Sport New Zealand reveals new guidelines for transgender inclusion in community sport
Sport New Zealand has released new guidelines for the inclusion of transgender people in community sport, allowing athletes to compete in the gender they identify with. The overarching principle of the guidelines is that “every New Zealander has the right to participate in sport and to be treated with respect, empathy and positive regard”. Sport […]
I’m a gay football fan and I felt so unsafe going to the World Cup I flew straight out of Qatar after every England game
Heading to the World Cup is a once in a lifetime opportunity for some football fans. Securing tickets is an expensive process, while finding accommodation can be difficult, and travel taxing. For many, these considerations are a small price to pay to enjoy the tournament, however, there are football fans where questions about their safety […]
Conservative justices show sympathy for case that could undercut LGBTQ rights
The Supreme Court’ s conservative majority seemed to be searching Monday for a way to allow religious business owners to opt out of providing certain kinds of services to same-sex couples, while avoiding overturning decades of precedents that prohibit discrimination among customers based on factors like race or gender. By the end of nearly two-and-a-half […]
Putin signs expanded anti-LGBTQ laws in Russia, in latest crackdown on rights
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed into law a bill that expands a ban on so-called LGBTQ “propaganda” in Russia, making it illegal for anyone to promote same-sex relationships or suggest that non-heterosexual orientations are “normal.” The ban was rubber-stamped by Putin just days after a harsh new “foreign agents” law came into effect, […]
Saskatchewan man calls for changes in organ donations for gay men after late husband’s tissues disqualified
Saskatchewan resident Dwayne Belcourt is accusing the Saskatchewan Health Authority of discrimination because he says his late husband’s tissues were disqualified due to his same-sex relationship. On Aug. 30, Belcourt’s husband Merril Donkin died from stage four liver cancer. On the morning of his death, Belcourt said he received a call from the Saskatchewan Health Authority regarding tissue donations and was […]
With Passage of Respect for Marriage Act, Searches Surge for ‘Gay Superheroes’
The pro-equality heroes of the U.S. Senate seem to have inspired online searches for the comic book variety. The internet lit up after the Nov. 29 Senate passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which provides federal protections for same-sex and interracial couples. But it wasn’t details on the new measure that users were searching — rather, […]
US Cancels LGBTI+ Special Envoy RI Visit
The US Government has announced the cancellation of a Visit to Indonesia by President Biden’s Special Envoy to Advance the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Jessica Stern. The planned visit was to meet with Indonesian leaders in the private and public sectors regarding President Biden’s 04 February 2021 Presidential Memorandum on Advancing […]
Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ community has long struggled to find a ‘safe space’
Finding a place for rainbows in a sea of red has often been a struggle for those who identify as LGBTQ+ in Colorado Springs, a city with a rocky history when it comes to embracing and supporting the queer community. Even so, for two decades Club Q was an island of acceptance where many said […]
Pageant celebrates transgender life in India
Anilya Boro may not have won the crown at India’s Miss Trans NE pageant this year, but having her parents there in support was a validation in its own right. “I must prove to my parents that I can do something as a girl,” said the 22-year-old. “I didn’t win a title, but I am […]
377A repeal: Singapore turns page on dark LGBT history
Standing in Singapore’s tranquil Esplanade Park, Russell Heng pointed to the spot where he was once caught by the police – just for being gay. It looks like any other tree-lined corner in the city. But back in the 1980s, before the age of the internet and Grindr, it was a popular meeting spot for […]
Influential Iraqi cleric launches anti-LGBTQ campaign
An influential Iraqi cleric who announced his withdrawal from politics four months ago has broken a period of relative silence to launch an anti-LGBTQ campaign. Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr posted a statement on Twitter Wednesday calling for “believing men and women (to) unite all over the world to combat (the LGBTQ community).” He added that […]
LGBTQ Groups Seek Legal Ban On Swiss Conversion Therapy
LGBTQ organisations in Switzerland are concerned that without swift action, the country could become a haven for conversion therapy, which is banned in neighbouring France and Germany. Swiss lawmakers will start debating a motion calling for a ban on Monday, a year after the government pledged to take up the issue of conversion therapy. Designed […]
Inside The Secret Gay Neighborhood In Tehran, Iran Where People Are Risking Their Lives For Their Expression
Historically, Iran has not been a safe place for cisgender women and LGBTQIA+ individuals. But homosexuality has not always been a crime in Iran. Some folks might question the necessity for a space specifically for gay men, but it is clear from the recent sentencing of two Iranian activists that there is still a lot […]
Japanese girl publishes children’s book to make LGBTI community visible
Ui, a 12-year-old Japanese girl, discovered the existence of transgender people while watching a program on public television. Unable to find any children’s books on the subject, she decided to tackle the task herself and publish one. “When I was eight or nine years old, I was watching a program where they explained that there […]
This man fled Qatar in fear of persecution because he’s gay. Now he’s pushing back
Having been referred to as Qatar’s first person to come out publicly as gay, Dr. Nasser Mohamed thought having the World Cup on his home soil was the perfect opportunity to shed light on the country’s mistreatment of LGBTQ2+ people. Mohamed has claimed asylum in the U.S. out of fear of persecution in Qatar because […]
