Ugandan activist among those accused of spreading ‘LGBT propaganda’ A widening crackdown on LGBT people and expression in Turkiye* has now seen the government target news outlets and social media accounts on accusations that the affected networks spread “LGBT propaganda,” in part by reporting on th…

George Freeman and Edwin Deen felt ‘trapped, unprotected, and overwhelmed’ By Colin Stewart and Moïse Manoël-Florisse Reportedly hunted by police, scorned by family and evicted by their landlady, two LGBTQ+ rights activists from Sierra Leone have fled the country and and reached safety in Spain. Ge…

Cape Town’s 2027 ‘family values’ conference raises concerns over LGBTQ+ rights, women’s equality and the future of African family law.

Imagine this: you are a gender non-conforming person who visits a clinic, but somehow, in the form to be filled out, there are only two genders. You have also requested that you would like to be attended to by a female doctor, but you were told that you don’t get to decide that. When you finally me…

Our 9th Regional Call for Proposals is now open to LGBTQI-led organizations and groups in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo.

“Portuguese-speaking Africa is not on the margins of Africa’s feminist movement. It is an essential part of it.” Across Africa, feminist movements have long challenged systems of inequality, responded to crises, created new possibilities for minoritized and excluded communities. Philanthropy has be…

by Dorothy Takyiakwaa and Faisal Garba How do gender and class intersect with the experience of mobility? While movement from one geographical location to another and the aspiration to move from one social position to the next are intrinsic to social life, state structures, the market, and related…

Mzansi Ballet’s Dirk Badenhorst wants to bring queer audiences back to ballet with a bold African vision and the spectacular The Gold Rhino of Mapungubwe.

Austin Mzukwa says he was turned away from Zanzibar for being gay, sparking debate about LGBTQ+ travellers visiting Tanzania.

Too often, activists ‘are expected to absorb the difference,’ says Global Black Pride’s president Mistreatment of LGBTQ+ rights activists by their own ill-funded organizations has re-emerged as a hot topic in LGBTQ communities, with Globe Black Pride accused of not paying its consultants and announ…

Soweto Pride 2026 brought two days of protest, queer visibility, powerful speeches and a vibrant celebration of LGBTQIA+ love and joy.

For many in Mozambique’s LGBTQ+ community, a life of exclusion, joblessness, vulnerability While Mozambique has a better track record on LGBTQ+ issues than many African nations, it’s plagued with widespread anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination that affects people’s access to rights, jobs, and social life. Th…

Click to expand Image Port Louis in Mauritius, November 12, 2024. © 2024 Xinhua/Shutterstock The National Human Rights Commission in Mauritius earlier this year urged the government to legally recognize same-sex marriages, stating that the refusal to recognize such unions is discriminatory and lack…

Soweto Pride 2026 ended with a vibrant celebration of queer love, joy, music and community at Lwalichaba Chesa Nyama.

Pretoria Pride 2026 returns to Centurion on 10 October. Get parade times, ticket prices, venue details and the latest on the Pride date clash.

Meet the Cape Town Pride Heroes 2026 honoured for LGBTQ+ activism, healthcare, HIV advocacy, refugee rights, faith and community work.

‘Living in Colors’ drew censors’ ire for frank portrayals of same-sex relationships A gay-themed Nigerian web series has made a return to YouTube amid threats to its production company by Nigeria’s film censorship board, which previously shut down a screening of the series at a film festival in Lag…

See Soweto Pride 2026 in pictures as LGBTQIA+ people march through Johannesburg for visibility, safety, justice and equality.

Anglican Church of Southern Africa rejects LGBTQ+ inclusion proposals, with a same-sex prayer motion defeated by just seven votes.

Queer South Africans explored faith, identity and belonging at a Soweto interfaith dialogue ahead of the 22nd Soweto Pride.

Niger has rejected key recommendations raised by United Nations member countries during its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) earlier this year, including calls to address arbitrary detention, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, and accountability for serious…

Imam Muhsin Hendricks' Al-Ghurbaah Foundation honours him in Cape Town, celebrating his legacy and renewing his vision of a home for queer Muslims.

Rooted in colonialism, legislation backed by governments eager for popularity is obstructing real progress for queer minorities

Cuts fell hardest in countries that already victimize LGBTQ people. Ninety percent of the world’s LGBTQ and intersex rights groups that were surveyed have lost funding since Donald Trump was sworn in as U.S. president in January 2025, the LGBTQ rights advocacy group Outright International announced…

An overview of LGBTIQ+ rights violations, hate speech incidents and updates in South Africa in August 2026, compiled by MambaOnline and OUT.

