Pmlive.com

Over the last 30 years, the face of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has changed from one largely associated with homosexuality, drug addicts, prejudice, fear and rejection without much hope of a future, to one involving innocent children born of mothers living with HIV for whom it is hoped the disease will be curable and even eradicated. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNAIDS, 34 million people were living with HIV worldwide in 2011. Sub-Saharan Africa was, and still is, the most severely affected area. Approximately 5 per cent of adults in this region live with HIV, representing almost 70 per cent of the global HIV-infected population. On a positive note, the number of newly infected people has declined by approximately 25 per cent over the past ten years and, importantly, over the past two years, half of the reductions in HIV infections has been in children.

Treatment and prevention
The approach to, and success of, HIV treatment and prevention has improved such that the disease may now be considered a manageable, life-long condition.

Currently available therapeutics do not provide a cure, but may prevent infection or attenuate viral load after the fact; for this, the currently available agents are required to be taken daily, and for life. This poses problems relating to compliance and potential for the development of drug resistance. To prevent the latter, it is recommended that therapy includes a combination of drugs from at least two different classes. However, the increased pill burden results in non-adherence to medication. Consequently, suppression of viraemia is compromised and risk of disease transmission increased in non-compliant patients.

The development of future HIV therapies is governed by the need to provide complex drug combinations in the simplest, patient-friendly formulation. The majority of the currently marketed HIV therapeutics are single agents spanning a variety of drug classes; not all are available as once-daily formulations.

There are two main approaches evident in the development of HIV therapeutics that aim to prevent drug resistance and to increase patient compliance: addition of pharmacokinetic enhancers (‘boosting’ agents) to already established drugs, and drug ‘cocktails’ in a single tablet; in some cases these approaches have been combined.

Fixed-dose combinations
There are currently three fixed-dose combination (FDC) products that are available for treatment of HIV – elvitegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/cobicistat (Stribild; Gilead Sciences), emtricitabine/rilpivirine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (Eviplera, Complera; Gilead, Tibotec) and lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra; Abbott Laboratories).

Gilead and Johnson & Johnson (J&J) are developing an oral FDC tablet comprising cobicistat (pharmacoenhancer) and darunavir (HIV protease inhibitor). Phase III trials are underway in the European Union (EU) and US in both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced HIV patients. Darunavir (Prezista; Tibotec) is a protease inhibitor that is already launched as a single agent. Cobicistat does not have antiviral activity against HIV in its own right, but acts as a booster by inhibiting cytochrome P450 3A (CYP3A) and increasing blood drug concentrations of certain therapeutic agents, thus facilitating convenient once-daily dosing.

ViiV Healthcare, in a joint venture with GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer, is developing a triple-drug cocktail – abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine – that combines three distinct mechanisms of action: inhibition of HIV replication, inhibition of HIV integrase and a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), respectively.

Combining the ‘boosting’ and ‘cocktail’ approaches, Gilead Sciences is developing a quadruple-drug FDC product, cobicistat/elvitegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (C/E/F/TAF), which entered phase III trials in the US and Puerto Rico in late 2012/early 2013. Two similarly designed studies (Study 104 and Study 111) are being conducted in treatment-naive HIV-1 patients; recruitment will also extend to several countries including the EU, Asia and Latin America. Tenofovir alafenamide (GS 7340) and tenofovir disproxil fumarate (TDF, Viread) are two prodrugs developed by Gilead and designed to have better oral availability and adverse events profiles than tenofovir. TDF is a component of the only quadruple-drug FDC (Stribild) currently launched (US only).

Promising results from a phase II head-to-head study were presented at 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections Conference (CROI) in March 2013, which demonstrated that both C/E/F/TAF and Stribild had similar efficacies and overall tolerability profiles, but that C/E/F/TAF had less negative impact on renal function and bone mineral density.

Non-oral prophylactic agents
Despite the downward trend in HIV prevalence over the past few years, according to UNAIDS, the majority of all the people living with AIDS are women, and most of the newly infected patients are children resulting from maternally-transmitted virus. It would therefore seem appropriate to target these particular patient populations with regard to the design of the drug formulation. Appropriately, two vaginally-administered, prophylactic formulations are in phase III development in African regions.

Tenofovir (Gilead, CONRAD) is a NRTI compound in development as a topical vaginal gel in phase III trials in South Africa. Nucleotides are characterised by their ability to form reservoirs of active drug within infected and non-infected (resting) cells; this allows sustained inhibition of viral replication after a single dose, and offers the potential for infrequent dosing and development of resistance, as well as prophylactic use. However, this product requires repeated application, prior to and after sexual intercourse, and is perhaps less user friendly than the slow-release dapivirine intravaginal ring preparation (Janssen, International Partnership for Microbicides) currently in phase III trials in South Africa, Malawi, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Dapivirine is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) that entered phase III development in late 2012. The ASPIRE trial is assessing the efficacy of monthly-renewed dapivirine intravaginal rings in approximately 3540 women from Central- East- and South Africa. The preparation is stable and easy to distribute, which is beneficial for use in these developing countries.

