Myanmar LGBTQ people plea for help
While Pride Month is around the corner in Thailand, Burmese LGBTQ people live under the Tatmadaw’s shadow, waiting for help from their Thai counterparts. “Even if Thailand and Myanmar are close neighbours, LGBTQ lives are totally different,” said Saw Zin Maung Soe, founder of the Civil Authorize Negotiate Organisation (Can-Myanmar) and chair of the Consultants […]
Italy’s family minister explains decision not to sign EU LGBT declaration
Italy was among nine EU countries that did not sign a declaration promoting European policies in favor of LGBT+ communities, sparking widespread protests within the country while the government described it as “unbalanced”. Italy’s refusal to sign an EU declaration on the World Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia sparked a lot of controversy, both […]
Georgia’s other Russian-style law is fueling a bitter culture war
TBILISI — “No racism, sexism, homophobia or transphobia,” reads a sign in a small vegan café in the center of the Georgian capital, an EU flag pinned across the counter. “The other day, I was looking at a picture I took in 2013 with my friends who are queer activists, and I realized 90 percent of […]
As countries tighten anti-gay laws, more LGBTQ+ seek safety and asylum in Europe
RIETI, ITALY — Ella Anthony knew it was time to leave her native Nigeria when she escaped an abusive, forced marriage only to face angry relatives who threatened to turn her in to police because she was gay. Since Nigeria criminalizes same-sex relationships, Anthony fled a possible prison term and headed with her partner to Libya in […]
Japanese lesbian couple granted refugee status in Canada
Canada said it granted refugee status to two Japanese women last September due to widespread discrimination they faced in Japan as lesbians and members of the weaker sex. Ottawa also cited the lack of legal marriage in Japan for same-sex couples as a reason to certify the couple as refugees, noting the couple was denied […]
South Africa’s Queer Community Marks IDAHOBIT 2024
Several events were held across South Africa this week to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOBIT), under the 2024 theme of “No one left behind: Equality, Freedom, and Justice for All”. IDAHOBIT is celebrated on 17 May to mark the World Health Organization’s decision in 1990 to declassify homosexuality as a […]
US State Dept issues worldwide alert amid threat of violence against LGBTQ+ community
The U.S. State Department on Friday issued a worldwide caution security alert, saying it is aware of increased potential for foreign terrorist organization-inspired violence against LGBTQ+ people and events. “Due to the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations, or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests, the Department of State advises U.S. citizens overseas to exercise […]
Protesters rally in Peru against decree classifying seven gender identities as “mental illness”
Sexual diversity activists protested in Peru’s capital in front of the health ministry Friday to demand that the government repeal a decree that characterizes seven gender identities, including transgenderism, as “mental illnesses.” Protesters also gathered outside the Peruvian Embassy in Ecuador’s capital, Quito. The demonstrations coincided with the International Day Against Homophobia, celebrated since 2005 […]
Court rejects parents’ attempt to opt kids out of LGBTQ-inclusive reading assignments
A federal appeals court rejected a bid from a group of Maryland parents to require Montgomery County Public Schools to allow them to opt their children out of lessons that involve LGBTQ-inclusive material. A divided three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court decision denying a preliminary injunction on […]
LGBTQ Ugandans flee because of harsh anti-gay law at home
Fearing imprisonment and abuse in their homeland, some queer Ugandans have fled to neighboring Kenya where they hope to live in safety. It’s been a year since Uganda enacted one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBTQ laws.
LGBTQ community seeks approval for Pakistan’s first gay club in Abbottabad
LGBTQ community in Pakistan has been advocating for acceptance and rights, despite facing challenges amid conservative societal attitudes and legal restrictions, and now the office of Deputy Commissioner Abbottabad has been approached for a gay club. A formal request for a No Objection Certificate (NOC) has been made to establish a gay club under name […]
Liechtenstein becomes the last German-speaking country to legalise same-sex marriage
Liechtenstein has become the last German-speaking country to legalise same-sex marriage in a near-unanimous decision, according to reports. In a significant victory for its LGBTQ+ citizens, the parliament in the European nation – which is bordered by Switzerland and Austria – voted 24-1 in support of marriage equality, local outlet Liechtensteiner Vaterland reported. The country’s […]
Global Day Against LGBTQ+ Phobias Marked
GENEVA (16 May 2024) – Systemic discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity are still affecting many people across the world, a group of UN and regional human rights experts* said today, calling on States to redouble efforts to put an end to that. Ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia […]
‘Nothing short of horrific’: Amnesty criticises arrest of man in Qatar ‘trapped’ by police on Grindr
The family of a gay man who was arrested in Qatar say that he was “trapped” by a fake Grindr account and that he urgently needs access to HIV medicine or his health could collapse. Manuel Guerrero Aviña, who has dual Mexican-British citizenship, was arrested in February after arranging to meet a man named “Gio” on the […]
Riot police called to western Sydney as local council votes to reinstate LGBT books in public libraries
Cumberland City Council in western Sydney has overturned its ban on LGBT books from public libraries in an evening marred by chaos. The meeting opened with councillors singing the national anthem followed by four hours of debate and intense protests in a tumultuous evening attended by NSW Police. Council ultimately voted 12-2 to reverse the […]
‘We can’t give up on humanity’: Ghanaians fight antigay law
