The LGBT civil rights movement in the United States is moving quickly in a positive direction, but the tide of change in other parts of the world, such as Russia, Nigeria, and Uganda is moving just as quickly in the opposite direction. This month we talked with our Washington DC correspondent, Ryan Olson, an LGBT activist who is doing a lot of work in Africa with HIV prevention. He talked with us about why the anti-LGBT sentiment in African countries is growing.

Religion and religious organizations can have a very powerful impact on LGBT people, both positive and negative. The Catholic Church has been one of the most active in fighting marriage equality and its leaders have been more than out spoken against LGBT people. But that may all be changing. We also talked with Francis DeBernardo, the executive director of New Ways Ministry, a Catholic organization that is supportive of LGBT people. He talked about The Advocate magazine’s man of the year for 2013, Pope Francis.

The music we featured on this show was from Well Strung. This is a group of 4 gay men who call themselves Well Strung.

httpv://youtu.be/JJTVSyt7eMQ

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International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
Well Strung
New Ways Ministry
LGBT Friendly Catholic Parishes