passed both houses of Congress by large majorities.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

One of the pieces I have written and been savoring for publication is about my very dear friend, Zanele Muholi.  Zanele is a rare human being – modest, selfless, committed and extraordinarily talented.  She expresses her love through her lens – her art – and her opinion and soul is solidly portrayed in every image.

As soon as I arrived in Cape Town Zanele and I found each other – always Camera in hand, video Cam and sound recorder.   Her technique in itself a fine art. She is never without her set of equipment and there is not a moment that she does not photograph and film and record.

Zanele has her group of supporters whom I call the “super supporters” – a cut above the fans and the rest of the world which appreciates the enormity of her work.  The ‘Super Supporters’ include a group of young women, lesbians, many of whom have been beaten and raped and assaulted in the most brutal of ways.  However they are alive and they have heeded the call of Zanele.  You see, I call them ‘Super Supporters’ because at no time has Zanele ever aimed her camera at a victim.  In her purview of those who may otherwise have been ‘victim’ – have morphed graduates – survivor s and then  merging Leaders.

She does this by placing a camera in the hand of every young township lesbian who crosses her path.

“Shoot everything you see,” says Zanele – “record everything – you will participate in history – with this Camera in your hand ,”  she insists as the young women gratefully embrace their new-found reason for life and leadership.   She teaches them, shares her art, records their life and empowers with each and every focus -!

“Meza, (my African name) I have a huge archive and recorded so much. I want to follow you everywhere and record your trip to here in Cape Town.”  How can anyone refuse her mission – so pure and loving – and so we went everywhere together – Cape Town Pink Gala, Cape Town Pride, Meetings, Drag Shows, but the highlight of my time with Zanele lay in the most ominous of days – a story in itself – when she insisted that my journey to 
Khayelitsha (1) where I would be attending the 32nd trial date in a five year period  for the murder trial for Zoliswa, the nineteen year old Lesbian, who had been stoned to death by a murderous group of 20 young men, be routed and experienced true Township Lesbian Style.   The subject of another story to come.

I will never forget that day. The house you will see in the Video below and the young women – all hosted me on that difficult trial day. It would not have been the experience had it not been for Zanele Muholi and the requirement of her lens.

After three taxi-buses – housing 15 singing lesbians – mostly from the same soccer team -  from the Court house and a walk through  slurs, ” I will fix your fucking lesbianism…and more”  we sat in a circle in the same house shown in the Video below, the safe haven provided by Funeka of Free Gender -  it was there that I found out that the young survivors are all poised for leadership – all they need is to be empowered with money for cable (R300 per house per month = $45.00)  and computers,  the other piece to empower these new leaders – in the same way as Zanele provides cameras at her own expense – I realized we must make this available to these extraordinary young women who endure so much, each and every day.    They live in hovel shanties – afraid to leave the shacks unless in large groups – and I had just had a taste of the very hat that flies in the face of South Africa’s all inclusive and equality based constitution.

In the meantime – I invite you to watch the Video below to get a sense of Zanele – I will be writing more on my experiences in the Township, at the Trial. Zanela showing up to the meeting in parliament and my amazing Interview organized by and filmed by Zanele.

(1)  Khayelitsha (pronounced /ˌkaɪ.əˈliːtʃə/) the informal township in Western Cape, South Africa, located on the Cape Flats in the City of Cape Town. The name is Xhosa for New Home. It is reputed to be the largest and the fastest growing township in South Africa.

When we parted ways this month, Zanele was on her way to Sweden – she travels the world for exhibitions – the latest “Difficult Love” represented in Sweden – can be viewed in the interview below.

Zanele’s Web site :- http://www.zanelemuholi.com/
2009 NEWS: Zanele Muholi won the Casa Africa award for best female photographer and a Fondation Blachère award at Les Rencontres de Bamako biennial of African photography (2009). She also received a Fanny Ann Eddy accolade from IRN-Africa for her outstanding contributions in the study of sexuality in Africa, at the Genders & Sexualities in Africa Conference held in Syracuse, New York. She is included on Museion Collection: New acquisitions at the Museion – Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art of Bolzano, Italy (until 14 February 2010); A Life Less Ordinary: Performance and display in South African art at Djanogly Gallery, Nottingham, UK (5 September – 15 November); and Undercover: Performing and Transforming Black Female Identities at Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, Atlanta, GA (10 September – 5 December).

BIOGRAPHY :-  Zanele Muholi was born in Umlazi, Durban, in 1972. She completed an Advanced Photography course at the Market Photo Workshop in Newtown and held her first solo exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery in 2004.
She has worked as a community relations officer for the Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW), a black lesbian organisation based in Gauteng, and as a photographer and reporter for Behind the Mask, an online magazine on lesbian and gay issues in Africa. Her work represents the black female body in a frank yet intimate way that challenges the history of the portrayal of black women’s bodies in documentary photography. Her solo exhibition Only half the picture, which showed at Michael Stevenson in March 2006, travelled to the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg and the Afrovibes Festival in Amsterdam.
In 2008 she had a solo show at Le Case d’Arte, Milan, and in 2009 she exhibited alongside Lucy Azubuike at the CCA Lagos, Nigeria.
She was the recipient of the 2005 Tollman Award for the Visual Arts, the first BHP Billiton/Wits University Visual Arts Fellowship in 2006, and was the 2009 Ida Ely Rubin Artist-in-Residence at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Full CV

Zanele – Working with you and watching was and remains a great honor my sister… mel

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VIDEO   CinemAfrica-Difficult Love

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By Melanie Nathan©
Article and Photographs Copyright 2011- Permission needed for use
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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The House khyelitsha

The Out House

Khiyelitsha Court

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Curve Magazine has recently partnered with Studology 101, in order to bridge the gaps between the white, hispanic, and black LGBTQ communities. Pookz and DZ are native Texans and have been on the internet since 2008 – so they aren’t new to the game.

The Dapper Duo

The pair talk about various issues that surround the Millennium Generation, where they express their own opinions – at times, in a non PC format. Other times, they show their playful side – poking fun at each other and life in general, showing that life doesn’t have to always be serious.

The duo describes Studology as a underground movement within the queer community aimed at discussing pertinent issues from a studs perspective. With the knowledge that the LGBTQ community in itself is diverse, the group is not about pigeon holing but more about sharing diversity pertaining to themselves and the things they come in contact with during the course of their video filming. By doing that and believing in their brand – they have developed their own niche in an very much segregated LGBTQ market. This way of thinking,  recently caught the attention of Curve magazine and soon the stud pair found themselves with their own web-articles placement on the popular lesbian magazine’s website.

Even though, this is new territory both for the duo and Curve, we hope that this means more integration when it comes to people of color and mainstream LGBT sources. As an aside, where is the femme black girl love? It seems that when it comes to the black community, there seems to be a hierarchy of sorts (whether the community will be open about it or not) concerning black studs and femmes. At the same time, when it comes to a POC presence in most LGBTQ blogs – you have to assimilate and try your best to fit within the parameters of what that magazine deems their “type”. These types usually seem to involve an assortment of:

• the resident butch, stud, boi
• the granola, hippy-esque dyke lesbian
• the hipster, tattooed up lesbian
• the nerdy “love me for my brains and snarky wit” lesbian
• the “omg, i can’t believe you’re a lesbian” lesbian
• the random ethnic lesbian (which is comprised of any and all ethnic groups because it is easier to lump all together than separate – rarely is it a black lesbian but bonus points if you are a stud)

Now, it is great what Studology is doing. People of color need to be put out there, regardless of how they identify – which is very understandable. Hopefully, it won’t be forgotten that there are others under the POC umbrella that also want to express their stories and issues, firsthand and not by proxy, no matter how charming their counterparts might be.

The government of South Africa has signed the statement issued at the UN Human Rights Council, which was signed by 85 countries, entitled “Ending Acts of Violence and Related Human Rights Violations Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.”

“The news was received this morning with a mixture of elation and surprise,” says a Spokesperson for SA GLAAD, “as it was generally expected that South Africa was not going to sign the UN statement, as it had not supported similar UN statements addressing the topic of homosexuality in the past, and had been in international news on several occasions recently for reportedly saying it would not support this initiative.”

Perhaps recent visibility to gay issues via International Media and subject Petitions played a part.  South Africa has had increasing calls to live up to its fully inclusive Constitution – both by cleaning house at home, in Africa and in a global display of leadership.

This is Stoning

Today’s joint declaration by 85 member countries of the United Nations’ Human Rights Council, calling for an end to violence, criminal sanctions and human rights violations against people because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is a very significant step forward towards international consensus on LGBTI people’s rights, according to ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.

ILGA considers the fact that the amount of countries willing to sign on to a declaration like this is approaching a majority of UN members, is a credit to the increased sensitivity of national governments, and the work of international, regional and local LGBTI human rights activists all over the World, particularly the International Coalition of LGBTI organizations that worked together with national governments and provided the information they requested through the process of preparing the declaration.

UGANDAN PRESS

In addition I would contend that the Petitions and Bloggers ability to draw attention to issues where mainstream media has failed miserably, must be adding  to the move toward awareness and hence change.

Compared to a similar Human Rights Council joint declaration on this topic in 2006 and to a UN General Assembly Statement in 2008, this Statement acknowledges for the first time also the positive developments on recognition of LGBTI human rights in each region of the world. It also establishes as a principle that “no one should face stigmatization, violence or abuse on any ground, and that in dealing with sensitive issues, the Council must be guided by the principles of universality and non-discrimination. This was enabled by the preceding 2008 UN General Assembly Statement, which for the first time inserted sexual orientation and gender identity in the UN interpretation of the Universal declaration of Human Rights, by reaffirming the non-discrimination principle of international law, requiring that human rights apply equally to each human being.

Anti Gay Violence

This ought to send a message to David Bahati, President Museveni that should they pursue the Bill to Kill Homosexuals, via legislation – now in Committee in Uganda Parliamentary process, they will be ostracized and isolated should such legislation pass.  There will be a big prices to pay.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie

twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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On the Way to our meeting at Minister of Justice meeting on the subject of corrective rape today, we happened to pass the statue of General Jan Smuts. Here is his story -

Melanie Nathan and SA Gay Flag Greeting Jan Smuts!

Jan Christiaan Smuts (24 May 1870 – 11 September 1950) was a prominent South African and British Commonwealth statesman, military leader and philosopher. In addition to holding various cabinet posts, he served as Prime Minister of the Union of South Africa from 1919 until 1924 and from 1939 until 1948. He served in the First World War and as a British field marshal ^[1] in the Second World War.

For most of his public life, Smuts advocated racial segregation, and was opposed to the unilateral enfranchisement of non-white native South Africans, fearing that it would lead to the loss of white power over the native people.^[2] However, in 1948 the Smuts government issued the Fagan Report, which stated that complete racial segregation in South Africa was not practical and that restrictions on African migration into urban areas should be abolished. In this, the government was opposed by a majority of Afrikaners under the political leadership of the National Party who wished to deepen segregation and formalize it into a system of apartheid. This opposition contributed to his narrow loss in the 1948 general election.

He led commandos in the Second Boer War for the Transvaal. During the First World War, he led the armies of South Africa against Germany, capturing German South-West Africa and commanding the British Army in East Africa. From 1917 to 1919, he was also one of five members of the British War Cabinet, helping to create the Royal Air Force. He became a field marshal in the British Army in 1941, and served in the Imperial War Cabinet under Winston Churchill. He was the only person to sign the peace treaties ending both the First and Second World Wars.

One of his greatest international accomplishments was the establishment of the League of Nations, the exact design and implementation of which relied upon Smuts.^[3] He later urged the formation of a new international organization for peace: the United Nations. Smuts wrote the preamble to the United Nations Charter, and was the only person to sign the charters of both the League of Nations and the UN. He sought to redefine the relationship between the United Kingdom and her colonies, helping to establish the British Commonwealth, as it was known at the time. However, in 1946 the Smuts government was strongly condemned by a large majority in the United Nations Assembly for its discriminatory racial policies.