Freedom House cites declining safety for Uganda’s queer people and political opposition Freedom House, a U.S.-based organization that promotes democracy, political freedom, and human rights internationally, has classified Uganda as “Not Free” based on the organization’s evaluation of the real-world…

Click to expand Image United Nations headquarters in New York City, December 2020. © 2020 zz/STRF/STAR MAX/IPx via AP Photo (New York) – World leaders at the annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City from September 22-28, 2026, should commit to defending human rights, H…

Mauritius LGBTQ+ activists are stepping up their campaign for marriage equality, backed by a recent key human rights finding and international support.

Globally, hard-won rights and freedoms like sexual and reproductive health and rights, hate speech legislation that protects gender and sexual minorities, gender equality laws and the concept of gender itself, together with other progressive rights, are being challenged and rolled back. Africa, par…

Police in Cameroon violated human rights, rules of evidence and international treaties. ANALYSIS By Jean Jacques Dissoke The arrest of 68 people last month whom police presumed to be gay was just the beginning of a series of actions by homophobic police that violated human rights guarantees, proced…

Rev. Milly van Wyhe responds to Cape Town’s rainbow crossing vandalism and says Christianity should never be used against LGBTQ+ people.

England-Ghana football/soccer promotion plan ignored dangers for LGBTQ tourists Plans have collapsed for a £10 million “Visit Ghana” campaign that could have attracted gay fans of England’s Sunderland AFC football/soccer team to the West African nation that’s close to enacting a bill that would jai…

It is a profoundly political act: standing together in the face of horror — Robin Coste Lewis

Probe of Paul Gérard murder produced results, which rarely happens. By Steeves Winner The Cameroon police investigation into the murder of 24-year-old Paul Gérard has taken a major step forward with the arrest of the main suspect, Karl Liam, in the Logpom residential neighborhood of Douala. Gérard’…

Soweto Pride 2026 celebrates its 22nd anniversary with the annual march and Queer Joy Celebration. Get the dates, venue, line-up and free ticket details.

The RESPOND Fund is a support mechanism set up by ISDAO for partners who have received a ‘Regional’ or ‘Love Alliance’ grant. These additional funds enable organisations to provide rapid and flexible support to address emergencies relating to safety, security and other pressing community needs.

LGBTQ+ rights activists George Freeman and Edwin Deen feel ‘trapped, unprotected, and overwhelmed’ Hunted by police, scorned by family and evicted by their landlady, two LGBTQ+ rights activists from Sierra Leone have fled the country for their safety. George Reginald Freeman Browne, the executive d…

There’s been an online uproar after Rwandan National Police spokesperson ACP Rutikanga Boniface announced on public television that public indecency will be punished. On August 29, police officers threatened to beat young women attending a concert by Tanzanian singer Diamond Platnumz if they did no…

ISLA’s legal analysis on the Draft African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values speaks for itself ISLA’s legal analysis on the Draft African Charter on Family, Sovereignty and Values speaks for itself The Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) reaffirms the integrity, independenc…

COMMUNIQUÉ Learning from Poland: ISLA webinar examines ‘family values’ narratives in African legal and policy spaces The Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA), through its Countering Anti-Rights Actors (CARA) thematic area, recently convened a webinar, ‘Learning from Poland: Understa…

Early data shows South Africans and Zambians have a big appetite for the twice-yearly HIV prevention injection. But clinics don’t yet have enough doses for everyone who wants it. It’s a balancing act: how do you persuade people to want a new medicine when there isn’t enough of it to go around?

Four South Africans from groups the government wants to reach with the six-monthly HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir (LEN), tell us why they chose the shot, what happened at the clinic and whether they’ll go back for another dose.

Cape Town's rainbow crosswalk vandalism has unleashed a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ online hate speech, including slurs and calls for violence.

