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6 July 2015 edition


Dear friends and colleagues,

From the UN: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was awarded the prestigious Harvey Milk Medal for LGBT advocacy. While accepting the award, the Secretary-General spoke on the ongoing challenge of appealing to national leaders for LGBT equality. 

In Bangkok, delegations from across Asia-Pacific joined UNDP and UNESCO for the #MyPurpleSchool campaign, which addresses homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools. And the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights launched a new series on sexual and reproductive health and rights, including LGBTI people, youth, abortion, and violence against women. 

HIV, Health, and Wellbeing: A health alert has been issued in New Zealand, where city of Auckland reports over 150% increase in monthly average cases of syphilis and gonorrhoea last year, especially among gay and bisexual men. In the UK, Public Health England warns that in 2014 there was 46% increase in syphilis, 32% in gonorrhoea, and 26% in chlamydia. The European Center for Disease Control has released a new guidance report on interventions and prevention of HIV and STIs among gay men and other men who have sex with men.

Three UK teenagers have developed a condom that warns users of sexually transmitted diseases, changing colors for chlamydia, herpes, or syphilis. And Apple is joining researchers to launch the 'largest population study' of LGBTQ people that will use personal iPhones to track health data of sexual and gender minority volunteers.

From the World of Politics:  With a nearly unanimous vote on the second reading, the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan continues the "Gay Propaganda" bill, which has penalties of up to a year in prison for those violating the ban. The move sparked criticism from many groups, including the OHCR, who noted that in addition to discriminating against LGBT people, the bill will inhibit access to sexual and reproductive health.

In Israel, the Ministerial Committee for Legislation failed to approve an anti-discrimination bill that would protect sexual and gender minorities. Parliament member Ofer Shelah, who proposed the bill, noted these same ministers attended Pride Week and "tried to paint rainbows on their faces" promising changes for LGBT people, but now you see their "true faces."

The NGO PINK Armenia released its 2014 LGBT Human Rights report, summarizing documented human rights violations and condemning the Armenian government for failing to undertake any actions to protect LGBT rights.  The US State Department released its annual international human rights report, which includes an emphasis on "pervasive" anti-LGBT persecution and discrimination.
 
From Japan, openly gay politician Taiga Ishikawa spoke out against the attempts by South Korean conservatives and police to ban the Korean Pride parade and noted the lack of policies to protect sexual minorities throughout Asia.

The Politics of Union: A new poll from the Czech Republic shows voters are now evenly split on same-sex marriage, though 75% support 'registered partnerships.' In Germany, government leaders remain split on support for marriage equality, though a poll found 74% of Germans say they are in favor of full marriage rights for gay people. 

In Italy, marches in Rome and Milan demonstrated the continued debate within the country. Over 300,000 protested against gay marriage in Rome, while 100,000 in Milan marched in favor

The Australian Parliament will debate marriage equality in August, with some Liberal MPs pushing for a 'free vote' that would allow them to vote on their personal conscience instead of keeping to the party line. In Austria, the National Assembly has voted overwhelmingly against same-sex marriage.

The smallest country in the world, Pitcairn Island quietly legalized same-sex marriage in May, with a notice of the change posted on the town hall verandah

Let the Courts Decide: In the UK, two couples are mounting a challenge to the same-sex marriage ban in Northern Ireland's High Court. In Mexico, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, noting that "procreation" is not a purpose for marriage and so should not be limited to heterosexual couples. And the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, with Justice Anthony Kennedy stating: 
It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization's oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.
Despite the decision, some US states are defying the ruling with religious objections. 

The Moroccan Court has sentenced two men to 4 months jail for violating public modesty by standing too close together--the police claim the men admitted under questioning to being gay. Activists report that 25 Moroccans have been arrested for homosexuality since February. In Malaysia, a court convicted 9 trans women for crossdressing after they were arrested at a private birthday party

In Egypt, a Syrian refugee was convicted for 'inciting debauchery' after an undercover police officer used a dating website to entrap him. The defendant was forced to undergo an anal exam, a practice many experts have denounced as torture

And in the US, a jury found the gay conversion therapy group, Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing, guilty of consumer fraud for promising to cure participants of their sexuality.

Fear and Loathing: Conservative groups in South Korea staged a vocal anti-gay demonstration during Korea Pride, but failed to stop the festivities. Police in Turkey fired pepper spray, rubber pellets, and sprayed water cannons on Pride participants. The Istanbul LGBTI Pride Week Committee remarked, "We fail to understand how the same government that assured the United Nations on Friday that it would protect LGBTI rights could on Sunday go and attack the 13th annual Istanbul LGBTI Pride Parade without providing a legal justification."
 
In Syria, ISIS executed 4 more men under suspicion of being gay. Tweeting pictures of the murders, the hashtag #LoveWins was invoked, linking them to tweets supporting marriage equality. 

In Cameroon, the president of LGBTI group Humanity First Cameroon was taken from the airport along with two friends, threatened, and abused before finally being released with no official charges. In the UK, a new study finds that LGBT people in rural areas face hate crimes, harassment, and abuse 'everyday.' And out of Zimbabwe, trans woman Tatenda Karigambe spoke on fighting abuse in her community, stating that transgender people are not just from the West.

From the US, lobbying organization, the Family Research Council, published a 'guide' to the transgender movement that activists call an "embarrassing failure of logic" for it's outdated and biased information. While in Lithuania, the compulsory military draft is asking army candidates if they 'like flowers' or have 'ever considered a career in the floral industry' in order to identify and dismiss gay draftees. 

In the Name of Religion: The Vatican released its guide for the upcoming synod on family matters, disappointing many LGBT Catholics, who were described in the document by the outdated term 'homosexual tendencies.' The document follows the Pope's recent comments against marriage equality and "gender theory".

In Ghana, African cardinals and bishops from many countries met to discuss their opposition to divorce and homosexuality. The Mormon Church issued an anti-marriage statement, despite growing pressure for acceptance from within the Mormon community. In Belgium, the United Protestant Church announced it will allow parishes to choose gay pastors as church leaders. And in the US, Episcopal Church leaders voted overwhelmingly to allow same-sex wedding ceremonies. 

Winds of Change: In Israel, after a local Islamic leader published an attack on gay people, titled "You make me sick," Israeli Arabs used social media to fight back in support of the LGBT community. In Jamaica, some police attended training on vulnerable people, with a special focus on conscientiously dealing with LGBT, youth, women, and people living with disabilities. 

Although Poland's parliament has failed to approve laws to protect the LGBT community, attitudes and social acceptance has spread--with both popular media representation of LGBT people and the opening of central Europe's first homeless shelter for LGBT youth. In Nigeria, a new poll shows acceptance of LGBT people has only improved slightly. However, local advocate Bisi Alimi stated, it demonstrates that Nigerians are "not inherently homophobic," but need education against myths.

From the UK, the Oxford English dictionary has officially added the word 'cisgender,' defined as someone whose identity corresponds to their sex and gender at birth. And in Norway, Health Minister Bent Hoie proposed to allow children as young as 7 to legally change their gender with parent support.   

School Days: In Italy, the mayor of Venice has banned children's books about same-sex and single parent families. In the US, a primary school teacher and vice-principal quit when parents complained about the reading of a gay themed fairy tale, used in a lesson against bullying. 

In Brazil, the city of Macapa introduced a bill that includes inclusive education for LGBT people, though the evangelical bench has opposed it. And activists in the US report on how the decision for marriage equality will improve LGBT students' experience in schools by increasing social acceptance and decreasing bullying.

