‘I Knew I Had to Get Out to Survive’—Violence Drives LGBT Central Americans North
The desperation of daily life in Honduras is driving thousands of people to join other Central American migrants in their long march northward toward what they hope is asylum and safety in the United States. Yet the situation is especially grave for those who are LGBT, in particular gender non-conforming men and minors. Perhaps that […]
Record number of anti-LGBTQI+ attacks in France: report
Assaults in France on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people hit a new record in 2018, “a dark year” for the LGBT community, French group SOS Homophobie reported Tuesday. The non-profit association registered 231 physical attacks, up from the previous annual record of 188 anti-LGBT assaults back in 2013 linked to same-sex marriage legislation. “2018 […]
Turkey: ‘Appalling’ violence used against students holding Pride march
Reacting to the news that a Pride march organized by students at the Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara has been violently broken up by police and 25 students arrested, Fotis Filippou, Campaigns Director for Europe at Amnesty International, said: “It is heartbreaking to hear that today’s Pride march, which should have been a […]
Lavender Scare’ bill seeks to address midcentury purging of gay federal workers
Democratic lawmakers are trying to make amends for a dark period in U.S. history — when thousands of federal employees were fired or forced to resign between the late 1940s and 1960s because they were thought to be gay. The reintroduced Lavender Offense Victim Exoneration Act, or LOVE Act, aims to redress the harms done […]
Nonbinary activist Jamie Windust petitions Parliament for gender-neutral passports
Nonbinary activist Jamie Windust is petitioning UK’s Parliament for gender-neutral passport options. While some countries offer a third gender option on passports, the United Kingdom currently does not. Last year, Christie Elan-Cane went up against the High Court seeking permission to use a third gender marker on their passport. Now, actor and activist Jamie Windust […]
This group of gay Mexicans arrested in 1935 are inspiring people in 2019
The internet has sent a picture of LGBTI Mexicans, purportedly arrested for homosexuality in 1935, viral in the past few days. The photo belongs to the collection of the National Photo Library of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Mexico. We know very little about the detainees themselves, except these pictures are […]
Taiwan unveils long-awaited gay marriage bill
Taiwan’s ruling party unveiled its latest attempt to create Asia’s first gay marriage law on Thursday, May 9, a bill offering same-sex couples “permanent unions” as well as limited adoption rights, despite stiff opposition from conservatives. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has had a stuttering and troubled journey towards delivering on their 2016 election promise […]
Cuban gay rights groups hold unauthorized march in Havana
Gay-rights activists organizing on social media held an unauthorized march Saturday down eight blocks of one of Havana’s main thoroughfares before they were stopped by police. The march was the second by a non-governmental organization in Cuba in slightly more than a month. That’s highly unusual in a country where the only legal civil society […]
Bisexual UK navy veteran stripped of medals to sue
A veteran who was dismissed from Britain’s Royal Navy because of his sexual orientation, has planned to sue the UK’s Defence Ministry for the return of his medals, which were cut from his chest when he was expelled in 1993. Joe Ousalice, 68, said he was “hounded out” of the navy and made to feel […]
Brunei LGBT community living in fear despite sultan’s death penalty reprieve
When the Sultan of Brunei last week announced a moratorium on the much-condemned death penalty for gay sex, some hailed the move as a major advance. But inside the tiny South-East Asian nation, members of the LGBT community says there is little reason to celebrate – and much still to fear. In an interview with […]
LGBT rights backers, foes rally outside Legislative Yuan
More than 1,000 LGBT rights advocates and opponents yesterday demonstrated outside the Legislative Yuan in Taipei ahead of a cross-caucus negotiation on bills related to same-sex marriage. At today’s cross-caucus negotiation, legislators are to discuss three bills that respectively would legalize same-sex marriage, same-sex unions or a same-sex family member registration system. While the first […]
Italy won’t recognize gay couple as dads to surrogate babies: top court
A gay couple from Trento who had two children in Canada with the help of an egg donor and a surrogate mother cannot both be named as the children’s fathers in Italy, the Court of Cassation ruled on Wednesday. Instead, only the children’s biological father will be listed as their legal parent, while his partner […]
LGBT Partnership Systems Spread Across Japan
In the first five months of 2019 alone, the number of Japanese municipalities with a “partnership system” recognizing same-sex relationships has doubled. While Japan’s national government has been very passive when it comes to tackling issues faced by its LGBT population, more and more municipal governments are making an effort to help improve the daily […]
Mexico’s top court says new birth certificate must be issued after sex change
Mexico’s Supreme Court asked the state of Jalisco on Wednesday to grant a new birth certificate to a resident there to reflect the fact the person changed their sex and name, another step toward equal rights in the socially conservative country. “As the Supreme Court has argued in other cases, everyone has the right to […]
Nigeria: Anglican Church ejects 2 priests for homosexuality
In Nigeria, LGBT people suffer various forms of discrimination at all levels within the society, even from within the Christian faith. Many Nigerians believe the Bible condemns LGBTIQ folks, and thus views homosexuality as a sin that should not be tolerated, even though modern interpretation and a deeper research into what the Bible really says […]
New govt must prioritize laws to protect students from discrimination in schools
The next Australian government must prioritise laws to ban schools from expelling or discriminating against gay students and teachers, LGBT+ advocates said on Thursday, amid an election campaign marred by homophobic slurs. Last year Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he planned to ban private or religious schools from expelling students on the basis of their […]
More than 80% of LGBT students in China report depression
Around 85% of LGBTQ students in China report struggling with depression, according to a survey. The poll, carried out by Beijing Normal University and analysed by Chinese news site Caixin Global, found a further 40% had considered suicide. More than 700 LGBTQ students from 29 provinces were polled. The survey found more than 80% of […]
Could Pete Buttigieg make history in LGBTQ-friendly Nevada?