In 2004 he was named by voters in a poll held by the South African Broadcasting Corporation (S.A.B.C.) as one of the top ten Greatest South Africans of all time. The final positions of the top ten were to be decided by a second round of voting, but the programme was taken off the air due to political controversy, and Nelson Mandela was given the number one spot based on the first round of voting. In the first round, Field Marshal Smuts came ninth.^[4]

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Melanie Nathan

CAPE TOWN – This Monday, March 14, 2011,  Ndumie Funda, Melanie Nathan, and a group of activists are heading to parliament to meet with the Ministry of Justice about ‘corrective’ rape, the increasingly common hate crime in which men rape lesbian women to ‘turn’ them straight or ‘cure’ them of their sexual orientation.

Some groups have endorsed a mission statement to the ministry to set up a commission to research, develop and implement needed reforms surrounding ‘corrective’ rape and the intersecting issues of sexual violence, anti-LGBTI violence and hate crimes.

Please come out to add your voice to the demand for action on these issues!

10am Monday a support rally will last only one hour so please be on time – PLEASE NOTE MONDAY WILL BE A TAXI STRIKE DAY
Parliament, Cape Town
120 Plein Street

We will be notifying more than 1000 South African journalists about the event, and it would be great to have a strong presence outside parliament, so please pass this along to all your colleagues and friends and be sure to tell the journalists what you think of government inaction on these issues when you arrive!

See you all Monday.

mel.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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Melanie Nathan-  March 08, 2011.

Update, March 8: Jamal’s removal has been stayed and he has been released from detention. Lord Justice Sullivan specifically linked his case to that of ‘Brenda Namigadde’. He said:

“In view of the claimant’s appalling immigration history I grant a stay with great reluctance. I do so because I understand that a stay of removal was granted in a similar case BN (Uganda) , which is awaiting an expedited hearing in the administrative court. The applicants case in BN to be a lesbian was not accepted, but the issue raised in her case is the risk on return of a perceived homosexual as a result of press coverage in the UK. In the present case neither the Tribunal nor the Secretary of State has accepted that the claimant is gay, but (perhaps as a result of his own efforts) there are press reports in the UK which identify him as a gay man: see eg Guardian dated 5 February 2011. It would be sensible to defer his consideration of his application for permission to appeal pending the Administrative Court’s decision in BN.”

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The Case referred to as the BN case (under Press restrictions in the UK of the use of her name) accomplished this precedent setting status of “perceived homosexuality” as a direct result of my conversation with David Bahati, widely picked up by the International Press – the initial article can be found here.

“Notorious “Kill the Gays” Bahati Weighs in on Uganda Lesbian’s Urgent Deportation Fight”

Brenda Namigadde left Uganda 8 years ago, in 2003. She lived together with her partner, a Canadian woman Janet, but they were threatened, and both left the country, first Janet back to Canada, then Brenda went to the UK:

“Our relationship led us to be sworn at, threatened. Even the house where we were living was hurt, so we had to live in hiding for a month. Janet had to go back to Canada, the last time I saw here was in 2003. I’ve been in the U.K. for 8 years, applied for asylum last year for human protection.”

“I’ll be tortured, or killed, if I’m sent back to Uganda. They’ve put people like me to death there.”

“Yes I was involved in the protest at Trafalgar Square, we wanted to speak out against the law in Uganda. It’s not right how they treat gay people there. In Uganda, I have nobody there, it’s very dangerous for me. If I can stay here in the UK I can continue my studies, live my life freely, openly, without fear.”

This is the woman who faces deportation back to Uganda on January 28^th. International Activists have worked in unity to effect a campaign to save Brenda from certain harm.

Brenda is presently detained at Yarlswood Immigrtaion Removal Centre. She has another removal date set for 28th January 2011 to Entebbe Uganda in Flight VS671 & KQ412 via Nairobi, Kenya at 21.20 hrs.

But the story gets more sinister – and even more scary than Brenda knows at this time. Yesterday I wrote a piece for Lezgetreal reporting Brenda’s story – and in the piece I referenced my recent  interview with David Bahati which I had not previously  reported on.

Today when I was working with Joseph Huff-Hannon of  www.ALLOUT.org and Paul Canning  Editor of LGBT ASYLUM News, on Skype regarding a Petition to support Brenda’s urgent bid for asylum,  a call came through on my regular phone. It was David Bahati.  He had read my previous article where I reported that Brenda’s asylum case had been rejected and that her deportation to Uganda was imminent.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/01/uk-home-office-deporting-ugandan-lesbian-to-certain-harm/

Bahati said he read the piece about Brenda  Namigadde where I quoted him and that he was calling to tell me to give Brenda a message. The author of the anti-gay legislation said that the legislation will be presented to the Ugandan Parliament in the next few weeks. Homosexuality Including men and women is considered a crime in Uganda as being against the order of nature. The new Bill by Bahati seeks to affirm its criminalization and also calls for the death penalty in certain circumstances.

He told me that Brenda should stop bad mouthing Uganda; that she would be welcome back to Uganda if she renounced her homosexuality and if she “repented.”   I asked him if he based this ideal upon religious beliefs and he said “yes” that he did. I asked what if Brenda did not have the same belief as he did?  I asked what if she did not believe that she could repent?  He affirmed then she would be tried as a criminal.

After speaking to Mr. Bahati, I realize that he believes that Ms. Namigadde is indeed a lesbian. This serves only to enhance the danger she is in and flies in the face of the UK assertion that she may not have proved that she is a lesbian. She is indeed in danger.

It was astounding to me that David Bahati would call to comment on this case and the very fact that he did is indicative of the danger that Brenda faces.

He seemed to be very concerned about Uganda’s image and that she should not portray “her country as bad.”  I believe that this adds to her danger.

Bahati said that Uganda is not harassing Brenda but rather it would be enforcing the law. I questioned him about the law itself and mentioned that the western world did not agree that homosexuality was not a human right as he had told me previously. I told him that the UK and the USA would expect Uganda to adhere to the terms of the Declaration of Human Rights and that if he could not see it that way that there would be every reason to grant her asylum abroad.

He did not agree…..  http://lezgetreal.com/2011/01/uganda-lesbian-files-urgent-new-asylum-claim-in-uk-in-face-of-friday-deportation/

Bahati said Brenda would be safe if she repented, denounced homosexuality and ceased “that sexual behavior.”

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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CAPE TOWN – After my speech at Cape Town pride Pink Gala, I was asked for copies – and also a few magazines wanted to publish it.  So I decided i would post it here. I may have veered or added some bits but this is what I wrote and hopefully said -  I do believe their are audio versions of it – I wrote it for verbal delivery so the writing style may seem different – but here it is – please feel free to republish without permission as long as you link back to this particular post and apply the appropriate accreditation.

KEYNOTE SPEECH
CAPE TOWN PRIDE
SOUTH AFRICA

MELANIE NATHAN

Greetings comrades, lesbians, gays, queers, LGBTQI people, allies, and everyone in between. It is a great honor for me to be here tonight -thanks to my fellow bloggers at www.lezgetreal.com, Swirl Radio America, Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA and my family and friends back home in the US for their help and support.

Thank you Gareth Dallas, and his amazing Cape Town Pride team – thank you British Airways – you got me a long way in style -thank you Hotel Cape Royale, Victoria Junction,  Protea, and to all sponsors of this fabulous gay pride event and most importantly thank you to every single one of you.

In 1965, in Port Elizabeth lived an eight year old girl. She lived in a nice house and never had to worry about anything. She thought everything was perfect in the world just as it was in her house and at her school where, each day, they sang a song everyday called Die Stem and another one “bless this house..”.

The kids learned about history about how Jan Van Riebeeck was a hero for coming to the Cape in 1652 and she was taught that respect must be given to authority and the Prime Minister of her Country, South Africa and that is all she knew.

One day in the windy city, her mother went out; and the little girl stayed home from school with a bad cold.  She listened to the radio – there was no TV – in those days.  Suddenly the program was interrupted and a very serious tone reverberated alarmingly through the airwaves “DR VERWOERD IS DOOD – Dr VERWOERD IS DEAD! “

The Prime Minister had been stabbed while he was inside the Parliament – right here in Cape Town.  The child was perplexed and yelled for her nanny.- who came running into the room to see what she screaming was about.

“Dr. Verwoerd is dead,” repeated the child, looking for comfort. A  smile crossed her nanny’s face and the next thing a wail – or rather a chant llalalalalal – and a dance of joy.

That child was me and how incongruous that dance seemed and her nanny was Mrs. Violet Zinto, of blessed memory.

From that day on I knew something was not right – here and with this world – with this place and my life changed forever.

Something triggered for me – in that moment… but I never knew it would lead to this day…

Little did I know that moment was the beginning of the end… for apartheid – as its architect lay without breath in his House of iniquity and that the very same HOUSE would one day pass a constitution that would go to the ultimate form of inclusion, for full equality.

There was a big struggle ahead to rebuild that place of ‘law making’; and much sacrifice followed and when Madiba (Nelson Mandela) was released came the new promise and a new constitution – one that guaranteed there would never be discrimination again in South Africa – and – it became the first ever country to boast a rainbow people – because in NO  other country is that term used for NOT ONLY LGBTI. But in SA it is used for everyone.  SA is the only country which has earned a rainbow flag with an SA Flag embed-design attached as its LGBT Symbol of freedom and equality- that waves a reflection of that significant truth.

I have come a long way to talk to you tonight./ From those days in Port Elizabeth then to SF and now back here to Cape Town.    Through my own journey over the past 25 years and my multi-national experience – I have come qualified in my heart to bring you a message – it is about you about your importance here in SA, here in Africa and here in the world.

I live in San Francisco – where we like to think we are ground zero for the gay struggle around the world – - – - and I may seem to interfering – but I am asking for help – your help.

Little do they know in SF and they should know – that this place right here- SA – is the real ground zero – It is because of your fight against the oppression of an entire nation, joined together , that this is the only  country on  this continent and one of very few globally to have sexual orientation and gender identity protected in its constitution.

I am here to remind you that not even the United State of America can boast such an accomplishment.

But it is HOW you live that accomplishment that becomes the real achievement.

The real triumph will come when people in South Africa accept all people unequivocally as equals and realize that gay people are normal people who having been born to enjoy love as a human right -we – want nothing more than our right to pursue happiness free of fear, safely with equal opportunities in every arena.

With this Constitution – you are charged with a hefty responsibility – here in South Africa, AND in Africa AND in the World.

You must demand enforcement and respect for those rights you now own.

Here is an example:-

In April 2010, I was contacted by Ndume Funda of Luleke Sizwe, after my online  News Magazine presented a story about the rape of Mille Gaika – I wrote Millie and Ndumie’s story for a year- they were suffering greatly – 15 women in 2 room flooded shack about to be evicted – all rape victims – and I prefer to say survivors – rapists who insulted our lesbian sisters by the denial of their being “ I will fix you and make you a real woman.”

Look at me brothers and sisters -  I am a lesbian and I am woman- I don’t need any help with that thank you,.!

Through these stories on lezgetreal I begged for attention. My Cousin visited Ndumie and the women in Gugu and when she got home from that visit she contacted me in the US and she said “Mel, it is worse than you expected.”

I contacted organizations in South Africa and I received no response – Millie sat injured physically – her body saved, and emotionally – her soul mortally wounded ;  While she may have had opportunities to reach out and accept help – her further victimization endured through a system that had no way of providing the resources in a sensitive or conclusive fashion.

So I started writing to the SA Consul in the US and to Minister Radebe here in SA – I asked – Min. Radebe – How many women must endure a gang rape and then years later another even more brutal rape only to hear your silence; how many woman can stand up and testify at a trial when she and her supporters are there under threat without police protection?  How many women must get on the same bus as her perpetrator who is out on $6.00  bail to go to court to testify; how many MORE must endure the brutality without the government stepping in and educating the public that (SHOUT) – RAPE AND VIOLENCE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE        AND THAT CORRECTIVE RAPE IS A HATE CRIME THAT must be OUTLAWED IN THIS COUNTRY with harsh sentencing ? …… and your continued silence- Members of this Government….

Others joined in the outrage and the more I wrote the more contact I received from the international community, wanting to help and it spread, viral – until Luleki Sizwe received money from a donor to move into a safe house.

