France vows ‘firm response’ to homophobic chants at Ligue 1 football match
During Sunday’s match between bitter rivals Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille groups of fans chanted lines such as “Marseille are faggots” and “we will hang them by the balls, but sadly they don’t have any”. The chants – which did not appear targeted at individual players or fans – went on for close to 15 minutes, […]
Australian Human Rights Committee Set to Deny Lesbian Group’s Request to Hold Event for ‘Lesbian-Born-Females’ Only
The Australian Human Rights Commission appears set to bar a lesbian group from hosting an event exclusively for “lesbians born female” after at least 14 activist organizations spoke out against the event, warning it could isolate trans women. The Lesbian Action Group, based in Melbourne, had asked for a temporary five-year exemption under the country’s […]
Nadra resumes registration of transgender persons
The National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) on Monday resumed the registration of transgender persons, almost three months after it had halted the process. Following the May 2023 ruling of the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) against the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018, Nadra had halted the ‘X’ National Identity Card […]
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signs bills to bolster protections for LGBTQ people
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several bills over the weekend aimed at bolstering the state’s protections for LGBTQ people, after issuing a controversial veto that was criticized by advocates. The new laws include legislation that focuses on support for LGBTQ youth. One law sets timelines for required cultural competency training for public school teachers and […]
Appellate court bans gay book again after govt appeal
PUTRAJAYA (Sept 25): The Court of Appeal on Monday (Sept 25) reimposed the ban on a 2013 publication titled “Gay is Okay! A Christian Perspective” that was ordered by the Home Ministry in 2020, after the High Court had on Feb 22, 2022 lifted the prohibition on the book. This follows a majority 2-1 decision […]
Poland: Donald Tusk promises new laws for ‘victimised’ LGBTQ+ community
During a meeting in the northwest town of Pia, Tusk said that his party has two bills prepared that would benefit LGBTQ+ Poles – one to make it easier for trans people in Poland to self-identify and a second to legally recognise same-sex civil partnerships. The Civic Platform (PO) leader’s declaration came after a secondary school senior asked […]
An annual survey from the Census Bureau aims for better data on the LGBTQ+ population
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST: What is your current gender? And what best represents how you think of yourself? Gay, lesbian, straight, bisexual – or do you prefer a different term? Those are some of the kinds of survey questions the Census Bureau wants to test next year. It’s part of a long-running push for better statistics about […]
No harassment of LGBT community will be allowed, says Anwar
PETALING JAYA: The government will not condone excessive action or harassment against those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. However, he added in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour in New York on Saturday (Sept 23) that Malaysia will never recognise LGBT rights. “Muslims and non-Muslims alike, […]
OPINION: Protecting undocumented immigrants and Dreamers is a queer rights issue
In 2012, an undocumented immigrant from Indonesia named Rio Djiwandana began his studies at Georgetown University. During his first semester, he enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Then President Barack Obama had just launched DACA, which temporarily prevented the deportation of immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. These young […]
China fuels global surge in mpox cases as LGBTQ+ stigma hampers response
China is fuelling a global surge in mpox cases, accounting for the majority of new cases reported in September, according to the World Health Organization. The number of weekly cases reported globally increased by 328% in the week to 10 September, data shows. Most of that rise came from China, where more than 500 new […]
Turkey Targets LGBTQ Community as Erdogan Touts Family Values
As the Turkish government has stepped up its pledges to protect family values, members of the LGBTQ community in the country say they increasingly feel targeted. During his United Nations General Assembly speech in New York, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan argued that “the institution of the family” was under attack. “Defending family and [the] […]
‘The state says our kids don’t exist’ – how LGBT life is changing in Italy
Italian authorities are bringing in new measures targeting LGBT families and making it harder for them to have children. Many same-sex parents feel that a new law, which would make it illegal to have surrogacy abroad, is a personal attack against them. “We have two options: to stay in Italy and face prison, or to […]
Attendees of march against LGBTQ education don’t represent all Muslims, says professor
Some of the protesters at this week’s march against LGBTQ-inclusive education in Halifax were noted to be wearing visible signs of their Muslim faith. But Syed Adnan Hussain, an associate professor of religion at Saint Mary’s University, says objecting to LGBTQ rights has little to do with core Islamic beliefs. He says there’s no explicit […]
Transgender athletes are STILL being allowed to run in UK women’s races, six months after being banned, through a loophole in the rules… as rival runners ‘fear death threats’ if they speak out
Transgender athletes are still able to run in the female category of UK women’s races almost six months after a ban was introduced to prevent them from doing so. The strict clampdown by UK Athletics was introduced in March but a glaring loophole in the rules, which were brought into effect to deny those who […]
Uganda LGBT crackdown: enforcement of new law begins
Uganda has begun charging people under its draconian new anti-LGBT law, including two men accused of “aggravated homosexuality”, which can carry the death penalty. Human rights activists say many LGBT people have been forced into hiding since the law was passed, while anyone helping or even reporting their case could also be penalised. Warning, there […]
Ukraine’s transgender spokeswoman dismisses ‘Russian haters’
