Scotland’s New Transgender ‘Hate Crime’ Law Already Showing How It Leads to Tyranny
Scotland’s new “hate crime” law already is demonstrating how it will be used to squash dissent and free speech. The so-called Hate Crime and Public Order Act, which went into force in Scotland on April Fools’ Day, adds age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, and transgender identity to a list of protected classes. The law provides […]
Ghana ruling party presidential candidate says he opposes same-sex relations
ACCRA (Reuters) -The presidential candidate of Ghana’s ruling party, Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, said on Thursday he was opposed to “the practice of homosexuality”, a stance he promised to maintain if elected in December. President Nana Akufo-Addo faces pressure to sign into law one of Africa’s most severe anti-LGBT bills, which has been criticised by rights advocates […]
Rio’s Runway, Reimagined: Transmasc and Nonbinary Performers Expand Brazil’s Ballroom Scene
“Ballroom changes lives, you know? It’s inevitable,” said Maru Camargo, who joined Rio de Janeiro’s Ballroom scene about a year ago after moving from the countryside. If you have been to a party in Rio, you may know the outfits, the dancing, the music, the volume. If you have been to a Ball anywhere, you may […]
Transgender inclusion? World’s major religions take varying stances
The Vatican has issued a new document rejecting the concept of changing one’s biological sex — a setback for transgender people who had hoped Pope Francis might be setting the stage for a more welcoming approach from the Catholic Church. Around the world, major religions have diverse approaches to gender identity, and the inclusion or exclusion of […]
Government recognised violation of rights of LGBT representatives, however…
On 11 April, the European Court of Human Rights announced a decision on the complaints of 24 representatives of the LGBT community. The complaint was related to the mass detentions and administrative arrests of LGBT representatives in Azerbaijan in September 2017. They complained that they were harassed and ill-treated in detention centres because of their orientation […]
Rainbow Veterans, LGBT Purge Fund Honour WW1 Canadian Soldiers
Throughout history, members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community have made important military contributions, paving the way for others who continue to do so today. Regrettably, a legacy of discrimination has meant most of those men, women and gender diverse people stories have been buried and excluded from our collective memory. Fortunately, recent research has brought some […]
Eswatini LGBTIQ activists challenge ultra-conservative attitudes
MANZINI, Eswatini – On the evening of July 2 2018, Mapezu Kunene was filled with anxiety and anticipation for the Pride march happening the next day at the Prince of Wales sports ground in Mbabane, Swaziland. The thirty-one-year-old found herself caught in the uncertainty about the reactions of authorities. However, she held on to hope. “[That] […]
UN LGBTQ Rights In Columbia Briefing
For the first time in its 78-year history the United Nations Security Council received a full briefing in a regular session on security issues impacting LGBTQ people in a conflict setting. Marcela Sánchez a lesbian human rights defender & executive director of Colombia Diversa a human rights organization based in Bogotá that focuses on LGBTQ […]
Navy veteran wins award for fighting LGBT ban
An LGBT navy veteran has won an award for her efforts to get a rule banning gay people from the navy overturned by taking the UK to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). Emma Riley, who lives in Brighton, was a Royal Navy radio operator for three years before she was arrested and discharged after […]
What are the key findings of the NHS gender identity review?
A review into the NHS’s gender identity services has found that children and young people have been let down by a lack of research and evidence on medical interventions in a debate that has become exceptionally toxic. Dr Hilary Cass said her report was not about defining “what it means to be trans” or “undermining […]
Lesbian prime minister steps down
Ana Brnabic—the first woman and the first lesbian to hold the office of prime minister of Serbia, or to be a leader of any Eastern European country—has stepped down after seven years in power, in a reshuffle of President Alexander Vucic’s government, The Los Angeles Blade noted. Brnabic—who is also the longest-serving person to have […]
Son Seok-gu’s gay chart remark reflects Korea’s evolving stance toward LGBTQ+ community
The perception of the LGBTQ+ community is shifting. Stars like Son Seok-gu are expressing pride in the affection they receive from their gay fan bases. Their heartfelt gratitude has impressed many viewers. Son recently made headlines with his appearance on comedian Shin Dong-yup’s YouTube channel, where he boasted about ranking high on a gay chart, […]
Everywhere Is Queer app launches to help LGBTQ+ users support their local community
Everywhere is Queer, founded by Charlie Sprinkman, is linking people to LGBTQ+ owned businesses with a new mobile app, making finding local community more accessible. There are now over 11,850 pins on the app’s map, 2,000 of which were added after its release in late February, according to Sprinkman. “Every business that applies, I’m just […]
MP says criminalizing homosexuality is needed to promote ‘cultural sovereignty’
A Congolese legislator has proposed a bill to criminalize homosexuality in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a former Belgian colony that is home to 99 million people, where gay sex has never been criminalized. Constant Mutamba, an opposition member of the Dynamique Progressiste Révolutionnaire (DYPRO) party, put forward the bill, noting that homosexuality is socially […]
Vatican opposes anti-LGBTQ legislation, top cardinal says
The Vatican is against laws that criminalize same-sex acts, as enforced by a number of countries with the support of Catholic groups, the head of the Vatican’s doctrine office said on Monday. Presenting a publication which reaffirmed the Vatican’s opposition to sex reassignment surgery, so-called “gender theory” and having a child via surrogacy, Cardinal Victor […]
Behind the movement that brought homosexuality — and psychiatry’s power — to a vote 50 years ago
Fifty years ago, the nation’s psychiatrists effectively put gay people’s mental health — and their very place in society — to a vote. Five months prior, on Dec. 15, 1973, the 15-member board of the American Psychiatric Association had voted unanimously, with two abstentions, that homosexuality should no longer be considered a mental illness. The […]