The World of Business: From Japan, IBM executive Atsushi Kawada won the award "Best of IBM" for his work as both an outstanding employee and a leader of the LGBT community at Japan IBM. From the Philippines, transgender woman Claire, spoke about her participation in the workers' strike against the Tanduay Distillery, and how the situation affects LGBT people.

In the UK, business leaders met to discuss the importance of engaging LGBT and allies through both policies and advertising. In Argentina, the tourist industry held their annual international conference on LGBT tourism to discuss how best cater to LGBT travelers in a genuine and sensitive way. 

Technology: Despite promises to the transgender and drag community last year, Facebook is aggressively pursuing its "Real Name" policy. A new report reveals Facebook is the least safe place for women online, exacerbated by the company posting users' legal names without their consent and then banning users from their accounts. Meanwhile, the Facebook employee responsible for the company's recent progressive gender-inclusive options has become a victim of the policy because, as a transgender person, their username does not match birth documents, despite that username matching their employee badge. 

Apple released a new section in the App Store that highlights LGBT content, that includes books, movies, music, and apps that reflect and impact the community. And journalist Eliel Cruz explores how social media and online dating is beneficial to bringing together LGBT millennials, but can also be detrimental to their safety and perceptions of self. 

Sports and Culture: The German Historical Museum in Berlin launched an exhibition exploring 150 years of German gay history, from the creation of the term "homosexual," to Nazi repression, to current equality efforts. A new documentary explores the US government's 'cruel, malicious' campaign against gay Americans in the 1950s. And in Canada, the AIDS Activist History Project aims to "fill a void" in Canadian history.

In the US, the Girl Scouts returned a $100,000 donation that was gifted with the caveat that transgender girls not receive support. 

British television personality John Oliver used his show to accuse the media of inappropriate interest in trans people's private parts. An op-ed by Adam Ackley explores the dichotomy between intersex and trans people, explaining how an individual's choice to surgically transition is incredibly personal. And these 'genderfluid' people share what it's like being neither trans nor cisgender.

In Japan, the bridal industry has begun accepting LGBT couples. And In Uganda, a visiting filmmaker was touched by the acceptance he found among those he met.

Author Martin Bichsel documented the experiences of trans people in Switzerland, Europe, Japan, Siberia, and North Africa--including this interview with a transgender sex worker in Greece.

In Nigeria, the women's national football team finds inclusion for differences in faith, but sexuality remains taboo. Sweden has launched a national all-LGBT handball team.

And the Women's World Cup featured out and proud players from all over the world, including the US's Abby Wambach, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, who celebrated USA's win over Japan by leaping into the stands to kiss her wife
"Will I prioritize [rights] over finding money for food? Labor issues, issues of the workforce are issues of LGBT people. And the sooner we recognize that, then the sooner we can provide responses to the needs of members of our community who need proper attention”
~ Claire, a transgender woman, on the striking workforce at Tanduay Distillers Inc in the Philippines 
Harvey Milk Foundation awards medal to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
The Harvey Milk Medal is seen as one of the most significant recognitions from the LBGT human rights community. Stuart Milk, nephew of Harvey Milk and co-founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation, presented the award to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

excerpt from Sec-Gen's remarks: I have been travelling to many countries and where there was discrimination, I talked to Heads of State or Government. Sometimes, I have been successful.

One day, for example, in  [Malawi] there was [a] gay couple that was put in prison for many years. It became big news in the world. So I told [the president], “this is a violation of human rights principles; can you release them? I’m not going to say publicly but if you release them, I will welcome your decision. He said that I don’t agree with your point but since you are the Secretary-General of the United Nations, saying and asking for that, I will consider what I can do”.

I thought that it would take about two or three months for his decision. Then, when we were having a joint press conference, he announced, “I’m pardoning this couple, right now.” Then they were set free on the same day. [...] I was successful. But in some other countries, when I raise this issue, of course, we have some confrontational dialogue. But they listen to my appeal, and I will continue to help those who are being discriminated. Read the full speech
Thailand: Stand against homophobic and transphobic bullying in schools
Asia-Pacific countries have committed to taking steps to address bullying in schools during a regional consultation organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) Asia-Pacific regional offices.

 “We know [that] exclusion, bullying and violence have immediate, long-term and intergenerational effects. This includes school attendance, performance, and completion,” said UNESCO Bangkok Director Gwang-Jo Kim. “And for those that think that bullying based on sexual orientation and gender identity only affects LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex] people? This is wrong. It affects the whole climate of the school and community." Read More
OHCHR: Sexual and reproductive health and rights 
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched a new information series on sexual and reproductive health and rights. The series includes topics such as Abortion, Adolescents, HIV and AIDS, Violence against Women, LGBTI people, among others. For each topic, it provides the latest data, the human rights standards and the international agreements. Find the series here  

The 29th session of the Human Rights Council concluded on 3 July at a report was presented to updated the Office of the High Commission on violence and discrimination against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The report can be read here.
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New Zealand: STI/HIV health alert issued in Auckland
Syphilis and gonorrhoea cases are on the rise in Auckland, where gay and bisexual men are being urged to get a sexual health check-up. Average monthly syphilis cases have increased 120% over the last 18 months, and average monthly gonorrhoea cases by 170% in the last six months. Recent data from University of Otago shows an increase in HIV diagnoses among gay and bisexual men across New Zealand.

“The STI epidemic is very worrying” says Executive Director of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation Shaun Robinson. “There have been several significant breakouts of STIs amongst men who have sex with men over the last two years and the situation appears to be getting worse. We know that over 85% of syphilis cases in New Zealand affect gay and bisexual men and we are also seeing major outbreaks of gonorrhoea. These can do serious health damage if untreated and spread very rapidly in the community. It is very important that men who have had anal sex without condoms get an STI and HIV test.” Read More
UK: STIs soaring in gay men - warning
The number of sexually transmitted infections being spread in gay men is soaring, according to Public Health England. Figures for 2014 showed a 46% increase in syphilis infections, 32% in gonorrhoea and 26% in chlamydia. The report said there were "high levels of condomless sex" in general and "rapid" transmission of infections in HIV-positive men.

Dr Michael Brady, the medical director of the Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "The continued rise in both syphilis and gonorrhoea is a worry and evidence that we still have much to do to address the nation's poor sexual health and rates of STIs in those most at risk. We should make better use of new technologies and approaches - local awareness raising through targeted social media based on the geographical breakdown of the data we are seeing today and an offer online testing - to reach those who are not accessing 'traditional' services" Read More
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Europe: How to prevent HIV and STI in men who have sex with men
Many European countries have had specific prevention programmes for men who have sex with men (MSM) since the early years of the HIV epidemic. But sex between men is still the predominant mode of HIV transmission across the EU/EEA. In its new guidance HIV and STI prevention among men who have sex with men, ECDC identifies seven key services to reduce and prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) among MSM.

The guidance suggests scientifically proven interventions that range from vaccination, better access to testing and condoms to timely treatment and targeted health promotion. For maximum effect, these are best applied in combination. 
Read More
UK: Roses are red, condoms are blue... if you have syphilis
Three UK teens may have found a way to help couples test for STDs in the privacy of their own home. They've invented a condom called the S.T.EYE that changes color when it comes into contact with the pathogens -- green for chlamydia, yellow for herpes and blue for syphilis. The condom -- created by 14-year-old Daanyaal Ali, 13-year-old Muaz Nawaz and 14-year-old Chirag Shah from the Issac Newton Academy in London -- won top honors in the healthcare category at the TeenTech Awards.

