‘We’re Going to Stand Up’: Queer Literature is Booming in Africa

As a queer teenager growing up in northern Nigeria, Arinze Ifeakandu often found himself searching for books that reflected what he felt. He combed through the books at home and imagined closer bonds between the same-sex characters. He scoured the book stands in Kano, the city where he lived, hoping to find stories that focused […]

Christopher Luxon leaves Big Gay Out after heated protest

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has abruptly left the Big Gay Out festival in Auckland’s Point Chevalier after being confronted by Gaza protesters. The annual Pride event is being held today in Coyle Park as a celebration for Rainbow communities and their allies. At a media standup this morning, Luxon said he was looking forward to […]

Zimbabwe: Government Launches Scathing Anti-LGBTIQ+ Attack

In an extraordinary diatribe, the government of Zimbabwe has launched a scathing attack against a scholarship programme for LGBTIQ+ students, labelling LGBTIQ+ individuals deviants and aberrations who should be denied access to education. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, on behalf of the government, issued a threatening and paranoid press statement on February 15th, condemning what he […]

Deep disappointment as St Vincent High Court fails to overturn discriminatory anti-LGBT laws

The Human Dignity Trust is deeply disappointed by today’s decision from the High Court in St Vincent and the Grenadines, that upholds the criminalisation of consensual, same-sex sexual activity. The High Court failed to overturn discriminatory anti-LGBT laws, inherited from colonial times. These laws target LGBT people by criminalising same-sex sexual activity, with punishment of […]

This map shows you where same-sex marriage is legal around the world

After Greece voted to legalise same-sex marriage this week, you may be wondering which countries across the world also have marriage equality. Luckily, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation have come up with a handy map to show the places that currently allow same-sex marriage. According to the HRC Foundation, which “tracks developments in the […]

Gay Conversion Therapy Roadshow Sparks Outrage in Albany, Western Australia

In the quiet streets of Albany, Western Australia, a storm brews, not of nature but of ideology. A recent event, dubbed the ‘Gay Conversion Therapy Roadshow,’ has ignited a fierce debate across the state and beyond. Organized by a local religious group, the roadshow’s aim to ‘convert’ gay individuals to heterosexuality has drawn the ire […]

Ghana lawmaker says jailing LGBT offenders would encourage sodomy in prison

A Ghanaian legislator has asked parliament to replace jail terms for gay sex with non-custodial sentences including counselling, saying the anti-LGBT bill currently making its way through the legislature would only encourage sodomy in prisons. A coalition of Christian, Muslim, and Ghanaian traditional leaders have sponsored the legislation, which is favoured by most lawmakers and […]

Zimbabwe Government Rejects LGBT Scholarship Offer as ‘Unlawful and Unchristian’

The Zimbabwean government has issued a stern rejection to what it labels as ‘so-called’ LGBT scholarships, branding them as unlawful and unchristian. In a recent press statement, the government criticized foreign interests for attempting to entice Zimbabwean students into what it described as “alien, anti-life, un-African and unchristian values.”

Greece legalises same sex marriage in landmark change

Greece’s parliament approved a bill allowing same-sex civil marriage on Thursday, a landmark victory for supporters of LGBT rights that was greeted with cheers by onlookers in parliament and dozens gathered on the streets of Athens. The law gives same-sex couples the right to wed and adopt children and comes after decades of campaigning by […]

India’s queer youth find both hope and despair online

In 2016, when Roshni Singh was in Class 9, Reliance Jio launched an offer wherein it provided customers with free SIM cards, along with 1 gigabyte of free internet per day. Singh’s parents procured a SIM card for the family, which she would use. The easy access to the internet opened up a whole new […]

Women’s Bill of Rights’ policies could impact daily lives of transgender community

Several states are considering legislation that would create legal definitions for “man” and “woman” based on their reproductive system. This controversial proposed legislation — dubbed by Republican lawmakers as the “Women’s Bill of Rights” — now seen in West Virginia, Iowa, Georgia, and other states has implications for the transgender community, which has been the […]

