Hear the story of how a Navy veteran created the transgender pride flag
Wright State University hosted TransOhio’s 15th Trans and Ally Symposium over the weekend. WYSO Intern and Community Voices Producer Lee Wade spoke with Monica Helms, the visionary behind the transgender flag, who presented the keynote address at the symposium. The following transcript is lightly edited for length and clarity. Monica Helms: I was having dinner with Michael Page, who […]
Critics blast new French PM Barnier for having twice voted against gay rights
As soon as Michel Barnier was named France’s new prime minister, critics found a skeleton in his closet. Back in 1981, the 30-year-old lawmaker joined more than 150 conservatives in the National Assembly to vote against a law decriminalizing young homosexuals. That history loomed in the background as President Emmanuel Macron appointed the 73-year-old Barnier […]
‘I’m a new racist’: Michigan judge suspended after insulting gay and Black people on recordings
A suburban Detroit judge is no longer handling cases after a court official turned over recordings of her making anti-gay insults and referring to Black people as lazy. Oakland county probate judge Kathleen Ryan was removed from her docket on 27 August for unspecified misconduct. Now the court’s administrator has stepped forward to say he […]
Condoms can’t be trusted and boys don’t cry in Catholic Paraguay’s first sex ed program
Ahead of her 15th birthday, Diana Zalazar’s body had gotten so big she could no longer squeeze into the dress she bought for her quinceañera to celebrate her passage into womanhood in Paraguay. Her mother sought help from a doctor, who suspected that growing inside of the 14-year-old Catholic choir girl could be a giant […]
Georgian lawmakers inch closer to final approval of anti-LGBTQ+ law
On September 4, a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ bill passed its second reading in the Georgian Parliament. The bill “On family values and protection of minors” starkly resembles the Russian anti-queer law adopted in 2013, making it Georgia’s second piece of major legislation modeled after draconian Russian laws, with the first being the foreign agent bill, which […]
Russia bans piracy websites from streaming Brokeback Mountain over ‘gay propaganda’
Russia has blocked the streaming of Brokeback Mountain, a 2005 American film exploring a love affair between two men, from three piracy websites, Roskomsvoboda, a Russian nonprofit dedicated to fighting digital censorship, reported on Thursday. Russia’s media regulator Roskomnadzor ordered the blocking of pages from which the film can be streamed on 29 August, a […]
Congressional Leaders Urge Supreme Court to Strike Down Law Restricting Transgender Healthcare
A coalition of U.S. Congressional leaders, filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court case U.S. v. Skrmetti. The case challenges Tennessee Senate Bill 1 (SB1), a law that prohibits transgender minors from accessing medically necessary treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy. The brief, supported by 11 Senators and 153 Representatives—including House Democratic […]
France’s new prime minister twice voted against gay rights and critics won’t let him forget it
As soon as Michel Barnier was named France’s new prime minister, critics found a skeleton in his closet. Back in 1981, the 30-year-old lawmaker joined more than 150 conservatives in the National Assembly to vote against a law decriminalizing young homosexuals. That history loomed in the background as President Emmanuel Macron appointed the 73-year-old Barnier […]
Aurum POP INN’s Gender-Affirming Healthcare: Supporting Trans Women in South Africa
Gender-affirming healthcare plays a crucial role in the lives of transgender individuals, helping them align their gender identity with their legal documents. The Aurum POP INN clinics in South Africa are making significant strides in this area by offering comprehensive support to transgender women (TGW) through their Gender-Affirming Healthcare (GAHC) model. Understanding Gender Marker Changes […]
6 Years On, Section 377’s Repeal Fails To Curb Hostility Towards LGBT Community
Exactly six years ago, when the Supreme Court decriminalised Section 377 of the (then) Indian Penal Code to exclude consenting adult LGBTQIA+ persons from its purview, I said in interviews given to newspapers, as well as in a TEDx talk that October, that I was better off when the archaic Section 377 was in force, […]
LGBTQ Activists In Ivory Coast Concerned Over Wave Of Attacks
LGBTQ activists in Ivory Coast expressed concern on Thursday over verbal and physical attacks fanned by social media targeting gay and transgender people. Anti-LGBTQ content soared on social media at the start of last month, spurred by rumours of a child abuse case supposedly involving a gay person. “Since the start of August, around 30 […]
The Supreme Court Case on Trans Health Care, Explained.