The design is still in the conceptual stage, but the teens have already reportedly been approached by a condom manufacturer about improving their invention and possibly turning it into something headed to a drug store near you. This isn't the first we've seen of color-coded personal products. Last year, a nail polish company unveiled a product that could test for the presence of date rape drugs such as Rohypnol, Xanax and GHB in drinks.  Read More
US: Researchers and iPhone launch landmark study of LGBTQ health
Researchers are preparing the largest national study of LGBTQ health ever. The Population Research in Identity and Disparities for Equality, or PRIDE, Study is the first study of this kind to better understand the health of LGBTQ adults in the United States. It’s a longitudinal cohort study that uses an iPhone app to connect with and track sexual & gender minority adults over time to understand factors related to health & disease in this population.  

The PRIDE Study app is based on ResearchKit, an open-source software framework developed by Apple, which helps researchers gather data more frequently and accurately from participants using mobile devices. For example, other researchers have created apps to measure dexterity and gait in Parkinson’s disease patients and blood glucose levels in diabetes patients. The PRIDE Study is the first to use this platform to study a population rather than a specific disease. Read More
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Kyrgyzstan: Lawmakers overwhelmingly support “Gay Propaganda” ban
Lawmakers in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan moved a Russian-style bill banning “gay propaganda” one step closer to becoming law in a 90-2 vote. The text of the bill, which passed its second of three required readings Wednesday, closely mirrors Russia’s widely decried 2013 ban but provides stiffer penalties, including up to a year in prison.

The bill defines “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” as “the distribution of information aimed at forming a positive attitude among citizens to sexual relations between people of the same sex, if the act is committed using the mass media, including the internet, or among minors.” It also states that public demonstrations promoting “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” may be banned.

Anti-LGBT rhetoric and violence has increased in Kyrgyzstan: “Method of fighting LGBT. Meet them on the street, club them across the face, put them in a rocket and send them to Gay-rope,” reads a tweet from an anti-LGBT nationalist group. Anti-LGBT politicians maintain the “propaganda” ban is necessary to protect family values and say LGBT rights are fundamentally incompatible with Kyrgyz culture and traditions. Read More
UN Human Rights Office urges Kyrgyz Parliament to reject amendments to laws which institutionalize discrimination against LGBT community
The UN Human Rights Office in Central Asia today expressed deep concern at the second-stage approval in Parliament of ban on so-called "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations". If adopted, these amendments will entrench in law discrimination against LGBT people.

The proposed changes would infringe on the rights to freedom from discrimination, freedoms of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, as well as on the vital work of human rights defenders conducting important advocacy work to protect the rights of individuals including those who are LGBT. These amendments may also fall foul of the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic which provides that “laws that deny or derogate human and civil rights and freedoms shall not be adopted in the Kyrgyz Republic”.  

In addition to targeting the LGBT community, the draft law as it stands would inhibit discussion and access to information on sexual and reproductive health and rights, which is essential for the full enjoyment of the right to health. We strongly encourage the Kyrgyz Republic to stay on the welcome path it has maintained in recent years, and uphold the human rights principles enshrined in the Constitution of the Kyrgyz Republic which are mirrored in the international treaties it has ratified.”  Read More
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Armenia: The human rights situation of LGBT people in Armenia 2014 
Discrimination towards the LGBT community in Armenia continues to be widespread, as the state fails to undertake any actions to reduce the negative attitude towards the LGBT community and to protect their human rights. Rather than promote equality, the leading political party representatives and media affiliated with authorities continue to spread hate speech towards LGBT people, strengthening the environment of impunity in the county.

The absence of anti-discrimination legislation and accountability mechanisms for discrimination cases greatly contributes to the violation of human rights of LGBT people; with this, the lack of implementation for the existing legislation also increases the vulnerability of LGBT people. This report summarizes cases of human rights violations during 2014, records of interviews with LGBT people and data obtained from court cases, internet sources and studies of other reports.  Read More
US: State Department report documents LGBT human rights violations
The State Department’s annual human rights report, 2014 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, notes anti-LGBT persecution and discrimination were pervasive throughout the world in 2014. A compilation of the information from the report regarding sexual orientation and gender identity can be found here. Included in this compilation is information about new anti-LGBT laws as well as the ongoing persecution and violence facing LGBT people around the world.

"While there is no doubt that equality is rising in some places around the globe, this report makes it clear that many LGBT people are not experiencing the benefits of that progress,” said Ty Cobb, Director of HRC Global.  “This report is a critical tool for documenting the violence and persecution faced by LGBT people abroad, and helps to inform our nation's foreign policy.” The situation for LGBT people around the world varies widely, as some countries embrace equality, while in others, LGBT people continue to suffer from discrimination, persecution and violence.  Read More
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Israel: Ministers reject opposition MK’s LGBT rights bill
The Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Monday voted down a bill that would make it illegal to discriminate against LGBT people in any way. The legislation, proposed by MK Ofer Shelah, would make any law prohibiting discrimination based on gender, age, country of origin, etc. apply to LGBT people as well.

Shelah noted that no other Likud ministers voted in the anti-discrimination bill's favor, though some attended last week’s Gay Pride Parade in Tel Aviv. “Such a simple matter, that all laws prohibiting discrimination should apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, did not get the approval of the current government,” Shelah said. “On Pride Week, some of the Likud tried to paint rainbows on their faces. Don’t be fooled: Behind that, you’ll find their true faces.” Read More
Japanese out politician urges South Korea to improve LGBT rights
Taiga Ishikawa, Japan’s only gay politician, has spoken about South Korea’s progress on LGBT rights.
He attended the Korea Queer Festival, which was protested against by conservative Christian groups. Police attempted to ban the parade, on public safety grounds, but the ban was overturned by the courts.

Mr Ishikawa said: “I was shocked to hear that the parade was blocked by the state forces. It saddened me. Then it hit me; there isn’t an openly LGBT lawmaker in Korea yet. Policymaking in Japan as a whole is conducted as if sexual minorities do not exist. I wish to be an advocate of LGBTs, as I am one myself."

Mr Ishikawa became Japan’s first gay politician in 2011, when he won a seat on the Tokyo Assembly. He has been firm advocate for LGBT rights. Read More
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Pitcairn Island: World’s smallest country, with no gay couples, legalizes same-sex ‘marriage’
Pitcairn Island, a tiny speck in the Pacific that is home to just 48 people, has passed a law allowing same-sex marriage, but has no gay couples wanting to wed.

Pitcairn deputy governor Kevin Lynch said on the new law came into effect on 15 May but initially was not published online after the island’s website encountered some technical problems. He said the change was suggested by British authorities after England, Wales and Scotland legalised same-sex marriage last year. The law change was unanimously approved by the local council.

As with most law changes, she said, a notice was put up on the verandah of the town hall and a second at the island’s general store. Read More
Australia: The push for same-sex marriage is back on
The conservative side of politics is grappling with whether government MPs should be allowed to have a free vote on marriage equality. Tony Abbott cast doubt on the idea after the bill was revealed when a spokesperson said “It is rare for a private members’ bill to be voted on and any bill would be subject to the usual process. The prime minister’s position remains the same as it has always been and he supports the current policy that marriage is between a man and a woman.”

A pending vote would trigger Coalition party room debate on the issue and open up the possibility of a free vote. NSW Liberal senator Arthur Sinodinos told Sky News the cross-party bill was “finally bringing the issue to a head”. Without a free vote, government ministers would be required to back the party’s existing position or expected to resign from the ministry if they wanted to support the bill.

