‘LGBT for Trump’ Wave Flags as Domestic Terrorists Invade Capitol
Millions across the globe are still in shock from yesterday’s events in Washington D.C., which saw a mob of Trump supporters storming the Capitol and interrupting Congress as legislators were confirming the Electoral College votes from the 2020 presidential election. The scene quickly turned violent, leaving four dead and injuring many others. However, their attempts […]
LGBT Persecution in Senegal
In Senegal, a young man was arrested for his suspected sexual orientation, the African Human Rights Media Network reported. Though persecution in the West African country is unfortunately common, the young man represents the 37th arrest since just September. The arrest occurred on Dec. 28, the AHRMN reported. A spokesperson for the Free Collective, an […]
LGBT Groups Back Trump Removal From Office, Condemn Capitol Riot
LGBT groups have condemned Wednesday’s siege of the Capitol by Trump supporters. President Donald Trump for weeks has been calling on supporters to descend on the city on January 6, the day a joint session of Congress was scheduled to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s November win. Trump appeared at a “Save America Rally” near the […]
Anti-gay rhetoric ramps up fear among LGBT+ Ugandans ahead of polls
NAIROBI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Homophobic comments by Uganda’s president and other politicians are making some LGBT+ Ugandans too scared to vote in elections scheduled for Jan. 14, gay rights campaigners said on Tuesday. LGBT+ people face widespread persecution in the east African nation, where gay sex is punishable by life imprisonment, and gay activists […]
Poland: Church cancels lease of liberal Catholic magazine
WARSAW, Poland — A liberal Roman Catholic magazine in Poland that recently criticized some high-ranking church officials says local church authorities in Krakow have terminated the publication’s office lease after almost 76 years. The Tygodnik Powszechny (General Weekly) said on Facebook and on its website that a letter from the Krakow Curia delivered Monday gave […]
For LGBTQ+ People Around the World, Here’s What Biden Can Do to Build Back Better
In every country, LGBTQ+ people face discrimination, from economic inequality and housing discrimination to, in the most severe cases, state-sanctioned violence up to murder. The incoming Biden administration has an opportunity for the United States to help—at home and abroad. Already, President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to revamp the offices at the State Department and […]
Budapest Black Lives Matter artwork sparks rightwing backlash
It will be only one metre high, and will be on display for just two weeks. Nevertheless, a planned art installation dedicated to the theme of Black Lives Matter is causing uproar in Budapest, where the rightwing, nationalist government of Viktor Orbán has taken aim at the movement and all it represents. The installation won […]
Non-binary person granted asylum in first-of-its-kind ruling
A non-binary person from El Salvador has been granted asylum in the UK in a first-of-its-kind ruling. Arthur Britney Joestar, 29, identified as a gay man when they arrived in the UK in October 2017 but came to identify as non-binary – i.e. neither a man nor a woman – after settling in Liverpool. The […]
Pacific leaders applauded in NZ’s New Year’s Honours list
NZ’s New Year’s Honours list has recognised the immense achievements of Pacific leaders after a challenging year. Thirteen Pacific leaders working across a diverse range of industries were honoured in this year’s list. It comes as the country was applauded for its diversity and representation among the newly elected Labour government. Minister for Pacific Peoples […]
Breaking the silence on gender identity in Asia Pacific
For many lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) people, coming out and being accepted is still a long winding road to go. Rights activist Rukhshana Kapali has been fighting for a registration number at Tribhuvan University, the oldest and largest in Nepal. The first transwoman in Nepal to apply for legal documentation as […]
One of the most anti-gay countries is about to host a conference on LGBTQ rights
Homosexuality is illegal in the United Arab Emirates and even cross-dressing is forbidden, but Dubai will host the International Conference on Gender Identity and LGBT Rights in May. The country has recently started to modernize its legal system to make it less reliant on Islamic law and more in step with other countries. The UAE […]
Uganda: Media bias leads to harassment of trans women
Ms Melanie Anyu, a human rights activist based in Mbale City in eastern Uganda, made the point in a recent interview: Too many media houses in Uganda “sow seeds of stigma and incitement towards LGBTQI+ people”, she said. In doing so, they violate the ethical standards of journalism as well as common decency. The country’s […]
Head of German Bishops calls for church reform on LGBTQ+ teachings
The head of the German bishops’ conference, George Bätzing, has called on the catholic church to alter its teachings on LGBTQ+ people. In an interview with the magazine, Herder Korrespondenz, Bishop Bätzing says he wants church blessings for couples who cannot marry in the Catholic Church to be introduced. This refers to people who have […]
Italy’s coronavirus vaccine rollout will forcibly out transgender and non-binary people
Italy’s segregated rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine by gender will forcibly out transgender people, campaigners have warned. As part of the EU’s mass vaccination programme, which will make the COVID-19 vaccine available to all adult EU citizens by the end of 2021, the first Italian person was vaccinated on 27 December. Days later, pictures of […]
Greece Just Appointed Its First Out Gay Cabinet Minister
The center-right government of Greece announced the country’s first out minister on Monday. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis appointed Nicholas Yatromanolakis as the new deputy minister of culture. The 44-year-old native of Athens had previously served as the culture ministry’s general secretary. Greece is currently dealing with high unemployment and an economic slowdown as a result […]
