Category Archives: Africa
WORST and Dangerous places for Gay Travelers
Forbes ran a great article recently stating – Topping the LGBTQ+ Danger Index is Nigeria, which is considered the worst country for violence against gay travelers. There, people can be put in prison for up to 14 years just for being gay, and some states even have the death penalty under Sharia law.
Compared to places like Sweden – Sweden is the safest country in the world for LGBTQ travelers. Same-sex marriage has been legal there since 2009, and the country has more Pride festivals per capita than anywhere else in the world.
Journalists looked at the top 150 most-visited countries in the world by the number of incoming tourists, then ranked them using eight factors, including laws against gay relationships, legal protection against discrimination and more. According to the report, a few factors, such as adoption recognition and worker protections, may not affect travelers directly but are a good indication of overall attitudes within the culture. “These issues can affect everything, from your ability to show public displays of affection to being able to share a hotel room bed to the capacity at which you can use dating apps without being caught by the local police,” reads the report. Read the full article HERE.
Is Gay Travel to Uganda Safe?
From Gay Star News…
Ugandan tourism officials have said the African country still welcomes gay tourists despite repeated attempts to pass an anti-gay law.
The Ugandan Tourism Board (UTB) recently met with the International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA) to try to restore the country’s reputation among both gay and straight tourists.
John Tanzella, president and CEO of IGLTA, told the SoSoGay website that the board felt Western media had portrayed Uganda in a particularly negative light since the country passed a law that would punish gay sex with life imprisonment in December last year.
The law was struck down last month.
Tanzella said, ‘The delegation said that gay people are welcome.
‘They were very concerned about the perception of Uganda in Western Europe and North America, and claimed that the backlash caught them by surprise.
‘No-one thought it would pass. The delegates all pointed out that they have friends and family who are gay.’
He said Uganda was a long way off from joining IGLTA and first would have to go through a ‘process of education.’
In a statement released in March the UTB said, ‘The controversy currently surrounding the Anti Homosexuality Act 2014 is exaggerated.
‘No gay person will be killed in Uganda.
‘The law was based on the majority support for it in the Parliament of Uganda and the majority ordinary Ugandans whose cultural and religious beliefs are not agreeable to some habits such as homosexuality.
‘However, Uganda is a very hospitable, friendly, warm and loving country of diverse culture, religion and beliefs which welcomes all visitors of all backgrounds regardless of their sexual orientation, beliefs and skin color.’
Not for me! No thank you!
– See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/uganda-tourism-board-gays-are-welcome150914#sthash.yBHqG57K.dpuf
Spend an Intimate Week With the Boys from Bel Ami Studios in Cape Town, South Africa
THIS IS THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME!
THE VACATION OF YOUR DREAMS!
For the first time ever, BelAmi is offering a limited opportunity for fans to meet the BelAmi models and crew and partake in the BelAmi Photo Workshop. This is an unique chance to meet the team in person that have inspired so many fantasies on film.
There will be 2 workshop sessions (depending on interest) scheduled during an upcoming film shoot in Cape Town/South Africa. The workshop participants will have access to most of the current stars from our movies and website. You will get to meet the guys, socialize with them and most importantly have the opportunity to take you own images of the guys!! The best pictures will be published in a special commemorative book.
Can you imagine hanging out with the most beautiful young men in the world! And having the chance to photograph them?!
The workshops will have the following format:
Day 1: Arrival and welcome dinner. At the welcome dinner you will be introduced to your instructor, meet and get the chance to chat with BelAmi founder George Duroy and all of the crew as well as the chance to get to know some of the models that you will be working with for the next 4 days
Day 2 – 5: 1/2 day workshop and instruction, 1/2 day freeform photographic session
Day 6: Brunch and Departure
Included in the package is:
-Working with models including: Kris Evans, Dolph Lambert, Jean-Daniel Chagall, Ariel Vanean, Luke Hamill, Todd Rosset and the Peters twins
-All accommodation for the duration of the course (5 nights) individual rooms in a small hotel reserved entirely for BelAmi
-Transfers to and from the airport and from the hotel to the locations.