A different therapeutic approach to this global epidemic has been adopted by Sanofi Pasteur. Currently, the company has one vaccine in phase III development for both treatment and prevention of HIV. The HIV vaccine vCP1521 comprises a live, attenuated, canarypox viral vector (ALVAC), into which selected HIV-1 genes are inserted. ALVAC-HIV vCP1521 is one of four recombinant vectors in clinical development. This product expresses gp120 of sub-type E (the clade predominant in Thailand).

Most of the newly infected patients are children resulting from maternally-transmitted virus

Results from a proof-of-concept phase III trial (RV144) showed that ALVAC-HIV vCP1521 significantly reduced the rate of HIV infection by 31 per cent, compared with placebo. RV144 was the world’s largest AIDS vaccine study and the first government-sponsored, phase III prime-boost trial involving 16·402 healthy volunteers in Thailand. Participants received ALVAC-HIV vCP1521 as the prime and HIV gp120 vaccine (VaxGen; AIDSVAX B/E) as the boost, over a 6-month period with a 3-year follow-up. The trial data also provided important information regarding the future design of vaccines with respect to a potential target within the HIV genome. Completion of the RV144 trial is expected during the first half of 2013.

Preregistration – the race is on
There are three products currently in preregistration in the EU and/or North America for the management of HIV: two are single-agent oral HIV integrase inhibitors and one is a single-tablet cocktail.

Elvitegravir (Gilead) is awaiting both EU and US approval for treatment-experienced HIV-1 infections. Data from the pivotal 96-week Study 145 were used to support these applications, which showed that elvitegravir was non-inferior to raltegravir (HIV integrase inhibitor; Merck & Co) in treatment-experienced HIV-1 patients who also received a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor and another antiviral agent. A decision regarding the US application is imminent.

Following rapidly on the heels of elvitegravir is the other orally administered HIV integrase inhibitor, dolutegravir (ViiV Healthcare), which is awaiting approval in the US, Canada and EU for use in patients aged at least 12 years. Priority review has been granted in the US and a decision is expected in August 2013. This product is a non-boosted, once-daily therapy for use in both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced HIV-1 patients.

Dolutegravir has performed well against its potential market competitors, according to data from the four phase III trials used to support the registrational application. It has been compared with two already marketed therapeutics, raltegravir and Stribild. Dolutegravir demonstrated non-inferiority to raltegravir in treatment-experienced and treatment-naive HIV-1 patients, and showed limited potential for developing integrase resistance. Dolutegravir (combined with abacavir/lamivudine) has also shown a similar 48-week virological suppression rate and a somewhat better tolerability profile than Stribild.

Efavirenz/lamivudine/TDF (Mylan Laboratories) is indicated for use alone, or in combination with other antiretrovirals, as first- or second-line treatment of HIV-1-infected adults. Tentative approval of the NDA has been granted in the US, under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) initiative that includes an expedited review process and encourages worldwide sponsors to submit US marketing applications for single entity, FDC and co-packaged versions of previously approved antiretrovirals. ‘Tentative’ rather than ‘full’ approval is given to those products that contain agents that still have patent or marketing exclusivity protection in the US.

Striding forward
The global community has made significant strides forward in its mission to eradicate the HIV (and ultimately the deadly AIDS) epidemic. Back in 1996, the advent of potent combination antiretroviral therapy (ART or cART or HAART) served as the impetus for changing the course of the HIV epidemic – resulting in HAART becoming the standard of care for HIV. These ‘cocktails’ of three or more ARTs gave patients and scientists new hope and have significantly improved life expectancy from months, to decades. Development of agents for successful treatment and prevention of HIV is complex, particularly given that combined mechanisms of action are recommended and that exceptional patient compliance is required. Pill burden is often the barrier to therapeutic efficacy in patients with HIV. However, the ‘boosted’ and ‘cocktail’ products in late-stage development appear to be catering for these requirements. Additional hope is offered with the 20+ pipeline compounds in phase II clinical trials, with the majority of these being vaccines, CCR5 receptor antagonists and NNRTIs.

The Star

Reuters

A U.S. Christian group that once promoted “conversion therapy” to encourage gays and lesbians to overcome their sexual preferences has closed its doors and apologized to those who underwent treatment, acknowledging its mission had been hurtful and ignorant.

Exodus International billed itself as the oldest and largest Christian ministry dealing with faith and homosexuality, operating since 1976.

The group’s board unanimously voted to cease operations and begin a separate ministry, Exodus International said in a statement on its website on Wednesday.

“We have made a number of mistakes with how we treated people, based on our beliefs,” President Alan Chambers told Reuters on Thursday. “I recognize that our beliefs have to change, but I’d never distance myself from the church.”

Chambers declined to estimate how many people underwent therapy, saying it was impossible to calculate because it was practiced by some 260 Exodus International-affiliated ministries across North America.

“I am sorry for the pain and hurt that many of you have experienced,” Chambers, who said he was part of a “system of ignorance,” said in the statement.

“I am sorry some of you spent years working through the shame and guilt when your attractions didn’t change. I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents.”

Chambers, who lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife and two children, said in the statement that for several years he “conveniently omitted” his own “ongoing same-sex attractions.”

“I was afraid to share them as readily and easily as I do today,” Chambers wrote.

SHIFTING ATTITUDES

Exodus International has closed at a time of shifting attitudes in the United States, with public opinion polls tilting in favor of same-sex marriage.