Labor leader Bill Shorten attempted to introduce a private member’s bill last month in the wake of Ireland’s referendum, but it failed. Read More
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Germany: Same-sex unions at the end of the Regenbogen
Since 2001, German gay and lesbian couples have been able to enter civil unions, and enjoy the same rights as heterosexual spouses for tax and inheritance. But same-sex couples do not have full adoption rights, and their union is not called marriage. Many Germans find this embarrassing.

A 2013 poll found 74% in favour of full marriage rights for homosexuals. So are the opposition Greens and Die Linke in parliament, as well as the Social Democrats, the junior party in the ruling grand coalition. The upper-house Bundesrat, where these three parties have a majority, recently passed a non-binding resolution urging the government to make marriage available to all.

That was largely symbolic, because of opposition within Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centre-right block, consisting of two “Christian” parties: her own Christian Democratic Union and the more conservative Bavarian Christian Social Union. Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the premier of Saarland, recently argued that if you allow gay marriage, incestuous or polygamous nuptials might be next.

Yet within the CDU attitudes are changing. The defence minister, Ursula von der Leyen told the party’s executive committee that “something fundamental has changed in society.” Read More
Czech Republic: Voters now evenly split on same-sex marriage
A new poll of voters in the Czech Republic has found almost half now support same-sex marriage while less than half still oppose it. 49% of those polled said they now support it while only 47% said they still oppose it.

Registered partnerships for same-sex couples, first introduced in the Czech Republic in 2006, were strongly supported by Czech voters with three-out-of-four people saying they supported them, or nearly 75%. However adoption by same-sex couples remains controversial among Czechs, with a majority still saying they should not be able to adopt children from adoption agencies. Read More
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Italy: Over 300,000 rally in Rome against gay marriage 
People travelled from all over Italy and Europe yesterday to protest against the proposed legalisation of gay marriage, and the teaching of ‘gender theories’ in schools. Gathering in the San Giovanni Square in Rome, with estimates of participants running from 300,000 to a million people, the protest put the ‘anti-Austerity’ protests held in London on the same day to shame, for sheer volume of people and absence of criminal behaviour.

Attendees held aloft banners reading “The family will save the world” and “Let’s defend our children”, as Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi tries to push a civil union bill through parliament. The call for Italy to keep pace with its western European neighbours on the issue has grown stronger since Ireland voted overwhelmingly in favour of gay marriage last month.

Massimo Gandolfini, spokesman for the “Defend our children!” committee said: “We are asking for families based on marriage be respected, and stressing the central role parents play. We forcefully reject the attempt to sneak into the curriculum projects which aim to destroy children’s sexual identities”. Read More

Italy: 100,000 attend Milan Pride in support of marriage equality
On Saturday 100,000 people took part in Milan Pride: walking through the city in support of gay rights in Italy. Dario Davanzo, who manages the event, told La Repubblica: ‘This is the first Milan Pride where we can see such a powerful synergy going on between city and government.’

Participants waved fliers which read: 'Sì’ (‘yes’) in support of the fight for marriage equality in Italy. The streets were said to be ‘dense’ with rainbow flags. The mayor of Milan Giuliano Pisapia marched in the procession and participated by handing out the fliers. He said: ‘We [will] defeat prejudice: and we say "yes" to love and the marriage.’ Read More
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Austria: Votes against gay marriage
The National Assembly of Austria has taken a strong stance against equal marriage. Two days before Vienna Pride, the Assembly voted against a proposed resolution to grant lesbian and gay couples ‘the human right of equal marriage’. Out of 136 representatives, only 26 voted for and 110 against the proposal in a roll-call vote; the Green party, who proposed the resolution, was the only party to fully support marriage equality. Read More
UK: Same-sex marriage bid goes to court in Northern Ireland
The first two gay couples to enter into civil partnerships in the UK will this week mount a High Court challenge to Northern Ireland's same-sex marriage ban, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.

Grainne Close and Shannon Sickles will be joined by Chris and Henry Flanagan-Kane to seek a judicial review of the ban. Both couples cemented their relationships in civil partnerships a decade ago in Belfast City Hall. But while Northern Ireland was the first place in the UK to recognise civil partnerships, it is now the only part of the UK and Ireland that has not legalised same-sex marriage. Read More
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Mexico: Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriages in all 31 states
Mexico's Supreme Court has decided in favor of marriage equality, stating "procreation" was not a purpose for marriage. Therefore, limiting marriages to heterosexual couples amounted to discrimination against other couples seeking marriage.

The court’s decision legalizes same-sex marriage in all of the 31 states of Mexico – which is over 80% Catholic – adding the country to the growing list of Latin American nations that permit it. Since current civil codes will remain temporarily, same-sex couples wishing to marry can obtain injunctions against laws holding up traditional marriage.

The Mexican Catholic bishops’ conference has disagreed with the court’s decision, stating that the family is founded on the marriage between a man and a woman who can procreate and, therefore, guarantee “the survival of society.” Read More

US: Supreme Court ruling makes same-sex marriage a right nationwide
In a long-sought victory for the gay rights movement, the Supreme Court ruled by a 5-to-4 vote that the Constitution guarantees a right to same-sex marriage.

“No longer may this liberty be denied,” Justice Anthony M. Kennedy wrote for the majority in the historic decision. Marriage is a “keystone of our social order,” Justice Kennedy said, adding that the plaintiffs in the case were seeking “equal dignity in the eyes of the law.” In his decision, Justice Kennedy embraced a vision of a living Constitution, one that evolves with societal changes.

“The nature of injustice is that we may not always see it in our own times,” he wrote on Friday. “The generations that wrote and ratified the Bill of Rights and the Fourteenth Amendment did not presume to know the extent of freedom in all of its dimensions, and so they entrusted to future generations a charter protecting the right of all persons to enjoy liberty as we learn its meaning.” 

This drew a withering response from Justice Scalia, a proponent of reading the Constitution according to the original understanding of those who adopted it. His dissent was joined by Justice Clarence Thomas. Read More

US: In some states, defiance over Supreme Court ruling
More than a dozen states that saw gay marriage bans struck down last week by the US Supreme Court are vowing to protect religious liberty, even though they grudgingly accept that the ruling is now the law of the land. Read More

Read the full US Supreme Court decision here
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Morocco: Court sentences two men accused of homosexuality to four months in jail
Two men charged with “violating public modesty” have been convicted and sentenced to four months in jail and a fine of up to around $135. The two men were arrested on June 3 while taking a photograph in front of landmark in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. A day earlier, two activists with the Paris-based feminist organization Femen took a photograph at the same spot while kissing topless with the slogan “In gay we trust” written on their bodies.

A representative of Human Rights Watch who attended their trial reported that the men said they had never been given a chance to read the statements police attributed to them in which they were said to have disclosed being gay.

Their arrest came amidst heightened sensitivity around homosexuality in the country sparked in large part by foreign activists coming to the country to challenge its law against homosexuality, known as Article 489. A Moroccan newspaper reported that 25 people had been arrested for homosexuality since February. Read More
Malaysia: Court convicts nine transgender women
An Islamic court in Malaysia has convicted 9 transgender women of violating laws that prohibit “a male person posing as a woman,” Human Rights Watch reported. All women were fined and two were handed jail sentences. The nine women, locally known as mak nyah, were attending a birthday party at a hotel when officials from Kelantan’s Islamic Affairs Department raided the place and arrested them. 