Alex Kofi Donkor is used to speaking out in support of Ghana’s LGBTQ+ community. For the past eight years, the activist has fearlessly led protests and panel discussions on gay rights. He has written blogs calling out homophobia and has lobbied lawmakers. But now things feel very different. Since Ghana’s Parliament passed a bill in February […]
Peru classifies trans people as ‘mentally ill’ after government decree
Trans, non-binary, and intersex people in Peru are now classified as “mentally ill” following a decree from the government’s health ministry. The decree, signed by Peruvian president Dina Boluarte, defines “transsexualism” and “gender identity disorder in children” as mental illnesses. It also categorises “dual-role transvestitism,” “fetishistic transvestism,” and “other gender identity disorders” under the same […]
Bigots mad after new Scottish First Minister John Swinney affirms that trans women are women
On 7 May, the new leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) stepped up to replace Humza Yousaf as First Minister. In a recent interview with BBC Radio Scotland, Swinney rightly stood for trans rights in Scotland after being asked, “What is a woman?” He answered the question by saying: “I believe a woman is […]
Japan: LGBTQ+ Workers’ Rights
In Japan, there are no laws that explicitly prohibit employment discrimination against LGBTQ+ employees. In June 2023, Japan passed the Act to Promote LGBT Understanding, which does not extend actual protections to LGBTQ+ employees, but instead encourages awareness. This act also extends to schools and the government. “The main purpose of the act is to […]
Groundbreaking research tackles sexual health needs of LGBTQA+ Australians with disabilities
Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) and Western Sydney University (WSU) have joined forces on a groundbreaking four-year research project to address the long-neglected issue of sexual healthcare for LGBTQA+ individuals with disabilities. Funded by the Australian government’s Medical Research Future Fund, this study will be the first of its kind in Australia. The research aims to […]
18 states sue the Biden administration over transgender worker protections
Eighteen Republican-led states sued the Biden administration late Monday over new federal guidance that aims to protect transgender Americans from workplace discrimination. In a lawsuit filed against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice, attorneys general from the 18 states, led by Tennessee, argued that the federal agency’s new rules unlawfully force […]
Govt to HC: 143 toilets built in city for use by transgenders
Delhi govt has told the high court that 143 toilets have been constructed in the national capital for exclusive use by transgender persons. In a status report, the govt’s social welfare department told a bench of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora that 223 toilets were under construction, with work for 30 […]
Saskatchewan Party MLAs barred from Regina Pride parade over school pronoun law
An organizer with Regina’s Pride parade says she was surprised to get an application from the governing Saskatchewan Party asking to take part in the event next month. Riviera Bonneau, co-chair for Queen City Pride, says it was hard to understand why some legislature members would want to march in the parade, when their actions […]
This small town in Ohio had its first Pride celebration last year & the community loved it
In the bucolic, and conservative, small town of Broadview Heights, Ohio — south of Cleveland, north of Akron and right next door to the spectacular Cuyahoga Valley National Park — Jennifer Speer and fellow members of Brecksville/Broadview Heights Pride put on their town’s very first “Pride Fest” in 2023. “We didn’t know what to expect,” […]
Esther McVey planning crackdown on civil service diversity initiatives
Esther McVey, the “minister for common sense”, has said she will crack down on diversity initiatives in the civil service, including banning the wearing of rainbow lanyards. McVey, who was appointed to Rishi Sunak’s cabinet as a minister without portfolio, said civil servants should be leaving their political views “at the building entrance” and that […]
In progressive Argentina, the LGBTQ+ community says President Milei has turned back the clock
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — When Luana Salva got her first formal job after years of prostitution, she was ecstatic. A quota law in Argentina that promoted the inclusion of transgender people in the work force — unprecedented in Latin America expect in neighboring Uruguay — pulled her from the capital’s street corners into the Foreign […]
NSW Government Offers Apology to Victims of Historical Homosexuality Laws
In a significant step towards reconciliation, the New South Wales government has announced a formal apology to individuals who faced discrimination under previous laws criminalising homosexuality. The apology, scheduled to be delivered in parliament in June, marks 40 years since the state amended the Crimes Act 1900 to decriminalise homosexuality. The decision to apologise comes after […]
Swiss fans get ready to welcome Eurovision winner Nemo back home
BERLIN — Swiss Eurovision fans were getting ready Sunday to give a hero’s welcome to singer Nemo, who won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest with “The Code,” an operatic pop-rap ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing a nongender identity. The singer, who is Swiss but currently lives in Berlin, was to land in Zurich on Sunday night, […]
A college athletics association banned transgender women from women’s sports. Now all eyes are on the NCAA
Like any competitive swimmer, Meghan Cortez-Fields knows how high the stakes can be in a sport where mere hundredths of a second can mean the difference between victory and defeat. But she is among the few who have feared what victory may bring. “I was afraid that if I was able to win, all of my success […]
LGTB community in Cuba marches for their rights and in solidarity with Palestinians
Hundreds of activists for sexual diversity in Cuba held a demonstration in the streets of the capital on Saturday, both to celebrate the update of the laws that incorporated more rights for the gay community and in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. The march is part of the activities for the Cuban Days against Homophobia […]