- Title: Rainbow nation celebrates Pride amid tough anti-LGBT laws in Africa
- Date: 26th October 2019
- Summary: LONG-TIME JOHANNESBURG PRIDE ATTENDEE, VALENTINO HILL DANCING AND WAVING RAINBOW FLAG, SHOUTING (English): "Happy Pride!"
- Embargoed: 9th November 2019 16:19
- Keywords: South Africa Johannesburg LGBT Gay Pride
- Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA005B2QH1LL
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Members of the LGBTQ community celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Johannesburg Pride Parade on Saturday (October 26), the longest running pride event on the African continent.
At the celebration attended by thousands, a new flag was launched - inspired by the flags of all 54 African countries. The flag signifies this year's event theme "Pride of Africa".
Speaking to Reuters during the parade, many expressed their happiness about being able to be free and authentic about who they are. "It's a place where you can be safe and be proud of who you are", said attendee Adriano Carlos.
The parade came two days after 16 LGBT+ activists were charged in Uganda with the crime of gay sex - punishable by life in jail - in what campaigners called an escalating campaign against sexual minorities in the east African nation.
African countries have some of the world's most prohibitive laws governing homosexuality. Same-sex relationships are considered taboo and gay sex is a crime across most of continent, with punishments ranging from imprisonment to death.
A 2019 report by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association found 32 African countries out of a total of 54 nations criminalize same sex relations. South Africa is the only African nation to legalise gay marriage.
(Production: Shafiek Tassiem, Sisipho Skweyiya, Marissa Davison) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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