Pete Buttigieg has focused heavily on his background when stumping across the nation, touting his identity as a younger voice in the Democratic party, a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, and the hands-on mayor of South Bend, Indiana. Now the openly gay White House hopeful will return to Nevada to spotlight the history-making potential […]
Bold and timely’: New LGBT-friendly Cathay Pacific ad wins praise
Hong Kong airline Cathay Pacific rolled out a new promotional campaign this week – though one ad, in particular, stole the spotlight. Netizens have posted photos of a Cathay billboard showing two men holding hands and walking along a sandy beach, with the slogan “Move Beyond Labels.” It was part of the airline’s branding refresh […]
Russian LGBTIs risk arrest by holding public vigil for gay Holocaust victims
In an act of brave defiance, a group of LGBTI Russians commemorated the gay victims of the Nazi Holocaust. Leading LGBTI activist Petr Voskresenskii secretly planned the event in St Petersburg held on Victory Day. The day is one of the most important holidays in Russia as it marks Nazi Germany’s surrender during World War […]
Ramadan: The holiest but loneliest time of year for many LGBTI Muslims
As the Muslim world gets stuck into observing and celebrating the holiest month on the Islamic calendar, LGBTI Muslims are preparing themselves in an entirely different way. Ramadan is the most important holidays for Muslims. ‘Ramadan is as important for Muslims as Christmas for other people,’ said Faizan, head of LGBTI Muslim group, Imaan. ‘But […]
Cuban government talks to LGBT group about parade
During a dialogue where Raul Castro’s daughter was present, members of the Cuban LGTBQ community were told the now-canceled gay parade would be used by foreign forces as the perfect scenario for their own agenda. Wednesday’s meeting was attended by a handful of concerned Cuban citizens who by way of a social media chat organized […]
This New Happiness Survey Is Asking LGBT People Around the World, ‘How Happy Are You?’
Happiness and quality of life are both essential to people’s well-being. Yet in too many countries those qualities in LGBT people are seriously compromised due to the stigma, discrimination, violence and even the criminalization they face. Excess mental stress affects our health, welfare and prosperity. The just-launched LGBT Happiness Study survey seeks to measure that. […]
No Outsiders’ teacher to lead Birmingham Pride parade
A teacher whose lesson programme covering LGBT relationships has been at the centre of protests will lead a parade during Birmingham Pride. Andrew Moffat started the ‘No Outsiders’ lessons at Parkfield Community School in the city. Parents – largely of the Muslim faith – have campaigned against the lessons at schools across the city, arguing […]
Russia: New Anti-Gay Crackdown in Chechnya
Police in Chechnya have carried out a new round of unlawful detentions, beatings, and humiliation of men they presume to be gay or bisexual, Human Rights Watch said today. The new abuses come against a backdrop of absolute impunity for the vicious large-scale anti-gay purge in spring 2017. The Russian authorities should carry out an […]
First It was the Word ‘Gay”
First, it was the word “gay.” For decades, conservatives objected to people using the word to describe homosexuality on the grounds that it corrupted a perfectly good word and prevented it from being used to mean cheerful. No less an institution than The New York Times refused to use the word until well after its […]
Cuba cancels its annual gay rights parade, ‘Conga Against Homophobia’
The Cuban government announced Tuesday that it has canceled this year’s edition of a parade widely seen as a sign of progress on gay rights on the island. The state-run Center for Sex Education headed by Mariela Castro, the daughter of Communist Party First Secretary Raul Castro, said in a Facebook post that the Conga […]
Poles stage protest rally in support of LGBT activist
Hundreds of Polish gay rights activists staged a protest rally on Tuesday evening over the brief detention of a woman who posted images near a church of the Virgin Mary with her halo painted to resemble the rainbow flag of the LGBT community. Elzbieta Podlesna was questioned for almost five hours on Monday after police […]
Pro-LGBT poster with revered icon stirs Poland
Rights groups and government critics in Poland protested Tuesday after police temporarily detained a human rights activist for putting up posters depicting the country’s most revered Catholic icon with the LGBT rainbow on the halos of Mary and baby Jesus. Prosecutors in the central city of Plock said the woman has been questioned and has […]
Hong Kong’s lesbian tycoon launches new bid for marriage equality
Renowned Hong Kong businesswoman, Gigi Chao, is leading a new bid for marriage equality in the city. Chao, along with lawyer Azan Marwah and other activists, will officially launch the group Hong Kong Marriage Equality (HKME) next month. ‘Our aim is to reach out to the vast silent majority of people in Hong Kong’ Chao […]