Since 2021, 24 states have banned hormone therapy for transgender youth with gender dysphoria. Leading medical experts and organizations — such as the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics — oppose these restrictions, which have already forced thousands of families across the country to travel to maintain access to […]
Georgian Parliament passes amnesty, anti-”LGBT Propaganda” bills in second reading
The Georgian Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill of amnesty of thousands of prisoners and a legislative package against “LGBT propaganda” in their second reading, with the final vote on the bills expected by the end of the month. The amnesty bill, proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party this year, will lead to the immediate […]
‘We are seeking to discriminate’: lesbian group wanting to exclude trans women compares itself to Melbourne gay bar
A lawyer for a Victorian lesbian group that wants to exclude transgender and bisexual women from its public events has compared its request to a Melbourne gay bar that was granted the right to refuse heterosexual people. But a lawyer for the Australian Human Rights Commission said the Peel hotel’s exemption had been granted under […]
Argentina state job cuts push LGBTQ+ people ‘back into sex work’
After coming out as non-binary, Argentine artist Federico Adorado searched fruitlessly for two years to secure a formal job that guaranteed a salary and access to healthcare. But thanks to a trailblazing 2021 quota law that reserved 1% of public sector jobs for transgender, transsexual and non-binary people, the artist found an administrative job at […]
Tehran summons Australian ambassador over ‘norm-breaking’ Instagram post, Iranian media reports
Iran summoned Australia’s ambassador in Tehran over the publication of an Instagram post the government deemed “norm-breaking”, Iran’s semi-official ILNA news agency reported on Tuesday, a day after state media said the post had “promoted homosexuality”. The post on the embassy’s official Instagram account celebrated “Wear It Purple Day” and expressed dedication to creating “a […]
New Bulgarian LGBT+ Law Marginalizes Communities, Rights Groups Warn
A law banning the portrayal of LGBT+ identities in Bulgarian educational institutions is just the latest piece of repressive legislation in a wider assault on minorities and marginalized communities across parts of Europe and Central Asia, rights groups have warned. The law, passed in a fast-track procedure last month, is similar to legislation passed or […]
Britain’s first gay anthem? Why the UK’s pioneering LGBTQ+ protest band reunited
There is a little bit of gay in everyone today,” sing Michael Klein and Gillian Bartlam, the lead singers of Everyone Involved, a collective of musicians formed by Klein and the UK Gay Liberation Front (GLF) activist Alan Wakeman. “Gay is natural, gay is good, gay is wonderful,” the song continues. “Gay people should all […]
Transgender Texans now unable to change sex on their birth certificates
A new policy is limiting the changes transgender Texans can make when it comes to their identities. On Aug. 30, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) made it so that Texans are unable to update their sex on their birth certificates, even if they previously received a court order permitting them to do […]
Cameroon: Church choir member suspended for a same-sex embrace
Esau is a young effeminate member of the choir Chant du Salut at an evangelical revival church in the Ahala district of Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. Aged 27, Esau is an active member of the church. During the Aug. 15 celebration of the Feast of the Ascension, he was surprised hugging an older man. […]
Murder of Lesbian Couple in KZN Highlights Persistent LGBTIQ+ Hate Crimes
A young lesbian couple were brutally murdered in KwaZulu-Natal, allegedly by the former male partner of one of the victims. According to media reports, on 27 August, Nombulelo Bhixa, 28, and Minenhle Ngcobo, 22, were approached by Ngcobo’s ex-boyfriend in Edendale, Pietermaritzburg. An argument ensued, during which the man allegedly shot both women in the […]
New ‘gay’ chief justice sworn in after king refused to sign CEDAW in fear it would allow ‘same-sex marriages’
Malcolm Leslie Bishop KC has been sworn in for a four-year term as Tonga’s new Chief Justice. He is now the Lord Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and President of the Land Court of Tonga. “Hon Malcolm Leslie Bishop KC took his oath this morning in Cabinet, as the newly appointed Lord Chief Justice”, […]
Australian Embassy Defies Iran’s Anti-LGBTQIA+ Laws, Celebrates Inclusion
In a bold move, the Australian embassy in Tehran has celebrated “Wear it Purple Day”, a stark contrast to Iran’s strict anti-LGBTQIA+ laws where homosexuality is punishable by death. The embassy shared a vibrant post on Instagram, showcasing Ambassador Ian McConville and staff adorned in purple, enjoying cupcakes, and championing diversity and inclusion. “Today, and […]
Enoch Burke: Irish teacher in transgender row jailed for third time
A teacher at the centre of a row over a transgender student has been sent to prison for a third time by a Dublin court. Enoch Burke was arrested by Irish police at Wilson’s Hospital School in County Westmeath on Monday after refusing to abide by a court order instructing him to stay away. The […]
LGBTI protections expand as public acceptance grows, Williams Institute finds
Social acceptance correlates strongly with legal protections for LGBTI individuals, according to a new report from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law. Researchers analyzed a variety of factors to categorize countries by their stages of LGBTI protection, a process detailed in the report. These factors included whether nondiscrimination laws were in place […]
LGBTQ people at risk: Will Bangladesh be a safe haven for Islamist militancy?
Human rights activists in Bangladesh fear that the nation’s current transitional government is opening the door to a return to the days when Islamic terrorists were murdering pro-secular and pro-LGBTQ writers. Among the victims were pro-secular blogger Rajib Haider, murdered in 2013, and LGBTQ rights activists Xulhaz Mannan and Mahbub Tonoy, murdered in 2016. In 2017, radical […]
Jeff Younger: Fighting For Kids
Flower Mound resident Jeff Younger recently spoke with The Dallas Express about his ongoing custody battle with his ex-wife, Anne Georgulas. Georgulas refers to one of their fraternal twin sons as Luna, a transgender female, while Younger fiercely insists that the child is not transgender and uses his given name, James. “The liberal judges in Dallas County got together, and […]
Hong Kong NGOs for sexual minorities suffer government funding cuts and pressure
The party was in full swing at 11 pm. Carrying a large bag of leaflets, Kit entered a gay bar in Hong Kong’s Sheung Wan, manoeuvred through the crowd of people drinking and socialising, and handed out free packs, each containing a condom, lubricant and an information card about preventing HIV. “Thank you! These free condoms […]
Football match postponed after disquiet expressed over signing of transgender goalkeeper
Sutton United’s women’s team abruptly postponed their scheduled match at Ebbsfleet United on Sunday amid mounting anger over their signing of goalkeeper Blair Hamilton, a biological male. The notice of postponement was issued so late, within three hours of the scheduled 2pm kick-off time, that Ebbsfleet ended up donating their matchday supplies to a local food […]
Dominican Court Reviews Anti-Gay Sex Laws
The Dominican Republic’s Constitutional Court will hear a challenge on August 30, 2024, to laws that criminalize consensual same-sex conduct by officers in the police and armed forces, Human Rights Watch said today. In an amicus curiae brief, Human Rights Watch said that these discriminatory laws violate the rights under international law of lesbian, gay, […]