Twelve states and the District of Columbia have legalized same-sex marriage. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule by the end of June on a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, a 1996 law that restricted federal recognition of marriage to heterosexual couples, as well as a challenge to a 2008 California referendum that banned same-sex marriage in that state.

Ross Murray, a spokesman for gay rights group GLAAD, called the closing of Exodus International a step in the right direction and welcomed Chambers’ move away from “divisive and demonizing rhetoric.”

“But it’s going to take a long time for healing to come, especially for the people who have gone through Chambers’ program and have suffered because of it,” Murray said.

Exodus International’s mission statement was “mobilizing the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality.”

The group appeared to have changed its views incrementally, culminating with the announcement of its closure at the group’s 38th annual conference on Wednesday.

In interviews last year with the New York Times and MSNBC, Chambers said churches had shown an overemphasis on sexuality.

A television program scheduled to run on the Oprah Winfrey Network on Thursday will show Chambers meeting with people who said they were harmed by his therapy.

“Mine was not a change of heart, but it had been a change of how we talk about what we have in our hearts,” Chambers told Reuters. “So often the religious message is that gay people aren’t welcome, and it became something I just couldn’t stand by.”

California last year became the first U.S. state to ban such therapy for minors. A lawsuit challenged the law, and in December a federal appeals court put the ban on hold. The case is pending before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

(Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis in Los Angeles and Victoria Cavaliere in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Stacey Joyce)

Winnipeg Free Press

OTTAWA – The Harper government has received scores of letters and emails over government funding being provided to an organization that referred to homosexuality as a “perversion” and “sin.”

The Prime Minister’s Office and the office of the international development minister got about 170 letters and emails after The Canadian Press reported earlier this year on the $544,813 contract to Christian Crossroads Communications for humanitarian work in Uganda.

The criticism of homosexuality on the organization’s website raised concern about its operations in an African country where gays face persistent threats of physical violence and where notorious anti-gay legislation is before parliament.

The Harper government briefly announced a freeze in funds but later revised its position. Crossroads’ project is linked to the construction of latrines and wells, in addition to hygiene awareness, in Uganda.

In the days after the news broke, the government received 120 letters and emails from people opposed to funding Crossroads. About 50 others expressed support for continued funding.

Some were aghast at federal money going to an organization with such views.

“Are you not aware at how many gay people are being killed and harassed because of anti-gay Christian organizations?” one said. Another suggested: “There are plenty of groups willing to dig latrines without endangering our gay brothers and sisters.”

A smaller number offered Crossroads their staunch support.

“All they are doing is providing a necessity to human clean water. When you examine their track record, very few organizations have had the success they have had,” one note said.

One pro-Crossroads writer added: “Please do not take the polical agenda of the gay movement targeted at the Christian faith to withhold aid to the needy, deprived and desperate people of the third-world countries.”

Some used humour to drive home an otherwise serious point.

“I would be less offended if you used the money to double Mike Duffy’s salary,” one person wrote.

Federal documents reveal that a representative of the Canadian International Development Agency visited the Crossroads project on Feb. 14-15 to monitor for discriminatory practices.

In her report, Wassala Nimaga said the access to water and latrines was being delivered as promised. The nine-page document did not delve into treatment of homosexuals but, from a more general standpoint, said Crossroads did not discrimate.

Until February, the organization’s website carried a list of “sexual sins” deemed to be “perversion”: “Turning from the true and/or proper purpose of sexual intercourse; misusing or abusing it, such as in pedophilia, homosexuality and lesbianism, sadism, masochism, transvestism, and bestiality.”

Lower down the page, the group asked sinners to “repent.”

“God cares too much for you (and all of His children) to leave such tampering and spiritual abuse unpunished,” according to the group’s website.

The page was taken down after the organization received an inquiry from The Canadian Press.

The issue was particularly sensitive in Uganda, where lawmakers have a piece of legislation on the order paper commonly referred to as the “kill the gays bill.”

Supporters have said they will remove the death-penalty provision from the legislation, which would also impose a life sentence for homosexuality.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird has denounced that Ugandan bill. He has also been the most outspoken critic of Crossroads within the Conservative government, calling the comments on its website insulting and mean-spirited.

The organization received support, however, from other quarters of the government.

“We fund results-based projects, not organizations,” International Development Minister Julian Fantino said in February. “Projects are delivered without religious content, including this particular project.”

A spokeswoman for Fantino added: “The government of Canada has funded projects by this organization since 1999.”

The government said in February that nearly $389,000 of the money had already been disbursed and that it was monitoring the project to ensure the funds were being spent properly.

The New Zeland Herald

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Pilgrim Planet has apologised to Jane Collison (right) and Paula Knight after turning them away.

Owners of a Whangarei lodge have apologised after turning away a lesbian couple who had booked a shared bed – but are not ready to welcome back gay people.

Michael Ruskin of the Pilgrim Planet lodge confirmed yesterday that he and his wife Karen had provided a written apology to Kaitaia woman Jane Collison, to whom Mrs Ruskin refused accommodation after she arrived with her partner Paula Knight to stay in a pre-booked room with a king size bed.

But despite the apology he indicated he was still not prepared to allow gay guests to sleep together in what he regarded as part of his home.