-All breakfast and on the set meals
-4 days of expert instruction and photo shooting at our filming locations and other places
-6 months membership to our website BelAmiOnline
-Signed copies of both Howard Roffman and Benno Thom’s most recent BelAmi photo books
-A copy of the commemorative book (when published)
-Certificate of completion
-Farewell Brunch
WOW! Does that sound amazing, or what?!
Each workshop will be limited to 5-7 places, to ensure that each person will get maximum personal attention.
The course will cost only 5,500 euro, booking will be secured upon payment of a 50% deposit.
Workshop 1, starting on March 8 and finishing March 13 will be conducted by Howard Roffman and we recommend this for participants who have some basic knowledge of photography
Workshop 2, starting on March 14 and finishing March 20 will be conducted by Benno Thoma will be ideal for aspiring photographers of all levels, from pure beginners to those who have knowledge of their camera already.
For further details and
expressions of interest,
please contact us
IMMEDIATELY
at raphaelsmp (at) gmail . com
by January 15!!!
No Gay Travel to Uganda Anytime Soon!
living in a country that HATES gays?
Life imprisonment is the minimum punishment for anyone convicted of having gay sex, under an anti-homosexuality bill currently before Uganda‘s parliament.
If the accused person is HIV positive or a serial offender, or a “person of authority” over the other partner, or if the “victim” is under 18, a conviction will result in the death penalty.
Members of the public are obliged to report any homosexual activity to police with 24 hours or risk up to three years in jail – a scenario that human rights campaigners say will result in a witchhunt. Ugandans breaking the new law abroad will be subject to extradition requests.
AND GET THIS – just to add fuel to the fire of Ugandas deeply-rooted homophobia, a US-linked evangelical campaign alleging that gay men are trying to “recruit” schoolchildren, and that homosexuality is a habit that can be “cured”, has ensured widespread public support for the bill.
Both Britain and Canada’s prime ministers have told President Yoweri Museveni that a proposed law that would result in homosexuals in Uganda being imprisoned for life or even executed needs to be withdrawn.
further reading –
Read More About Uganda’s Homophobia and this form of genocide at Guardian UK.
Gay Rights Uganda Gay Uganda Blog
The Best Gay Travel Guide
Vote For Tyrone Nell – The Next Mr. Gay South Africa?
The board of directors of Mr. Gay South Africa (Pty) Ltd have announced the launch of the registered and trade-marked Mr. Gay South Africa™ / Mnr Gay Suid-Afrika™ competition in South Africa. This will be a very exciting and most probably the richest pageant of its kind in the country.
The CEO, Mr. Cor Jansen van Rensburg, an MBA-graduate who is based in London, said that the company is looking for a candidate who does not only possess beauty on the outside, but also from within. A gay man of impeccable character, taste and style – and of course – a temple of a body to house these admirable qualities. A candidate of whom the LGBTI community – in all it’s diversity – can be proud of.
The other directors of the company are Juan C. Lerm, well-known in the gay community for launching and organising the annual Pink Loerie Mardi Gras in Knysna and Coenie Kukkuk, Pretoria-based attorney and editor of online magazine, Gayspeak.
Juan as Director of Operations is heading up all operations for the competition including the regional finals, the sponsors, the candidates and of course, the glamorous final event at a very upmarket venue in Gauteng. Details will be announced closer to the event. The final is planned to be before Christmas of this year. Mr Kukkuk is responsible for the media and legal division. The three directors bring many years of experience of events in the gay community to the table.
Candidates who want to enter, can do so online. The first three regional finalists for the Eastern Cape were chosen during the Pink Loerie Mardi Gras. The three outstanding candidates, Chris Macgregor, Tyrone Nell and Leo Jan De Beer, qualified for the final by virtue of their achievement in Mr Mardi Gras. The rest of the regional competitions will be announced soon – keep an eye on the website!