 Chris Pappas is South Africa’s first out gay mayor, heading the uMngeni Municipality in in KwaZulu-Natal. (Photo: Facebook) The Public Protector has formally cleared Chris Pappas, South Africa’s first out gay mayor, of allegations of nepotism and corruption. On New Year’s Eve, the Office of the Public Protector of South Africa (PPSA) released a report finalising 768 investigations conducted during the last quarter of the year. Among the matters investigated were allegations made by former DA provincial leader Sizwe Mchunu against Democratic Alliance (DA) uMngeni Mayor Pappas. Mchunu claimed that Pappas failed to declare his relationship with his former fiancé, Jean-Pierre Prinsloo, who chairs uMngeni Tourism — an NGO that received R100,000 in funding from the uMngeni Council. The PPSA concluded that “the investigation found no evidence of improper conduct”. It noted that uMngeni Tourism had received regular grant funding from the municipality “long before” Pappas became mayor in 2021. Proper Processes Followed The PPSA further highlighted that both Pappas and Prinsloo made the required declarations. It also confirmed that the funding was approved by Council through a formal resolution, with Pappas recusing himself from all deliberations and decision-making processes. This ensured “compliance with governance protocols”. The allegations against Pappas were widely shared on social media in 2023 and led to the ANC Youth League organising a march in Howick. Hundreds of demonstrators demanded his resignation and arrest. Speaking to SABC News, Pappas said: “I am now seeking legal advisement, both as the municipality and as an individual, for defamation against Mr Mchunu.” A previous review by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs also found no wrongdoing in the matter. A Historic Mayoral Tenure Pappas became mayor of the uMngeni Municipality in KZN in 2021, making history as the country’s first openly gay mayor. He told MambaOnline at the time that he would never consider hiding his sexuality from voters. “It is who I am. I can’t change that and would not want to,” he said. In 2023, Time magazine recognised Pappas as one of the world’s 100 most promising emerging leaders.

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned that the country cannot claim meaningful progress on human rights when gender-based-violence (GBV) continues to threaten the safety of women across the country. In a message marking International Human Rights Day and Namibian Women’s Day on Wednesday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said GBV is a violation of human dignity and a betrayal of the values upheld by freedom fighters. “Women deserve safety, respect, and the full protection of the law in an independent Namibia,” she said. The president said GBV contradicts the country’s human rights commitments, adding that women’s empowerment and human rights are not separate ideas but intertwined principles. Nandi-Ndaitwah said women hold influential positions across corporate and political spheres, shaping the direction of the nation. From boardrooms to Cabinet rooms, from entrepreneurs to lawmakers, she said women are driving innovation, shaping policy and influencing national agendas. “Their leadership has proven the struggle for equality is ongoing and progress depends on ensuring that women lead, participate and thrive in every space where decisions are made,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. She noted that free primary and secondary education, as well as free tertiary planned for next year and investments in accessible healthcare are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to uphold human dignity. “Challenges like youth unemployment, child labour, and the protection of vulnerable people demand collective action,” the president said. She called on the nation to defend human rights in their everyday practices and not just in principles. The post Namibia cannot honour human rights when violence persists, says president Nandi-Ndaitwah appeared first on The Namibian. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has warned that the country cannot claim meaningful progress on human rights when gender-based-violence (GBV) continues to threaten the safety of women across the country. In a message marking International Human Rights Day and Namibian Women’s Day on Wednesday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said GBV is a violation of human dignity and a betrayal of the values upheld by freedom fighters. “Women deserve safety, respect, and the full protection of the law in an independent Namibia,” she said. The president said GBV contradicts the country’s human rights commitments, adding that women’s empowerment and human rights are not separate ideas but intertwined principles. Nandi-Ndaitwah said women hold influential positions across corporate and political spheres, shaping the direction of the nation. From boardrooms to Cabinet rooms, from entrepreneurs to lawmakers, she said women are driving innovation, shaping policy and influencing national agendas. “Their leadership has proven the struggle for equality is ongoing and progress depends on ensuring that women lead, participate and thrive in every space where decisions are made,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. She noted that free primary and secondary education, as well as free tertiary planned for next year and investments in accessible healthcare are part of the government’s ongoing efforts to uphold human dignity. “Challenges like youth unemployment, child labour, and the protection of vulnerable people demand collective action,” the president said. She called on the nation to defend human rights in their everyday practices and not just in principles. The post Namibia cannot honour human rights when violence persists, says president Nandi-Ndaitwah appeared first on The Namibian.

