Could Poland’s controversial LGBT-Free Zones finally be consigned to history?
In 2019, a wave of Polish towns and cities passed resolutions declaring themselves “LGBT-Free Zones” that at one point encompassed one-third of the country. Since then, activists and legal experts have fought to revoke or nullify these declarations, chipping away at the bloc of LGBT-Free Zones largely found in the southeastern part of the country. […]
Embassy Statement in Support of LGBTQ in Hungary Criticized in Romania
Young Europeans, born after the era of communist oppression, know the phenomenon of unanimity in a political context by hearsay at best and may think nothing of it in the absence of dissent or abstention. Those who spent part of their lives in the former Eastern bloc, on the other hand, react suspiciously to any […]
Man jailed in Turkey for 20 days just because he ‘looked gay’
On 25 June, Miguel Alvaro’s holiday took an unexpected turn when he was arrested by police in Istanbul after asking for directions. The arrest coincided with a nearby LGBTQ+ parade which was unsanctioned by authorities, and Alvaro believes that the officers had orders to arrest a certain number of people in connection with the event. […]
Gay sex is still illegal in this Caribbean island; Human Rights Watch wants ban repealed
The twin-island nation of St. Vincent and the Grenadines is known for its volcanic terrain, spectacular coral reefs and yacht-filled harbors. But the tiny Eastern Caribbean country located in the Lesser Antilles also has a dubious reputation when it comes to the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people: Its colonial-era gay sex ban. […]
OPINION: The arrival of Threads could kill LGBTQ+ free speech
When I read Mark Zuckerberg’s long-term vision for Threads, I became increasingly concerned about the future of sexual free speech. Thanks to its close integration with Instagram, the platform is well-positioned to take advantage of the slow-motion train wreck of Twitter. This means, eventually, Meta will own the vast majority of social media space. Why is this […]
Migrants, women & LGBT community suffer most from populist rhetoric – UN human rights chief
Volker Türk has been in his position since October 2022. An increase in support for populist political parties and anti-freedom or rights movements throughout the world is having the most impact on refugees, women and the LGBTIQ community, according to the United Nations’ top human rights officials. In an interview with Euronews, UN High Commissioner […]
Activists condemn violence against LGBTQ community in St. Vincent, where gay sex is illegal
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Advocacy group Human Rights Watch released an in-depth report Thursday that details the abuse and discrimination the LGBTQ community says it faces in the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where gay sex is still criminalized. From homelessness to ongoing physical and verbal abuse, the gay community […]
Discriminatory Bill Harms Trans Women in Hungary
In another blow to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Hungary, on July 13, the Hungarian government proposed a bill that excludes transgender women from a women-only pension scheme. The bill is expected to go to parliament in September. The proposed bill comes on the heels of a court ruling on behalf of a transgender […]
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: LGBT People Face Bias
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines face bias-motivated violence and discrimination in their daily life, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The authorities should repeal the country’s colonial-era laws that criminalize consensual same-sex conduct and pass comprehensive civil legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation […]
LGBT rights in Africa: Will Kenya be the latest to pass anti-gay law?
In the latest sign of rising homophobia in different African countries, a Kenyan opposition MP is leading a campaign for parliament to further criminalise the country’s small LGBTQ community. George Peter Kaluma’s move comes after neighbouring Uganda adopted a tough new anti-gay law, rejecting threats by US President Joe Biden to impose sanctions and travel […]
Yet another study reveals worrying numbers of trans suicide and mortality rates
A long-term Danish study has found that trans people in the country experience higher rates of suicide and mortality. According to the study, which used data gathered on people aged 15 and older, between 1980 and 2021, trans people in Denmark had attempted to take their own lives at 7.7 times the rate of cisgender […]
Trans-Russians fear for their lives after the ban on operations has expired
When the lower chamber of Russia’s parliament passed a new law banning gender-affirming surgeries for transgender people, it confirmed Milana Romanova’s worst fear: the relative freedom transgender people had enjoyed in Russia since 1997, throughout her life, was over. The new law, passed Friday and now going to the Senate and President Putin for final […]
For Queer Spaniards, the Stakes in This Week’s Elections Couldn’t Be Higher
Lucía Sobral first figured out that she was trans because of Twitter. Growing up, the Gran Canaria native struggled to interact with boys and feared taking off her shirt, but it was not until she discovered other trans people online that she was able to understand herself. At 18, she transitioned, a process supported by […]
LGBTQ Asylum Seekers Fleeing Violence in Africa Are Sleeping on Canada’s Streets
For decades, Theresa Makumi hid who she was growing up in Kenya—one of many African nations where same-sex marriage is not only illegal, but where being queer can lead to persecution and violence. Now the nation is closer to implementing a new law that could “kick LGBTQ people out of the country,” or even sentence […]
LGBT rights in Africa: Will Kenya be the latest to pass anti-gay law?