Soon a Petition was put on the internet and something like 200,000 emails landed on the desk of Minister Radebe’s staff- resulting in an invitation to meet and discuss the  imperative reforms.  We have drafted some reforms which are necessary for survivors of these rapes and that is part of what we will pursue this month.

So you can see – this is a perfect example of having rights under the law – but not being protected through lack of solicitude, awareness, education and enforcement.

What good is a constitution if one cannot live in peace without fear of attack just because you are gay or lesbian or transgender or intersex.  So you must all demand and you must all support each other – and you must show up in great crowds like we will do tomorrow/.

You must forge a path that shows SA can be a leader;- and in order to do that – you cannot fear being out, open and proud.  You are the soldiers on this the last frontier of acceptability.  Tolerance of us in society, regardless of African Culture is not enough – we must be accepted.

In order for this to happen, it is absolutely imperative that you realize your place in AFRICA and in the WORLD.  You have a unique duty – and the more you express that duty on the greatest level available to you, the more you will be accepted in your own Country.

YOU have to tell the world of the brilliance of the SA Constitution- not even the USA – which purports to lead the world has such inclusion – and the USA still discriminates horribly in its law, through the Federal Defense of Marriage Act which says marriage can only be between one man and one woman.  If I fall in love with a South African and want to marry her and live with her in the USA – I cannot sponsor her for a green card – but straight people can. Here in SA you have that right!

Your rights under your Constitution are born from the hard learned lessons and the excruciating fight out of apartheid- you cannot let the people of SA , nor Madiba, nor the ANC of better memory down.  So you must fight as well on an international level – you must show leadership in Africa and the world and you must tell President Zuma – that he is expected by the SA people to do the same.

From these I have four PLEAS   -  (as in requests!_)

Plea number 1  is  for SA,  Stop the Rape – educate, and support victims with government medical care, with encouragement and help to testify and with all the resources fitting those who endure horrendous pain and torture and legislate appropriate sentencing and bail;

Plea number 2 is for Africa, Stop the criminalization of Homosexuality in AFRICA – we are human beings who love each other and we are families;  we are not criminals just because we fall in love with people of the same sex. We are not hurting anyone. Uganda stop the ‘Kill the Gays Bill.’  David Bahati get the hell out of South Africa, President Zuma take the lead and show that you have dignity and respect for your magnificent constitution – Tell Jon Qwelane to get the (F%CK) out of Uganda  NOW!!!! He must back to South Africa and sit on the same porch and smoke whatever it is that has made him hate.

Tell Museveni that South Africa will pull all its private investment AND government AID until Uganda decriminalizes homosexuality, even as the law stands now. Show the world you believe in the message of the ANC and the new SA and that your Constitution is not a phony patronization of those who joined you in your struggle against apartheid..   That human rights will be protected at all costs – and are critical to the development of South Africa and Africa in the world.

Show some spine President Zuma – stand up for your people – all your people – stand up for Africa- be a leader - live your constitution.

PLEA number 3 Stand up for the World -with great respect – when you express   loyalty to your country and your patriotism you are expected to uphold the constitution and then you are expected to deliver the message from a clean house… a house fully in order,. SA has that power because SA has the ALL TIME CONSTITUTION.  Help us in America teach those that hate how to truly separate church and state – marriage equality is universal – come to us in pride to talk about your constitution and help us attain full inclusion in our Federal law…..

For you my friends I say again thank you for this incredible opportunity. Who would have thought I would have left an apartheid SA 25 years ago to come home to ask you to fight for equality for the WORLD?

Fight for the rights that you already own and unite as one gay movement – avoid the appeal of fragmentation in the name of ego because unless you do that you will not succeed –

First and foremost Be Gay – be lesbian – be out be queer be transgender, be bisexual – intersex be straight – just be who you are there is no shame there can only be gain and you OWN the right!!

I love you,

I love South Africa…

From the deepest place in my heart

Picture above
Ndumie Funda and Mel on stage after speech

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By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Thank you Cape Town!

(Happy Birthday to both My Children – I miss you)

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Thousands of rainbow people marched through the Streets of the magnificent Cape Town – flanked by its signature mountain the magnificence of which belies any captured image. Table mountain endures beyond the snap shot, in the mind of any privileged visitor,  as its flat table beacons the Mother City and the Rainbow Nation its embraces.

Diversity personified, Cape Town has it all. I call this the Miracle Pride and suggest it as a worthy destination next March 2012.

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Today thousands of rainbow people marched through the Streets of the magnificent Cape Town – flanked by its signature mountain the magnificence of which belies any captured image. Table mountain endures beyond the snap shot, in the mind of any privileged visitor,  as its flat table beacons the Mother City and the Rainbow Nation its embraces. This is a place flourishing with possibility , yet tainted unless it accepts its charge – the charge of a Constitution that screams: – ‘USE me I am the example for Africa and the World.”

That was the underlying message of the week as, upon my return to the land of my birth, I stood on two stages, hoping to deliver a simple message:- You have an awesome Constitution South Africa, more inclusive than that of the United States of America, where Federal law bars same-gender marriage; however what good is it unless you live it.  You must turn your accomplishment into an achievement and you will only do that when you truly step up from the charcoals of oppression and understand your Constitutional rights, and assert them with the vigor that post Apartheid South Africa deserves.

Homosexuality is a birthright – citizenship is a birthright – love is a birthright – you are a birthright. Now Live it.

South Africa must embrace its Constitution on three frontiers:

At home in South Africa from Village to City to the steps of the Courts and Parliament – ensure that your rights are valued – speak up in large crowds – reform and educate that rape against women is a rape against your Constitution; (Amongst many other issues)

In Africa as a leading power – standing by your principles of all inclusiveness – be a light to Africa not only with your money and resources but with your hard learned principles, born from a struggle so profound – and do not be duped by those (UGANDA and the others) who say “do not interfere with our right to create sovereign laws such as criminalization and death penalties for homosexuality – because the rest of the world was not duped by the excuses for apartheid. Recall Ambassador Jon Qwelane from Uganda, he casts shame on the Constitution of South Africa through his lack of respect for it; and stop investing in Museveni until he directs his parliament to stop legislation that is un-African, discriminatory and fails to separate Church from State.

In the World -  When your house is on order – and you have truly swept out the last of the cobwebs of discrimination – the one that hides like a sleeping snake behind the excuse of ‘Africanism’ – go out to the rest of the World and say “look where we were thirty years ago – and look where we are today – we are a true Rainbow Nation – and you can come visit me in San Francisco and all my brothers and sisters and everyone in between and you can scream at us – “Republican Party – why do you fall behind South Africa – why dis you help us end apartheid and now you fail your own people – those who until they can marry and receive all federal benefits – are second class citizens – just the way we used to be?   US Congress, President Obama,  we are leaders in the world on LGBT rights and we are asking you to repeal DOMA now.

Pride, Cape Town, is more than just a party and when you yelled back and stood up today – I realized that you are ready to fight here for the rights you already own – and for the rights of all in Africa who suffer the hardship of hate and criminalization.

Thank you South Africa for teaching me, Cape Town Pride for inviting me, British Airways for getting me here and home again and to Cape Royale hotel and Victoria Junction.

Cape Town is a fantastic destination for Pride – Lets get the rest of the World here next year – watch out Sydney and San Francisco!
Melanie with Rev. Ekklesia D Lange – Kicked out of Methodist Church
For Being a lesbian when she married her wife.
Fighting the Arbitration of her Case.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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Melanie Nathan with Ndumie Funda from luleki Sizwe

Table Mountain, Gareth Pride Organizer, Mel and SABC NEWS TV

Ms. Cape Town; Ms. Pride , Ms All

NEW SA Lesbian Magazine to Launch

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Pride Soccer World Cup Stadium

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The University of Oregon’s Knight Law School’s Public Interest Public Service program honored Kate Kendell with their third annual Dom Vetri “Champion of Public Interest” Award, which is given each year by PIPS to honor an attorney or academic who has demonstrated a significant commitment to advancing legal issues of public interest.

Kate Kendell leads the National Center for Lesbian Rights, a national legal organization committed to advancing the civil and human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and their families through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education.

Through direct litigation and advocacy, NCLR works to change discriminatory laws and to create new laws and policies benefiting the LGBT community.

Growing up Mormon in Utah, Kate learned about the complexities of religion and politics from an early age. After receiving her J.D. from the University of Utah College of Law in 1988 and a few years practicing corporate law, she pursued her real love—civil rights advocacy—and became the first staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah. There she directly litigated many high-profile cases focusing on all aspects of civil liberties, including reproductive rights, prisoners’ rights, free speech, the rights of LGBT people, and the intersection of church and state. In 1994 she joined NCLR as legal director, and was named executive director two years later.

Under her leadership, NCLR’s programs, budget, and impact have grown exponentially, and the issues facing the LGBT community—from homophobia in sports to immigration policy—have taken center stage in our nation’s discussion of civil rights and justice. Kate is a nationally recognized spokesperson for LGBT rights and has an active voice in major media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Advocate, NPR, CNN, and many others. Despite the national success of NCLR under her tenure, her most rewarding responsibilities still include fostering alliances on the community and organizational levels, and advocating from a grass-roots perspective on issues concerning social justice.

Kate and her spouse, Sandy Holmes, live in San Francisco with their son, Julian, age 14, and daughter Ariana, age 9. Their family includes Kate’s daughter Emily, age 29.

for more information about Kate and NCLR, please visit www.nclrights.org

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By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Melanie Nathan – March 02, 2011

We have the best legal brains in the Country and if anyone can do this, its this united collection of representatives and AFER.  Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality California, American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, and Lambda Legal jointly filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asking the court to lift the temporary stay in the federal court challenge to Proposition 8.

U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that Prop 8 was unconstitutional in August 2010. However, that same month the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay, preventing same-sex couples from marrying while the case is on appeal. The brief argues that same-sex couples suffer irreparable harm as long as the stay is in effect.

On January 4, 2011, the federal appeals court asked the California Supreme Court for guidance on an issue related to whether the sponsors of Prop 8 have standing to pursue an appeal. The California Supreme Court said on February 16, 2011, that it would consider the question with oral arguments to be held “as early as September,” meaning a decision likely would not come until the end of this year at the earliest.

“Each day that couples are prevented from marrying harms their families in countless ways,” said NCLR Legal Director Shannon Minter. “The current legal challenge to Prop 8 could take months or years to resolve. The court should lift the stay and let all Californians exercise their constitutionally protected freedom to be treated as equal citizens and to choose whether to express their love and commitment through marriage.”

Said Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors: “Every day that Prop 8 remains in effect, same-sex couples and their families face gross inequality, stigma and are denied access to the security and dignity that other families enjoy. We cannot let tens of thousands of Californians suffer even one more day without the freedom and equality that is guaranteed to them by our nation’s constitution.”

“It’s well recognized that our government should not mistreat us, and that denial of basic constitutional rights inflicts irreparable harm. That is why our government is always supposed to err on the side of treating each of us as free and equal; it’s the discrimination that should be ‘stayed,’ not civil rights,” said Jennifer C. Pizer, Lambda Legal National Marriage Project Director. “The trial court saw that the backers of Prop 8 will suffer no loss of their freedom if the stay is lifted, but that thousands of California couples are harmed by being denied a chance to make the same commitment in marriage that others take for granted and treasure. Every day the stay remains in place cuts a little deeper as the state refuses to recognize their full equality and human worth. Everyone wins when everyone is treated equally.”

Equality California is represented by Caldwell Leslie & Proctor, PC.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights is a national legal organization committed to advancing the human and civil rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community through litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education. www.NCLRrights.org

Equality California is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. Over the past decade, Equality California has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. Equality California has passed more than 70 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, electoral work, public education and community empowerment. www.EQCA.org

The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California (ACLU-NC) is the largest affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a nationwide, nonpartisan organization with more than 550,000 members dedicated to the defense and promotion of the guarantees of individual liberty secured by state and federal Constitutions and civil rights statutes. ACLU-NC works on behalf of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered people to win even-handed treatment by government; protection from discrimination in jobs, schools, housing, and public accommodations; and equal rights for same-sex couples and LGBT families. www.ACLUNC.org

Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and those with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work. www.LambdaLegal.org

Melanie is reporting from Cape Town Pride.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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South African LGBTQI activists and supporters launched a special rainbow flag LGBT flag of South Africa (Cape Town stadium, Dec 18^th 2010), in celebration and solidarity, to signify the inclusion of equality in the SA constitution and the unique issues facing their community in South Africa.  “One of the reasons was that we felt a need to show that South Africa has her own unique LGBT issues (Such as corrective rape,) says a spokesperson for its launch.