 The Sundance Film Festival has been one of the premier destinations for queer independent film for over 40 years. Classic queer productions like Y Tu Mamá También, Paris Is Burning, But I'm a Cheerleader, and Tangerine have all debuted at the festival over the years. Now, as the festival prepares for its final year in Park City, Utah, before moving to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027, the slate of new movies has been announced, and it includes quite a few queer films we can't wait to see. From genre films and documentaries to coming-of-age stories and romances, there's a wide variety of films for queer to excite audiences at the festival and beyond. Here are 14 to look out for. Learn more about the 2026 Sundance Film festival at sundance.org. 'Barbara Forever'  This documentary from Brydie O'Connor tracks the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. 'Big Girls Don't Cry'  New Zealand filmmaker Paloma Schneiderman writes and directs this film that takes place over one transformative summer in rural New Zealand in 2006. It follows 14-year-old Sid Bookman as she discovers desire, identity, and the internet as she imitates the people she longs to be loved by. 'The Brittney Griner Story'  Filmmaker Alex Stapleton explores the circumstances that led to WNBA star Brittney Griner playing basketball outside the U.S. despite being one of the best players in the sport, including her harrowing Russian detainment, unwavering determination to secure her freedom, and her advocacy for the release of other wrongful detainees. 'Extra Geography'  This film from director Molly Manners and writer Miriam Battye takes place in an English girls' boarding school where two teenage best friends grapple with the challenges of girlhood, including friendship, boys, studies, and growing up, as well as working on their school project, falling in love. 'Give Me the Ball!'  This documentary from directors Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff follows tennis trailblazer Billie Jean King with archive footage and candid interviews to reveal how she put changing the world ahead of saving herself. "I Want Your Sex'  Legendary filmmaker Gregg Araki returns to Sundance with this new comedy about fresh-faced Elliot, who lands a job with artist and provocateur Erika Tracy, and sees his fantasies come true as she taps him to become her sexual muse, drawing him into a world of sex, obsession, power, betrayal, and murder. Starring Cooper Hoffman, Olivia Wilde, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs, and Charli XCX. 'Jaripeo'  This documentary journeys to Michoacán’s hypermasculine rodeos and descends into the subconscious of memory, queer desire, and longing, leading to a reckoning with the wounds and beauty of a home left behind. 'LADY'  Olive Nwosu's film taks place in the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, where a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a band of radiantly reckless sex workers whose sisterhood pulls her into danger, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation. 'Leviticus'  This Australian film follows two star-crossed teenage boys who must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most. 'Mysterious Skin'  Gregg Araki's classic 2004 coming-of-age story stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbet as two boys whose lives take different directions following sexual abuse as children. 'Public Access'  This documentary takes an unprecedented look inside one of the greatest media experiments to hijack American screens through rare archives from New York's underground public access. The film shows a world of creators who shattered rules, defied censors, and transformed televisions into a free-speech battleground. 'Tell Me Everything'  Amid the late ’80s pop craze and rising HIV epidemic, 12-year-old Boaz uncovers a devastating secret about the father he idolizes that threatens to tear his family apart. Across a years-long journey, Boaz seeks to heal the wound and reclaim the father-son bond he never stopped yearning for. 'Theydream'  After 20 years of chronicling his Puerto Rican family, a director and his mother face devastating losses in this documentary. Through tears and laughter, they craft animations that bring their loved ones back to life, discovering that every act of creation is also an act of letting go. 'zi'  Michelle Mao, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jin Ha star in this young film set in Hong Kong, where a young woman haunted by visions of her future self meets a stranger who changes the course of her night. The Sundance Film Festival has been one of the premier destinations for queer independent film for over 40 years. Classic queer productions like Y Tu Mamá También, Paris Is Burning, But I'm a Cheerleader, and Tangerine have all debuted at the festival over the years. Now, as the festival prepares for its final year in Park City, Utah, before moving to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027, the slate of new movies has been announced, and it includes quite a few queer films we can't wait to see. From genre films and documentaries to coming-of-age stories and romances, there's a wide variety of films for queer to excite audiences at the festival and beyond. Here are 14 to look out for. Learn more about the 2026 Sundance Film festival at sundance.org. 'Barbara Forever' This documentary from Brydie O'Connor tracks the life, work, and legacy of iconic, pioneering lesbian filmmaker Barbara Hammer. 'Big Girls Don't Cry' New Zealand filmmaker Paloma Schneiderman writes and directs this film that takes place over one transformative summer in rural New Zealand in 2006. It follows 14-year-old Sid Bookman as she discovers desire, identity, and the internet as she imitates the people she longs to be loved by. 'The Brittney Griner Story' Filmmaker Alex Stapleton explores the circumstances that led to WNBA star Brittney Griner playing basketball outside the U.S. despite being one of the best players in the sport, including her harrowing Russian detainment, unwavering determination to secure her freedom, and her advocacy for the release of other wrongful detainees. 'Extra Geography' This film from director Molly Manners and writer Miriam Battye takes place in an English girls' boarding school where two teenage best friends grapple with the challenges of girlhood, including friendship, boys, studies, and growing up, as well as working on their school project, falling in love. 'Give Me the Ball!' This documentary from directors Liz Garbus and Elizabeth Wolff follows tennis trailblazer Billie Jean King with archive footage and candid interviews to reveal how she put changing the world ahead of saving herself. "I Want Your Sex' Legendary filmmaker Gregg Araki returns to Sundance with this new comedy about fresh-faced Elliot, who lands a job with artist and provocateur Erika Tracy, and sees his fantasies come true as she taps him to become her sexual muse, drawing him into a world of sex, obsession, power, betrayal, and murder. Starring Cooper Hoffman, Olivia Wilde, Mason Gooding, Chase Sui Wonders, Daveed Diggs, and Charli XCX. 'Jaripeo' This documentary journeys to Michoacán’s hypermasculine rodeos and descends into the subconscious of memory, queer desire, and longing, leading to a reckoning with the wounds and beauty of a home left behind. 'LADY' Olive Nwosu's film taks place in the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, where a fiercely independent young cab driver meets a band of radiantly reckless sex workers whose sisterhood pulls her into danger, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation. 'Leviticus' This Australian film follows two star-crossed teenage boys who must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most. 'Mysterious Skin' Gregg Araki's classic 2004 coming-of-age story stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Brady Corbet as two boys whose lives take different directions following sexual abuse as children. 'Public Access' This documentary takes an unprecedented look inside one of the greatest media experiments to hijack American screens through rare archives from New York's underground public access. The film shows a world of creators who shattered rules, defied censors, and transformed televisions into a free-speech battleground. 'Tell Me Everything' Amid the late ’80s pop craze and rising HIV epidemic, 12-year-old Boaz uncovers a devastating secret about the father he idolizes that threatens to tear his family apart. Across a years-long journey, Boaz seeks to heal the wound and reclaim the father-son bond he never stopped yearning for. 'Theydream' After 20 years of chronicling his Puerto Rican family, a director and his mother face devastating losses in this documentary. Through tears and laughter, they craft animations that bring their loved ones back to life, discovering that every act of creation is also an act of letting go. 'zi' Michelle Mao, Haley Lu Richardson, and Jin Ha star in this young film set in Hong Kong, where a young woman haunted by visions of her future self meets a stranger who changes the course of her night.

