March 2010

Ian Ollis blogs about the talk he held at the RainbowUCT-hosted Faces of IGLYO exhibition:

I was invited to speak at the opening of an interesting photo exhibition hosted by RainbowUCT on gay activism titled 'Faces of IGLYO'.  Thanks to Alex Muller for allowing the photos - the caption of this print reads: "Activism is a way of life. It is every day, everywhere and with every person I work with.  It is improving the way society perceives LGBTQ people and is ensuring that all of us can enjoy the rights we possess."

More info...  "In July 2009, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Youth and Student Organisation (IGLYO) celebrated its 25th anniversary with an international LGBTQ activist conference in Amsterdam, bringing together more than 80 activists from all regions of the world. The exhibition “Faces of IGLYO” consists of portraits some of these activists. It reflects the manifold backgrounds, experiences and people within the international LGBTQ community. 

On Monday, 15 March 2010, we will march from the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) offices in Khayelitsha to the Khayelitsha Regional Court where the trial of Zoliswa Nkonyana's murder is set to resume. The march will start at 10h00. At 11h30 there will be a programme of speakers to address protestors outside the court.

Please bring along posters and please feel free to wear t-shirts representing your organisation or with appropriate messaging. Various alliance representatives will be monitoring the trial of the 9 accused of murdering Zoliswa Nkonyana.

The march will be attended by the Coalition to End Discrimination, Treatment Action Campaign, Social Justice Coalition, Freegender, Triangle Project and other organisations and individuals.

Getting There

Buses will leave from UCT (Tugwell stop) at 09:30. Those travelling with their own transport can rendezvous with the bus and follow us to Khayelitsha. The buses will drive back from the Regional Court to UCT at 12:30.

A map to the TAC offices can be found here.

RainbowUCT has added its name in endorsing the statement released by African Civil Society:

STATEMENT BY AFRICAN CIVIL SOCIETY

We, the individuals and organisations from African countries, recognise the universality of the human rights of all persons.

We affirm that the right of men and women to have same sex relationships is a fundamental human right.

We are further guided in the knowledge that all forms of discrimination, in particular against vulnerable groups, undermine the human dignity of all in Africa.

We are therefore profoundly disturbed by the nature, content and potential impact of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill (“the Bill”) that was recently tabled in and is currently being considered by the Parliament of Uganda.

We believe that the Bill, if enacted, will cut deeply into the fabric of Ugandan society by–

• Violating the rights of an already vulnerable and severely stigmatised group of persons by attacking their dignity, privacy and other constitutionally protected rights;
• Disrupting family and community life by compelling everyone, by the threat of criminal sanction, to report those suspected of engaging in same-sex sexual activity;
• Seeking to withdraw Uganda from the family of nations by reneging on the country’s international law obligations;
• Undermining public health interventions such as HIV prevention, treatment, care and support;
• Promoting prejudice and hate and encouraging harmful and violent action to be taken against those engaging in same sex relations.

We respectfully call on the Parliament of Uganda to reject the Bill in its entirety.

We also call on African governments and the African Union to call on the President and Government of Uganda to withdraw the Bill and to respect the human rights of all in Uganda, without exception.