The case provoked an outcry in New Zealand and overseas when first reported in May. It also led to a complaint by Ms Collison to the Human Rights Commission, which held a mediation session in Whangarei last week.

Mr Ruskin said he had to shut down his Facebook page after it was deluged with abusive messages from around the world, and that he and his wife received two death threats by email and in a voice message, which they referred to the police.

In a written statement agreed to at mediation, they have since apologised for “humiliation and inconvenience” caused to Ms Collison when the same-sex couple turned up at the lodge after driving to Whangarei from their home near Kaitaia.

But the Ruskins added in the statement that they wished to be able to live according “to our consciences and beliefs”.

When asked by the Herald if Ms Collison and her partner would be welcome back at the lodge, Mr Ruskin initially said: “Not as a same-sex couple.”

He then said he had nothing against the couple and didn’t want the issue stirred up again.

But when asked whether same-sex guests in general could stay at Pilgrim Planet, he said: “They will not get a double bed – I’m sticking to my principles.”

Ms Collison said she did not feel at liberty to comment, given that the Ruskins’ statement arose from a confidential mediation session to address her complaint alleging a breach of the Human Rights Act.

Rainbow Youth chairman Duncan Matthews said he applauded the Ruskins in apologising to Ms Collison and recognising that their actions hurt her and Ms Knight, but urged them “to take the next step, think a bit more deeply and recognise that Paula and Jane’s relationship doesn’t affect their beliefs”.

“They are entitled to their beliefs but still have to work with society every day.”

The acting chief executive of the gay and lesbian counselling service Outline, Stephen Newton, said it was “shocking” that a commercial service provider should turn away people on the basis of their sexual orientation in the 21st century.

Human Rights Commission spokesman Gilbert Wong said he could not discuss the case except for confirming that a resolution had been reached before a mediator, which meant no further action would be taken on Ms Collison’s particular complaint.

Carbonated.tv

A new law passed in Russia, introducing fines of up to 5,000 rubles ($156) for citizens who publicize information aimed at minors “directed at forming nontraditional sexual setup” or which may cause a “distorted understanding” that gay and heterosexual relations are “socially equivalent.

Foreigners and travelers are not going scot free either. They will not only be fined but face administrative arrest up to 15 days and eventual deportation, the law says. The fines go up to as much as 200,000 rubles ($6,250) for officials if such “propaganda” is disseminated through the media or Internet.

We wonder how this will affect their tourism, and worse yet, the upcoming 2014 Winter Games?

Boris O. Dittrich, Advocacy Director of the LGBT Rights Program at Human Rights Watch, blasted the law in a letter to the International Olympics Committee saying,“Human Rights Watch’s long-standing position is that there cannot be a successful Olympics where there is discrimination or human rights abuses … Foreigners — possibly including athletes — who violate the law, including possibly by speaking about their sexual orientation in public, run the risk of being fined, arrested for up to 15 days, and deported from Russia.”

However, the Olympics committee has shown their support for the GBT community. IOC officials released a statement noting: “The IOC would like to reiterate our long commitment to non-discrimination against those taking part in the Olympic Games, the IOC is an open organization and athletes of all orientations will be welcome at the Games.”

But what guarantee can they take for the safety and security of the LGBT players? Who defines what actually constitutes being pro gay?

Unfortunately there can be no concrete definition. One could be charged with as much as holding a hand of a same sex person, wearing a multicolored shirt or even displaying a rainbow flag alongside a maple leaf!

Reuters

One wonders why is there so much hate and intolerance? The bill is openly homophobic, but then is most of Russia.

Voice of Russia explains the intolerance by pointing out that any display of affection between same-sex couples could cause a “distorted understanding” that gay relations and heterosexual relations are socially equivalent, and risk spreading Western liberalism.

Aha! Is this the key then one might say! Not entirely.

There is a history behind the intolerance. Homosexuality was illegal even in Soviet Union. It only became legitimate in 1993, but since a large number of the people are decisively conservative, things never really got better.

A main cause of the state of mind is the fact that majority of Russia consists of far-flung towns, villages and provincial centers – where the quality of life is lower, educational opportunities are far less prevalent, and the social demographics are pretty conservative.

Under the circumstances, it seems they will remain so!

Gawker.com

Fox News shitbag Jesse Watters went to last month’s successfully crowdfunded Coney Island Mermaid Parade for a segment on The O‘Reilly Factor that aired last night. It was really great, a true testament to the 30-year-old celebration’s campy spirit of exuberant acceptance.

Just kidding, it was awful. As to be expected from a hypocritical stalker-producer who still wears the collar up on his golf shirt, Watters managed to mock everyone he spoke with, joke about bazongas, and generally be a smug piece of garbage. His subject selection skewed queer, specifically to drag darlings and a man in a tutu because, y’know, to the Fox News audience, they are funny! Oh, the guy in a tutu is a teacher, you want him teaching your kids, nudge nudge, this is why we homeschool! Then he asked some topless mermaids if they were patriots. HAHAHA!

Best of all, Watters interrogated a cross-dresser in a sailor-girl outfit who rewarded him by dancing near the correspondent’s personal space, which the “Watters’ World” editors interspliced with a clip of Ace Ventura dry-heaving. Hilarious!