 Logo: Sheyam Ghieth Subscribe now First published Nov 13, 2024 This is part of a running series. Read the previous Wonder Chronicle: On Getting Up When fascism flexes its muscles, supersize your feminism and become a giant. Close your eyes and recall your origin story. Every superhero has an origin story. Often, it is from a time when they almost succumbed to an antagonist, a force of evil, a nemesis who brought them to their knees. And then they snapped. That snap is the sound of the giant within you being born. FEMINIST GIANT is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Is it scary? Fuck yeah, it’s scary. Coming into your power is a thing of wonder. To give birth to that giant you are meant to be is marvellous: : causing wonder : astonishing : miraculous, supernatural : of the highest kind or quality, notably superior When fascism flexes its muscles, supersize your feminism and become a giant. Signed copies of my books When theocracy seizes the pulpit and prosyletises for fascism, we must sin. In the Gospel of Mona, the greater the sin, the greater the giant. Anger. Attention. Profanity. Ambition. Power. Violence. Lust. Pick one, Choose all seven. In the time of fascism and theocracy, to sin is to be a feminist giant.  Each sin is a molotov cocktail to aim into the belly of patriarchy. Accumulate your arsenal and finesse your aim. Keep the patriarchy in your crosshairs every day. Shoot! I am here to destroy it: wherever it lives, however it manifests, whoever carries its water. Build your feminist power and know that to be powerful is not to do or be what a man can do or be. Feminism demands more than equality with cisgender heterosexual men. Men are not my yardstick.  When theocracy seizes the pulpit and prosyletises for fascism, we must sin. In the Gospel of Mona, the greater the sin, the greater the giant. Anger. Attention. Profanity. Ambition. Power. Violence. Lust. Signed copies of my books If men themselves are not free of the ravages of racism, capitalism and other forms of oppression, it is not enough to say I want to be equal to them. As long as patriarchy remains unchallenged, men will continue to be the default and the standard against which everything is measured. Feminism is not about doing what men do. I do not want what men have. I want much more.  I want to be free.  To be a giant is to know that power is more complicated than presidents and elected representatives. Power lives in more places than the presidential office. It lives in the State, the Street, and the Home: the Trifecta of Patriarchy. Keep all three in your crosshairs. And shoot! Daily acts of defiance, disobedience and disruption of the patriarchy are the workouts that build up feminist muscles and make of us giants.  Give a gift subscription Patriarchy too often throws women crumbs in return for a limited form of power. Women who accept those crumbs are expected in return to uphold patriarchy, internalize its dictates, police other women and never forget that power bestowed is power that can be retracted. I don’t want crumbs; I want the whole cake, and I want to bake it myself. Refuse the crumbs of patriarchy. Vow instead to destroy it and its measly crumbs. Bake your own cake and eat it too! Feel the snap within you and recall your origin story. Become a giant of feminism! My goal: that you are found by wonder. My wish: that you intensely live.  Thank you for reading my essay. You can support my work by: • Hitting the heart button so that others can be intrigued and read • Upgrading to a paid subscription to support FEMINIST GIANT • Via a one-time payment through PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee • You can also support my work via PatreonThanks for reading FEMINIST GIANT! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share Mona Eltahawy is a feminist author, commentator and disruptor of patriarchy. Her latest book is an anthology on menopause she edited called Bloody Hell!: Adventures in Menopause from Around the World. Her first book Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution (2015) targeted patriarchy in the Middle East and North Africa and her second The Seven Necessary Sins For Women and Girls (2019) took her disruption worldwide. It is now available in Ireland and the UK. Her commentary has appeared in media around the world and she makes video essays and writes a newsletter as FEMINIST GIANT. I appreciate your support. If you like this piece and you want to further support my writing, you can like/comment below, forward this article to others, or send a gift subscription to someone else today. Give