In 2014, a Malaysian appeals court struck down the law against cross-dressing in the state of Negeri Sembilan, with the presiding judge calling it “degrading, oppressive and inhumane.” Enforcement of the law has since been suspended in the state, but the state government has appealed the decision to a federal court. Meanwhile, the law against cross-dressing remains in place across the rest of Malaysia’s 13 states and its federal territories. Read More
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US: Conversion therapy group committed consumer fraud, N.J. jury says
A New Jersey jury on Thursday found a non-profit group that provides gay-to-straight conversion therapy guilty of consumer fraud for promising clients they could overcome their sexual urges by undressing in front of other men, pummeling an effigy of their mothers, and re-enacting traumatic childhood experiences.

In the first case in the nation to put the controversial practice on trial, the jury concluded that Arthur Goldberg and Elaine Berk, the founders of Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing in Jersey City and life coach Alan Downing to whom JONAH referred patients, "engaged in unconscionable commercial practices" and misrepresented their services. Read More
Egypt: ‘Gay’ Syrian refugee convicted after online ‘entrapment’
A Syrian refugee was sentenced to one year in prison on an array of charges related to sexual debauchery after an officer from the Morality Police set up a fake gay hookup date online. The undercover police officer, who was posing as a gay man on social media, chatted with the refugee, arranged to meet him and arrested the man as soon as he arrived on location. The officer later submitted all information, including chat history, to public prosecution, which was used to convict the man. 
 
The defendant was forced to undergo an anal examination, a controversial practice that authorities claim can prove whether the client engages in anal sex. Many international rights groups, such as Human Rights Watch, and health specialists have denounced the examinations as medically baseless and amounting to torture. Though the forensic doctor said the anal examination showed no evidence of gay sex, the defendant was convicted nonetheless for charges including “inciting debauchery”, “solicitation to commit immoral acts in public”, “habitual debauchery” and “debauchery”.
 
The defendant's lawyer Ahmed Hossam said "The crime was in the imagination of the officer himself. No debauchery happened. Second, sending personal messages is unconstitutional? Searching an innocent person isn’t allowed according to criminal procedure code in Egypt.” The undercover officer kept pressuring his client to meet after he bailed multiple times, which Hossam argued shows clear entrapment on the officer’s part. Read More
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South Korea: This is what happened when Christian groups tried to shut down Korea Pride
Tens of thousands of people marched through the South Korean capital in an LGBT pride festival, despite attempts by Christian groups to shut it down. The atmosphere was defiantly jubilant at the parade, the culmination of the three-week long Korean Queer Culture Festival.

Christian groups have been running a campaign for weeks to try to block the parade. In May, they camped out for a week in front of the police station where parade organizers had to apply for a permit and filed a competing request to hold an event in the same place. Police initially responded by canceling the parade citing the conflicting permit applications, but a court ruled that the parade had to be allowed. The Seoul police deployed thousands of officers to keep order between the queer festival — which began in a large grassy plaza in front of city hall — and eight counter protests that entirely surrounded the area. Read More
Turkey: Police fire pepper spray at gay pride parade
Although the gay pride parade has happened in peace for at least 13 years in Istanbul, this year the parade was interrupted by police who fired pepper spray and rubber pellets at thousands when they arrived to march. Parade organizers noted, "The use of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, as an excuse to curtail the freedoms of assembly, demonstration, and speech is a clear violation of rule of law. In taking this illegal decision, the Governor’s Office has thus broken the law." And further stated that police were not wearing helmets with their registration numbers, making identifying those responsible for the assault impossible.

"This is happening after the elections because they realize the power of the LGBTI movement," said transgender activist Ruzgar Buski. "Erdogan's government has lost their power and they know the LGBTI community stands with minorities." Read More

Read the Istanbul LGBTI Pride Week Committee full statement here.
Syria: ISIS executes four men suspected of being gay as the US legalises same-sex marriage 
A shocking video uploaded on Friday by anti-violence campaigners, showed the execution of four men. They were thrown off the roof of a building, during which screams were heard by the crowd of hundreds gathered to watch. Pictures and videos of the victims, who were suspected by ISIS of homosexuality, were uploaded by @Raqqa_Sl, which campaigns against violence in Syria. Some tweets even used the #LoveWins hashtag synonymous with the SCOTUS ruling, to tweet messages about the victims.

At time of publication the YouTube video of the execution had been removed. The group known as Islamic State has reportedly been employing “honeytraps” to coerce men into homosexuality before executing them. Read More
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UK: Hate crime is everyday reality for rural LGBT people, study says
LGBT people in Britain’s rural towns and villages are being bullied relentlessly because of their sexuality, leaving some too scared to leave the house, according to an expert in hate crime.

Stevie-Jade Hardy, a lecturer at the University of Leicester’s Centre for Hate Studies and the author of a report on hate crime, said harassment and verbal abuse was an everyday reality for many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Hardy pointed to national figures that suggest eight in 10 LGBT people have been verbally abused or harassed and one in 10 has been physically assaulted.  She said LGBT people felt they were more likely to be the victim of hate crime if they were “noticeably different”, potentially making those in villages particularly vulnerable.

“Within rural locations those differences are maybe magnified, and so young people will often target someone who they see as being different in that context. People are actually scared to go out into their garden to enjoy the sun; some people had taken some practical steps like having CCTV put into their house. Read More
Cameroon: LGBTI rights leader faces police shakedown
The president of the LGBTI rights group Humanity First Cameroon returned from a trip yesterday to find a police sergeant waiting for him with death threats and a demand for money in exchange for his freedom.

Returning shortly after midnight at the end of a trip to Europe, Jules Eloundou was accused of homosexuality. The friends who came to pick him up were detained and assaulted. The police demanded bribes, hurled abuse, and beat the three men before eventually releasing them. Read More
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Zimbabwe: Transgender woman speaks on her fight against abuse
In Zimbabwe the idea of having a family member who transits from being a man to a woman (transgender) is unheard of and considered a taboo. Robert Tapfumaneyi spoke to Tatenda Karigambe who has since gone to have a sex change operation at a cost of about $80,000 to hear of some horrible moments, humiliation and discomfort she has suffered, the deep violation of her rights and how she has overcome them:

People have a lot of perceptions. When I read local newspapers I hear someone saying the transgender disease has hit our country; it's because people don't know and they don't understand it, it's like seeing a tree in a desert, it becomes very strange.

But we need to educate people so that they understand because daily our rights are being violated...Some accuse us of being swayed by Western influence; that is very wrong, transgender is also here in Zimbabwe. Make yourself known, make your voice loud, be proud, stay strong; that will bring out what I personally call gender identity revolution where we say the whole family of Zimbabwe be it black or white, be it heterosexual, be it transgender, we just speak in one voice of love and understanding. 
Read the full interview
US: The Family Research Council’s anti-trans guide is an embarrassing failure of logic
Conservative Christian think tank and political lobbying organization, the Family Research Council has long traded in dubious claims and hateful rhetoric. New document, “Understanding and Responding to the Transgender Movement,” is no exception: Authors, Dale O’Leary and Peter Sprigg, fall back on the usual appeals to discredited pseudoscience and decades-old scholarship. But they also embrace a far more surprising referent, the language of the feminist and queer activists they’ve spent decades fighting, even as they back away from their own conceptual and intellectual vocabularies.

While the FRC pitches itself as a defender of a “Christian worldview,” O’Leary and Sprigg claim to be protecting a far more nebulous concept. “In recent decades,” they write in their introduction, “there has been an assault on the sexes.”  Read More
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Lithuania: Weeding out new army recruits by asking if they like flowers
Lithuania has come up with a unique way of ensuring their army doesn't have any gays in it, and that is by asking new recruits whether they like picking flowers. Having reintroduced compulsory military draft earlier this year, randomly selected candidates will now have to report to a military recruitment office in order to be screened for suitability.