In the latest sign of rising homophobia in different African countries, a Kenyan opposition MP is leading a campaign for parliament to further criminalise the country’s small LGBTQ community. George Peter Kaluma’s move comes after neighbouring Uganda adopted a tough new anti-gay law, rejecting threats by US President Joe Biden to impose sanctions and travel […]
Farhatullah Babar challenges FSC’s verdict against Transgender Act 2018
Former Senator Farhatullah Babar on Monday challenged the verdict of the Federal Shariat Court that struck down the Transgender (Protection of Rights) Act 2018. The civil appeal filed before the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan by Farhatullah Babar and Sherkan Malik through Supreme Court Advocate Khwaja Ahmad Hosain who is also […]
Tory councillor suspended over comments about LGBT Pride
A TORY councillor has been suspended for tweeting that LGBT Pride is “not a virtue but a sin”. Northamptonshire councillor King Lawal claims to have been “cancelled” by the Conservative Party and six other organisations for expressing his views about a Pride parade last month. Reacting to a picture from a Pride parade, he wrote: […]
LGBT meet shifted out of Indonesian capital after death threats
Security threats from conservative Islamic groups in Indonesia have forced organizers of a Southeast Asian LGBT event to move it from Jakarta to an undisclosed location. The Indonesian capital was to host the five-day ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Queer Advocacy Week conference from July 17. However, the organizing committee which received death threats […]
‘Strength through Native drag:’ Indigenous artists don’t let discrimination stop them
In recent months, state legislatures across the nation have introduced hundreds of laws targeting Two Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning plus communities, including several bills in Arizona. Laws introduced directly impact the lives of 2SLGBTQ+ people in various ways, from their freedom of expression and health care to public accommodations and civil […]
Trudeau Accuses American Far-Right of ‘Weaponizing’ LGBT Issue Against Muslims
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the criticism targeting the Canadian education system, which has sparked concerns among Muslim communities for including LGBTQ rights in classes. The accusations surfaced online following a recent voice recording, documenting the moment when a school teacher publicly attacked Muslim students for skipping LGBT-themed activities during the “pride month” […]
Italy Erases Names Of Gay Mothers From Birth Certificates Of Children; Crackdown Led By Woman PM
The shock news arrived without warning in January: Michela Leidi was being officially cancelled as the mother of her daughter on the infant’s birth certificate. “I cried for ten days when I opened the letter,” said Michela, 38, who lives on the outskirts of Bergamo, a city in northern Italy, near the Swiss border. “It […]
White Christian Nationalists Shape Uganda’s Anti-Gay Laws
White Christian nationalists are exporting their American culture wars to Africa and getting people killed with “kill the gays” laws, and we see what they are doing. Uganda — which had already criminalized sexual relations between members of the same sex — has passed one of the most draconian anti-LGBTQIA laws in the world. The […]
Malawi: Thousands rally to oppose LGBTQ rights
About 5,000 demonstrators on Thursday staged an anti-LGBTQ protest in Lilongwe, the capital of the conservative southern African nation of Malawi, where same-sex relationships are illegal. The rally comes against the backdrop of a court case brought by a Dutch national and transgender woman from Malawi who are challenging the constitutionality of the country’s laws […]
Thousands join Budapest Pride in protest at state’s anti-LGBT moves
Thousands of Hungarians braved scorching heat for the annual Pride march in Budapest on Saturday, protesting against government controls over public displays by the LGBT community. Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government promotes a Christian-conservative agenda and in 2021 banned “display and promotion of homosexuality” in books and films accessible by under-18s despite strong criticism from […]
Drag queens compete for top prize in Nicaragua pageant
In a packed bar in Nicaragua’s capital, Managua, on Friday night, more than 1,000 people gathered to see a group of drag queens battle it out to snatch the crown for best performance while representing several Central American countries. The Mix Imperial Central American Tropical Drag Royale provided a stage for drag performers in a […]
Russia: Gender reassignment ban passes Duma
Russian lawmakers on Friday voted in favor of a bill to make gender reassignment illegal. “The State Duma banned gender reassignment in Russia,” the lower house said in a statement, adding that political parties had voted to introduce the new laws “unanimously.” “This decision will protect our citizens and our children,” State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav […]
Anti-LGBTQ+ hate and extremism spiked during Pride Month 2023, report finds
A recent report has revealed a shocking increase in hate and extremism during Pride Month 2023, compared to previous years. Research conducted for and published by GLAAD and the Anti-Defamation League found that there were at least 145 anti-LGBTQ+ extremist incidents reported in the US during June’s Pride Month this year. It also found that, […]
Russian lawmakers move to further restrict transgender rights in new legislation
Russian lawmakers on Thursday approved a toughened version of a bill that outlaws gender transitioning procedures, with added clauses that annul marriages in which one person has “changed gender” and bar transgender people from becoming foster or adoptive parents. The bill received swift, unanimous approval of Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, in […]
Iran’s president: Homosexuality will end ‘generation of human beings’
The president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, criticized the LGBTQ+ community during his visit to Uganda on Wednesday, declaring homosexuality will end the “generation of human beings.” Raisi’s visit, part of his whirlwind tour of African countries such as Kenya and Zimbabwe, comes on the heels of Uganda passing a radical anti-LGBTQ+ […]
Texas judge who doesn’t want to perform gay marriage ceremonies hopes web designer’s Supreme Court case helps her fight
Since Waco judge Dianne Hensley received a public warning from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct for refusing to perform same-sex marriages in 2019, she’s waged a public battle against the state agency. She’s long claimed the governmental body violated state law by punishing her for actions taken in accordance with her religious faith. Now, […]