a gift subscription Logo: Sheyam Ghieth Subscribe now First published Nov 13, 2024 This is part of a running series. Read the previous Wonder Chronicle: On Getting Up When fascism flexes its muscles, supersize your feminism and become a giant. Close your eyes and recall your origin story. Every superhero has an origin story. Often, it is from a time when they almost succumbed to an antagonist, a force of evil, a nemesis who brought them to their knees. And then they snapped. That snap is the sound of the giant within you being born. FEMINIST GIANT is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Is it scary? Fuck yeah, it’s scary. Coming into your power is a thing of wonder. To give birth to that giant you are meant to be is marvellous: : causing wonder : astonishing : miraculous, supernatural : of the highest kind or quality, notably superior When fascism flexes its muscles, supersize your feminism and become a giant. Signed copies of my books When theocracy seizes the pulpit and prosyletises for fascism, we must sin. In the Gospel of Mona, the greater the sin, the greater the giant. Anger. Attention. Profanity. Ambition. Power. Violence. Lust. Pick one, Choose all seven. In the time of fascism and theocracy, to sin is to be a feminist giant.  Each sin is a molotov cocktail to aim into the belly of patriarchy. Accumulate your arsenal and finesse your aim. Keep the patriarchy in your crosshairs every day. Shoot! I am here to destroy it: wherever it lives, however it manifests, whoever carries its water. Build your feminist power and know that to be powerful is not to do or be what a man can do or be. Feminism demands more than equality with cisgender heterosexual men. Men are not my yardstick.  When theocracy seizes the pulpit and prosyletises for fascism, we must sin. In the Gospel of Mona, the greater the sin, the greater the giant. Anger. Attention. Profanity. Ambition. Power. Violence. Lust. Signed copies of my books If men themselves are not free of the ravages of racism, capitalism and other forms of oppression, it is not enough to say I want to be equal to them. As long as patriarchy remains unchallenged, men will continue to be the default and the standard against which everything is measured. Feminism is not about doing what men do. I do not want what men have. I want much more.  I want to be free.  To be a giant is to know that power is more complicated than presidents and elected representatives. Power lives in more places than the presidential office. It lives in the State, the Street, and the Home: the Trifecta of Patriarchy. Keep all three in your crosshairs. And shoot! Daily acts of defiance, disobedience and disruption of the patriarchy are the workouts that build up feminist muscles and make of us giants. Give a gift subscription Patriarchy too often throws women crumbs in return for a limited form of power. Women who accept those crumbs are expected in return to uphold patriarchy, internalize its dictates, police other women and never forget that power bestowed is power that can be retracted. I don’t want crumbs; I want the whole cake, and I want to bake it myself. Refuse the crumbs of patriarchy. Vow instead to destroy it and its measly crumbs. Bake your own cake and eat it too! Feel the snap within you and recall your origin story. Become a giant of feminism! My goal: that you are found by wonder. My wish: that you intensely live.  Thank you for reading my essay. You can support my work by: • Hitting the heart button so that others can be intrigued and read • Upgrading to a paid subscription to support FEMINIST GIANT • Via a one-time payment through PayPal or Buy Me a Coffee • You can also support my work via PatreonThanks for reading FEMINIST GIANT! This post is public so feel free to share it. Share Mona Eltahawy is a feminist author, commentator and disruptor of patriarchy. Her latest book is an anthology on menopause she edited called Bloody Hell!: Adventures in Menopause from Around the World. Her first book Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution (2015) targeted patriarchy in the Middle East and North Africa and her second The Seven Necessary Sins For Women and Girls (2019) took her disruption worldwide. It is now available in Ireland and the UK. Her commentary has appeared in media around the world and she makes video essays and writes a newsletter as FEMINIST GIANT. I appreciate your support. If you like this piece and you want to further support my writing, you can like/comment below, forward this article to others, or send a gift subscription to someone else today. Give a gift subscription