“We are using the flag as a vehicle to raise funds for gay NPO’s. Currently, Ndumie Funda, Executive Director of Luleki Sizwe, is our official spokesperson,”   says Henry Bantjez, an activist from (P2-INK) Cape Town – “the flag is only 2 months old, but we have already been on SABC TV (twice,) 5fm radio.

LezGetReal was sent these exclusive pictures from Cape Town;  some are of the football team in Gugulethu. Ndumie raises the flag outside the Luleki Sizwe house – “she is very brave and we respect her tremendously.”

The special  GLBT flag serves dual purposes:

- to celebrate and maintain the liberties and the right to marry under the South African constitution.

- to address immediate and pertinent issues facing the South African GLBT community such as workplace discrimination, “corrective rape” and the myth of the “un-Africanness” of homosexuality.

South Africa is the only Country in Africa that has sexual orientation and gender identity protections in its Constitution.  However it has failed  to take a leadership role in Africa.  I am leaving for South Africa next week, as a guest of Cape Town Pride and speaker at Pink  GALA.  One of the purposes of my visit is to meet with officials and organizations to discuss the responsibility of the Zuma government to call for the decriminalization of Homosexuality in Africa, with a special emphasis on Uganda and to advocate for the recall of the South African Ambassador  to Uganda, Jon Qwelane an outspoken anti-gay journalist.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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Merchandise can be found at   http://p2-ink.com/ Funds to LGBT organizations in South Africa, including Pride and Luleki Sizwe

Image via Wikipedia

Melanie Nathan February 23, 2011

democratic openly lesbian Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin issued this statement today upon the news that the Department of Justice will refrain from defending two current cases which challenge the constitutionality of DOMA in the Courts.

“I welcome the news that the Department of Justice will not be defending the Defense of Marriage Act in two important cases in New England.  This represents a real shift in Department of Justice policy and is one step toward the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Some people wonder what difference this makes.  Today in the U.S., there are five states plus the District of Columbia that issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  That means there are thousands of same-sex couples across the U.S. with valid marriage licenses who are being discriminated against at the national level because of the Defense of Marriage Act.

So today, we have one small, but very significant, step in the ultimate effort to either see the Defense of Marriage Act repealed by an act of Congress or declared unconstitutional by a court in the United States.  This is progress and I’m delighted with the Attorney General’s choice.”

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The Defense of Marriage Act denies to married same-sex couples hundreds of rights now enjoyed by heterosexual married couples.  These include medical proxy; inheritance; tax benefits; employee benefits for families, such as health and life insurance, bereavement, sick leave, child rights and custodial protection, among many others.

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By Maya Rupert Federal Policy Attorney for NCLR  - Sitting in the White House last night for a truly “once in a lifetime moment”—a movie screening of “Thurgood” with President Barack Obama— I was moved by how far justice and equality has really come in our nation, and how much further we have to go to finish the promise of “equality and justice for all.”

Just a few feet from me, President Obama sat in one of the plush, red seats in the White House’s movie theater to watch the biopic about Thurgood Marshall, the lead attorney and key architect in the landmark desegregation case of Brown v. Board of Education, the first Black Supreme Court justice, and a transformative civil rights leader, who brilliantly used the law to achieve justice.

It wasn’t long ago that the color of my skin would have been enough to prevent me from getting a special invitation to the White House, not to mention a one-on-one discussion with the leader of the free world about our need for his support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality.

After telling President Obama that I’m the federal policy attorney for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, I thanked him for the leadership he and his administration have shown in advancing the rights of LGBT people. Notwithstanding the advances, I impressed upon President Obama that there is much more to be done to even come close to fully protecting LGBT people under the law.

We both noted wryly that the march toward equality is often tortured, but he was confident that we would get there—a parallel to the story of hope and justice told in “Thurgood.”

We know this story well. It is the story of all historically minority communities who struggle for equality and justice. When “equal protection of the law” seemed like a punch line rather than a promise. Recounting how he transformed that punch line into a phrase with resonance and meaning was what made “Thurgood,” and the man himself, so inspiring.

Marshall believed in the law. He was a lawyer who wanted to use the law to achieve justice. Faith in and fidelity to the law survived in those for whom the law failed to live up to its noblest guarantees of equality. The ability to maintain such faith is a poignant reminder of the strength, complexity, and capacity of the human spirit. We need that spirit because the road to justice has never been an easy one and the toll the journey takes can be painful and dispiriting.

Many of our most significant victories for equality in the LGBT community have come from the courts. This is not unique to our community. Virtually every early victory in any civil rights movement begins with the courts, often because the people aren’t ready or willing to expand their notions of fairness and equality. It is a romantic notion that civil rights can be won at the hands of the people. History shows otherwise. While sometimes people’s minds change and that leads to a change in the law, it often works the other way around.

Earlier this year, President Obama said that his views on marriage for same-sex couples were “evolving.” His comments came in the midst of legal battles all over the country over marriage equality. Sometimes it is the law that changes first and leads people to reexamine their attitudes and beliefs. “Thurgood” reminds us that, at its most transformative, that is the role of the law. It challenges us to live up to the highest ideals of America, to become our own best selves.

In an evening of a number of moving moments, perhaps the most poignant came at the end of the film when, somehow, during the course of a one-man show with no camera breaks or movie magic, Lawrence Fishbourne as Marshall actually made himself age. All of a sudden, the arduous slowness with which racial justice inched toward the mainstream was laid bare. And then the movie ended, and there was President Obama.

Racism has not ended because we elected President Obama, nor will the next big victory for the LGBT movement mark the end of homophobia or transphobia. But it will certainly inch us toward equality, and that is the lesson of every civil rights struggle. When there is as much work to do as there is it is impossible not to become disenchanted, angry, and frustrated with the pace. But big victories are always surrounded by the smaller moments, and it was nice to be reminded that as legal and legislative battles are fought across the country, our history is shared with many other movements. Up against very tall odds Thurgood Marshall never lost hope. The least we can do is follow his lead.

PLEASE DONATE TO NCLR – …………

David Kato: “Since we got exposed by Rolling Stone, we have been living like fugitives in our own country.  We have to keep shifting houses for fear of being attacked. Some of the gays have decided to leave the city and head to rural areas in order to protect themselves.”

What are we going to do to STOP THE VIOLENCE

To See Melanie Nathan from LezGetReal fast forward to 7.30 (mins)

Mr. Bahati Stop Institutionalized Hate Against Gay People
Dec-Criminalize Homosexuality and Stop Killing Gays

Myths perpetuated by Uganda:

1. Gays are recruiting children into  Homosexuality in the schools

2. Gays are Pedophiles

3. Uganda Can survive in Isolation when The world Divests!!

Melanie Nathan – 02-1502011

A woman arrested outside Ellen DeGeneres‘ Beverly Hills home last week has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor trespassing and says she will represent herself.   District Attorney’s spokeswoman Jane Robison says Karen Grace Sjoden entered the plea during a hearing Monday afternoon, hours after she was charged.  She is due back in court on March 7, when her trial may begin.  Sjoden’s bail has been set at $200,000.   That sound like a lot of money for someone who was arrested OUTSIDE of Ellen’s home!

Beverly Hills police have not released any information about Sjoden’s arrest.   Jail records show the 49-year-old woman was booked early Feb. 10.

Maybe a little bit of side stalking going on there…?

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After David Bahati, the Member of the Ugandan Parliament who authored what has become known as the “KILL THE GAYS” bill came to the United States last year, I wrote an article title “BAHATI Booted out of the USA”, detailing his departure from this country after his now notorious interview on the Rachael Maddow show. And soon after Bahati contacted me, concerned about my reports on his visit and his departure were not accurate, and saying he wanted to set the record straight. But is that all he wanted to set straight….

Bahati believed that he had been most welcome in the USA, despite my reporting about a planned massive protest  of his visit and asserted that: “BAHATI Booted out of the USA” was not a fair depiction of his departure.

He was right -my depiction he was ‘booted out” was probably not fair, since the request for him to depart US shores was a lot more subtle and perhaps the word “nudged out” would have been more accurate description of his departure from the United States. However I was somewhat frustrated having played a lead part in stalling the grassroots protests because I was informed that Bahati’s movements in the U.S. were being tracked by some groups who wanted to see who he was cavorting with here in the U.S.A.

But what soon followed was a series of unexpected and extended phone calls between Bahati and me, which spanned the past several months, and increased in frequency during my reporting on the Brenda Namigadde and David Kato cases, when Bahati started to call me and comment on my reports.

Over the past few months I have released snippets of my conversations with Bahati, on the surface a likable and gregarious man; yet the contents were quite shocking.  And during our conversations… the more we spoke… the more I realized that this man of truly sinister intentions and that the exposure of his country’s stance against homosexuality had attracted his attention to me in an almost obsessive way.

But I never fully understood just how sinister and obsessed this man truly is ….

Fast forward to yesterday, February 10, 2011 – David Bahti calls me at my home:  Bahati wants me to write about Uganda in a positive light – he wants me to “convert” from being a lesbian –  and he wants me to visit Uganda…

MN:  Hello Mr. Bahati what is going on in Uganda?

DB:  nothing much really; we just waiting for election; the President
is going to win; it is very very peaceful here

MN: People are saying that President Museveni is suppressing the election

DB: It will be free and fair because the process is good; it will be okay -Uganda is very peaceful country.

MN: Yes but Sir, do you realize that the anti-homosexual law is making it not a peaceful country because of murders such as David Kato – people there think it is okay to kill gay people ….

DB: This law has nothing to do with that – it is about the children being safe from the homosexual who are recruiting them in our schools

MN:  Is that the words of Scott lively and the other Evangelicals who came from the USA?  Were you at the seminar that Mr. Lively gave in Uganda?

DB: No I was not there- Scott Lively has nothing to do with the law for homosexuals -That is very insulting for people to think that Africans cannot think for themselves. We are not puppets  on issue of homosexuality.  We don’t have to wait for America to know that the children are being destroyed and this homosexuality is spreading.  There is a group promoting it – from overseas money- “The Sexual Minorities Group”- they are Uganda group – they must stop what are they doing – to promote homosexuality –  My sister, what you need to do -   you really need to come here to see what is happening in schools for yourself. That is the best way you will understand.

The groups who are funding Sexual Minorities  Group- are operating in Uganda. If you come you will see this going on.  What is happening is we have the problem of promotion and funding it – I want you to visit us here and go to those schools and stop them sending their money from America to recruit homosexuals….

MN: Mr, Bahati – I will be very happy to come to Uganda, but I do not believe I am welcome or that I will be safe because I am a lesbian and you know that; Can I bring my wife?

BH: You will be very well rested  ( me:Arrested??) here…  we can reform you here.

This morning I awoke to a report out of the UK that detailed the BBC’s Radio One DJ Scott Mills and his accounts of his meeting with Ugandan MP David Bahati.

The 36-year-old Mills was filming a show called The World’s Worst Place to be Gay? For BBC3, when he confessed his sexual orientation to British-educated politician David Bahati – who Scott then said “went mental”.

Mills said, “He was scary. He ordered us to cut the cameras then brought a security guard.”

“We ran off and he rang one of our guys saying, ‘Where are they staying? What are the registration plates? I want them arrested. They won’t get far’.”

Fortunately Scott’s colleague lied about their location, and armed police arrived at the Sheraton – where they had been falsely told the team was staying.

Mill’s continued, “I’d heard horror stories about people getting arrested and roughed up and who knows what. I was scared.”

During our conversation yesterday, my initial impression of David Bahati’s offer to come to Uganda, was, that it was probably rhetorical, and his threat to arrest me and “convert” me was offered as a dark jest.

But, after reviewing the context my past contacts with him and tone in which he said those things to me yesterday, I am now sure that he has become completely obsessed over the gay press coverage reporting on the situation in Uganda and Bahati was serious in both his offer to go to Uganda and his threat to arrest and “convert” me.