The screening, which includes a psychological test, asks 'Does the candidate like picking flowers or has the candidate ever considered a career in the floral industry?' Another question asks if a male candidate has ever desired to be a woman.

Kęstutis Ramanauskas, a psychiatrist at a military recruitment office in Klaipėda, western Lithuania, said: 'After reviewing initial data supplied by the [psychological] test, I try to analyse the person more thoroughly. I use it as a criteria to screen them out. Though it is claimed that [homosexuality] is not a disease, but it is.' Read More
Vatican: LGBT Catholics Find Little Encouragement in Family Synod Document
The “working document,” released that will guide discussion at this fall’s Vatican synod on the family doesn’t reflect a lot of outreach to LGBT people — and LGBT Catholic groups are objecting.

The portions of the paper dealing with LGBT issues “hardly reflect the rich discussions which have taken place, internationally and at all levels in the Church, on the welcome, respect, and value which should be afforded to lesbian and gay people in the Catholic community,” says a press release from the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics, a coalition of LGBT-supportive groups.

The coalition also denounces the document’s “unfounded statement” that international organizations are threatening poor countries with a loss of financial aid if they do not adopt marriage equality. The church should instead condemn countries that criminalize LGBT identity, with punishments including torture and the death penalty, the group said in its release. Read More

Recently, the Pope has rallied against same-sex marriage, inviting representatives from listed hate groups to a ‘traditional marriage’ conference last year, and recently urged Slovakians to vote against equal marriageThe Catholic leader has also compared transgender people to nuclear weapons and has rejected "gender theory".
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Africa: Cardinals and bishops hold conference to oppose divorce and homosexuality
They were five cardinals and forty-five bishops from as many African countries who met in Ghana, from June 8-11. All in the clear light of day, not almost in secret like some of their colleagues from Germany, France, and Switzerland, who had gathered a few days before at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

The conference theme was indicated from the very first remarks by Guinean cardinal Robert Sarah: “to protect the family from all the ideologies that want to destroy it, and therefore also from the national and international policies that impede the promotion of positive values.”

Cardinal Sarah urged Africa to resist outside ideas: “Why should we think that only the Western vision of man, of the world, of society is good, just, universal? The Church must fight to say no to this new colonization."  Read More
Belgium: United Protestant Church of Belgium will accept homosexual pastors
The United Protestant Church of Belgium published a press release on stating that the EPUB now accepts homosexual pastors. The Protestant Synod decided it in an extraordinary assembly around the topic “Homosexuality and pastoral ministry”.

A work group wrote a recommendation that was sent to the local churches and then debated by districts before taking the decision in the Synod. The final decision was that homosexuality is not a criterion to exclude candidates for the ministry.

Pastor Steven H. Fuite, president of the EPUB, insists that the opinion of the Synod is only a “recommendation” and that no one is forced: “Every parish can choose the pastor they want”. The press release talks about unity in diversity. Mr. Fuite explains that this recommendation means that no parish can force their opinion into another. “The differences in our Bible interpretations should not be reasons for disunion”. Read More
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Mormon church facing growing pressure from within on LGBT rights
After the legalization of same-sex marriage, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has sought to continue its strong opposition to marriage equality. The Church released a statement on June 26: “The Supreme Court’s decision does not alter the Lord’s doctrine that marriage is a union between a man and a woman ordained by God. 

However, within the church, a number of Mormons have been advocating for LGBT equality – and see the ruling as a chance for a clean break from the church’s previous scaremongering. Mormons for Equality executive director Spencer W. Clark said: “It will take time to overcome and repent of our past, but as we’ve seen already, the more that we come to know same-sex couples and their children, the more we discover that our fears were misplaced. Mormons believe in the importance of families, and for increasing numbers of Mormons, that means all families.”

While it’s highly unlikely the Church will change its stance on same-sex marriage any time soon, its members in Mormons for Equality and Mormons Building Bridges represent a softer side of the religion. Read More
US: Episcopal Church formally embraces same-sex marriage
The bishops of the Episcopal Church have authorized their clergy to perform same-sex weddings. Episcopalians overwhelmingly voted to allow religious weddings for same-sex couples, solidifying the church's embrace of gay rights that began more than a decade ago with the election of the first openly gay bishop.

In resolutions adopted here at the denomination’s General Convention meeting in Salt Lake City this week, the bishops have endorsed new liturgies or services for same-sex couples wishing to marry in church. The bishops also approved changing the church’s canons, or rules, governing marriage, making them gender neutral by substituting the terms “man and woman” with “couple.” However, clergy were also given the right to refuse to perform a same-sex marriage, with the promise they would incur no penalty, while bishops were given the right to refuse to allow the services to take place in their diocese. Read More
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Israel: Homophobic op-ed by Islamic leader raises Arab Israeli ire
A homophobic article by an Israeli Islamic leader has sparked a flurry of condemnations by Arab civil society, shining a light on a usually suppressed debate on gay rights. Commenting on the same-sex wedding of Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, Sheikh Kamal Khatib, deputy head of the Islamic Movement in Israel, launched a scathing attack on homosexuality in an op-ed titled “You make me sick,” published on Yaffa48.com.

“Western societies have reached the lowest of lows,” wrote Khatib, and that society was succumbing "to moral degradation." "It is noteworthy,” he continued, “that suspicious local organizations, tabloids and biased writers have been advocating this perversion. To all those, I say not ‘may you be well and have boys’ but rather ‘may you be miserable and suffer plagues and AIDS, you perverts!'”

Khatib’s comments quickly drew fire from Israeli Arabs on social media.

Al-Qaws, a Palestinian NGO supporting sexual and gender diversity in Palestinian society, argued in a rare statement that Khatib’s concern over homosexuality may indicate a paradigm shift in Arab treatment of the subject: “We wonder,” the organization wrote, “Is this a miserable attempt to exploit the issue of gays for political purposes, or did the Sheikh see change taking place before his eyes and get nervous?” Read More
Poland: For Poland's gay community, a shift in public attitudes, if not laws
Many European Union nations are enhancing rights for their LGBT citizens. But not Catholic Poland. This former Soviet satellite constitutionally restricts marriage to a man and a woman. Recent efforts to pass laws to protect the LGBT community in Poland from discrimination and violence have gone nowhere.

But there is one notable change these days — in Polish attitudes. Homophobic attitudes were prevalent among Polish lawmakers when Robert Biedron was elected as a MP in 2011. "I was the first member of the Polish parliament who was openly gay," Biedron says, "and they would not be brave enough to shake hands publicly because somebody would think they're gay."

Polish gay rights activists note other changes, too, including the opening of central Europe's first homeless shelter for LGBT teens earlier this year in Warsaw. Marianna Szczygielska, the project coordinator for the Warsaw-based Campaign against Homophobia, says attitudes toward gays began to change in 2004: "With [the] opening of borders after joining the European Union, things have changed, especially for queer youth," she says. "Even LGBT characters being featured in popular TV series, that already makes a difference in social acceptance." Read More
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Jamaica: Police sharpen to work with vulnerable groups
With two weekends of training seminars completed, members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force are expected to be more aware of the diverse groups in society and to better understand the safety and security issues facing them. 50 members of the JCF underwent diversity training.

The training sessions made police aware of how to deal with vulnerable groups in carrying out their duties. The areas of focus were women and girls, people living with disabilities, marginalised youth and the LGBT community.

