A documentary that explores the lives of Japan’s multifaceted LGBTQ+ culture has recently been released on streaming platforms. “Queer Japan,” a documentary by Canadian queer filmmaker, writer, and designer Graham Kolbeins, explores the lives artists, activists, trailblazers and just regular folks in Japan’s LGBTQ+ culture. “‘Queer Japan’ is about self-love,Continue Reading
Fourteen Nigerian comedians have taken a definitive stance against rape culture by making a commitment to stop making rape jokes. This was done in a 1.43-minute video clip featuring top Nigerian comedians in this order: Ali Baba (Atunyota Akpobome), Seyi Law (Lawrence Aletile), Broda Shaggi (Samuel Perry), AY (Ayodeji Makun),Continue Reading
In Belarus, people continue to resist and protest, having in their majority refused to recognize the results of the August 9 presidential election in which Alyaksandr Lukashenka claimed a sixth consecutive term. Every Sunday, massive protest marches continue to take place in the capital Minsk, some being the country’s largestContinue Reading
In the bustling city of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, visitors flock to Fendika cultural hub to listen to live Ethiopian music. Nestled away in the Kazanchis neighborhood, stepping into this azmari bet (Amharic for a traditional music house) feels like a family reunion. The cozy, sprawling complex of rooms hosts aContinue Reading
This post was originally published in Chinese by The Stand News on December 26, 2020. The following English version is published on Global Voices under a content-sharing agreement. The political campaign “boycotting foreign festivals” has become more visible in China in recent years. Under government pressure, the majority of mainlandContinue Reading
The Beit al-Ajaib, or House of Wonders — the palatial home of Omani sultans in Stone Town, Zanzibar — partially collapsed on December 25, according to video footage and photographs circulated widely online. The collapse reportedly killed two people and injured several others. صور چوية تظهر حجم الدمار الكبير الذي لحقContinue Reading
For the people of Slavyansk, “How do you live here?” is not an uncommon question. Given the tragedies this eastern Ukrainian city has endured — economic collapse and occupation by pro-Russia separatists in 2014 — you can’t blame those who ask it. But that they still do so in 2020 betrays someContinue Reading
Like in most parts of the world in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic transformed the way Christmas was celebrated in the predominantly Roman Catholic Philippines. Amid fears of a new surge of transmissions during the holiday festivities, the Rodrigo Duterte government continued to keep the country under quarantine—already one of theContinue Reading
Since November, a group of Cubans has been demanding freedom of expression in solidarity with members of an artists collective which has been facing repression from state authorities. On November 27, a group of young Cubans demonstrated in front of the Ministry of Culture in Havana to show solidarity withContinue Reading
Ever since it was announced that Trinidad and Tobago’s 2021 Carnival celebrations would be cancelled because of COVID-19, enthusiasts of the national festival have been feeling a tad maudlin. This feeling of longing for what’s been lost—usually in cases of unrequited love—is what Trinbagonians call tabanca, and there are fewContinue Reading