‘Grindr 7 gang’ | LGBTQIA victims often unsupported – Yaya Mavundla

It’s a sombre Monday morning when members and allies of the LGBTQIA community arrive at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. “Why are you subscribing to a gay dating app, when you are not gay?” are they are chanting through a handheld megaphone while leading the crowd of other members of the community, allies and the Joburg […]

Anti-LGBT bills led to more suicides in Poland, research finds

Analysis led by Chad Meyerhoefer shows harmful effects regardless of whether laws passed, with potential parallels to current U.S. “bathroom bills.” A coordinated political effort against LGBT rights in Poland over the past several years has resulted in little substantive policy but substantial negative mental health outcomes for the country’s population, according to a study […]

No Longer Invisible, Greek Same-sex Couples Await Landmark Law

For as long as he can remember, 16-year-old Yannis Belia has had a “second mother” invisible in the eyes of Greek family law. That’s about to change this week, when lawmakers approve a historic bill legalising same-sex marriage and adoption. “Until now, my second mother has been like a ghost in the eyes of the […]

The evolving support for queer people in regional SA

Growing up in Leigh Creek, the Our Town Cummins peer support connector never saw much representation of the LGBTQIA+ community that he is now a part of. “You just learnt to live the straight life, and go on with life,” he said. Tosold moved to Cummins on the Eyre Peninsula in 1996, marrying a local girl […]

Transgender and Non-Binary Identities Surge in University of California System

A seismic shift is reverberating through the University of California (UC) system. According to data released in January 2024, the number of students who identify as transgender or non-binary has surged significantly, mirroring a broader societal evolution. The facts are compelling: Between 2019 and 2023, the number of non-binary students across UC campuses swelled by over […]

Yemeni-Swedish journalist defies death threats, champions Jewish-gay rights

“De-radicalization is a rough process, and I’m extremely pleased that I cleansed myself of the antisemitism I grew up with,” Yemeni-born content creator and journalist Luai Ahmed says. “I’ve been writing ever since I was 13. I always wanted to write in the Jerusalem Post, actually,” says Ahmed. His father was the owner of a newspaper who was […]

What are Alberta’s proposed gender rules?

The Canadian province of Alberta has proposed a range of gender policies restricting surgery and hormone treatment for minors – measures criticised by doctors, teachers and rights groups. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the proposals as “the most anti-LGBT of anywhere in the country”. But the leader of the opposition Conservative Party nationally, Pierre […]

Anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently in consideration stage

The proposed Anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Ghana has caused debate, conversations, and controversy both in Ghana and beyond. At its core, the bill aims to address issues related to same-sex relationships and activities in Ghana. However, its introduction has ignited discussions about human rights, freedom of expression, and the role of government in regulating personal autonomy […]

LGBTQ+ community in Baja asking for more inclusion in government

In many communities in Baja California, there is a need for more LGBTQ+ input in government decisions, according to María Teresa Díaz Estrada, political director for Baja’s LGBT Cultural Community Association. Díaz Estrada also believes more decision-making roles within government need to be available to LGBTQ+ professionals. “This has to work statewide,” she said. “In […]

Armenia refuses to extradite gay Chechen man wanted by Russia

A court in Yerevan, Armenia, on Jan. 30 rejected Russia’s request to extradite a man who fled the republic of Chechnya after being tortured because he was suspected of being gay, an LGBTQ+ rights group said. Salman Mukaev was detained by security services in his native Chechnya in 2020, after which he was subject to […]

UK Government Secretly Shuts Down NHS Pride Programme

The LGBTQ diversity programme run by England’s National Health Service (NHS) is being shut down, VICE News can reveal. The NHS Rainbow Badge scheme employs a team of people to assess LGBTQ inclusion policies across the health service, as well as providing hundreds of thousands of healthcare staff with Pride flag pin badges to wear […]

Pride to Prejudice: Queer Nigerians love social media — and hate it

When Ms. Fola Francis, an openly trans woman living in Nigeria, joined a trend and posted a video of her transition on TikTok, it was for her to be celebrated by her community for her resilience and acceptance of her identity. The trend was named “the son my parents thought they had vs. the daughter […]