After the pre-taped segment, O’Reilly debriefed Watters on his harrowing mission:

O’REILLY: I’m not being a wiseguy or being offensive. It seems like there are a lot of gays attracted to this … What is that?

WATTERS: I think a lot of the transvestite community descends on Coney Island during this parade. I have no idea why. But they’re very flamboyant and set the tone for the rest of the parade.

O’REILLY: Just a week ago there was a gay pride parade. How many parades you want?

WATTERS: Well they like parades! They’re into pageantry, they like to show off their wares.

O’REILLY: Exhibitionism.

WATTERS: Yes.

O’REILLY: Well was that the prevailing theme here? Crossing dressing, transvestite people?

No, I’m not being a wiseguy or being offensive, but the Coney Island Mermaid Parade’s prevailing theme isn’t cross-dressing and transvestite people, it’s one very big bag of FUUUCCCCCCKKKKKK YOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU.

Time Swampland

A Vomit button for photos of gays — that’s what televangelist Pat Robertson now wants to see on Facebook. His statement, made today on his popular television program The 700 Club, is just the latest in his decades-long anti-gay tirade, and should come as no shock from the man who thinks wife beating should be legal and who thinks a man can divorce his wife if she gets too sick. Today’s program also included his interpretation of an ancient Old Testament passage that the land will vomit out gays because homosexuality is an abomination to God.

Robertson is a conservative pastor who founded the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) and who ran for U.S. President in 1988. Nearly 1 million people watch his show The 700 Club every day, according to CBN, and it is carried on ABC Family cable network, FamilyNet, Trinity Broadcasting Network and numerous local U.S. television stations.

La Presse

Le plus haut tribunal de l’Ontario a invalidé les condamnations à caractère sexuel de deux hommes séropositifs à la suite de nouveaux avis de la Cour suprême du Canada en la matière.

Euractiv.com

Direct CD

Jeune Afrique

Réputée pour sa tolérance, la Côte d’Ivoire attire de plus en plus d’Africains venus de pays où l’homosexualité est sévèrement punie par la loi.

S’installer à Abidjan ? Marc n’y avait jamais songé. Mais alors qu’il s’apprêtait à se rendre en Algérie, une escale dans la capitale ivoirienne l’amène à revoir ses plans. Ce Camerounais de 23 ans qui avait fui Douala, après avoir été agressé, découvre avec surprise la tolérance des Ivoiriens envers les homosexuels et choisit de rester.

Depuis deux ans, il vit au sein du foyer de l’ONG ivoirienne Alternative qui défend les droits des homosexuels et des lesbiennes. Il partage sa chambre avec deux autres personnes. À côté des matelas, plusieurs paires de chaussures sont soigneusement rangées.

« Ici, je m’accepte. Je suis dans bien dans ma tête et dans ma peau. Je suis libre et je peux agir comme je le souhaite. Au Cameroun on vit toujours dans la crainte d’être arrêté », confie-t-il alors qu’il achève sa journée de travail. Marc est serveur. Son pays lui manque mais il n’envisage pas encore de retour. En attendant, il tâche d’aider les nombreux Camerounais qui souhaitent, eux aussi, s’installer en Côte d’Ivoire. Au Cameroun, l’homosexualité est illégale et les incarcérations une réalité.

>> Voir l’interview vidéo de l’avocate camerounaise, Alice Nkom : “Une décennie de lutte pour dépénaliser l’homosexualité’

Dans la maison aux murs gris du siège d’Alternative, Hervé* est chargé de faire le lien avec ceux qui veulent s’installer en Côte d’Ivoire définitivement ou juste pour une période. « Certains viennent ici pour souffler, pour rencontrer des gays plus facilement. Au Cameroun, deux hommes ne peuvent pas danser ensemble. À Abidjan, c’est possible. Il y a même des bars pour les homosexuels », explique-t-il.

Né en Côte d’Ivoire, Ismaël*, mannequin malien de 26 ans, a vécu une dizaine d’années à Bamako pendant son adolescence.« Au Mali, difficile de s’asseoir en plein jour dans un maquis avec ses amis gays sans que les remarques ou les insultes ne fusent », raconte-t-il. En 2011, il décide de venir à Abidjan pour « se sentir plus libre de ses mouvements ». Là, il peut vivre son homosexualité publiquement, sans avoir à attendre la tombée de la nuit. Le jeune homme a trouvé du travail et ne voit aucune raison de retourner dans son pays.

La Côte d’Ivoire n’est pas encore l’eldorado. L’homosexualité semble même y être, parfois, violemment réprimée.

Une tolérance relative

Le siège de l’ONG voit passer souvent des Sénégalais, Maliens, Mauritaniens, Ghanéens, Béninois et Nigériens fuyant leur pays d’origine. « Ici, tout le monde sait qui nous sommes. On se réunit souvent et personne n’a jamais été arrêté ou embêté », assure Claver Touré, coordonnateur des programmes d’Alternative.

Mais il reste que la Côte d’Ivoire n’est pas encore l’eldorado. L’homosexualité semble même y être, parfois, violemment réprimée. Un rapport publié en octobre 2012 par plusieurs organisations ivoiriennes de défense des droits des homosexuels dénonce des violences perpétrées par les forces de l’ordre à leur encontre.