Russian drag queens ‘ready for the worst’ as LGBTQ law looms
Backstage at a bar in Moscow, a troupe of drag queens surrounded by make-up palettes and sparkling costumes join hands before taking to the stage for what could be one of their last legal shows. The mood is surprisingly upbeat at “Draglesque Brunch”, given they are facing new repressive legislation that could see their shows […]
Colombia: Guaranteeing justice and non-repetition in cases of gender-based violence during repression of National Strike must be central to any police reform
Women and LGBTIQ+ protesters, journalists and human rights defenders suffered sexual violence and other forms of gender-based violence at the hands of Colombia’s National Police and its Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (ESMAD) during the repression of the National Strike in 2021, Amnesty International said today in a new report. The police do not protect me: Sexual violence […]
Japan court upholds ban on same-sex marriage but offers hope
A court in Japan’s capital has upheld a ban on same-sex marriage but said a lack of legal protection for same-sex families violated their human rights. Japan is the only G7 nation that does not allow same-sex marriage and its constitution defines marriage as based on the mutual consent of both sexes. In Wednesday’s ruling, […]
We Will Survive Them All’: As Russia Braces For Harsh New Anti-Gay Law, A Museum Of LGBT Culture Opens In St. Petersburg
Russia’s newest museum opened its doors on November 27. It may close them for good before the week is out. The country’s newly toughened legislation against so-called lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) “propaganda,” which was passed by the State Duma — the lower house of parliament — in its final reading on November 24, is […]
Rainbow flag-waving protester invades World Cup pitch
A man ran onto the pitch during Monday’s World Cup group-stage match between Portugal and Uruguay, holding up a rainbow flag to protest Qatar’s anti-LGBT laws. The activist, whose blue Superman T-shirt read “Save Ukraine” and “Respect for Iranian woman,” was chased by security officers across the field before he was grabbed and led away. According […]
Singapore’s parliament strikes down ban on gay sex
SINGAPORE — Singapore’s parliament on Tuesday voted to repeal a controversial law that criminalized consensual sex between men, in a landmark victory for the city-state’s LGBTQ community. At the same time, however, the legislature made it clear that it supports defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. The move, which capped a two-day […]
LGBTQ Arabs Fear Backlash After World Cup ‘Spotlight’
With rainbow flags and “OneLove” armbands, World Cup fans have protested against host Qatar’s anti-LGBTQ policies, but many queer Arabs fear a Western solidarity push could do more harm than good. Gestures in support of the local LGBTQ community have unleashed a torrent of homophobia, activists and community members say, creating new risks for people […]
Canada To Summon Russian Envoy Over ‘Hateful’ LGBT Tweets
Canada’s foreign minister, Melanie Joly, has ordered her officials to summon Russia’s ambassador in Ottawa, Oleg Stepanov, over a series of “hateful” anti-LGBT tweets, including one aimed at an openly lesbian federal minister. The Russian Embassy posted the messages on Twitter in recent days after Russian lawmakers approved a bill banning all forms of LGBT […]
Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill sparks spike in “legally sanctioned” extortion
Last year, Ghana’s parliament introduced a controversial new anti-LGBTQ bill that could further criminalise same-sex acts and identities. Although homosexuality was initially outlawed under colonial rule – as in many African countries – and then in Ghana’s 1960 Criminal Offences Act, the new bill could significantly increase penalties and offences. If passed, the Promotion of […]
Singapore repeals gay sex ban but limits prospect of legalizing same-sex marriage
Singapore’s parliament on Tuesday decriminalized sex between men, but, in a blow to the LGBT community, also amended the constitution to prevent court challenges that in other countries have led to the legalization of same-sex marriage. The moves come as other parts of Asia, including Taiwan, Thailand and India, are recognizing more rights for the […]
Activists mark 1 week chained together in Caracas demanding LGBTI rights
Transsexuals may not change their names in Venezuela, where soldiers are imprisoned if they openly express their homosexuality and neither the constitution, the laws not protests have been able to change that reality, a situation that four young and determined men have been seeking to alter for the past week by chaining themselves together on […]
Anti-LGBTQ group sparks queer-affirming clergy response at Club Q memorial
An evangelical group with anti-LGBTQ beliefs showed up at the Club Q memorial. Now a group of queer affirming clergy is standing watch in response.
South Korea’s LGBTQ community confronts crushing headwinds in fight for equality
Lesvos rolls out of bed each morning before the sunrise, heads to work, then punches her time card at exactly 6 a.m. By day, she’s a chef at a traditional Korean restaurant in downtown Seoul, but by night, she runs South Korea’s first lesbian bar. The venue, Lesvos Bar, is located in a section of […]
London transport network blocks Qatar ads over LGBTQ laws
LONDON: London’s transport system is not allowing advertising that “portrays Qatar as a desirable destination” or encourages people to attend the World Cup, under a 2019 policy response to LGBTQ laws there. The stance by Transport for London (TfL) has reportedly angered Doha during its hosting of the football tournament, with the Financial Times reporting Saturday […]
Military dad & trans daughter sue for right of military dependents to get gender-affirming surgery
A 21-year-old transgender college student is suing the Department of Defense (D0D) and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for denying her gender-affirming surgery under her dad’s military health insurance. The plaintiff, identified as Jane Doe in court filings, lives in Sagadahoc County, Maine, as does her father and co-plaintiff, a retired Senior Master Sergeant in the Marine […]