Cuba: Church opens its doors to LGBTQI+ people
While most churches in Germany, the US and other Western countries now welcome gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersexual people, that is an exception in Cuba. And that exception is called Iglesia de la Comunidad Metropolitana, a Protestant free church. “Once I went to a Reformed Church in which they kept talking about homosexuality as […]
‘Queering Cancer’ website creates community for LGBTQ+ cancer patients
Cancer doesn’t discriminate, but the health care system does. That’s the key message behind a new initiative co-developed by a University of the Fraser Valley professor aimed at creating a supportive online community for LGBTQ+ cancer patients. “The focus is on patient support,” said Evan Taylor, an assistant professor in the UFV School of Social […]
Report: Denial of freedom of LGBTQ+ artistic expression in Sudan
At least three LGBTQ+ organisations in Sudan are forced to operate underground, forcing artists to work with virtually no financial support, according to a report published on December 10 by Freemuse. In an interview with Radio Dabanga, Ola Diab, a Sudanese journalist based in Qatar, said that there is “still significant resistance in Sudan – […]
The K-pop inspired band that challenged gender norms in Kazakhstan
They made their debut as a boy band, expecting to create music and amass fans along the way. Instead they were met with anger, protests and even threats. They perform choreographed dance routines, sing addictive tunes and have shockingly slick music videos – and no, we’re not talking about a K-pop group. This is Q-pop, […]
People changing registered gender rising at record pace in Japan
A total of 948 people altered their officially registered gender in Japan in 2019, the highest number since a law was enforced more than a decade ago as part of efforts to protect the rights of transgenders, a judicial survey showed Sunday. The trend reflects widespread public awareness of those with gender identity disorder and […]
The 2020 Top Ten LGBT Stories from Latin America and the Caribbean
Pandemic, lockdowns, and unemployment dominated life almost everywhere in 2020. The LGBT community in Latin America and the Caribbean has been impacted by these crises disproportionately. And yet, LGBT advocates were able to achieve victories, even in countries with a poor track-record of openness to LGBT rights. 10. Wedding anniversary In March, Mexico City celebrated […]
Pro Rugby Player Devin Ibanez Says He’s Received ‘Overwhelming Support’ After Coming Out Gay
Professional rugby player Devin Ibañez has said that he’s received overwhelming support after coming out gay. Ibañez, who played with the New England Free Jacks in 2019, came out on Facebook and Instagram on Tuesday. “Everyone has been overwhelmingly supportive and amazing,” Ibañez told LGBT sports blog Outsports. “I’ve even gotten some messages from players […]
‘Puberty blockers’ were lifesaving for my daughter – all young people deserve a shot at happiness
For most of us, the Bell v Tavistock ruling was just another news story. You may not even know what it was. But for a small group of British families, it meant everything. Bell v Tavistock was with the High Court between October 2019 and December 2020. After 14 long months, judges ruled it was […]
LGBTQ, women: Draft science policy aims for inclusion, equity
In some path-breaking suggestions to promote inclusion of marginalised groups in science, a new draft policy on science and technology proposes that at least 30 per cent representation be ensured for women in all decision-making bodies, as well as “spousal benefits” be provided to partners of scientists belonging to the LGBTQ+ community. The proposals, for […]
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN QUEER COUPLE TO RAISE CHILD GENDERLESS
The bin year that was 2020 is finally behind us and 2021 has brought some good news. A South Australian couple, who are expecting their baby later in 2021 have decided to bring up their child genderless. Agender and queer couple Emryk Prout and Jordan Watson said they will leave it to their child to […]
Ofcom widens hate speech definition to include transgender intolerance in new guidelines
Broadcasters were previously required to ensure shows contained no material that incited hated based on race, religion, nationality or sex. This has now been amended to include transgender intolerance and ‘political or any other opinion’. The guidelines now state: ‘All forms of expression which spread, incite, promote or justify hatred based on intolerance on the […]
Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Veterans Face Elevated Suicide Risks
A new report published December 28 on JAMA Network Open found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) veterans are at greater risk of suicide than the general population. Data from more than 96,000 LGB veterans revealed that suicide accounted for 3.8 percent of deaths among LGB veterans in 2017 alone, while suicide accounted for 1.7 […]
LGBTQI advocate Richard Lusimbo honored for fighting HIV stigma
LGBTQI advocate Richard Lusimbo is one of six Ugandans recognized by the International Community of Women Living with HIV / Eastern Africa (ICWEA) for their outstanding role in fighting HIV-related stigma. The recognition for Lusimbo came during a recent national dialogue in Kampala focused on elimination of HIV-related stigma and discrimination. The LGBTQI community in […]
SA may be getting random ID numbers – or an ‘X’ for transgender people
The department of home affairs is considering assigning random identity numbers to South Africans, to replace the current structured, 11-digit system. Random ID numbers are more secure and private, it says. They also don’t exclude transgender people. If ID numbers don’t go random, they may get the possibility of an “X” in place of one […]
A Year of Intersex Victories
While 2020 has been a rough year for just about everyone, 2020 has also been a year of many intersex victories and of the overall global advancement of intersex rights. The term “intersex” is an umbrella term that refers to anyone born with variations in their sex characteristics—including variations in their hormones, chromosomes, internal anatomy, […]