>> L’unique boîte gay d’Abidjan ferme ses portes

« Depuis avril 2011, des éléments de patrouille nocturne des Forces républicaines de Côte d’Ivoire [FRCI] débarquent régulièrement dans un bar fréquenté en majorité par la communauté gay d’Abidjan. À chaque descente, les FRCI donnaient l’ordre à tous ceux qui étaient efféminés ou travestis de monter à bord de leur véhicule. La propriétaire du bar a payé la somme de 25 000 francs CFA [38 euros] par individu pour qu’il soit relâché », indique le document.

La Côte d’Ivoire n’est pas encore la terre d’accueil rêvée des homosexuels africains.

Le Figaro

Certains défenseurs des droits homosexuels mettent à l’index le blockbuster adapté du roman d’Orson Scott Card. Parce que ce dernier, célèbre auteur de science-fiction est un fervent opposant au mariage gay.

Il est à nouveau la cible du lobby gay américain. En mars dernier, l’annonce de DC Comics d’embaucher Orson Scott Card pour écrire un nouvel épisode des aventures de Superman a suscité de vives réactions, appuyées d’une pétition dénonçant l’homophobie de cet écrivain. L’éditeur de comics avait été contraint de stopper sa collaboration avec ce mormon, fervent pratiquant. Loin d’en avoir fini avec lui, certains défenseurs des droits homosexuels lancent un nouvel appel au boycott concernant l’adaptation cinématographique de son best-seller, La Stratégie Ender (Ender’s Game), avec Harrison Ford dans le rôle-titre.

Une campagne, «Skip Ender’s Game» (N’allez pas voir La Stratégie Ender), a été lancée sur internet. «N’allez pas voir ce film, n’achetez pas de place de cinéma, n’achetez pas le DVD, ne regardez pas le film sur internet, ignorez tous les produits dérivés. Peu importe le degré d’admiration que vous vouez à ses œuvres, ne mettez pas votre argent dans les poches d’Orson Scott Card. Vous voulez vraiment donner votre argent à cet homme?!», peut-on lire sur le site skypendersgame.com.

Membre de membre de l’Église de Jésus-Christ des Saints des Derniers Jours, l’écrivain est un opposant déclaré au mariage homosexuel. En 2009, il a rejoint la NOM («National organization for marriage»), une association qui fait campagne contre la légalisation du mariage gay aux États-Unis. Dans un article du Mormon Times, il déclare: «Le mariage n’a qu’une seule définition, et tout gouvernement qui tente de changer ce fait est mon ennemi mortel.» L’union entre personnes du même sexe «sonne la fin de la démocratie aux États-Unis», a-t-il ajouté, qualifiant l’homosexualité de «troubles de la reproduction» dans une interview au North Carolina’s Rhino Times, en mai 2012.

Si Orson Scott Card a des opinions bien tranchées sur l’homosexualité, son œuvre, elle, ne comporte cependant pas une once d’homophobie. C’est ce qu’il tente d’expliquer dans une déclaration publiée par le magazine Entertainement Weekly . «La Stratégie Ender se déroule plus d’un siècle dans le futur et n’a rien à voir avec les problèmes politiques actuels qui n’existaient pas quand j’ai écrit le livre en 1984, se défend-t-il. La récente décision de la Cour Suprême rend le débat sur le mariage gay sans intérêt. La constitution américaine donnera tôt ou tard une force légale à tous les mariages dans chaque État. Maintenant, il sera intéressant de voir si, victorieux, les défenseurs du mariage gay feront preuve de tolérance.»

Chasse aux sorcières

La Stratégie Ender a remporté, en 1985, les prix Nebula et Hugo (l’équivalent des Oscars en littérature SF et fantastique) et fait figure de classique chez les amateurs du genre. C’est donc tout naturellement qu’Hollywood a décidé de porter ce roman à l’écran (dans nos salles le 6 novembre). Un jeune garçon surdoué, Andrew Wiggin (incarné par le petit garçon d’Hugo Cabret, Asa Butterfield), surnommé Ender, est recruté par une école militaire pour enfants (dirigée par Harrison Ford). Ils sont formés à devenir commandants des armées chargées de combattre l’invasion des Doryphores, une espèce extraterrestre insectoïde qui menace d’anéantir l’espèce humaine. Ender a six ans, ses camarades de classes en ont à peine douze et tous sont soumis à des manipulations mentales très élaborées.

Le boycott d’Orson Scott Card crée une controverse dans le milieu artistique. Beaucoup s’inquiètent de voir émerger une liste noire des auteurs politiquement incorrects, une sorte de chasse aux sorcières moderne. «Il est dangereux de soutenir une quelconque forme de mise à l’index, quelle qu’en soit la raison», met en garde John Ordover, ancien éditeur des Star Trek et défenseur du mariage gay.

La Presse

Le président américain Barack Obama a rendu hommage jeudi à Dakar, première étape de sa tournée africaine, à l’ex-président sud-africain Nelson Mandela, un «héros pour le monde» au moment où il lutte pour sa survie, et apporté son soutien aux homosexuels africains persécutés.

Agrandir

Hormis  la question homosexuelle, MM. Obama (à gauche) et Sall ont dit avoir en commun les mêmes valeurs concernant «la démocratie» et «la bonne gouvernance».

