Tag Archives: relationship
[VIDEO] Ellen Narrates ’50 Shades of Grey’
I love Ellen and this is great. A couple of days ago, I decided to start reading this book, just to see what all the hype was about. Although it’s not literary genius, it’s pretty damn good. In author E.L. James’ erotic book, the relationship between Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey is highlighted.
‘Gendarmes Bust Ring of Suspected Lesbians’
An old co-worker of mine showed me this article and thought I might want to share it with other people. Not only is it absolutely disgusting, but it sheds light on how much progress we have made here in America with gaining equal rights as homosexual citizens in this country. I am in no way condoning or accepting what rights we have now, because until same-sex marriage is legal throughout the country, there is still a prejudice that exists. But, we do need to be happy with the strides we have taken and stand up and help those fighting for their rights, whether they live here in the U.S. or outside of this country. We can’t expect that things change here and then care nothing about other people’s situations changing, like those in Cameroon.
By Divine Ntaryike Jr
Some 10 women accused of indulging in same sex practices have been taken into pre-trial confinement at Ambam, a locality in Cameroon’s administrative South Region. Gendarmes swooped down on the suspects with a wave of arrests launched on February 14, the local public prosecutor’s office reported late Wednesday.
The state-owned Cameroon Radio and Television, CRTV narrated in a radio newscast Wednesday that the “scandal” was triggered following the expression of jealousy by a jilted lesbian. Esther Afan, 39, had tended a secret homosexual relationship with Matilde Essono, 26, for several years.
A couple of months ago, however, Matilde dumped her older lover for another woman. Unable to cope with the feeling of having been so unceremoniously ditched, Esther tactfully sought revenge by confiding in Matilde’s spouse, Martin Essono. He tipped him off about his spouse’s “unorthodox” sexual inclination and her new homosexual relationship.
The intrigued Essono immediately rushed to report the matter to local gendarmes who straightaway launched a probe. For several days, they tailed the unsuspecting Matilde, especially recording her appointments and venues with other women. Once satisfied with their database, they began pouncing on the suspects.
Among the nabbed suspects are women residing as far off as Kye-Ossi, a border town linking Cameroon to Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Reports indicate homosexuality is skyrocketing at the border intersection town. Homosexuality is illegal in Cameroon and convicts face sentences of between six months and five years as well as fines that can stretch up to a maximum 200,000 CFA francs (about US$400).
Gay rights defender and founder of the founded the Association for the Defense of Homosexuals, Alice Nkom says detainees are frequently tortured in police stations to force them confess. Nkom says homophobia is currently spreading like bush fire in Cameroon. “It’s getting worse. These laws are illegal – the declaration of human rights is part of our constitution – but the judges still apply them.
People accused of homosexuality are put in jail straight away,” she told reporters in November last year after three men were each sentenced to five years in prison for homosexual acts. International rights defenders including Amnesty International have frequently lambasted Cameroon’s homosexuality law, rating it draconian and discriminatory and demanding its abolition. But the authorities have stubbornly turned a deaf ear to such requests.
Last year, the government demanded and successfully obtained the withdrawal of grants allocated the Association for the Defense of Homosexuals by the European Union. Nkom says she has received numerous death threats from fellow lawyers and Cameroonians, as well as a threat from the Ministry of Justice to dismiss her from the country’s roster of legal practitioners.
Related articles
- Liberia Considers Strengthening Anti-Gay Laws (huffingtonpost.com)
- Ten women arrested in Cameroon for being lesbian (dailymail.co.uk)
- Liberian First Lady Jewel Taylor Submits Bill to Make Homosexuality a Felony with 10-Year Prison Term (towleroad.com)
- Women in Cameroon on gay charges (bbc.co.uk)
- Cameroon jails three men over gay sex (therainbowpost.com)
Did Homophobia Contribute To Whitney Houston’s Fall?
Hugs: Whitney, (left) with Bobby Brown, mother Cissy and (right) Robyn Crawford who many believe to be her one true love
In the past few days since Whitney Houston passed away, there are many articles coming out which shed light into who she really was and some of the secrets that she was forced to hide from people. According to many, Ms. Houston’s one true love in life (other than daughter, Bobbi Kristina)was a woman: Robyn Crawford.
Crawford was Whitney Houston’s assistant, and it was obvious to many that they shared more than a friendship. Peter Tatchell, who wrote an amazing article for DailyMail, discusses how he met Ms. Houston and ms. Crawford in 1991 at the Reach Out & Touch HIV vigil that was held in London. This is when Tatchell shared that it was clear to him that Houston and Crawford were madly in love.
They held hands in the back of the car like teenage sweethearts. Clearly more than just friends, they were a gorgeous couple and so happy together. To see their love was infectious and uplifting.
Gay rights campaigner Peter met Whitney at an HIV vigil in London in 1991
Whitney was happiest and at the peak of her career when she was with Robyn. Sadly, she suffered family and church pressure to end her greatest love of all.
Sadly, she was pressured into believing that the most important relationship to her, at the time, could damage her public image, and therefore, career. She eventually gave into the pressure that was put on her by the church and her family, and ended her lesbian relationship with Robyn Crawford. This situation is what led to the spontaneous marriage to former husband, Bobby Brown.
As we all know, Bobby Brown was not a good influence on Whitney and led her down the path of self-destruction. She was willing to down this path because she was emotionally traumatized by her recent split with her one true love.
It seems likely that the split with Robyn contributed to her substance abuse and decline.
There is a known correlation between denial of one’s sexuality and a propensity to self-destructive behaviour. Homophobia undoubtedly added to the pressures on Whitney and hastened her demise.
This is not a story to tarnish Whitney Houston and/or Robyn Crawford, but rather a story to show what homophobia can do to a person. It is also a way to honor their relationship seeing as it was pretty important to both of these women.
Tatchell wasn’t intending on outing Ms. Houston, because there had been many people before him that had hinted at the same message.
Years ago, she was outed by Bobby’s sister, Tina, and by her former bodyguard, Kevin Ammons.
Bobby Brown hinted in his autobiography that she married him to dispel lesbian rumours: ‘I believe her agenda was to clean up her image . . . The media was accusing her of having a bisexual relationship with her assistant, Robin [sic] Crawford . . . that didn’t go too well with her image. In Whitney’s situation, the only solution was to get married . . . [to] kill all speculation.’
Telling the truth does not besmirch Whitney’s memory. It honours the most important relationship she ever had.
It would be nice to see people not have to jump into fake relationships to uphold the image that society has of someone. Love should be the reason behind spending your life with someone, not politics, or public façade. Poor Whitney is an example of what damage could be done.
Related articles
- Bobby Brown kissed Whitney Houston’s casket yesterday then stormed out in a rage (muzicmagazine.com)
- Robyn Crawford: Whitney Houston’s Lesbian Lover? (rightcelebrity.com)
- Was Whitney Houston’s True Love a Woman? (celebs.gather.com)
- Is This Gay Activist Peeing On Whitney’s Grave With Talk That Her Inability To Accept Herself As Lesbian Drove Her To Drink And Drug? (bossip.com)
- Bobby Brown Performs With New Edition After Whitney’s Funeral! Watch HERE! (perezhilton.com)
- Whitneys daughter went to the funeral, then got high (wwtdd.com)
- Bobbi Kristina Brown allegedly used drugs after Whitney Houston funeral (thegrio.com)
- Whitney Houston ‘was a secret lesbian’, claims gay rights activist (mirror.co.uk)