Is it David Bahati’s intention to lure me to his country and force me, by whatever mean necessarily, to give his world view of homosexuality?  Lacking that, I believe he thought he could coerce me into favorable reports.  He tried long enough, over the phone- to no avail.

Shortly after my discussion I received a message from a friend who had been kidnapped and horribly tortured -over night, in Uganda- intimidated into withdrawing his campaigning for the opposition Party in the upcoming election.   My friend is in great pain and terror.   Even though this has nothing to do with being gay, per se, I have now been exposed to the lie first hand – that there will never be a fair and free election and that Uganda’s beauty is duly masked by Museveni, Bahati, government backed tabloids, and the gay scape-goating employed to divert attention from the real Ugandan truth- there is no democracy in Uganda!

I am likewise now sure, with no shade of doubt in my mind, that David Bahati is a very dangerous man, empowered with drafting legislation that could obstruct Uganda’s progress as a global player and also a clear motivator for more murder and mayhem in Africa.

Me, Castro Dyke – the Object of a Madman’s Quest

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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A Side Note: - I asked Bahati what it was like to be on the Rachel Maddow show especially knowing she is a lesbian of high regard… He answered ” She is a Great woman – but I must pray for her to be saved.”

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To a sold out crowd , Equality California will honor Attorney General Kamala Harris and Alameda County judge Victoria Kolakowski at its annual San Francisco Equality Awards, presented by AT&T. Harris will receive the Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon Marriage Equality Award. In her prior position as San Francisco District Attorney, she was instrumental in securing legal protections for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community by launching specialized programs around hate crimes, same-sex domestic violence, and same-sex sexual assault. As Attorney General, Harris has refused to defend Proposition 8 in the federal challenge to overturn the marriage ban and has created an LGBT working group as part of her transition team.

Judge Kolakowski will receive the Equality and Justice Award. Kolakowski made history last year, becoming the nation’s first openly transgender judge. A trailblazing pioneer and inspiration to the LGBT community, Kolakowski has been a longtime advocate for LGBT equality, previously serving on the board of the Transgender Law Center and Equality California, where she was a founding board member.

The evening’s festivities include a 6 p.m. reception followed by a silent auction, gourmet dinner and after party. Event proceeds benefit Equality California, the state’s advocacy organization for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. For tickets, tables or sponsorship information, contact michelle@eqca.org or go to http://www.eqca.org/sanfrancisco.

The San Francisco Equality Awards is presented by AT&T and generously sponsored by Bank of America, Blue Angel Vodka, State Farm Insurance, Carrie Farrell & Jacqueline Bennett, PG&E, Wells Fargo, Wine Tasting Network, Academy of Art University, Jody Cole – Wild Rainbow African Safaris, California Teacher’s Association, Delloite, Levi Strauss & Company, Jeff Lewy & Ed Eishen, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Jimmy Nguyen – JimmyWin.com, Jim Carroll and Scott Romesburg, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, Ambassador James Hormel & Michael Nguyen, Geoff Kors & James Williamson and Kirkland & Ellis LLP.

Melanie Nathan from LezGetReal and Michelle Meow, from Swirl Radio will be there to conduct joint interviews, congratulate the recipients , and report the speeches soon after.  If you happen upon us – do not forget to say HI~!

Equality California (EQCA) is the largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights advocacy organization in California. In the past decade, EQCA has strategically moved California from a state with extremely limited legal protections for LGBT individuals to a state with some of the most comprehensive civil rights protections in the nation. EQCA has passed over 70 pieces of legislation and continues to advance equality through legislative advocacy, public education and community empowerment. www.eqca.org

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda



Melanie Nathan- Feb 11-2011

The European Union may well be taking on the nuance of a federation – similar to the United States – where Countries are in essence similar to the separate states of the USA; and not, given the free movement between countries, problems are bound to follow same-sex couples, as the gendre  civil union, lags marriage. Most importantly this is about protecting children.

The European Commission has already announced in the Stockholm Action Plan a legislative proposal “on mutual recognition of the effects of certain civil status documents (e.g. relating to birth, affiliation, adoption, name)” aimed at eliminating barriers to the recognition of legal acts in the European Union.

Here is a story illustrating the problem -

A Finnish lesbian lives in Paris, France, with her French partner. The couple is registered under a French PACS (pacte civil de solidarité, a type of registered partnership.

They have two children born in Paris, who hold Finnish nationality.  The Finnish women is the children’s only parent since France does not recognise her French partner as the second parent. The couple are both registered as legal guardians of their children until they turn 18 years old.

However, the legal guardianship does not entitle the children to inherit, use of last name, entitlement to French citizenship – pursuant to rights that may otherwise have flowed from the second (French) parent.

Horrifically, if the biological mother dies while the children are under 18, the guardianship of the unrecognized second parent will terminate  automatically. (mmm what’s the point?) In that case, the children would be considered orphans. A judge would then decide whether or not the second parent could adopt them. Guardianship also terminates if the mothers separate thereby impacting custody and visitation for the second parent; as well as the mutual duty of support toward the children.

In this case ILGA Europe reports that: “the couple has looked into moving to Finland, where second parent adoption is possible for same-sex couples. Finnish law even permits second-parent adoption for couples living abroad if one of the parents or the children holds a Finnish citizenship, and if adoption is not possible in the country of residence. But the Finnish Civil Registry expressly refused in March 2010 to  recognize the French PACS when the couple requested them to acknowledge it. Therefore the request of adoption by the second parent was dismissed by the Helsinki Court of Justice (Helsingin käräjäoikeus) in December 2010.”

This leaves the couple and their two children in uncertainty.

ILGA notes given the clear discrimination and lack of parity to marriage by heterosexual couples, :- “So the European Union has to come forward with these measures urgently and to ensure that these apply without discriminations based on sexual orientation, including to same-sex second parents, to overcome situations similar to this present case.”

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/what-does-u-s-deployment-of-ugandan-mercenary-troops-mean-to-gay-u-s-a/
By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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Related articles

• European Union a Tangle for Same-Sex Couples (gayrights.change.org)

Image via Wikipedia

Posted By  Melanie Nathan- Feb 08, 2011-

A first ever for this Church in Wisconsin, a trial set for April, in the case of  the Wisconsin United Methodist Church against a lesbian minister, which could result in her removal from the clergy.

The case has helped inspire a letter from 32 retired Methodist bishops urging the church to drop its ban on “self-proclaimed practicing homosexuals” serving as ministers.

Rev. Amy DeLong of Osceola, in northwestern Wisconsin, knew the risks back in 2009 when she  presided at a holy union ceremony for a lesbian couple.  She then also registered with her own partner of 15 years under Wisconsin’s Domestic Partnership Law. She reported both actions to the church’s Wisconsin Annual Conference, the governing body for the church in the state, as part of her annual accounting of her ministry.

“I want to help the church to be true to its proclamations,” she said in an interview. “We don’t have to earn our way into God’s heart. We’ve already been accepted.”

The United Methodist Church, the nation’s third-largest denomination, prohibits ministers from performing same-sex unions and allows gay or lesbian ministers only if they’re celibate, or if they don’t reveal their sexual orientation.

source;

Melanie Nathan- Feb 08, 2011.

Less than a week ago Brenda Namigadde, escorted by two border control officers from the UK, was sitting on a plane about to take off for Uganda, where she could have faced  a likely death sentence –   either at the hands of anti-gay vigilantes or under new legislation, The Bahati Anti-Homosexuality Bill, that could be enacted at any moment in time.

Instead an injunction was obtained out of the High Court in London, and with minutes to take off, Brenda Namigadde was pulled off the airplane.

Today Brenda is safe; for now.. She has just been released from detention and is on her way  to stay with an unnamed person.   Brenda does not know why she has been released , however LezGetReal  has learnt that this is a normal procedure for someone who is not likely to abscond.

Initially Brenda, a lesbian, whose plea for asylum was rejected because a judge did not believe she was in fact a lesbian was considered a flight risk, and her deportation back to Uganda was imminent. However since activists heard about the impending deportation, via a news article in the Ghana press,  her story was published on LGBT Asylum News (UK) and LezGetReal (USA),  and ad hoc advocacy began on her behalf,  leading to a series of events that actually served to enhance her risk in Uganda, which ironically has contributed to the new evidence that will be presented to a Judicial review on Friday – and if successful she will be then allowed to submit her new asylum application based on the new set of facts.

This is not without controversy,  as the UK anti-gay immigration newspapers have accused activists  of “manipulating “ the UK asylum system – and apparently the Judges ordered a ban on mentioning Namigadde’s name in the UK press – alluding to the same sentiment.  My response to that is the following:

At that time I reported Brenda’s case I  believed her assertion that she was indeed a lesbian and I was horrified that a Judge would have the audacity to say she was not – give many factors of fear, and the need to protect other non-out lesbians; the  Judge did not say “there is no EVIDENCE  to prove she is a lesbian” Instead he determined she was  “NOT a lesbian.”  So the harm came from the initial judgment.  We were merely reporting the facts….. I had no idea that David Bahati would call me and that it would result in the affidavit I sent to UK Courts ion Brenda’s behalf.  It would be a manipulation if indeed I had planned for Bahati to call me; and then how could I manipulate his thinking – the thinking that places Brenda in direct harm and likely to lose her life, like David Kato did, if returned to Uganda.

The Judicial review is happening on Friday – where evidence will be submitted. If she wins it will allow the fresh asylum claim – so it is not over for a long while.  Brenda is safe for now….

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Related articles

• Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde Remains in Great Danger of Deportation (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Sunday Telegraph Could Impede Ugandan Lesbian’s Asylum Case (lezgetreal.com)
• Tragedy as Gay Activist David Kato Murdered in Kampala, Uganda – Impact on Ugandan Lesbian Seeking UK Asylum (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Readers Urgent Appeal- The Push for Ugandan Lesbian’s New Asylum Hearing (lezgetreal.com)
• Uganda Lesbian DeportationTomorrow; HELP free her from being Deported to certain Death (lezgetreal.com)
• Notorious “Kill the Gays” Bahati Weighs in on Uganda Lesbian’s Urgent Deportation Fight (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Home Office Deporting Ugandan Lesbian to Certain Harm (lezgetreal.com)

Melanie Nathan – Feb 05, 2011 -

Today an article appeared in the UK press.  Imagine if the Judge assigned to Brenda Namigadde’s case tomorrow were to read this old Judgment which should not form part of the record for her fresh new asylum case.

Mel’s Extra Note when you read this – note two things – I gave great detail just to keep a record and also the Telegraph is known Homophobic and anti-immigration. Most importantly when the Judge ruled in the first case that Brenda was not a lesbian – …that is very usual. Yet how dare he? There is not such thing unless you have been in her bed 24/7 to counter that – he could have said there “was not enough EVIDENCE” to prove she was a lesbian and that would then have indicated the truth – which is her legal reps were ill prepared and she was afraid and in trauma……… do let us keep the support going. My Lezdar is on high alert..

The information in Mr. Barrett’s article  asserts, ” However, The Sunday Telegraph has obtained a court judgment which considers Miss Namigadde’s case and concludes that she is not, in fact, a lesbian,”    was well known to activists and those of us who took a chance and went all out AFTER this Court Judgment to fight for Brenda Namigadde.   Mr Barrett in his prejudicial article, fails to note that this information was well known; and he makes out as if it is some wild new revelation which should impede her case that is being heard again tomorrow.

David Barrett, Home Affairs Correspondent 9:00PM GMT 05 Feb 2011 Sunday Telegraph….

Heer story made headlines around the world.

Despite attempts by the Home Office to deport her, and a judge’s ruling that she should go, a Ugandan woman claiming she was a lesbian managed to stay in Britain.

Miss Namigadde’s solicitors could not be reached for comment.

“However, the fact remains that she is clearly in danger if she is deported. She has got herself into the situation, genuinely or otherwise, where she will be marked down as a lesbian in the eyes of many oppressors.”

Even as a plane prepared to take off from Heathrow with Brenda Namigadde on board, her lawyers secured a last-minute injunction to halt her removal from the UK nine days ago.

