Australian anti-discrimination board accepts complaint against Israel Folau
An anti-discrimination board in Australia has accepted a complaint against former Wallabies star Israel Folau accusing him of the “vilification of LGBT people”. Gay anti-discrimination activist Garry Burns wrote to New South Wales’ Anti-Discrimination Board’s president in early December complaining about Folau. The former rugby superstar became embroiled in controversy and legal action earlier this […]
Painting of Naked Mexican Revolutionary Hero Unleashes Controversy
A painting depicting Mexican revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata naked but for high heels and a pink sombrero, astride an aroused white horse, has sparked controversy in socially conservative Mexico, prompting protests that briefly flared into violence. Zapata is widely considered a national hero and especially revered in rural Mexico. He helped sweep away the hacienda […]
Transgender Latina makes history as Evangelical Lutheran pastor
Before coming out as transgender, Nicole Garcia prayed daily that God would “fix” her. When her prayers weren’t answered and the feeling in her gut didn’t go away, she gave up on religion. Now, nearly four decades later, Garcia stands behind the pulpit at Westview Lutheran Church in Boulder, Colorado, and delivers weekly sermons to […]
Revisions announced to Australia religious freedom bill
Following religious groups’ criticism of an Australian bill intended to protect religious freedom, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Attorney-General Christian Porter have released a second version that appears to address some concerns. “This is a bill for all Australians,” Morrison told reporters Dec. 9, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. “Australia is a country of respect […]
Is Zambia ready for a gay pride march?
The intensity of Zambian homophobia might suggest that the nation could not endure a demonstration of LGBT pride, but some activists think it’s time to shake the country out of its anti-gay status quo. The question was even touched upon in the Lusaka Times, a prominent newspaper in the Zambian capital, in an article about […]
Mexico’s president condemns LGBT+ hate crimes after painting row
Mexico’s president on Wednesday condemned hate crimes against LGBT+ people after a row over a painting of revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata naked but for a pink sombrero, high heels and a ribbon led to an apparent attack on LGBT+ activists. Protestors stormed a national art gallery where the painting was on display on Tuesday to […]
You Wanted Same-Sex Marriage? Now You Have Pete Buttigieg.
To a lot of progressive queer people, Buttigieg’s campaign symbolizes everything the marriage-focused mainstream gay rights movement has failed to deliver. In general, Buttigieg makes the case that gay people like him, and like me, deserve to belong — in our families, in our churches, and in our communities — just as much as straight […]
‘God Has A New Africa’: Undercover in a US-led anti-LGBT ‘hate movement’
This year, I accomplished a feat that I never thought I would: I went undercover to investigate a group that hates me. Not long after I took my seat in the auditorium in downtown Accra, Ghana, a series of African and American speakers took turns denouncing me and the people I love. A representative of […]
First men go on trial under Nigeria’s anti-homosexuality laws
Forty-seven men went on trial in Nigeria on Wednesday for public displays of affection with members of the same sex, an offence that carries a 10-year jail term in the country. The men were among 57 arrested in a police raid on a hotel in the impoverished Egbeda district of the commercial capital, Lagos, in […]
Dictionary chooses gender-neutral ‘they’ as word of 2019
The use of “they” to describe someone who does not identify as male or female gained ground on Tuesday, when U.S. dictionary Merriam-Webster picked it as the word of 2019. Merriam-Webster said searches for that use of the word, which was added to its dictionary in September, had increased by more than 300% this year […]
Finland’s new prime minister – the world’s youngest leader – is the daughter of same-sex parents
Sanna Marin, the newly-elected prime minister of Finland, will be the youngest sitting country leader in the world and is the daughter of same-sex parents. The Social Democrat, 34, will replace Antti Rinne who resigned last week, making the country’s five-party coalition entirely led by women. Four out of five are in their thirties. The […]
First-ever Pride held on tiny remote island of South Georgia between South America and Antarctica
Around 20 people – essentially the island’s entire population – attended South Georgia’s first Pride last month. (Katharine Ganly) On a remote sliver thousands of miles away from South America and Antartica proper, the tiny island of St Georgia held its first Pride and quite literally everyone attended. Antartica’s summer resort, the British territory held […]
Nigeria’s first awards for LGBTIQ+ human rights activists are finally here
For the first time in the history of Nigeria, LGBTIQ+ human rights activists and organizations working for the advancement of LGBTIQ+ equality will be honored for their bravery, work, and inclusiveness. Despite harsh laws against homosexuality, over the years, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer [LGBTIQ+] human rights activists have been working relentlessly to […]
Nicola Sturgeon vows to use SNP influence in hung parliament to champion ‘world-leading’ LGBT reforms
The Scottish National Party (SNP) is pledging to lead the world in LGBT+ rights reforms as it releases its LGBTI Equality manifesto. The SNP is the only major party to release a specific LGBT+ manifesto ahead of the election on Thursday, although most other parties have included extensive LGBT+ pledges in their general manifestos. SNP […]
For LGBTQ Youth, Human Rights Day Has Special Meaning
“Youth Standing Up for Human Rights” — this year’s Human Rights Day theme — has particular resonance for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth around the world. LGBT children and young adults face social stigma and experience widespread discrimination and abuse; serious human rights violations that can have lifelong consequences, including for their health. This […]