‘The purpose is getting lost’: debate obscuring point of Scottish hate law, say campaigners
“We sell flat whites and make croissants in a bakery that’s supposed to be a safe place for the people who work here and the customers who visit. We didn’t expect to be targets of hate.” Tristan Aitchison runs the Xoko bakehouse in Inverness. Over the past year, the LGBTQ+-inclusive cafe has been subject to […]
Fears of discrimination in Thailand despite looming same sex marriage bill
Bangkok, Thailand – Thanadech Jandee is thrilled that Thailand’s marriage equality bill, allowing same-sex couples to marry, is moving closer to becoming law. Thanadech, who was born biologically female and had gender reassignment surgery to identify as male last year, lives with his girlfriend and her son from a previous relationship. But along with many […]
Member of Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ government resigns after fleeing alleged gay sex party
A top-ranking official in Hungary’s ultraconservative government has stepped down after being caught fleeing an alleged gay sex party. József Szájer announced his resignation as a member of the European Parliament for Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz party on Sunday. The married official admitted to attending what he called a “private party” in Brussels on Friday […]
Florida teachers can discuss sexual orientation and gender ID under ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill settlement
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Students and teachers can discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, provided it’s not part of instruction, under a settlement reached Monday between Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys who had challenged a state law which critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.” The settlement clarifies what is allowed in Florida […]
Group urges government to protect transgender people
On World Health Day yesterday, the Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights (TAPCPR) urged the government to better care for the health rights of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) people. World Health Day is commemorated on Apr. 7 annually, the founding day of the WHO, to raise awareness about global health issues and the importance of […]
U.S. Supreme Court laid foundation for Ugandan ‘Kill the Gays’ ruling
The Ugandan court that endorsed the nation’s 2023 “Kill the Gays” law drew inspiration from the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning its previous Roe v. Wade ruling that had established abortion rights. In explaining their support for the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), the Ugandan Constitutional Court said that the U.S. Supreme Court had established […]
In rare appearance, Melania Trump to headline Mar-a-Lago fundraiser for conservative LGBT group
Former first lady Melania Trump will be headlining a Mar-a-Lago fundraiser later this month for Log Cabin Republicans, the largest organization representing LGBT conservatives in the United States. It’s a rare appearance at a fundraising event by the former first lady, who has mostly stayed away from former President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign trail and […]
Christian Right on the gain in Europe: Reason for hope or alarm?
Christian organisations are successful in spreading the anti-woke, anti-gender and Christian-nationalist agenda. That was the alarm that sounded in Brussels on Thursday. At a conference at the European Parliament, the book “The Christian Right in Europe” was presented, a study of the “infiltration of the Christian right into national and international institutions”. This academic study […]
Gender-critical activists and pro-transgender groups clash in Edinburgh
Gender-critical activists and counter-protesters clashed in Edinburgh in a dispute over transgender rights. Let Women Speak (LWS), an organisation described by supporters as a “gender-critical feminist” campaign, led a rally outside the Royal Scottish Academy in the Scottish capital on Saturday. The rally, which began at 1pm, was led by Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull, sometimes known as […]
A Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist was stabbed and left for dead in the street. Now, he recounts his escape to Canada
The scar on Steven Kabuye’s right arm runs over a foot long. At the base of his torso, a small puncture wound marks where a knife almost ended his life. “Marks that will never leave my body,” reads the caption of one of Kabuye’s recent Instagram posts, which shows his injuries. “These scars should remind […]
Melania Trump Makes Unexpected Move With LGBT Group
Former First Lady Melania Trump is set to make a rare campaign appearance during a fundraiser for the Log Cabin Republicans, according to Politico. Log Cabin Republicans bills itself as the nation’s largest organization representing LGBT conservatives and allies. Melania has largely remained out of the public eye when it comes to her husband, former […]
Westminster honey trap: Tory MP ‘mortified’ after sharing private numbers with Grindr contact
Conservative William Wragg MP has admitted sending the personal phone numbers of other parliamentary figures to someone he met on Grindr. William Wragg, the MP for Hazel Grove, in Greater Manchester, and the deputy chairman of the influential of 1922 Committee, told The Times he provided the contact details after sharing intimate pictures of himself […]
Uganda cited Dobbs to back an anti-LGBTQ crackdown. Americans should be worried too.
The ripple effects of Dobbs continue to emerge in unexpected places — and to threaten other civil liberties. Yesterday, Uganda’s constitutional court, the country’s second-highest judicial body, cited the US Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade in its ruling to uphold the majority of a sweeping anti-gay law that criminalizes homosexuality and same-sex marriage, […]
Gay rights activists call for more international pressure on Uganda over anti-gay law
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan gay rights activists asked the international community to mount more pressure on the government of Uganda to repeal an anti-gay law which the country’s Constitutional Court refused to nullify on Wednesday. Activist Frank Mugisha said Tuesday’s ruling was “wrong and deplorable.” “This ruling should result in further restrictions to donor funding for Uganda […]