The failed asylum seeker has been backed by homosexual rights campaigners and MPs, who said she risked being beaten up or arrested if sent back to her African homeland.

However, The Sunday Telegraph has obtained a court judgement which considers Miss Namigadde’s case and concludes that she is not, in fact, a lesbian.

The ruling, released following a legal application to the Court of Appeal, discloses that she was unable to remember the surname, age, employer or other details of a woman called Janet with whom she claimed she had a six-year relationship in Uganda.

Nor could she describe a lesbian bar in London that she claimed she visited regularly.

Immigration Judge Toby Davey, who heard the appeal, criticised Miss Namigadde, 28, for a “lack of candour” over her sexuality, and concluded: “I find that the appellant was and is not, on the evidence before me, a lesbian.”

Judges in the UK regularly grant permission to stay in Britain to genuinely gay men and women who would be at risk of arrest or attack if they were returned to their homelands.

In Uganda, gay sex is a crime punishable by a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

A gay rights activist was murdered last month after a newspaper published his photograph and address, along with those of fellow activists, under the headline “Hang them”.

However, judges in English courts have also found in a series of cases that some heterosexual migrants have pretended to be gay in order to claim asylum.

The publication of the facts of Miss Namigadde’s case will put a question mark over a campaign by her supporters which gathered more than 60,000 signatures to protest against he deportation, attracting backing from Peter Tatchell, the gay rights campaigner, and comments from Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary.

A Commons motion calling on the Government to allow Miss Namigadde to remain in the country has been signed by 25 MPs.

Miss Namigadde told the hearing in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber that while in boarding school in Uganda she began a lesbian relationship with Janet, a Canadian woman who worked for a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

“The appellant says that she and Janet were clearly in love with each other,” said the court ruling.

“If that is so it is truly surprising that the appellant does not remember Janet’s surname, or any of her circumstances in Canada, or any detail of Janet’s employment other than by an NGO, does not know Janet’s age and has virtually no coherent explanation as to why she did not return with Janet to Canada.”

The court also heard from Miss Namigadde that between 2001 and 2002 she and “Janet” lived openly as lesbians in Uganda, attended gay bars and kissed in public but that it had not led to any persecution.

The judge also found a claim that Miss Namigadde was currently in a relationship with a woman called Susan Nantume to be false.

Of this second relationship, Judge Davey ruled: “The appellant says that she gave particulars of this lady to her solicitors but they have made no contact with her. This lady has not been in contact with the appellant while she has been detained.

“The appellant … does not know where this lady lives and has not visited her, which seems strange in an ongoing relationship, which she claims to be sincere, of about two years.

“The appellant does not know Susan’s date of birth nor where she lives and in the two years has never been to the latter’s house.

“I do not find that the appellant has a lesbian relationship with someone called Susan. There is, other than the appellant’s evidence, no proof she exists.”

Judge Davey stressed that he had made his determination on Miss Namigadde’s sexuality according to “simply the evidence” and not by any assessment of “demeanour or appearance”.

Miss Namigadde came to Britain in 2002 and overstayed her visa, later lodging an asylum claim. She claimed to have been beaten and victimised over her sexuality. The Home Office refused her claim and began deportation proceedings.

On Jan 28, she was just minutes from being removed from Britain. She had been placed on an aircraft at Heathrow and has said she was shaking with fear at the prospect of returning to Uganda.

But after securing sympathetic coverage in several newspapers, her lawyers won an 11th hour injunction which forced officials to halt the deportation.

The Sunday Telegraph has established that Miss Namigadde’s legal team made a series of appeals on that day until they finally secured the injunction at the third attempt.

They first sought permission for judicial review from a judge in the Administrative Court, Mr Justice Lindblom, who refused the application.

In that ruling, the judge referred to comments by Home Office lawyers which said: “The fact that your client has sought to publicise her claimed sexual orientation via the media is not accepted as evidence that she is a lesbian.”

Miss Namigadde’s lawyers then went to Mr Justice Cranston in the Queen’s Bench Division to appeal on different grounds, which was also refused, before applying to Lord Justice Maurice Kay in the Court of Appeal, who issued a “stay” delaying the deportation, and forcing immigration officers to take Miss Namigadde off the aircraft.

The application for permission to appeal is due to be heard in full by Lord Justice Kay tomorrow (***MON).

Despite gay sex being illegal in Uganda, British courts have previously ruled that lesbians were not at risk in the country.

A High Court judgment handed down in February last year concluded the claimant, known as SB, could return to Uganda and continue to live discreetly as a lesbian without fear of persecution.

In Miss Namigadde’s case, Judge Davey said of the claimed relationship with “Janet” in Uganda: “Despite the length of time together the appellant says that Janet had a difficult surname and the appellant has no recollection of Janet’s surname, the title of the NGO she worked for, where she came from in Canada, her date of birth and, notwithstanding being with Janet for a period of rising six years, did not know how old Janet was.

“I find the claims of attacks in Uganda and the details of them vague and unparticularised.”

He also found that the Ugandan asylum seeker was unable to give any detail about a lesbian bar called Candy, in central London, other than its name and admission price, despite claims that she went there once a month.

David Cairns, a Labour MP who signed the Commons motion, said after being told of the conclusions in Miss Namigadde’s case: “If she is deliberately lying in order to stay here that is a very serious issue and she should not be granted asylum on that basis.

If anything Barrett is endorsing that Brenda’s case was badly prepared; a terrified and traumatized  deportee should not be held to the same standards as a person properly prepared. Why does Barrett believe we fought so hard after the fact of the judgment which we knew about – because we were willing to give her a better chance to prove her case. That is all – and now Barrett has done little more than to prejudice  and victimize her further.

While of course this is all public information and we have reported it before the very context and timing of Barrett’s report – whether she is a lesbian or not – is suspect.   It is almost as if he is advocating against her having this second chance to prove herself. Shameful reporting is all I can say.

Shame on the telegraph.  Even if she is proved NOT to be a lesbian second time around- no one can then say she was not given a fair chance.

This is a comment I received today because of HOW this post of Barrett reads:

Comment:
well, as of today (THE READER IS WRONG NOT TODAY – but that is how Barrett article reads……. ) …. a judge determined that she lied about being a lesbian, and couldn’t remember any details about women she claims to have been in relationships with and lesbian bars she claims to have attended.

i followed her story, and i signed the petitions, and now i feel like i’ve been duped.

You can see all comments on this post here:
http://lezgetreal.com/2011/02/ugandan-lesbian-brenda-namigadde-remains-in-great-danger-of-deportation/#comments

That reader has been duped yes by Mr. Barret’s failure to contextualize through his sensationalizing of the old judgment which does not apply to her re-hearing.   I am willing to go out on a limb and say regardless of her sexuality she is in severe danger as Bahati has accused her of badmouthing Uganda.  Even if she is proved to NOT be a lesbian, activists did the right thing fighting for her through her assertions and I would never be deterred from fighting for anyone who deserved a fair hearing.

Is it not an irony that for Brenda to remain safe, she has to prove that she IS a lesbian to the UK and if returned to Uganda  to stay safe she will have to prove SHE IS NOT a lesbian.  Like one of my readers said – “what do they want her to do – go down on  the Queen?” (No disrespect of course.)

I will continue to fight for Brenda….. regardless…

After I wrote the above piece I received this update from Paul Canning an expert in the UK on the subject.  Mr. Canning endorsed my concerns and it is apparent that UK’ Sunday Telegraph is notoriously anti-asylum.    When speaking to another underground activist source I was told that the motive for such shoddy reporting may be homophobia – Now I would like to know more about Mr. Barrett.

Mr Canning’s Update:

Update, February 6: The Sunday Telegraph has published court documents from Brenda’s appeal to assert that she is not a lesbian. It quotes the judge but does not include the line published earlier about how if she’d read lesbian or gay magazines this might have helped her case. The article does not cover the threats made by David Bahati.

The article says:

Despite gay sex being illegal in Uganda, British courts have previously ruled that lesbians were not at risk in the country.

A High Court judgment handed down in February last year concluded the claimant, known as SB, could return to Uganda and continue to live discreetly as a lesbian without fear of persecution.

It does not go on to say that this legal precedent on ‘discretion’ was overturned five months later by the Supreme Court.

It quotes David Cairns MP, who has signed the Commons motion, after being presented with the Sunday Telegraph’s story as saying:

“If she is deliberately lying in order to stay here that is a very serious issue and she should not be granted asylum on that basis.

“However, the fact remains that she is clearly in danger if she is deported. She has got herself into the situation, genuinely or otherwise, where she will be marked down as a lesbian in the eyes of many oppressors.”

The Telegraph has an anti-immigration, anti-asylum agenda, which has been well documented by watchdog websites. See, for example, this story from two years ago where the Home Office’s failure to apply its own rules became the headline ‘cat saves immigrant from deportation’.

The Guardian has published a straightforward round up of her case in advance of tomorrow’s application for permission to appeal against the refusal of the high court to grant her permission to claim for judicial review.

Brenda’s supporters will be attending the court tomorrow and any news will be published here as soon as we get it

Related articles

• Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde Remains in Great Danger of Deportation (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Readers Urgent Appeal- The Push for Ugandan Lesbian’s New Asylum Hearing (lezgetreal.com)

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By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Andy Slaughter MP United Kingdom

Melanie Nathan- Feb 04-2011.

It is imperative that UK voters contact their MP’s now and every day with this action to help Brenda’s case.  Our source in the UK tells us that  the  MPs are rushed off their feet “so can I recommend the following email to arrive in British in boxes tomorrow morning and perhaps every morning.”

Last week, more than 60,000 people around the world in helping to stop the deportation of Brenda Namigadde, a lesbian from Uganda seeking asylum in the UK.  Thanks to you, she is safe for the brief moment – but there is still more to do

1 Brenda is scheduled to attend a High Court hearing on Monday morning to review her case. We are hoping the judge finally grants her asylum, but unfortunately we have plenty of reason to be skeptical: the British government is currently refusing up to 99% of asylum claims made by LGBT people.

2 Luckily Brenda’s Member of Parliament, Andy Slaughter, is advocating strongly on her behalf.  At a time when the Ugandan parliament is debating a law to make homosexuality punishable by death – and with last week’s murder of LGBT activist David Kato – he understands the grave danger Brenda faces. Slaughter has put forward an Early Day Motion3 in Parliament to pressure UK Immigration Minister Damian Green and UK Home Secretary Theresa May to intervene in Brenda’s case in the event that the court does not rule in her favor.

The contact in Andy Slaughter’s office has told ALLOUT that if even just a few dozen MPs sign this motion in the next few days, it will send a powerful message to Theresa May and the Home Office that they must intervene on Brenda’s behalf.  Will you take a moment to ring your MP and ask them to sign on and support Brenda?

It only takes 2 minutes and will make a huge difference:

1.  Find your MP’s number:
http://www.facebook.com/l/103bep804V0K0mlrrxvmWSU0y8w;www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

2.  Ask them to support Brenda.  Here’s a quick script to help:

“Hello.  My name is (YOUR NAME) and I’m one of (MP NAME)’s constituents.  I’m calling today about the case of Brenda Namigadde, a lesbian who is in danger of being deported to Uganda where she faces grave danger.
Please urge (MP NAME) to sign onto Early Day Motion 1385, sponsored by MP Andy Slaughter.  The motion calls on the Government to exercise its powers to allow Brenda Namigadde to remain in the United Kingdom.

I will continue to follow Brenda’s case closely and urge you to sign the motion today before her hearing at the High Court on Monday.”

3.  If you make a call, please reply directly to this email and let us know your MP’s response, so we can pass this information on to Brenda and her lawyer. On Monday, we want Brenda to know she still has our support, and we want the court to know how many others in the UK and around the world are standing by her side.

TITLE: EDM 1385: Brenda Namigadde – British voters

1 Please check this link: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=42410&SESSION=905
to see if your MP has signed this EDM (Early Day Motion) to prevent the deportation of Brenda Namigadde.