PHOTO EVAN VUCCI, AP

Doctissimo

Suite à la survenue récente de 3 cas d’infection invasive à méningocoque C chez des hommes ayant des relations sexuelles avec des hommes (HSH) résidant en Ile-de-France, le Haut conseil de la santé publique (HCSP) recommande la vaccination contre cette maladie aux HSH au-delà de 24 ans.

News Doctissimo > Santé > Méningite : le HCSP recommande aux homosexuels masculins de se faire vacciner

Les News Santé

Méningite : le HCSP recommande aux homosexuels masculins de se faire vacciner jeudi 11 juillet 2013   Suite à la survenue récente de 3 cas d’infection invasive à méningocoque C chez des hommes ayant des relations sexuelles avec des hommes (HSH) résidant en Ile-de-France, le Haut conseil de la santé publique (HCSP) recommande la vaccination contre cette maladie aux HSH au-delà de 24 ans. La recommandation concerne uniquement les HSH Selon le calendrier vaccinal en vigueur, la vaccination contre le méningocoque C est recommandée à l’âge de 12 mois ainsi que chez les enfants, les adolescentes et les adultes jusqu’à l’âge de 24 ans. Suite à la survenue de 3 cas de méningite C invasive chez des HSH, une alerte sanitaire avait été lancée le 28 juin pour rappeler aux jeunes HSH âgés de 24 ans de se faire vacciner. Cette nouvelle recommandation, datée du 1er juillet, est justifiée par la survenue de cas de méningite à méningocoque C dans la ville de New York depuis octobre 2010 ainsi que d’autres cas plus récents détectés à Berlin et un cas en Belgique. Un autre argument : les rassemblements festifs de la population gay partout en Europe, dont l’Europride à Marseille. Le risque limité aux HSH Le HCSP et Sida info service précisent que le risque concerne uniquement la population des HSH, compte tenu des “modalités habituelles de transmission du méningocoque à des contacts rapprochés et prolongés aux sécrétions rhino-pharyngées, de la fréquentation des lieux de convivialité ou des rencontres gays et les grands rassemblements intéressant la communauté des HSH“, facteurs pouvant favoriser la diffusion des bactéries et donc la survenue de nouveaux cas de méningite à méningocoque C. Le HCSP émet des recommandations précises Pour les raisons décrites plus haut, le HCSP précise que la vaccination est recommandée aux populations concernées par ce sur-risque : - Les HSH résidant en Ile-de-France et qui fréquenteront les lieux ou manifestations de convivialité gays dans les 3 mois à venir ; - Les HSH résidant en France qui se rendront aux rassemblements gays organisés en France ou en Europe dans les 3 mois à venir. La vaccination pour ces personnes est recommandée en complément du calendrier vaccinal en vigueur. Le schéma vaccinal devra comporter une seule dose d’un des trois vaccins conjugués disponibles, sachant qu’un délai de 10 jours minimum après la vaccination est nécessaire pour l’acquisition d’une protection contre la maladie. En outre, le HCSP recommande qu’une information urgente sur le risque d’infection invasive à méningocoque C et sur les modalités de contamination soit diffusée auprès de ces personnes

France 3

“Pour l’instant, je n’ai pas de candidat mais le mariage sera célébré, il n’y a pas de problème”, assure Jacques Remiller. Le même jour, le maire doit célébrer le mariage d’un de ses adjoints. Mais il assure qu’il y aura “plusieurs heures de différence” entre les deux unions. Le maire de Vienne, qui “lutte pour avoir le droit de conscience” en matière de mariage gay, avait annoncé fin avril qu’il était prêt à faire célébrer les mariages homosexuels par son opposition municipale.

“Pour l’instant, on n’en est pas encore arrivé là”, tempère l’élu. ”Ils seront mariés. J’ai annoncé qu’il y aurait la continuité du service public”, répète le maire, en précisant que le couple souhaitait que la célébration se fasse “dans l’anonymat”. Jacques Remiller, député de 2002 à 2012, avait été battu aux dernières législatives avec moins de 500 voix d’écart par Erwann Binet, rapporteur (PS) du projet de loi sur le mariage pour tous. Ce dernier a quitté le conseil municipal de Vienne après son élection à l’Assemblée nationale.

Radio Canada

Le nombre de crimes haineux rapportés à la police était en baisse en 2011 au Canada dans presque toutes les catégories, sauf celle des crimes motivés par la haine de l’orientation sexuelle.

Les données rapportées jeudi par Statistique Canada à ce sujet font état d’un taux de 3,9 crimes haineux par tranche de 100 000 habitants en 2011, soit une baisse de 5 % par rapport à 2010.

Trois motifs étaient principalement à l’origine de plus de 95 % des crimes de haine. La race ou l’origine ethnique représentaient plus de la moitié (52 %) des dossiers, suivi des crimes motivés par la haine de la religion (25 %) et les crimes motivés par la haine de l’orientation sexuelle (18 %).

Cependant, les crimes motivés par la haine de la religion étaient en baisse de 17 % en 2011 et ceux motivés par la haine de la race ou de l’origine ethnique, de 4 %, alors que les dossiers de crimes motivés par la haine de l’orientation sexuelle ont augmenté de 10 %.