Harrison Henry said that the Jamaican legal framework has been slow to recognise the increasing diversity in the population. She called on participants to make use of the training which will enhance their skills and allow them to carry out their duties conscientiously. She reminded the police that to serve and to protect was not only a moral duty but also a legal one. Read More
UK: Cisgender added to Oxford English Dictionary
Cisgender has officially been added into the Oxford English Dictionary. Dating back to 1999, the adjective is defined as 'designating someone whose sense of personal identity corresponds to the sex and gender assigned to him or her at birth. This word exists to serve as an equal and complement to transgender.' Read More
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Nigeria: Acceptance of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people slowly increasing
A new poll conducted by NOI Polls in partnership with Bisi Alimi Foundation and The Initiative for Equal Rights in Nigeria, has mapped awareness, perception, and acceptance of lesbian, gay, and bisexual, people and same-sex relationships among the Nigerian population. While considerable opposition remains for lesbian, gay, and bisexual people and their relationships, the poll found that acceptance has grown over previous polls. The findings also suggest that many Nigerians are unwilling to reject lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in their families.

“This poll tells us that Nigerians are not inherently homophobic, but that in the absence of accurate information around gender and sexuality, people are left to believe myths and misinformation,” said Bisi Alimi, founder of the Bisi Alimi Foundation. “The trend in this survey has shown that with a conducive environment to provide unrestrictive and unbiased information about gender and sexuality in Nigeria, we will be able to create a platform for discussion and dialogue where views can be shared and opinions expressed without fear.” Read More
Norway: Proposal to extend transgender rights to children
Norway’s government proposed that children as young as 7 should be allowed to change their legal gender with parental support, among the lowest ages in the world for transgender rights. The suggested overhaul includes personal decisions without medical diagnosis.

“Today’s rules in this area are unacceptable and have been unchanged for almost 60 years,” Health Minister Bent Hoie said in a statement, to be debated by experts before any formal bill goes to parliament. “The proposal is historic in that it will no longer be the health service but the individual who decides if he or she has changed sex,” he said.

The draft would affect everything from social security numbers to passports. Anyone aged 16 or above could apply themselves. The proposal only affects legal documents - surgery can only be performed on those over 18. Anyone who applies for a legal change of gender can reverse it if they later regret it. Read More
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Italy: Venice bans children’s book about gay penguins
Books which teach about same-sex and single-parent families will be banned in schools in Venice. The moves comes after Luigi Brugnaro was elected the city’s mayor earlier this month.

Brugnaro made the pledge to purge the city’s nurseries and primary schools of books about gay partnerships and gay adoption. “We don’t want to discriminate against anyone and at home parents can call themselves daddy number one and daddy number two, but I have to consider the majority of families, which have a mum and a dad,” he told La Repubblica newspaper. Read More

US: Teacher, assistant principal step down over gay fairy tale controversy
A teacher and an assistant principal at North Carolina's Efland-Cheeks Elementary have stepped down following the backlash over the teacher's reading of a gay children's book in the classroom. Third-grade teacher Omar Currie sparked uproar this spring when he read the book, "King & King," to his class. The book, which was given to Currie by Assistant Principal Meg Goodhand, tells the story of a fictional prince who defies the pressure to marry a princess and weds a man.

Currie wanted to teach a lesson after one student was repeatedly bullied and called "gay" in a derogatory manner. "My reading of 'King & King' was the 100 percent right thing to do," he said. "It's obvious Orange County Schools is lacking leadership right now."

A handful of parents expressed anger, arguing Currie was forcing his opinion on the children, although many LGBTQ advocates, as well as Goodhand, came to Currie's defense in a heated public meeting last month. Read More
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Brazil: Proposal for LGBT inclusive education generates controversy
The Municipality of Macapa will vote on the Municipal Education Plan, outlining goals and deadlines for the educational sector of the capital for the next 10 years. Before the parliament code consider the bill, controversy erupted among the evangelical branch over proposed goal of inclusive education for LGBT.  

The debate resulted in the revision of the text by the Education Commission. Though vote is expected to come there is the possibility of submission of an amendment to the original text by evangelical bench to remove LGBT inclusive education. Read More
US: What same-sex marriage reform could mean for the LGBT youths
Since 1999, Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network  (GLSEN) has released a biennial survey of the climate for LGBT students. It shows that from 2007 to 2013, LGBT students have reported a steady decline of incidents of verbal and physical harassment and of physical assault.

Though this is important progress for LGBT youth, nearly 56% of LGBT students still reported that they felt unsafe in school because of their sexuality or gender identity in 2013. This, alongside data showing 74% of LGBT students were verbally harassed and 56% said that their school had anti-LGBT policies – all of which can result in absences from school and depression. Read More
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Japan: “Best of IBM” award given to Atsushi Kawada, LGBT leader 
IBM employee Atsushi Kawada has received the award "Best of IBM" for outstanding service at Japan IBM as well as his significant support to the LGBT community within IBM in both internal and external activities in the city.  Read More
Philippines: ‘Ang usaping manggagawa ay usaping LGBT’ – Claire
In Cabuyao, Laguna, the workers of Tanduay Distillers Inc. who were dismissed from their work continue to fight for their rights. But perhaps not as widely known is how this struggle also affects members of the LGBT community who also continue not to have secure employment because of a pervasive (even if illegal) practice. 

When both Claire and her partner were dismissed, their issue became part of the bigger issue on labor practices in the Philippines – particularly, the contractualization of labor in the country. As Claire said: “This is no longer just an issue of being LGBT. This is an issue of the lack of rights for LGBT & for non-LGBT people.” Read More
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UK: Business needs more LGBT role models – but allies also vitally important
LGBT role models are hugely important but imposing boardroom quotas is not the way forward. That was the overall message from a panel discussion entitled ‘Engaging across the LGBT spectrum to drive business results.’

Jan-Coos Geesink, the MD, UKI Legal Solutions at Thomson Reuters, identified as a ‘friend’ of the LGBT network, and talked about the importance of recruiting straight allies. ‘When I look around my colleagues in the workplace, it’s very easy to be a passive supporter. Most of my colleagues will nod and say they’re supportive, but what are you really doing? This is where friends come in if you want change.’ Read More
Argentina: LGBT tourism conference proves Argentina is doing it right
Argentina is once again dominating tourism within Latin America, not only because of its wide range of things to see and do throughout the entire country, but because they have cornered the market within LGBT tourism within the region. Clustered within a conservative continent, Argentina has always been many steps ahead when it comes to anything and everything related to the LGBT consumer, as well as their LGBT residents. 

The country's economic status is in current disarray, but with the incoming tourism influx from neighboring countries as well as from North America and the rest of the world, Argentina is continuing to cash in on the LGBT segment within tourism. But what they are not doing is just blindly marketing to LGBT travelers and raking in the cash, instead, they have strategically put in place, in collaboration with their Ministry of Tourism and private public relations firm, ways to attract the LGBT market while still genuinely taking into consideration every element necessary that comes with that specific travel market. Read More
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Women, LGBT least safe on Facebook, despite 'real name' policy
Despite Facebook's insistence that its "real names" policy keeps its users safe, a new report reveals that Facebook is the least safe place for women online. And things are turning more explosive, as stories emerge that Facebook has been changing its users' names without their consent -- and the company isn't allowing them to remove their real names from their accounts. Meanwhile, a furious LGBT coalition has rallied around the safety threats posed to its communities by the policy. 