The final event will be something that will attract national attention. It will be stylish, glamorous, packed with celebrities and major sponsors – and of course, entertainment of the best that South Africa can offer.
The Directors said that nothing but the best will do – candidates, prizes, sponsors and the final crowning night.
This is event the LGBTI community will be proud to be associated with.
We are proud supporters of Tyrone Nell, face of Pridebook, Model and role model to the International Gay Community.
Tyrone is 21 years old and lives in Durban, South Africa. He is a business solutions consultant and specializes in implementing quality, health and safety and environmental management systems into organizations.
Tyrone was born in Cape Town and matriculated in Pretoria, he then traveled to London where he started off his modeling career. ‘I still have a lot to achieve and I have set my goals and work towards them every day’.
With a keen interest in the fashion and media industries, Tyrone is set out to reach new heights.
South Africans are able to cast their public votes for Tyrone by texting “GSA Tyrone Nell” to 35215 and if you live abroad then get a friend in South Africa to cast your vote for you!
Let’s help him win!
Mr. Gay South Africa on Facebook.
Tyrone on PrideBook
(Read how he stays in shape!)
Gay Capetown South Africa
CAPE TOWN provides water, culture and beauty!
People call it the San Francisco of South Africa.
The oldest South African city is unarguably the most beautiful with its endless features. Moutains, water, sandy beaches, vineyards and some gorgeous people!
Regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world:- ‘heaven at the tip of Africa’ and voted as one of the top 5 Gay travel destinations, Cape Town is a cosmopolitan city to be seen!
The most popular time of year to visit is December thru February when the temps are 80’s in the day and 60’s at night. March thru May is not quite as busy and cool off a bit but still very nice. DECEMBER is The Mother City Queer Project Festival – Born out of a much smaller event that was held back in 1994, the annual MCQPF is one of biggest gay and lesbian events in the city. As with many pride marches around the world, flamboyant costumes are the order of the day and the bigger, brighter and shinier the better. The festival is hosted at the city’s Ratanga Junction Theme Park which is transformed into a party playground with up to eight different stages and dance arenas. A great celebration of South African sexual diversity, this is a party not to be missed. Attracts about 10,000 people.
There is also a big Pride Festival late February – early March.
OUT IN AFRICA, the GLBT film Festival happens mid-September.
White sand and breath-taking views…There are a few gay popular beachs; Clifton 3 & Graaffs Pool, which is about 15 minutes outside the city. Clifton 3 has lots of muscle boys. Very hot! Right next door is a straight section. Actually many of the straight guys are just as fit as the gay guys! However, you see more gays in lycra and more straights in those awful board shorts that hide everything.
In SeaPoint, Graaffs pool is more of a nude sun bathing, men only, platform; with a gay mens and straight mens section.
Sandy Bay Beach, is about a 40-minute trip from the city. And a little hike when you get there. Known for its natural beauty, it’s very secluded. Nudist beach.
– Take your sunscreen!
Just north of the city center, and west of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront along a street called De Waterkant is the “gay village.” You’ll find everything from cozy neighborhood bars to big nightclubs (known for a wild nightlife!) to eclectic restaurants.
A hotspot for gay culture, Cape Town boasts a liberal attitude and is very accepting of the Gay community which is large and growing.
Café Manhattan is probably one of the oldest gay venues, it is a relaxed bar and restaurant, also might want to try The Bronx, a popular action bar. For the more theatrically inclined, On Broadway offers regular performances by popular entertainers.
Just over 4 million people make up Cape Town and 11 different languages are spoken here! People are very friendly and have a reputation for hospitality. Whether you want to go shark diving, paragliding, jet ski, absailing or just hang out on the beach and man watch….Cape Town is a fun time!
Discover The Cape GAY DURBAN
CAPETOWN BLOG GAY SOUTH AFRICA GAY JOHANNESBURG
