Global Affairs Canada changing policy as gay diplomat wins surrogacy expenses case
A gay employee of Global Affairs Canada posted in China, who travelled to the U.S. for the birth of his child through surrogacy, will have those expenses covered after a tribunal ruling. The public service labour board ruled in August it would be discriminatory if Ottawa does not compensate travelling expenses for any diplomat in […]
Blessing gay people not LGBT groups says pope
The Vatican’s recent decision to start blessing gay couples is about blessing individual people and not LGBT groups, Pope Francis said Saturday amid a backlash against the move by conservatives and African bishops. The measure on the blessings of gay couples concerns “people, not organisations”, Francis said at a closed-door meeting with the Roman clergy, […]
Qatar’s ongoing abuse of LGBTQ people highlighted as soccer’s Asian Cup kicks off
The continuing discrimination and risk of imprisonment or worse faced by LGBTQ people in Qatar is in focus as another major international soccer tournament begins in the Gulf state. Fourteen months after the men’s FIFA World Cup kicked off in Qatar amid intense scrutiny of the country’s dismal record on human rights, the AFC Asian […]
Gazprom-Owned TV Channel Fined for ‘LGBT Propaganda’ Over Music Video Kiss
A music channel owned by the media arm of Russian energy giant Gazprom was fined $11,300 for spreading “LGBT propaganda among minors” in a 90s-era music video that shows two women kissing, the independent Vyorstka news outlet reported Friday. The music video with the offending kiss aired in July on the channel Lya-Minor TV, which […]
West Virginia Conservatives Want to Legally Define Trans People as “Obscene”
West Virginia State Sen. Michael Azinger (R) introduced a slew of anti-transgender bills on Wednesday, including one that would ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth and one sanctioning conversion therapy. “Even though it’s just the second day of the session, nine bills that oppose LGBTQ+ rights have already been introduced, with a heavy focus on […]
Macron appoints gay French PM’s ex-partner as foreign minister
French president Emmanuel Macron has appointed Stéphane Séjourné, the ex-partner of new prime minister Gabriel Attal, to the role of foreign minister. On Tuesday (9 January) Macron named 34-year-old education minister Gabriel Attal as France’s youngest – and first gay – prime minister. The appointment also makes him the youngest head of government in the […]
Greece to legalize same-sex marriage after opposition agrees to support it
Greece’s government is slated to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption after the country’s left-wing political party withdrew its opposition. Stefanos Kasselakis, the out gay leader of Syriza, said Thursday that he would instruct the 38 lawmakers in his party to vote in support of the measure, despite saying it does not go far enough to […]
Which European countries have LGBTQ+ leaders?
BRUSSELS, Jan 9 (Openly) – French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed Education Minister Gabriel Attal as his new prime minister, the first time an openly LGBTQ+ figure has held the role. The 34-year-old Attal, who recent polls have shown is one of the country’s most popular politicians, also becomes the youngest prime minister in French history. Europe leads […]
Donors raise $5,000 for victim of anti-gay attack in Uganda
Supporters have donated more than $5,000 to help Ugandan LGBTQ+ rights activist Steven Kabuye, who was hospitalized in critical condition after he was repeatedly stabbed by anti-gay attackers on Jan. 3. Kabuye wrote: Greetings dear comrades and fellow activists in the struggle for ensuring equity across human rights regardless of anyone’s gender or sexual orientation…Human rights are […]
Greece to legalise same-sex marriage, adoption
Greece will legalise marriage and adoption by same-sex couples, the prime minister said on Wednesday (10 January), but gave no timeframe on the sensitive issue in the staunchly Christian Orthodox state. “We will legislate equality in marriage,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis told state TV ERT. But he added: “I want the discussion to mature in society before I submit […]
Trans woman’s Ohio house candidacy challenged under decades-old law
A second transgender woman’s attempt to run for public office in Ohio was challenged under a decades-old law that requires candidates to disclose previous legal names on election documents. Arienne Childrey, a Democrat vying for a seat in the Ohio house of representatives, learned late last week that the head of her county’s Republican party, Robert Hibner, […]
Africa: 2023 saw weaponisation of laws against LGBTI persons
In a new briefing looking at 12 African countries, Amnesty documented how legal systems were increasingly weaponised in the past year to systematically target and discriminate against LGBTI individuals. This includes instances where laws were employed to persecute and marginalise members of the LGBTI community, highlighting a trend of legal mechanisms being used as instruments of […]
Gabriel Attal is France’s youngest-ever and first openly gay prime minister
PARIS (AP) — France saw its youngest-ever prime minister and first openly gay one named Tuesday as President Emmanuel Macron seeks a fresh start for the rest of his term amid growing political pressure from the far right. Gabriel Attal, 34, rose to prominence as the government spokesperson then education minister and had polled as […]
Forty-One Community Organisations Write To WA Premier Over LGBT Law Refroms
Around forty-one community organisations, including LGBTQI, health and women’s groups and unions, have addressed an open letter to Western Australia Premier Roger Cook to deliver on the Labor government’s promise to enact LGBTQI law reforms. Among the unfulfilled promises are the abolishment of the Gender Reassignment Board, banning anti-gay conversion practices, updating the Equal Opportunity […]
‘I faced choice to flee or die’: LGBT asylum seekers question safe state policy
An asylum seeker forced into an exorcism for being gay has begged the Government to reconsider plans to designate India and Georgia as “safe states” as part of measures to tackle the small boat crisis. The man, from Georgia, said he experienced horrific homophobic abuse before being sent to a mental health hospital after he came out […]