2 IF they havent, please email them and remind them gently to do so.

3 Please circulate all your British friends and ask them to write to their MP asking them to sign this Early Day Motion.

4 You might also remind them about faxing support to Brenda in Room 105 on fax no: 00 44 1234 217438. Either way this week is going to be one hell of a week for her even if she does get the chance to re-present her case.

www.allout.org

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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Related articles

• UPDATE: Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde’s Deportation is set for 9.20PM from London (lezgetreal.com)
• Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde Remains in Great Danger of Deportation (lezgetreal.com)
• Ugandan Lesbian is at the Airport – No Word of Stay (lezgetreal.com)
• Uganda Lesbian DeportationTomorrow; HELP free her from being Deported to certain Death (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Judge to Hear Uganda Asylum Case Monday (advocate.com)
• Breaking News – Confirmed Brenda Namigadde Wins Temporrary Reprieve (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Home Office Deporting Ugandan Lesbian to Certain Harm (lezgetreal.com)

Melanie Nathan- January 28-2011.  (1:50 PST)

Attorneys for Brenda Namigadde have just released the good news that Brenda Namigadde has obtained a temporary reprieve from deportation. In a day of high drama and activists working on her behalf, the news is fantastic.  There is no other way to describe the relief.   Brenda is safe and will be for as long as the UK Home office agree to accept her new fresh application for asylum.

The BBC has issued the following as part of its latest report.

‘Real risk’

Lawyers for Ms Namiggade lodged papers at the High Court asking a judge to grant an injunction against her deportation, which was due to take place on Friday evening. They say they will file a fresh appeal.

When the BBC spoke to Ms Namiggade by phone on Friday afternoon she was already being escorted to Heathrow airport.

Her lawyer, Abdulrahman Jafar, said he would argue that Ms Namiggade should be allowed to remain in the UK regardless of her sexuality.

“The press coverage about her activities certainly expose her to a real risk if she is to be returned to Uganda,” he said.

David Kato, who was recently beaten to death, led condemnation of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill

Ms Namigadde, who was held at a detention centre just outside London, has told the BBC’s Network Africa programme she was “shaking” with fear at the prospect of returning to Uganda.

She said she fled to the UK in 2002 after being beaten and victimised because of her sexuality.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, has said people facing persecution for their sexual orientation in Uganda should be given refugee status in other countries.

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has urged Home Secretary Theresa May to halt the removal of Ms Namigadde and allow her to make a fresh asylum appeal.

A special thank you to Michelle Clunie, and all the Face Book Friends who dived into action when needed.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Related articles

• UPDATE: Ugandan Lesbian Brenda Namigadde’s Deportation is set for 9.20PM from London (lezgetreal.com)
• Ugandan Lesbian is at the Airport – No Word of Stay (lezgetreal.com)
• Hate Follows David Kato to his Grave (lezgetreal.com)

Melanie Nathan – January 28

Activists are now calling on Virgin Atlantic to refuse to allow  Brenda Namigadde to board their plane from London’s Heathrow  for Kamplala Entebbe  airport at 9.00 pm London time tonight (an hour from writing this post).

A barrister is arguing as I write this in a UK court on Brenda ‘s behalf. This will be a shameful disgrace. Brenda will be flying into the violence surrounding the murder of gay leader and activist David Kato; she has not lived in Uganda for 8 years and has no family there; David Bahati, author of the Kill the Gays Bill knows she is a lesbian and he has applied pressure for her to come back to Uganda to face repentance and renunciation of homosexuality, failing which she will go to Jail.

He has also accused her of “bad mouthing Uganda” in her attempts to stay in the United Kingdom.

What kind of world is this if Brenda is sent back? It would be like sending her into a lions den.   There is no law that should keep Brenda from staying out of UGANDA and the only country that can effect that right now is the United Kingdom.

PLEASE Virgin Atlantic do not transport Brenda Namigadde to her death.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Related articles

• Ugandan Lesbian is at the Airport – No Word of Stay (lezgetreal.com)
• Tragedy as Gay Activist David Kato Murdered in Kampala, Uganda – Impact on Ugandan Lesbian Seeking UK Asylum (lezgetreal.com)

BrendaNamigadde

Melanie Nathan – January 27, 2011. The work on the Brenda Namigadde case- a the lesbian in the UK who is set to be deported tomorrow, first reported here on LGR and Asylum News,  has taken on a viral movement across the globe. When ALLOUT.ORG heard about the case, they stepped in and worked with Melanie and Paul to effect a Petition campaign via their new activist site.  GetEQUAL came on Board today and sent out this letter communication to all its members.  The murder of David Kato has speaked even more focus on Brenda’s predicament.  Please be sure to sign the Petition. There are 10,000 signatures which we have attained in a mere two days and the emails are landing on the desk of the  U.K. Home Secretary Theresa May

We can Stop Brenda’s deportation and we must.

It may also help if we flood the US STATE Department’s Uganda and UK desks tomorrow asking them to be ensure that Secretary Clinton makes her call to the U.K. Home Secretary Theresa May.

GetEQUAl

We hadn’t intended to send this email today, but there are literally just a few hours standing between a woman’s life and her almost-assured death.

We just talked with our friends at AllOut, and they’ve asked us to help Brenda Namigadde, a young Ugandan lesbian, from being deported from the U.K. back to Uganda. She’s scared out of her mind, which is understandable — a prominent LGBT activist in Uganda was just killed yesterday and the country is doing very little to find his killer. [1]

Unless we intervene, Brenda will be heading to the airport to board a plane bound for Uganda. And we know what will happen there.

Help save Brenda — there’s no time to lose: www.getequal.org/brenda

We know that U.K. Home Secretary Theresa May is open to granting asylum to those facing great risk in their home countries due to their sexual orientation or gender identification. [2] And U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has spoken out clearly about this issue in the past. [3] We’re hoping that, by petitioning Home Secretary May and cc’ing Secretary Clinton, American pressure will have an impact on Brenda’s case.

You’ve likely heard of the “Kill the Gays” bill that will be voted on in the Ugandan Parliament this spring — it’s not an exaggeration. These religious bigots — including elected officials like David Bahati — are actively publicizing the identities of LGBT Ugandans, subsequently setting them up for murder. [4] [5]

And it doesn’t stop there. Initiatives like the “Kill the Gays” bill are being funded by right-wing extremists here in the U.S. Fundamentalist churches and secretive groups like “The Family” are funneling money to Uganda, seeking out a testing ground there for what they can get away with. [6]

We say enough is enough.

Ask U.K. Home Secretary Theresa May and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to intervene, and to save Brenda’s life.

Help save Brenda: www.getequal.org/brenda
——–

[1] “Tragedy as Gay Activist David Kato Murdered in Kampala, Uganda – Impact on Ugandan Lesbian Seeking UK Asylum” — http://lezgetreal.com/2011/01/tragedy-as-gay-activist-david-kato-murdered-in-kampala-uganda-impact-on-ugandan-lesbian-seeking-uk-asylum/

[2] “Two gay men win right to UK asylum” — http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jul/07/gay-men-granted-uk-asylum

[3] “Hillary Clinton Speaks Out Against ‘Oppressive’ Anti-Gay Uganda Bill” — http://www.towleroad.com/2009/12/hillary-clinton-speaks-out-against-oppressive-antigay-uganda-bill.html

[4] “Rachel Maddow Interviews David Bahati — Part 1″ — http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#40579129

[5] “Rachel Maddow Interviews David Bahati — Part 1″ — http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#40579299

[6] “Americans’ Role Seen in Uganda Anti-Gay Push” — http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/world/africa

For equality,

Heather Cronk, Managing Director

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

Related articles

• Tragedy as Gay Activist David Kato Murdered in Kampala, Uganda – Impact on Ugandan Lesbian Seeking UK Asylum (lezgetreal.com)
• Notorious “Kill the Gays” Bahati Weighs in on Uganda Lesbian’s Urgent Deportation Fight (lezgetreal.com)
• UK Home Office Deporting Ugandan Lesbian to Certain Harm (lezgetreal.com)

Melanie Nathan – January 27, 2011: On Valentine’s Day, February 14, same-sex couples will once again request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk’s offices in cities all over the country. These actions will not only draw attention to the lack of marriage equality between heterosexual and LGBT Americans, but it will also raise awareness about the harms and the impact that the inability to marry causes on LGBT families.

“Since 2001, Marriage Equality USA chapters have engaged in annual marriage counter actions to render visible the discrimination that is enforced every day and to highlight the need to overturn discriminatory laws. It is an affront to our basic dignity as fellow human beings when same-sex couples are turned away from the marriage counter, but it gives us the opportunity to tell our stories and show that we live in every community and want to honor and protect our families like everyone else,” said Molly McKay, Marriage Equality USA Media Director.

“Whether we are married, domestic partners, in a civil union, or legal strangers under our particular state’s law, all same-sex couples are denied the 1,138 federal rights of marriage,” said Robin McGehee, Director of GetEQUAL. “GetEQUAL is joining Marriage Equality USA to urge President Obama, Congress ,and all states with discriminatory laws on their books to stand for justice and equality for all people, as the Constitution requires, and work together to uphold the American tradition of fairness and equality by ending marriage discrimination.”

NOTE: From Melanie of LGR   – LezGetReal will be there with cameras and I will be looking for couples to interview.  So please contact me in advance if you plan on going… nathan@privatecourts.com

For a complete list of Valentine’s Day actions go to www.requestmarriage.com.

Founded in 2000, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally-recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. For more information go to www.marriageequality.org.

GetEQUAL is a national, direct action lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization. Emphasizing direct action and people power, the mission of GetEQUAL is to empower the LGBT community and its allies to take action to demand full legal and social equality, and to hold accountable those who stand in the way. For more information on GetEQUAL, please visit: http://www.getequal.org. You can follow GetEQUAL on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/getequal, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/GetEQUAL, or on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/getequal

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Police mounts hunt for killers of Ugandan gay rights activist

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Posted Thursday, January 27 2011 at 14:55

Police’s Scene of Crime officers have ringed off the house in which a gay activist, David Kato was murdered yesterday.

Mr David Kisule Kato, 46, died after he was hit on the head by unknown assailants at his home in Mukono District on Wednesday. He died on his way to Mulago Hospital.

Detectives and scene of crime officers spent the day picking fingerprints on the furniture and interviewing neighbours of Kato.

Police said his attackers hit him with a hammer on the head at around noon on Wednesday before locking him in the house.

Deputy Police Spokesman Vincent Ssekate said they are taking the case seriously but asked the public to who have any information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects to contact them.

“Since the act happened during day, there may be people who say the suspects entering the house. They should come and give us information,” he said.

Kato was listed among the 100 people suspected to be homosexuals in the country by the local tabloid Rolling Stone.

Asked whether they were taking it as an attack on minorities in the country, he said it is too early to reach that conclusion.

Residents told police that they saw a man who entered Kato’s house but he moved out dressed in victim’s shoes and a jacket that cover part of his face.

Their suspicion rose later, they told the police, and went to check on him in his house but found the door locked.

“They forced their way in and found Kato lying unconscious,” he said.

He later died as he was being transported to Mulago Hospital.

Author of Notorious “Kill the Gays” in Uganda calls Melanie Nathan, USA Activist and  Weighs in on UK Asylum Case:  Says: Brenda should be returned to Uganda, “so that she can repent,  and be reformed.”

Brenda Namigadde left Uganda 8 years ago, in 2003. She lived together with her partner, a Canadian woman Janet, but they were threatened, and both left the country, first Janet back to Canada, then Brenda went to the UK:

“Our relationship led us to be sworn at, threatened. Even the house where we were living was hurt, so we had to live in hiding for a month. Janet had to go back to Canada, the last time I saw here was in 2003. I’ve been in the U.K. for 8 years, applied for asylum last year for human protection.”

“I’ll be tortured, or killed, if I’m sent back to Uganda. They’ve put people like me to death there.”

“Yes I was involved in the protest at Trafalgar Square, we wanted to speak out against the law in Uganda. It’s not right how they treat gay people there. In Uganda, I have nobody there, it’s very dangerous for me. If I can stay here in the UK I can continue my studies, live my life freely, openly, without fear.”

This is the woman who faces deportation back to Uganda on January 28^th. International Activists have worked in unity to effect a campaign to save Brenda from certain harm.