If you are an English speaker keeping up with the news of the Ukraine war, you have probably heard of Sarah Ashton-Cirillo. The US national arrived in Ukraine shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February last year. A freelance journalist, Ashton-Cirillo wanted to report from the front lines. Not long after arriving […]
Turkey President Erdogan ‘bothered by LGBT colours’ at UN headquarters
Turkey’s leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has complained about the display of what he described as as “LGBT colours” at the United Nations, which was brightly decorated to promote sustainable development goals. Mr Erdogan said he would have liked to discuss it with UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres, according to Turkish media. The president’s government has toughened its stance on LGBT […]
Kenya’s anti-gay bill proposes 50-year jail term
Kenya is considering the Family Protection Bill 2023, which could lead to 50-year prison sentences for non-consensual same-sex acts. Sponsored by Homa Bay Town legislator Peter Kaluma, the bill aims to ban homosexuality, same-sex unions, and LGBTQ activities and campaigns. It also intends to prohibit gay parades, assemblies, marches, and public cross-dressing. According to the bill, individuals […]
Romania Govt Proposes to Recognise Same-Sex Marriages Conducted in EU
The Romanian government has approved a draft law that states that certificates of marriage between people of the same sex concluded in a European Union state will be recognised as legal documents in Romania. The draft legislation – which comes five years after a ruling against the Romanian state by the Court of Justice of the […]
While some gathered at rally say inclusive education in N.L. schools an assault on families, counter-protestors say queer, trans youth under attack
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Local lawyer and former Progressive Conservative leader Ches Crosbie was among the crowds of protesters and counter-protesters at the Confederation Building on Wednesday advocating for and against LGBTQ-inclusive education. He mainly stood among those participating in the nationwide “1 Million March 4 Children,” which advocates against schools teaching children about gender and […]
69 people arrested for attending ‘gay wedding’ in Nigeria freed on bail
The 69 suspects who were arrested in Nigeria last month in connection with an alleged gay wedding have been released on bail. Over 200 people were arrested in a police raid at a reported same-sex wedding celebration in Nigeria’s southern Delta State in late August. Of that 200, 69 individuals were prosecuted for allegedly conducting and attending a […]
Hungarian president Katalin Novak uses UN General Assembly to go on ‘anti-family’ tirade
The country’s first female, and youngest-ever, president was in the LGBTQ+ community’s good books earlier this year when she vetoed an inhumane bill that would have allowed citizens to anonymously report same-sex families with children to authorities. But Novak raised eyebrows on Tuesday (19 September) when she dedicated her speech at the UN General Assembly to parental […]
Census Bureau wants to test asking about sexual orientation and gender identity on biggest survey
The U.S. Census Bureau asked the Biden administration Tuesday for permission to test questions about sexual orientation and gender identity for people age 15 and above on its most comprehensive annual survey of life in the country. The statistical agency wants to test the wording, response categories and placement of gender identity and sexual orientation questions […]
A much-needed holistic approach to HIV and AIDS in Latin America and the Caribbean is being held back by stigma and insufficient resources
“I was diagnosed with HIV six years ago and it was a very tough time for me emotionally. It was very challenging, and I spent about a year and a half with serious depression, going through very difficult moments emotionally,” says Juan de La Mar, a Colombian filmmaker and director of the documentary De Gris A […]
France sets up embassy fund to defend LGBTQ rights
France said on Monday that it would set up a fund through its embassies to promote the rights of LGBTQ people, as it met like-minded nations at the United Nations. Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna made the announcement at the 15th anniversary of an LGBTQ group at the United Nations at the start of the annual […]
LGBT Asylum Project helps asylum seekers fleeing persecution
San Francisco has become a beacon for many LGBTQ asylum seekers — and the LGBT Asylum Project is meeting the need, having provided legal representation for nearly a decade. Why it matters: America’s immigration system is complex, time-consuming and costly. Most people who are fleeing violence or abuse based on their sexuality and/or gender identity […]
Transgender rights in Canada deeply divide voters as study suggests most still believe in only two genders
As more Canadians are faced with the evolving nature of gender identity, gaps in the ways different groups view the subject are growing, according to a recent survey(opens in a new tab) by the Angus Reid Institute (ARI). The survey of 3,016 Canadian adults is the second in a series of reports on Canada and […]
Trans people let down by ‘extraordinarily long’ NHS waiting lists
Transgender people are being let down by “extraordinarily long” NHS waiting lists, which are causing a “travesty” of self-harm and suicide, an inquest heard. Alice Litman, 20, had been waiting to receive gender affirming healthcare for 1,023 days when she died on May 26 2022 in Brighton, the family said, ahead of her inquest which […]
Historic struggle of Montreal queer Jews is the subject of a new zine called ‘Not Going Anywhere’
Younger generations may find it hard to believe that less than 50 years ago LGBTQ Jews in Montreal were denied space at the Jewish community centre—and even the most liberal congregation waffled on giving them a platform. That relatively recent period is illuminated in a new zine entitled Not Going Anywhere: History and Continuity in […]
Ireland concerned at ‘alarming pushback’ against LGBTI rights, says Varadkar
Ireland is deeply concerned at the “alarming pushback against LGBTI rights and the rise of violence and hatred towards LGBTI people at home and abroad”, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said. In a speech to an event at the United Nations in New York on Monday, he said “draconian laws” were being re-introduced in some countries. […]