• Culture Religion and Politics

    Laws and governments are not the only forces impacting the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people around the world. Society, culture, and religion can also strongly impact the well-​being of LGBTI people. Religion is often given as a justification for discrimination and mistreatment of LGBTI people. Those who persecute LGBTI people also accuse them of violating long-​held cultural traditions. Social change is often more difficult to achieve than legal change. There are religious leaders in many faiths who consider LGBTI identity sinful and exclude and stigmatize LGBTI people from their faith communities. Many of these leaders encourage psychologically​—​and sometimes physically​—​harmful “reparative therapy” practices, support relatives who reject their LGBTI family members, and even call for torture and execution of LGBTI people.

ADDED ON: 05/28/2023

Author Arinze Ifeakandu shines a light on gay Nigerian lives

Nigerian author Arinze Ifeakandu has often dreamed of a society where gay people do not have to hide their love or live in fear of homophobic hate. But LGBTQ+ people are pushing…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/28/2023

When Your Sexuality Is Against the Law

When Abdul was a teenager and coming to terms with being gay, he was attacked by a group of men. They mocked him with homophobic slurs and assaulted him with broken beer…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/28/2023

A Growing Number of LGBTQ+ Russians Seek Refuge from War, Discrimination in Argentina

Anastasia Domini and wife Anna Domini walked hand in hand on a recent sunny day in Argentina’s capital while their four restless children played nearby. It’s a common sight in a country…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/28/2023

Campaigners’ fury at ‘delay’ to LGBT veterans report that’s ‘a shame upon the UK’

Campaigners are fuming after the government apparently shelved a long-awaited report into the historic treatment of LBGT+ people in the military. As many as 20,000 were jailed or dismissed for their sexuality…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/27/2023

Abdellah Taïa: Morocco’s first gay writer reimagines Islam, queer

Abdellah Taïa is Morocco’s first gay writer in history living in Paris who reimagines being muslim, queer and African. Abdellah Taïa was born in 1973 in Rabat, Morocco. He currently lives in…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/27/2023

Homophobia Is Part of Putin’s War Plan

As Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Ukraine’s invasion on Feb. 24 last year, he digressed to talk about how the West was trying to destroy “traditional values” and impose LGBTQ attitudes that…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/27/2023

Italian government’s anti-LGBT rhetoric blamed for brutal beating of trans woman in Milan

A video of a trans woman in Milan being pepper sprayed, kicked and beaten by three police officers has caused a stir in Italy, with many drawing a link between the incident…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/27/2023

Vermont’s GOP Governor Shock: Protects Trans Care, Abortion Rights

Vermont’s Republican governor, Phil Scott, is going against his party by protecting access to gender-affirming care and abortion instead of restricting or banning the procedures. Without much fanfare, this month Scott signed…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/26/2023

Landmark European ruling on LGBT+ rights

During 2019 and 2020, 21 gay and lesbian couples in Romania joined a complaint against the state to the European Court of Human Rights over the lack of official recognition of their…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/26/2023

Liberal Senator Alex Antic Asks If ASIO Is Monitoring ‘Violent Trans Activism’

Over the past year, far-right groups and neo-Nazis have targeted the LGBTQI community and queer events, but South Australian Liberal Senator Alex Antic wanted to know about the rise of “radical transgender”…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/26/2023

Namibia: Drag event cancelled amid anti-LGBTQ+ backlash

The organisers of Drag Night Namibia have made the difficult decision to cancel their event due to concerns for the safety of the LGBTQ+ community. “Our hearts are heavy as we share the…

GO TO FULL STORY

ADDED ON: 05/26/2023

Malaysia Raids Swatch Stores, Seizes Colorful Watches Linked to Gay Pride

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — Swiss watchmaker Swatch said Tuesday that Malaysian authorities raided its stores and confiscated 164 watches from its Pride Collection. It said Ministry of Home Affairs officials raided its outlets in…

GO TO FULL STORY