Spanish far-right party’s anti-LGBT tweet makes star of tiny gay ghost
Aragorn, son of Arathorn, pal of hobbits, scourge of orcs and wielder of a legendary sword, appears to have met his match in a tiny gay ghost. A few hours after the polls opened in Spain’s general election last Sunday, the far-right Vox party attempted to recruit author JRR Tolkien’s fighter to its cause, tweeting […]
Dance Film ‘Memories of My Body’ Takes a Battering From Conservatives in Indonesia
Muslim groups in Indonesia are calling for a ban on the film “Memories of My Body,” a drama from the country’s best-known art house director, Garin Nugroho. The groups say that the film is “sexually deviant” and promotes “LGBT values.” The film depicts the story of a young man from a dance troupe that performs […]
LGBT shelter means I can be myself
About one in four homeless people is thought to be LGBT. But Chabahn, who became homeless last year aged 51, said it was very, very, dangerous to be open about being LGBT on the streets. “In some places where I stayed you could hear it in some people’s conversation – it’s almost hatred and it’s […]
Malaysian LGBT activist accuses authorities of intimidation
A leading Malaysian LGBT activist has accused the authorities of intimidation after a statement he read to the UN Human Rights Council led to him being questioned by police. Numan Afifi, an openly gay Muslim man and prominent advocate, travelled to Geneva last month to read out a statement from a coalition of LGBT groups […]
My LGBT-friendly mosque saved me from being radicalised’
Sitting in my bedroom alone, a wave of fear washed over me. I was 12 years old, confused, and scared – I was beginning to realise I was gay. My dad was watching TV in the living room, and all I could think about was how disappointed he’d be if he ever found out. I […]
LGBTs visit US-Mexico border, meet asylum seekers
President Donald Trump threw asylum seekers and immigration advocates another wrench April 29, proposing new restrictions targeting the United States’ southwestern border. Late Monday, Trump ordered acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan and Attorney General William P. Barr to propose new asylum regulations and implement them within 90 days. “Immigration issues are LGBTQ issues,” […]
You’re always told you can’t be queer and a politician. That needs to change says creator of Pink List.
There’s a rainbow wave sweeping the country this time with a record number of LGBT individuals in the poll fray. A young trio comprising Anish Gawande, a Columbia University graduate and director of the Dara Shikoh Fellowship, journalist Devina Buckshee, and freelance designer Smriti Deora have banded together to create the Pink List, a guide […]
Ex-president Da Silva: Brazil governed by ‘crazy people’
From the federal police headquarters where he is serving a sentence for corruption and money laundering, Brazil’s former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the South American country is now being governed by a “bunch of crazy people.” Da Silva, who governed Brazil from 2003 to 2010, said Brazilians should look at themselves in […]
Furia Marica – the meaning of ‘faggot’ and LGBT rights In Colombia
In a country like Colombia, which has somehow taught itself to use the word gonorrhea as a term of endearment, it is not surprising that the word marica (or faggot) has also indelibly established itself into our everyday jargon. Except for its obvious use as an insult or when reappropriated by the LGBT community, the […]
Belgian tennis couple blazing a trail for LGBT community: ‘We want to inspire people struggling with coming out’
Having pulled off one of the greatest wins of her career a year ago at Wimbledon – storming past defending champion Garbine Muguruza to reach the third round – Alison Van Uytvanck headed straight for her partner. Beaming after the victory, they shared a kiss in front of the delighted Court 2 spectators as the […]
South Africa to host Mr Gay World 2019 pageant after China pulled out
All roads will lead to Cape Town, South Africa for the 2019 edition of Mr Gay World pageant where 24 finalists will compete for this year’s crown. The last-minute hosting duties for South Africa comes after Hong Kong pulled out as host following a halt on events around the LGBT community by the Chinese government. […]
Is America Ready for a Gay President? ‘You’re Going to See the Wall Crumble’
In 2009, Raymond Buckley was the only openly gay state chairman in the Democratic Party. His state, New Hampshire, was one of very few that had passed a law making same-sex marriages legal. Barack Obama, the new president, held a position that was then the norm for Democratic politicians: that marriage should be reserved for […]
With spirits high, the LGBT community and supporters marks Tokyo’s 25th pride march
With rainbow flags flying high and colorful signboards vividly displayed under a clear blue sky, thousands of members of the LGBT community and their supporters took to the streets of Shibuya Ward on Sunday to march in the annual Tokyo Rainbow Pride Festival parade. According to the organizers, 10,000 people were expected to take part […]
China’s resistance to gay relationships and surrogate births, seen through a filmmaker’s own family
Chinese documentarian Hao Wu’s latest film, All in My Family, focuses on Chinese family tradition, social expectations, gay relationships and children born using surrogacy through an extremely personal lens. The 40-minute film – Wu’s fourth and set for release on streaming service Netflix this Friday – was shot over a series of Lunar New Year […]
Saudi Arabia beheaded 5 men ‘proven’ to be gay under torture
Saudi Arabia recently beheaded 37 men in a mass execution. Most were suspected spies and terrorists allegedly working on behalf of Iran, but one of the men “allegedly admitted to having sex with four of his co-accused ‘terrorists,’” reports Metro UK. The executed men were part of the country’s Shia minority. Court documents accused the […]
