A photographer and human rights activist is capturing haunting images of same-sex couples who live in countries where being gay is illegal and, in some cases, punishable by death, for a powerful photo series that is dedicated to ending persecution of the LGBTI community.
Robin Hammond started the photo project Where Love is Illegal after observing the horrifying rise of intolerance toward the LGBTI community while working in sub-Saharan Africa to photograph human rights issues. The photo series was created as an outlet through which men and women who have been persecuted based on their sexuality or gender identity to share their stories - and it has since evolved into a grassroots organization fighting for universal human rights.
Robin was inspired to start the project after he learned of five gay men who were arrested and publicly flogged because of their sexuality. The young men, who were shunned by their families and forced into hiding, shared their stories with Robin and posed for portraits for the photographer. After applying and receiving a grant to fund his project, he traveled throughout Africa before expanding the project into Malaysia, Russia, and Lebanon, where he photographed men, women, and couples, who live in fear after being violently attacked and even stabbed.
These are their stories. They explained that lesbianism is treated as a 'disease that needs to be cured', adding that they are often forced to pretend to be sisters in order to fit in with the standards of their rigid society. The women recalled being verbally attacked by men and have been told that they 'need to be raped' to be rid of their 'stupidity of liking a fellow girl'. J and Q noted that they are constantly being watched by suspicious neighbors, and they rarely spend time together in the same house.
They admitted that their social life is limited because they are in constant fear of violence or even death. Olwetu and Ntombozuko from South Africa: Olwetu and Ntombozuko have been together for eight months and hope to get married. However, both say that they are often called 'Tom Boys' and 'Witches', and have both been violently attacked because of their sexuality. Olwetu explained that she and four of her friends were coming from a shop in when they passed a group of men who shouted at them and called them names before beating them.