Bill calls for three years in prison for every LGBTQ person in Ghana Ghana President John Dramani Mahama (Photo courtesy of Vibe Ghana) The LGBTQ rights advocacy group Rightify Ghana reports: “President Mahama Pledges to Sign Anti-LGBTQ Bill If Passed by Parliament, Rejects Same-Sex Marriage and Transgender Rights “President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his administration’s opposition to same-sex marriage and transgender rights, stating that he would sign the controversial “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill” – commonly known as the anti-LGBTQ bill – if it is passed by Parliament. “His remarks, which drew applause from religious leaders, underscore a firm stance on traditional family values amid ongoing debates over LGBTQ+ rights in the country. “Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Christian Council of Ghana to the Jubilee House [the presidential palace] on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, President Mahama outlined his government’s position: “But if you want, the position of my government [is that] marriage is between a man and a woman. A person’s gender is determined at birth. And then also, that the family is the foundation of our nation. That is our position.” “The President addressed the status of a previous version of the bill, which was introduced in the 8th Parliament but never reached his predecessor, Nana Akufo-Addo, for assent. According to Mahama, the bill lapsed and expired following the dissolution of the 8th Parliament, as stipulated by Ghana’s Constitution. “He [stated] that Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has expressed commitment to reintroduce the bill, allowing it to undergo the full legislative process anew. ” Confusion in Parliament Anti-LGBTQ members of parliament are confused about the bill’s current status. They had said in March that they had refiled the bill  but last month they noticed that it was not on Parliament’s official order of business. “We  thought that the bill had been passed [last year]” and was ready for the president to act on it this year, said Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga.   To make sure that Parliament will act on the bill, a group of bipartisan Members of Parliament said they would reintroduce it.  The bill was to be laid before the House for its first reading on Oct. 21. No LGBTQ person would be safe See Also If enacted without change from last year, the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill would theoretically lead to the imprisonment of more than 350,000 people, based on a 2011 survey in which 1 percent of Ghana’s population said they were gay or lesbian. The bill calls for three years in prison for anyone who identifies as (“holds out as”) LGBTQ. That would expand on Ghana’s current law that provides a three-year prison sentence for same-sex intimacy. The new bill would also add a three-year prison term for people who: • Participate in gender-reassignment surgery; • Enter into a same-sex marriage; or • Attend a same-sex wedding. It would impose prison sentences of up to 10 years on people who “promote” LGBTQ activity. The bill is widely opposed by human rights advocates, as well as by Peter Turkson, a cardinal of the Catholic Church in Ghana. Turkson has distanced himself from the bill because it would criminalize people for merely being gay rather than for any actions. Ghana’s Human Rights Commission told Parliament it would encroach on the fundamental human right of association. Davis Mac-Iyalla (Photo courtesy of Mamba Online) Davis Mac-Iyalla, the executive director of the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDONWA), said the bill is unconstitutional, discriminatory and would place a financial burden on the nation by forcing it to imprison so many of Ghana’s citizens.