Bangladesh gives voting rights to hijra community
Bangladesh will allow parts of the transgender community to vote under their proper gender identity. Officials have introduced hijra as a third gender option on voting forms for the first time. “From now onward, a third gender individual can be a voter with their own identity, as a hijra,” said Abdul Baten, the director of […]
Bolsonaro Backlash: Event Honoring Brazilian President Calls into Question Corporate Support of LGBT Rights
Marriott International, among many big corporations, has gone on record in support of the LGBT community. Its CEO, Arne Sorenson, has been one of the most vocal defenders of LGBT rights in recent years as corporations have been pulled more squarely into divisive social and legal battles related to LGBT discrimination. But now Marriott is […]
Tunisia invokes sharia law in bid to shut down LGBT rights group
One of the Arab world’s most visible advocacy groups defending the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people is facing closure following legal threats by the government. Association Shams has been officially operating in Tunisia since 2015, helping the country’s LGBT community repeal article 230 of its penal code, a French colonial law, […]
Spanish election: Anti-LGBT Vox party makes political breakthrough
The far-right Vox party won just over 10 percent of the vote in Spain’s general election. Vox will take 24 of the Congress of Deputies’ 350 seats following the Spanish election, held on Sunday (April 28). Its success marks the first time that a far-right party will sit in parliament since the 1975 death of […]
Hopeful signs for LGBT people in the Caribbean
In the Caribbean, homophobia remains a problem, but LGBT people are seeing increased signs of public acceptance, including politicians coming out in support of their LGBT constituents. In St. Lucia, the National Security Minister said it is time to review the nation’s buggery laws. In St. Kitts & Nevis, a young person asked ministers about […]
Riyadh Khalaf: ‘Homophobia begins from a lack of education’
Riyadh Khalaf is standing on St Stephen’s Green when he is approached by two young women. “Are you Riyadh K?” asks one, referring to his YouTube handle. The two young women are Norwegian, on holidays in Dublin. After gamely chatting to them for a few moments, Khalaf volunteers to take a photo with one of […]
Trans women march for their rights in conservative Indonesia
Adhe Jengker marched among 4,000 others at the Women’s March in Jakarta Saturday. A tall trans woman in her late 20s, Jengker carried a poster that said “The Future is Non-Binary.” She came with five other women from the trans community, hoping to raise more awareness about trans women in an increasingly conservative Indonesia. “I […]
Taiwan set to get gay marriage despite Christian opposition
MAINLY Buddhist Taiwan, with a population of around 24 million, would have become the first country in Asia to legalise gay marriage following a 2017 ruling by the island’s Constitutional Court that to deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry violated the constitution. But aggressive interference in Taiwan’s affairs by US-based Christian groups […]
A Gay Atheist Plots to Save His Catholic Country
A dozen Virgin Mary figurines decorate Robert Biedron’s office in Warsaw, picked from about 400 or so he’s gathered from across the world. Some show her smiling or suffering, some with dark or pale skin and others skinny, plump or even pregnant. Such a collection might not be unusual in Poland, a devout bastion of […]
New hub for queer and trans youth is ‘first of its kind’ in Regina, says UR Pride Centre
A new space in downtown Regina will be a hub for queer and trans youth — one that organizers hope will help combat problems like depression and underemployment amongst this population. On Friday, the federal government announced $218,000 over the next 14 months for the new space, which will be operated by the UR Pride […]
Gay club in central Ukraine raided by police
A popular gay nightclub in central Ukraine has been raided by police, with eyewitnesses claiming officers “behaved in a homophobic way.” Potemkin club in the city of Dnipro was raided at 1am on April 20. At the time there were around 30 people in the venue, alongside staff members. A published report of the incident […]
Abandoned: traditional festival of male beauty in Niger
Festival in Niamey, Niger, has promoted traditional men’s fashion, local couturiers’ skills and masculine beauty. It has also been a place for social minorities and artists in the Central Sahel region to express themselves and to display their talent for creative, artistic fashion. The fifth Arou Sogha Festival was planned for this week (April 27) […]
Report: Eight LGBTI Nicaraguans killed during anti-government protests
A report from Nicaragua indicates eight LGBTI people have been killed during anti-government protests that began in the Central American country last April. The report notes a gay man was one of three people who were killed on April 19, 2018, the day after protests against the government of President Daniel Ortega and his wife, […]
Foreign Minister denies saying gay sex ban is a ‘silly’ issue in Singapore
Singapore’s Foreign Minister has denied ever labelling a discussion around the country’s gay sex ban as ‘silly’. Queer man, YuZhou Lee attended a Singapore government forum in San Francisco at the weekend. The forum aimed to attract expats in the technology sector back home to Singapore. Minister Vivian Balakrishnan spoke at the event. The event […]
How Poland’s attacks on LGBT rights strengthened the Polish LGBT movement
In late February, the mayor of Warsaw issued a declaration combating discrimination against LGBT people by providing better sex education in schools and creating a city shelter for LGBT individuals kicked out by their families. This brought a furious backlash from Poland’s governing populist Law and Justice party and other social conservatives ranging from soccer […]