Several gay Christian men in Lilongwe this reporter spoke to said they have never been outright rejected from a church but have heard pastors preach discriminatory homilies against homosexuality.
Category: Stories
The following stories stem from Taboom’s regular workshops for journalists, editors and media professionals around the world. Since 2014 we have trained and mentored hundreds of journalists from more than 50 countries.
Rejected from church, some transgender Zambians find solace in prayer groups
Several transgender people in Zambia have disclosed the challenges they face attending church services due to discrimination and stigma by church leaders and members.
A transman’s death catalyzes an outpouring of love and action
Julias’ story reads like cruel fiction. Raised as a girl, Julias spent years conforming to societal expectations for girls and women. After Julias told his parents and husband that he was not the woman they thought but rather a transgender man, Julias’ family took him for an exorcism at a church.
How Uganda’s healthcare system is failing LGBTQ+ people
Annita Matsika a senior health journalist based in Mbarara, notes that in Western Uganda, a region of about 20 million people, there are only two drop-in health clinics known to offer LGBTQ+ people safe and inclusive treatment.
Could the historic case of a trans sex worker end Malawi’s anti-LGBTIQ law?
As Jana Gonani hurried past security guards to meet her visitors, her chequered shirt was half open, showing off a multicoloured necklace.
“I just like the necklace because the peace colours resemble rainbow colours, the colours that show who I am. I have no intention to hide my identity even whilst here in prison,” she said in an interview with openDemocracy and PIJ in November.
Intersex Children Face Church Stigma in Uganda
Intersex children in Mbale find themselves at the intersection of neglect, discrimination, and ignorance as religious institutions, including the Anglican Church, continue to marginalize them.
Human rights group cautions against church “exorcisms” for LGBTQ+ people
Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) has pleaded with churches to stop the inhuman and barbaric practice of claiming to ‘expel evil spirits’ from LGBTQ+ people.
How sex workers are exploited in Northern Uganda
While sex work offers some financial support, it is illegal in Uganda, leaving sex workers vulnerable to abuse.
Nigerian intersex newborns leave parents in dilemma
Lack of knowledge about intersex conditions coupled with cultural, religious, and social beliefs often results in prejudice, stigma, and discrimination against intersex people in Nigeria and much of the world.
Double Trouble for Malawi’s LGBTQI+ Community
Gender and sexual minorities in Malawi say discrimination is a major factor making it hard for them to benefit from the government’s social protection programs after Cyclone Freddy devastated the southern region of the country in March 2023.
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