Les Noirs et les Juifs ciblés

Certains aspects des crimes demeurent constants. Ainsi, parmi les crimes haineux liés à la race ou à l’origine ethnique, les populations noires étaient encore les plus souvent ciblées (21 % du total), alors que les populations juives demeurent les plus visées par les crimes motivés par la haine de la religion (15 % du total).

La plupart des crimes de haine déclarés par la police comportaient des infractions sans violence, le méfait – sous forme de vandalisme, de graffiti ou autre – ayant été l’infraction privilégiée dans la moitié des crimes haineux.

Par ailleurs, tant les auteurs que les victimes de crimes haineux sont souvent des jeunes de moins de 25 ans. Parmi les auteurs présumés, 60 % étaient âgés de moins de 25 ans, comparativement à 41 % des auteurs présumés de crimes en général.

L’écrasante majorité des auteurs présumés de crimes de haine, soit 88 %, étaient des hommes. Quant aux victimes, 41 % avaient moins de 25 ans.

Peterborough et Hamilton en tête

Les grandes villes sont plus susceptibles d’être le théâtre de crimes haineux. Toronto, Montréal et Vancouver ont en effet enregistré 38 % des affaires de crimes de haine.

Cependant, les plus forts taux de crimes de haine en 2011, soit le nombre d’infractions par habitant, ont été observés dans les villes ontariennes de Peterborough (17,9 pour 100 000 habitants) et Hamilton (15,9 pour 100 000 habitants).

Jeune Afrique

Le président zimbabwéen Robert Mugabe a accusé samedi ses rivaux politiques de vouloir “faire revenir les Blancs” et s’en est pris aux homosexuels au cours d’un meeting à Marange (est) à moins de trois semaines de la présidentielle.

Le président zimbabwéen Robert Mugabe a accusé samedi ses rivaux politiques de vouloir “faire revenir les Blancs” et s’en est pris aux homosexuels au cours d’un meeting à Marange (est) à moins de trois semaines de la présidentielle.

Robert Mugabe, 89 ans, est apparu revêtu d’une aube blanche, un bâton biblique à la main, devant les milliers de fidèles d’une paroisse indigène de Marange venus soutenir sa candidature à l’élection du 31 juillet. “Nous avons fait l’erreur en 2008 de voter pour des personnes qui aiment les Blancs, de voter pour des personnes qui veulent ramener les Blancs et qui pensent qu’il n’y aura pas de développement sans les Blancs”, a-t-il déclaré.

L’homme fort du pays, au pouvoir depuis 33 ans, affrontera une nouvelle fois le Premier ministre Morgan Tsvangirai, 61 ans, pour la présidence à la fin du mois. En 2008, Morgan Tsvangirai était arrivé en tête au premier tour, mais il avait dû se retirer devant les violences faites à ses partisans, le bilan des victimes s’élevant à environ 200 morts. Seul en lice, Robert Mugabe avait ensuite été réélu à la tête du pays.

Les élections du 31 juillet doivent mettre fin au fragile gouvernement de cohabitation instauré sous la pression internationale en 2009 pour éviter une guerre civile.

S’exprimant dans la région diamantifère de Marange, à quelque 200 kilomètres à l’est de la capitale Harare, M. Mugabe a martelé son message sur l’”indigénisation” de l’économie. “Les riches ressources dont est doté notre pays sont pour les Noirs, ceci est notre pays. Et ceux qui dirigent ce pays doivent être des Noirs”, a-t-il dit.

Pour sa part, le Premier ministre Morgan Tsvangirai, 61 ans, tenait également un meeting samedi dans l’est du pays, à Mutare. “Le choix est très simple, c’est soit un gouvernement qui a échoué ces 33 dernières années, soit la promesse d’un avenir radieux”, a dit M. Tsvangirai, en référence à la longévité de son rival au pouvoir.

S’adressant à des milliers de partisans portant un T-shirt rouge avec son portrait, M. Tsvangirai a promis plus de transparence dans l’industrie diamantaire. “Où va tout l’argent des diamants ? Nous savons que si nous récoltions tout l’argent des diamants, nous créerions plus de 100.000 emplois”, a-t-il expliqué.

Il a déclaré que son gouvernement examinerait tous les contrats de l’industrie diamantaire alors que le Trésor public affirme ne pas toucher le produit des ventes de pierres précieuses. “Pour toutes les entreprises impliquées dans l’exploitation du diamant, nous reverrons les contrats car les contrats actuels sont facteurs de corruption”, a-t-il dit.

Au cours de son discours, Robert Mugabe a également attaqué le mariage homosexuel, le décrivant comme étranger à la culture africaine. Il s’en est pris au président américain Barack Obama qui avait appelé l’Afrique à respecter les droits des homosexuels lors de sa récente tournée sur le continent. “Dieu a détruit la Terre à cause de péchés comme ceux-ci. Les mariages sont entre un homme et une femme qui, lorsqu’ils sont mariés, engendrent des enfants”, a-t-il dit.

Le président Mugabe, qui avait un jour affirmé que les gays et lesbiennes étaient pires que des cochons et des chiens, a déclaré que les animaux étaient plus sensés qu’eux car ils connaissaient leur orientation sexuelle.
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