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As Zimbabwe makes strides on HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ+ people left behind

As Zimbabwe makes strides on HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ+ people left behind

AS a gay man in Zimbabwe, Admore braced himself for a hostile reception from medical staff when he went for an HIV test at a city-run clinic in Harare five years ago. His worries proved justified. "When I (said) I was gay ... they gave each other that look that made me feel they thought I was not normal," said Admore, who asked to use a pseudonym to protect his identity. Despite such uncomfortable dealings with health workers, Admore - who tested positive - has been able to access life-saving antiretroviral treatment (ART). But his experience helps explain why LGBTQ+…
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Could Ghana’s tough anti-LGBTQ+ bill be blocked over economic fears?

Could Ghana’s tough anti-LGBTQ+ bill be blocked over economic fears?

PARLIAMENT'S approval of a bill cracking down on LGBTQ+ people in Ghana has raised fears in the government that the country could lose international aid vital to help its economy recover from a deep crisis. If President Nana Akufo-Addo ignores Finance Ministry advice and signs the bill into law, penalties for gay sex would be toughened and new offences introduced. Akufo-Addo has said he will wait for the outcome of a Supreme Court challenge over the constitutionality of the bill,  which the Finance Ministry has warned could jeopardise nearly $4 billion in World Bank financing. Here's what you need to know.…
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Pop star Troye Sivan fights HIV stigma in first big film role

Pop star Troye Sivan fights HIV stigma in first big film role

SAMUEL BAUGH AUSTRALIAN pop singer Troye Sivan, whose YouTube videos and music have inspired a generation of young LGBTQ+ people, wants his first major film role to combat ignorance around HIV/AIDS. In "Three Months", Sivan plays 17-year-old Caleb, who is exposed to HIV after a one-night stand on the eve of his high school graduation. The film details the shame and anxiety Caleb experiences while waiting three months for a diagnosis. Current medical guidelines require 12 weeks from exposure to be 100% certain. A still from the film 'Three Months', picturing Troye Sivan, who plays Caleb, and Viveik Kalra who plays Esther,…
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