Facebook's ongoing war on pseudonyms became well-documented in 2011 when a blogger risking her life to report on crime in Honduras was suspended by the company, under its rule requiring everyone to use their real name on the social network. The Safety Net Project (at the National Network to End Domestic Violence, NNEDV) recently released a report based on results from victim service providers called A Glimpse From the Field: How Abusers Are Misusing Technology.

The report found that nearly all (99%) the responding programs reported that Facebook is the most misused social media platform by abusers. Facebook is a key place for offenders to access information about victims or harass them by direct messaging or via their friends and family. Read More

My name is only real enough to work at Facebook, not to use on the site 
I always knew this day would come. The day that Facebook decided my name was not real enough and summarily cut me off from my friends, family and peers and left me with the stark choice between using my legal name or using a name people would know me by. With spectacular timing, it happened while I was at trans pride and on the day the Supreme Court made same sex marriage legal in the US.

This is a story that’s been told many times before. It is a story I’ve seen repeated time and time again as my friends have disappeared off the site, often never to return. This time there’s a twist: I used to work there. In fact, I’m the trans woman who initiated the custom gender feature. And the name I go by on Facebook? That’s the name that was on my work badge. Read More
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Apple launches new App Store section showcasing LGBT content to commemorate 1969 Stonewall riots
In the featured App Store section, Apple is highlighting apps, movies, music, TV, podcasts, and books that represent the LGBT community. Selections include Milk, a 2008 drama based during the 1970s push for gay liberation, the HBO film The Normal Heart, the drama Brokeback Mountain, music from artists like Adam Lambert, Sam Smith, and Neon Trees, and various other TV shows, podcasts, books, music, movies, magazines, and apps. Read More
For LGBT millennials, online dating apps are a blessing and a curse
In today’s app-happy world, finding love is as easy as the swipe of a finger. For a generation raised in front of LED screens, it’s only logical that technology now plays such a huge part in the adult love lives of millennials (and plenty of non-millennials as well). Conditioned to socialize online as young adults, these 18 to 34 year olds are now taking the same approach to finding partners.

Unlike their straight counterparts, LGBT millennials don’t always have the same opportunities for the traditional courtship behaviors the Times is so intent on eulogizing. Indeed, for LGBT singles in conservative families or communities, online dating may be the only safe way to meet potential suitors. Anxieties are amplified in countries where homosexuality is still illegal. Recently, creators of gay dating app Scruff created an alert for the 100 some countries where it’s dangerous to be openly LGBT. In these areas, LGBT visitors and longtime inhabitants end up using the app to find dates or sexual encounters. 

Furthermore, while some dating apps have developed something of a negative reputation for their emphasis on no strings attached sexual encounters, it’s not quite so black and white. Forced online, even those in favor of long-term relationship may change their minds after more traditional routes become inaccessible or uncomfortable. Read More
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Germany: Museum launches show on 150 years of gay history
Germany's main national history museum on Wednesday launched an exhibition tracing 150 years of gay history in the country, including the first uses of the term "homosexual," the brutal Nazi-era repression of gays and gradual moves toward legal equality starting in the 1960s.

The exhibition at the German Historical Museum in Berlin, which is staging it together with the capital's privately run Gay Museum, has been four years in the planning but is opening amid a new debate in Germany over whether to allow full-fledged marriage for same-sex couples. Read More

US: History of the US government’s cruel, malicious campaign against gay Americans
In 1953, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered the dismissal of every single gay person working for the federal government. For the next several decades, the FBI’s sex deviate program investigated all employees suspected of being gay, collecting evidence on their sex lives and turning it over to the Civil Service Commission—which promptly fired them. Gay men were routinely entrapped by police officers, and politicians used knowledge of their enemies’ sexuality for blackmail.

This horrible history has largely been swept under the rug. But Michael Isikoff’s new documentary Uniquely Nasty unearths some of the government’s worst abuses against gay people, including blackmail that led to a senator’s suicide. Read More
Op-ed: Trans, Intersex Visibility and the Myth of Scarcity
The recent media focus on Caitlyn Jenner’s coming-out as a trans woman seems to celebrate her conformity to binary gender standards. But that media spotlight has illuminated some existing tensions among and between trans and intersex communities. As transgender civil rights have progressed and positive media attention increased in the past year, so have concerns about scarcity of coverage for the differing issues of each community. Inflamed tensions between the trans and intersex communities are even more deeply rooted in the common misconceptions that intersex and trans people often have about each other.

Specifically, the celebration of a particular type of gender-affirming surgery as liberating, brave, and beautiful can be triggering and even offensive to many intersex people. In many cases, intersex advocates are fighting for the right to not be involuntarily subjected to surgeries many trans people find medically necessary to live authentically. Opposing involuntary gender-assignment surgeries is central to the intersex awareness and advocacy movement.

By contrast, the common but mistaken assumption that all transgender people actively seek out similar surgeries as gender-affirming treatment has been promoted to oppose “transgenderism,” as if it were a choice or a social movement. Read More
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Nigeria: Football team Falcons openly discuss faith, but not sexuality
For Nigeria's women's national soccer team, the word "inclusive" has different meanings. Nigeria is a deeply faithful team, praying in small groups on the field before beginning warm-ups for each match and dropping to their knees to do the same following goals they score, including both Muslim and Christian faiths. Yet, a source says that at least two players who would be on the team for the 2015 World Cup are not because they are thought to be gay.

"If a player comes out and says, 'I'm gay,' then the trouble doesn't just start and end with the player," the source tells Wahl. "It goes all the way back to the family: parents, sisters, brothers, cousins, everything. One person just sparks off a chain reaction. That's why it's so tough."

Asked about the topic in a press conference on Monday, Okon said he does not address sexuality within the team. "I don't know what you mean by 'homosexual,' he said. "I don't deal with personal lives. I think of the game proper. I only think of what they do on the pitch. That is what concerns me." Read More
Get To Know The Badass Queer Women In The 2015 World Cup
There were many footballers out and proud in the women's 2015 World Cup, including Abby Wambach who celebrated the US 5-2 victory over Japan in the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup final, running to the sidelines to share a kiss with her wife.
Sweden: National all-LGBT handball team
Known for its revolutionary attitude on LGBT issues, Sweden has yet another breakthrough to report – for the first time in history, a national federation will sponsor an entirely LGBT team in the sport of handball. Read More
Last Week Tonight host John Oliver presented an amazing segment on transgender rights 
The English comedian, who has made his name in the US, gave an overview of how to be polite to trans people for uninitiated. 
On trans people’s medical history, he said: “Some transgender people do go undergo hormone therapy or sex-reassignment surgery as part of their hormone therapy. Some do not.
“And, interestingly, their decision on this matter is, medically speaking, none of your f***ing business.” Read More
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Canada: AIDS Activist History Project documents grief, urgency, anger and courage
US: Girl Scouts group returns $100,000 donation when the donor stipulated that the money not be used to support transgender scouts: “Girl Scouts is for every girl” Read More
Japan’s bridal industry starts accepting LGBT couples Read More
21 Eye-Opening confessions from people who are genderfluid Read More
Uganda: Filmmaker comes out as a gay man to local Ugandans. Their reactions are very interesting Watch clip here
Greece: Interview with Diorella, a trans sex worker in Greece Read More
Equal Eyes is edited by Christina Dideriksen and Richard Burzynski. The views presented here do not necessarily represent the view of UNAIDS or its Cosponsors.
All stories and photographs linked within are the property of the original publishers.
Equal Eyes Copyright © 2015 Richard Burzynski, All rights reserved.

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