| December 1, 2025 | In Culture, EVENTS & PLACES, HEADLINES  Formed in 2020, “barely a week before lockdown,” the Johannesburg Queer Chorus (JQC) has grown from a hopeful idea into one of Joburg’s most vibrant queer community hubs. Reflecting on its origin story, founding member Tom Coggin recalls how the dream first took shape. “We were able to get going again with masked rehearsals in November of that year, and soon our momentum got going again as people sought out community,” he explains. “That’s really what inspired its creation, the recognition that community is this wonderful force of good in the world, and that Joburg needed a choral space for LGBTQIA+ people to feel safe, seen, and our voices heard… We had seen similar choirs in other parts of the world, and figured that Jozi deserved one too!” A Choir That Became a Community Five years later, that vision has expanded far beyond what anyone expected. According to Wynand Strydom, the choir’s Vice Chairperson, the JQC has grown “in ways we could never have imagined.” “We’ve had the privilege of working under three incredible musical directors: Ruth Coggin, Jacques Le Roux, and now Faye Prinsloo,” he says. “Each brought their own artistry, and although we began as an amateur choir, our sound today is anything but.” But the heart of the JQC, Wynand emphasises, is the community that has formed around it. “More queer people across Johannesburg are discovering that there is a safe, affirming space waiting for them. Even if singing isn’t your thing, you can still be a Friend of the JQC and be part of the family we’re building.” The impact has been so profound that even long-time members are still surprised by the reach of the choir. “It’s overwhelming to think of the JQC’s impact,” Wynand reflects, “an impact that we feel very intensely but may never be able to measure fully.” Moments That Affirm the Mission Asked about major highlights, Tom points to a milestone: the choir’s participation in the Various Voices Choir Festival in 2023. But for him, the real magic happens weekly. “The ultimate highlight happens almost every week, on Tuesday evenings,” he says. “We warm our voices up in an almost meditative trance… and begin to connect with each other through a simple spirituality of shared harmony.” For Jess Jardim Wedepohl, the choir’s Member Relations Coordinator, Pride performances stand out. “That’s where our people are,” she says, noting that despite invitations to more high-profile events, including the African premiere of Wicked: For Good, community-focused performances “will always hold a special place in my heart.” Like Tom, her favourite moments happen in rehearsal: “Not one rehearsal goes by without one small, significant moment… It’s all equally meaningful.”  Joy to Joburg: A Dezemba Choral Special On Saturday, 6 December, the JQC brings audiences Joy to Joburg: A Dezemba Choral Special, a concert that promises shimmer, soul, and a few surprises. “There’s a good mix of sparkle and splendour,” says Ati Maphoto, the choir’s Media Officer. “The whole programme is a reminder that you have more friends than you know… We want to paint a dream that we can follow and leave the audience feeling changed for good. And of course, we definitely Wannabe your Weekend Special.” Queering the Festive Season For many queer people, the holiday period can be complicated, a reality the choir does not shy away from. “Our show centres our own stories,” Wynand explains. “We asked our members what the season truly looks like for them… Those real experiences shaped the show.” He adds that the JQC is intentionally creating a festive space filled with “joy, visibility, and true belonging,” especially for those who may feel the season’s emotional complexity more sharply. What It Takes to Build a Dezemba Spectacle As a volunteer-based choir, the behind-the-scenes work is extensive. Ati credits the members themselves. “It all begins with the music and our weekly Tuesday rehearsals,” he explains. Beyond that, a dedicated Creative Team handles “set design, lighting plans, and costume considerations,” ensuring the final product shimmers before the first note is sung. The Impact They Hope to Leave For Ati, the meaning of Joy to Joburg is deeply personal: “For many of us, this choir is a queer home… This show is an effervescent celebration of music, identity, and togetherness. We’re singing our truth and invite you to feel yours.”  The Johannesburg Queer Chorus at Pretoria Pride. How Joburgers Can Support the JQC Beyond attending the concert, Joburgers can support the choir by following them on social media, joining events, or even auditioning next year. “You can keep up with us on Facebook and Instagram, or visit our website at www.jqc.org.za,” Ati says. “The next round of auditions is in January 2026. The best way to support us is to stay in the loop so you can join in and be part of the magic.” Join the Johannesburg Queer Chorus for Joy to Joburg: A Dezemba Choral Special, on Saturday 6 December at the UJ Arts Centre in Johannesburg. Shows at 3 PM and 7 PM. Tickets are available on Quicket.