November 16-19, 2017
Wits Science Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa

Taboom Founding Director Brian Pellot hosted a workshop, panel and networking session on Investigating LGBTQI+ issues at the 10th Global Investigative Journalism Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. The conference was attended by more than 1,000 journalists from all around the world.

Panelists included:

Brian Pellot, Founding Director, Taboom Media

Brant Houston, Knight Chair in Investigative Reporting, University of Illinois

Jabu Pereira, Director, Iranti

Selly Thiam, Founder/Executive Producer, None On Record

The assertion of rights by LGBTQI+ communities around the world, combined with a backlash and continued discrimination against them, has brought issues affecting those communities front and center in many societies. The areas for journalistic inquiry are as broad as are the communities themselves, ranging from shifting demographics and health care to hate crimes and discrimination.

Among the most pressing issues are human rights abuses. Members of LGBTQI+ communities often fall victim to discrimination and persecution. In many countries it is still illegal to be gay. In others, LGBTQI+ people don’t have the same rights or there are social taboos. In South Africa, for example, they are protected from discrimination in the constitution and people of the same sex can marry, but many LGBTQI+ people still live in fear.

Our speakers will look at the methodology of investigating hate crimes, the exposure of a brutal anti-gay purge in Chechnya, source development and protection, and the use of data journalism techniques on LGBTQI+ issues.