How Russia uses porn charges against LGBT activist and trans woman
Human Rights Watch cites two recent examples — feminist LGBT activist Yulia Tsvetkova, under house arrest for allegedly distributing pornography such a body-positive drawings, and Michelle, a trans woman sentenced to three years in a men’s prison for putting sexual cartoons online. Michelle’s supporters worry that she will not survive the brutality of a male […]
Trans woman puts Chinese law to the test in landmark case
Earlier this year, shortly after completing gender-reassignment surgery, a Chinese transgender woman surnamed Yang was fired from her job, an all-too-common fate for members of the country’s LGBT community. The reason given for her dismissal was chronic tardiness, but Yang smelled a rat and sued her former employer in what LGBT activists are calling a […]
Attack the OAS: Inside the ultra-conservative war on the Inter-American human rights system
“The attack first started when I was president”, Margarette May Macaulay, a lawyer and former judge from Jamaica who was elected to the top post at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in 2018. She told openDemocracy how the US state department “said they could not give money to spend on my rapporteurship because […]
Cambodia: CHRC seeks to end LGBT discrimination
The Cambodian Human Rights Committee president spoke during a pro-LGBT event in Phnom Penh on Saturday and called on the public to end discrimination and prevent violence against the community. The event, organised by Rainbow Community Kampuchea, was held during International Human Rights Day. CHRC president Keo Remy said the government has made efforts in […]
Facebook ads push misinformation about HIV prevention drugs, LGBT activists say, ‘harming public health’
Facebook users have been bombarded with misleading ads about medication meant to prevent the transmission of HIV, according to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocates, who say the tech giant’s refusal to remove the content has created a public-health crisis. The ads have been viewed millions of times in recent months, Facebook’s archive reveals, and […]
UK‘s first LGBT retirement community set to open in Manchester
The northern British city of Manchester has announced it is to open the country‘s first retirement community for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. There are more than 7,000 LGBT people over the age of 50 in Manchester and the number is expected to increase, the council said in a statement. The project aims […]
Breaking barriers: Miss Universe’s first openly gay contestant is from Myanmar
Ninety hopefuls from around the world will vie for the crown at tonight’s (Dec 8) Miss Universe pageant. Among them is Miss Myanmar, Swe Zin Htet. The 21-year-old singer-actress is the first openly gay woman in Miss Universe history. Htet came out publicly on the beauty blog Missology on Nov 29. She has been in […]
Uganda Renews Clampdown on the LGBT Community
On November 11, police in Uganda arrested 125 members of the LGBT community. The Kampala police assert that the Ram Bar, which is frequented by the LGBT community, is a hot spot for smoking opium and shisha. Although reports suggest that only a few were smoking, those arrested were charged with violating the Tobacco Control […]
TikTok admits it censored LGBT users in ‘wrong’ attempt to tackle online bullying
Documents obtained by the German site netzpolitik.org from an anonymous source at the Chinese-owned company showed that accounts and posts from LGBT+ people, body positive advocates and people with disabilities were being limited in their reach, regardless of content. The section in the moderate rules was titled: “Imagery depicting a subject highly vulnerable to cyberbullying.” […]
The Fight for Peace and Justice in Colombia
Late last August, prominent FARC commanders Iván Márquez and Jesús Santrich declared that they would be taking up arms against the Colombian state once again. The announcement signified a partial breakdown of the 2016 peace agreement which was meant to mark the end of the decades-long conflict. The vocal cynics within Colombia’s hawkish right wing […]
Emerging Indie Wrestling Star Anthony Bowens Takes Pride in Representing LGBTQ Community
Anthony Bowens stands for more than solely great performances in the ring. One of pro wrestling’s rising stars, Bowens is entertaining in the ring, able to work on the mat, in the air, and show off some power. He also provides a voice to those who have not often been heard. Bowens came out as […]
EVANGELICAL SITE LAUNCHES ‘SUCCESSFUL’ PETITION AGAINST GAY CHRISTMAS MOVIE AFTER HALLMARK SAYS IT’S OPEN TO LGBTQ PITCHES
A far-right evangelical website has allegedly faked an online petition against a hypothetical gay Hallmark Christmas movie. Out reported Friday that evangelical website LifeSiteNews started a petition asking the Hallmark Channel not to produce a potential “gay Christmas movie.” Though LifeSiteNews claims “viral” numbers of 30,000 signatures, Out claims the numbers have likely been artificially […]
Brazilian Foundation Develops App to Map Risk Areas for LGBT Population
Fiocruz (Oswaldo Cruz Foundation) has developed an App to map the areas of the country regarded as the most violent for the LGBT population. Users will point out whether areas are safe or not. The goal is to reduce the number of attacks recorded, mainly at night, on the country’s streets and avenues. The tool […]
Trump’s Rollback of Transgender Rights Extends Through Entire Government
Whether it means serving in the military, working for a federal contractor or seeking medical help, regulations that once protected transgender people are under attack. Nicolas Talbott, a graduate student at Kent State University in Ohio who is transgender, was told in May that because of President Trump’s transgender ban in the military, he would […]
Gay Belgian rower launches Instagram campaign to aid acceptance of LGBTQ athletes
The sport of rowing is already beloved in the LGBTQ community thanks to the annual Warwick Rowers calendar, an annual fundraising publication featuring photos of the team baring it all in perhaps the greatest incentive to look forward to the first day of each new month ever conceived. To top it off, Warwick has openly […]