Brenda is presently detained at Yarlswood Immigrtaion Removal Centre. She has another removal date set for 28th January 2011 to Entebbe Uganda in Flight VS671 & KQ412 via Nairobi, Kenya at 21.20 hrs.

But the story gets more sinister – and even more scary than Brenda knows at this time. Yesterday I wrote a piece for Lezgetreal reporting Brenda’s story – and in the piece I referenced my recent  interview with David Bahati which I had not previously  reported on.

Today when I was working with Joseph Huff-Hannon of  www.ALLOUT.org and Paul Canning  Editor of LGBT ASYLUM News, on Skype regarding a Petition to support Brenda’s urgent bid for asylum,  a call came through on my regular phone. It was David Bahati.  He had read my previous article where I reported that Brenda’s asylum case had been rejected and that her deportation to Uganda was imminent.

http://lezgetreal.com/2011/01/uk-home-office-deporting-ugandan-lesbian-to-certain-harm/

Bahati said he read the piece about Brenda  Namigadde where I quoted him and that he was calling to tell me to give Brenda a message. The author of the anti-gay legislation said that the legislation will be presented to the Ugandan Parliament in the next few weeks. Homosexuality Including men and women is considered a crime in Uganda as being against the order of nature. The new Bill by Bahati seeks to affirm its criminalization and also calls for the death penalty in certain circumstances.

He told me that Brenda should stop bad mouthing Uganda; that she would be welcome back to Uganda if she renounced her homosexuality and if she “repented.”   I asked him if he based this ideal upon religious beliefs and he said “yes” that he did. I asked what if Brenda did not have the same belief as he did?  I asked what if she did not believe that she could repent?  He affirmed then she would be tried as a criminal.

After speaking to Mr. Bahati, I realize that he believes that Ms. Namigadde is indeed a lesbian. This serves only to enhance the danger she is in and flies in the face of the UK assertion that she may not have proved that she is a lesbian. She is indeed in danger.

It was astounding to me that David Bahati would call to comment on this case and the very fact that he did is indicative of the danger that Brenda faces.

He seemed to be very concerned about Uganda’s image and that she should not portray “her country as bad.”  I believe that this adds to her danger.

Bahati said that Uganda is not harassing Brenda but rather it would be enforcing the law. I questioned him about the law itself and mentioned that the western world did not agree that homosexuality was not a human right as he had told me previously. I told him that the UK and the USA would expect Uganda to adhere to the terms of the Declaration of Human Rights and that if he could not see it that way that there would be every reason to grant her asylum abroad.

He did not agree.

Mr. Canning, British activist in the UK on LGBT Asylum issues,  informs Lezgetreal  that the Attorney for Brenda put in a fresh claim for asylum for Brenda to the UK Home Office.  That should be decided before Friday as to whether or not she will be removed from the UK back to Uganda. If this is not successful then Brenda herself can refuse to be removed and the UK will have to use force. It would seem the UK authorities are very restricted in how they can do this because of previous cases where deportees have suffered harm and even death.

Canning told   “This is outrageous hypocrisy by the British Government to one the one hand to criticize and be concerned about Uganda’s treatment of lesbians (homosexuals) and on the other to send people like Brenda  back to certain danger.   It is my hope that the UK Coalition government will live up to the agreement it made after the election – which included a statement that they would not send LGBT people back to danger. Obviously that promise was made after many, many were sent back. Activists should not be a in a situation where they have to keep having to campaign individually for people like Brenda.”

Here in the USA we can only wonder at how many have not come to our attention and slipped through the cracks.

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE BRENDA

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UPDATED  Jan 25- 2011 at 12.55pm  LGBT Asylum News has reported on the Political and Technical issues involved in this case:

Brenda is in the ‘fast track’ system for considering asylum claims. A removal 20 January was only avoided due to a mix up with passenger lists. She is now detained at Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre.

The placing of sexuality-based asylum claims in the ‘fast track’ system has been heavily criticized. In a review of 50 cases UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group (UKLGIG) found that 98% had been initially rejected, a significantly higher rate than for other claims. This made them more likely to be placed in ‘fast track where applicants and their lawyers had much less time to prepare an appeal, for, it is argued, often complex claims to be properly considered.

By coincidence the Conservative MP for Brighton, Kemptown, Simon Kirby, asked the Immigration Minister, Damien Green MP, in the House of Commons yesterday about whether he had given consideration “to the participation of (a) women and (b) lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons in the detained fast-track procedure.”

Green replied:

“Entry to the detained fast-track procedure is determined by reference to published policy available on the UK Border Agency website. The policy lays out categories of claimant who, for reasons of particular vulnerability such as late pregnancy, children or serious disability, are excluded from entry to the process. For all other claimants, the key factor determining entry to the process is whether a quick, fair and sustainable decision can be taken on the case.”

“We do not intend to specifically add to an exclusion list all applicants on the basis of claimed or accepted gender, gender identity or sexuality. However, if on a case by case basis, any claimants from these groups are identified as having a claim of particular complexity, the general consideration referred to previously regarding amenability to a quick, fair and sustainable decision will apply.”Translation: we don’t accept that these cases are complex. READ more here http://madikazemi.blogspot.com/2011/01/uk-preparing-to-put-asylum-seeking.html

www.ALLOUT.ORG

PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION TO SAVE BRENDA

Note: Photo of Brenda taken at Protest in London is by  Brett Lock, of Outrage!

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
Facebook Melanie
twitter @oblogdeeoblogda

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• Kill The Gays Bahati One Step Ahead of Deportation (lezgetreal.com)
• Ploy & Agenda for D.C. Visit by Uganda’s ‘Kill the Gays’ M.P. David Bahati (lezgetreal.com)
• DAVID BAHATI on Maddow Part 1- Save the Children Kill the Gays (lezgetreal.com)
• Is David BAHATI in US Illegally to Peddle his Ugandan KILL-GAYS Bill? (lezgetreal.com)
• Letter to American Hosts of Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill MP -Davaid Bahati (lezgetreal.com)

Melanie Nathan – Jan 16 -2011.

What a great acknowledgment that Lesbian films embracing reality, from bed death to affairs, to confusion to sperm donors to children can actually captivate interest from talent such as Bening enough to bring a slice of America to the big screen. AND HEY BY THE WAY hellooooo the elephant in  the room…  – that couple in that movie have no Federal Rights – they are missing 1,138 rights that straight couples have.

As an activist what a shame that Bening did not refer to equality and BEG on behalf of the LGBT community for a repeal of the Defense of marriage Act, DOMA.

Her speech indeed referred to “About two women who are deeply in love trying to keep their family together,  Juliane Moore my partner- made it all possible…. It was a labor of love.”

So all we can do as lesbians living as second class citizens is to hope that there will be more brave actors who normalize our de facto existence and  hopefully find a way to embrace the realities of our de jure pain, at any given opportunity.

UPDATE : – Best Screenplay – goes  to Erin Sorkin Social Network and NOT the lesbian movie okay okay….

In Solidarity,

Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

@oblogdeeoblogda

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Melanie Nathan- Jan 14-2011- SAN FRANCISCO -

Second-term California state senator Christine Kehoe of San Diego has been elected chair of the California legislature’s LGBT caucus.

Kehoe was selected Thursday by the other six caucus members. “I’m honored to serve as chair and am eager to work with our largest LGBT caucus ever — growing from four members last session to the current seven members,” Kehoe said. The caucus, formed in 2002, was the first LGBT legislative caucus in the nation.

Kehoe served in the state assembly from 2000 to 2004 and was  reelected in 2008.

Source , City News Service

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• Seven gays, lesbians now in California Legislature — a record (sfgate.com)

Here is my family story which is on The Give A Damn Site

During January of 2002, I went into an online chat room for the first time ever and developed a friendship with a woman from Israel. Coincidentally she was soon to arrive in the USA to study at a University in Texas. I invited her to stop in California, en route, so we could meet and soon I realized that this was the person with whom I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

Our relationship flourished while Dor was studying in Texas and soon she transferred to a college near my home in Marin County; and so we moved in together and married as soon as it was legal for us to do so. At the time, my daughter, HC, from my previous relationship was five years of age. Dor and HC developed a close relationship and they could not have loved each other more.

We were able to change Dor’s student Visa to a very limited R1 Visa. Notwithstanding the fact that California recognized our domestic partnership and subsequent marriage, I, the US citizen, could not sponsor Dor in the same way as a different gender couple could.

Dorit taught Jewish religious studies, Hebrew and Bible at a local congregation, and was qualified for the Religious worker’s Visa. We were luckier than many others in the same-sex bi-national community because we had found a way, albeit expensive and fraught with difficulties.

With Dor, the last in her family of Holocaust survivors, and biological clock ticking, we decided to extend our family and to inseminate so that Dor would carry a baby for us. The birth of Refael was one of the most exhilarating moments in our lives, with HC, the big sister ecstatic at the arrival of her new baby sister.

Our lives continued; and we were a tight family, notwithstanding our constant fear that we would have to part ways if Dor’s Visa did not lead to her intended immigration within the time constraints of the R1 termination date. We went through this process a few times over a four year period and it drained us, financially and emotionally.

During this time, Dor nursed me through breast cancer – imagine having to leave my medical care, my home, my extended family and one of my daughters or choosing to separate from my beloved because of my inability to sponsor her to remain in the US.

When the R1 sunset date was upon us; and again we advocated crazily for the renewal by Congress of the R1 Visa process. With mere days and then hours to the termination of the very law we had relied on for so long, and Dor’s process hanging severely in the balance, Congress did extend the Visa, setting yet another sunset date for March 06, 2009.

Dor’s lawyer informed us that our chances of success were remote as the timing was still not in our favor, as well as other aspects of the statute and rules that were so onerous and arbitrary on the part of DHS. We were given low odds and another huge legal bill and a decision to make – should we continue on this Visa path? The choices were dim; in fact there were no feasible choices. I could not face the Sophie’s choice that had been haunting me for so many years.

How could I leave my then 11 year old (due to shared custody agreement with my ex) and go with Dor and the baby to Israel? How could I say goodbye to the love of my life-my spouse, and my then three year old Refael. What if I got really sick again, how could I split the sisters?

I went to see my member of Congress and there was nothing that could be done for our situation. As an American citizen and with both children American citizens there was no law to prevent the high probability of Dor having to leave the USA. I had also determined that I would never prevent Dor from taking our baby with her; the attachment and bond between them would be forcibly broken and my baby would suffer irreparable harm. There were no choices, only extreme denial.

So we paid and prayed… and then before the final impending sunset date, DHS showed up at Dor’s work, the Congregation, with three official investigators to check that her basis for her Visa to immigrate was legitimate; and of course it was. They approved her application and we were able to submit the finalizing petition.

With 7 days to the final sunset of the R1 process, we received a letter stating that the R1 Visa Law was going to sunset and this time there would be no renewal by Congress. This would not give enough time to process the final piece of Dor’s approved application. Again, I spun into denial determined to fight and not willing to think of my ‘Sophie’s choice.’ There was no plan B.

It was then that I went to Senator Feinstein for help and with mere hours to the sunset of the law, Dor’s file was given a priority position and viewed just before the 11th hour. Dor was approved and received her green card about two weeks later. This four year hell cost us a great deal, emotionally stressful and financially debilitating.

I calculated how much more it had cost us compared to that of a straight couple who could simply petition because of their recognized marriage. I took into account legal fees, non-resident student fees, work limitation losses and Visa fees and renewals: A whopping total of $71,600 for us (over a six year period) compared to $1,500 for a straight couple over a six month period.

It was the spread of our good news that led to my introduction to Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado and my advocacy for them and other bi-nationals. This is a cause that is barely known to most of America and in fact, when we mentioned our plight to gay and straight people alike, many were clueless to this reprehensible aspect of our lack of Federal rights.

I hope that Give a Damn will draw attention to us and the 100,000 more in this invidious situation. Please come out in support of UAFA – The Uniting American Families Act. We should not have to make such choices in the short time we have in this life…

Melanie

Gay and lesbian same-sex coupled Americans in binational relationships are forced to exile the USA – their partners are forced to hide, lie – or they are forced to live across continents, separate from each other. Read more stories at… The Give A Damn Site –

by Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
@oblogdeeoblogda

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• Ro