Mexican president apologizes for labeling transgender lawmaker ‘man dressed as a woman’
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador apologized Tuesday following accusations of misgendering a transgender legislator. “I want to … offer an apology to a colleague who identifies as a woman,” López Obrador said. The president previously referred to Salma Luevano, one of Mexico’s first transgender lawmakers, as a “man dressed as a woman.” Luevano labeled […]
Meet the transgender Space Force rocket scientist who’s unimpressed by Libs of TikTok’s attacks
Space Force Col. Bree Fram, a distinguished transgender service member, advocate, and rocket scientist, recently faced a barrage of online attacks following a derogatory post by Chaya Raichik’s Libs of TikTok account. Out of the blue, Fram became the subject of hateful, personal, and dehumanizing rhetoric after Raichik targeted her. The post, which included a […]
France gets its first gay prime minister with Gabriel Attal
Education Minister Gabriel Attal has just been appointed prime minister of France, the first out gay man and LGBTQ+ person to be named to the position. At age 34, he will also be the country’s youngest prime minister in its Fifth Republic. “I know I can count on your energy and your commitment to get […]
Scottish government publish plans to ban conversion therapy
While UK-based activists sit tight in wait of an update on Rishi Sunak’s conservative party to follow through on their promise to ban the abhorrent practice, Scotland is pushing ahead with proposed legislation that would “prevent and respond to harmful acts” that attempt to alter or suppress someone’s sexual or gender identity. The proposal, published […]
Putin’s War Against My Marriage
On November 30, Russia’s Supreme Court decided that the “international LGBT movement” was an extremist organization—at the initiative of the Russian Ministry of Justice. This ruling could mean that any Russian citizen who has come out will face up to five years in prison—”for supporting extremism.” The Kremlin is not fighting against gay people only; […]
LGBTQ+ advocates’ lawsuit says Louisiana transgender care ban violates the state constitution
A lawsuit to block enforcement of Louisiana’s new ban on transgender health care procedures for anyone under 18 was announced Monday by LGBTQ+ advocates. The lawsuit was prepared by Lamda Legal and others on behalf of five Louisiana minors and their parents, identified in the filings by pseudonyms. Lamda Legal said in a news release […]
Israeli LGBTQ soldiers hope the war in Gaza will bolster their fight for equal rights at home
Before the war broke out, LGBTQ rights were at the heart of fierce debate over the government’s campaign to weaken Israel’s courts. One month after his fiancee was killed in the Israeli military’s Oct. 7 battle against Hamas terrorists in Kibbutz Be’eri, Omer Ohana received a small bit of solace: His government passed a bill […]
Walkout in Prestatyn sparked ‘vile’ and ‘horrific’ abuse, says transgender pool player
A transgender pool champion says she received “vile” and “horrific” abuse online after her opponent refused to play her in a final. Lynne Pinches conceded the Women’s Champion of Champions tournament to Harriet Haynes in Prestatyn. Pinches said she did it out of “fairness”, claiming transgender women have a competitive advantage.
Uganda stabbing victim Steven Kabuye blames LGBTQ+ attacks on politicians
Kabuye, who is the executive director of the advocacy group Colored Voice Truth to LGBTQ was left in a critical condition in hospital after he was “stabbed to near death” last week by two men just meters outside of his home. Graphic video footage uploaded to Kabuye’s X account shows him lying on the ground with […]
Osage singer-songwriter’s new album seeks to inspire two-spirit resilience
The Osage singer-songwriter Marx Cassity released their new album, “2Sacred,” on Nov. 5 as a response to a 3-year-old statistic of 33% of Native queer youth attempting suicide. Cassity goes by the name of Marca as a therapist specializing in trauma but added the “X” in their stage name, Marx, to represent the gender diversity […]
Vietnam soccer star and girlfriend celebrate wedding in LGBTQ sports first
Last year saw Vietnam feature at the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time in the national team’s history. The first weekend of 2024 has given the players further cause for celebration, with many in attendance at the same-sex wedding of one of their teammates — defender Tran Thi Thu — in Ho Chi Minh City. Thu’s […]
Govt is committed to provide all fundamental rights to trans community: Mushaal
ISLAMABAD – Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment, Mushaal Hussain Mullick here on Sunday said that the government was committed to provide all fundamental rights to the transgender community across the country at gross root level. She was addressing at the concluding ceremony at a workshop on wellness and communication development […]
US expresses concern after Burundi president says gay people should be stoned
The United States said on Friday it was troubled by comments from Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, who last week called on citizens of the small African country to stone gay people. The comments escalated a crackdown on sexual minorities in a nation where LGBT people already face social ostracism and jail terms of up to […]
Two single friends, one radical plan: why I’m having a child with my gay best mate
I held my breath as the sonographer pressed the probe into my belly. I could see something promising on the screen but needed to hear the expert say it before I could believe it. “There’s the heartbeat,” she said, and relief flooded through me. Next to me Tom, the baby’s father, squeezed my hand as […]
Aunties and ‘othermothers’ play huge part in supporting LGBTQ+ youth, new study finds
Aunts and ‘othermothers’, who care for children who are not biologically their own, provide significant support to LGBTQ+ youth, new research has found. The new finding is according to the paper “Aunties, Aunts, and Tías: The Forgotten Othermother Supporting and Housing LGBTQ Youth”, published in Socius, an open-access journal of the American Sociological Association. The […]