News
4 Dutch LGBT advocates arrested in Russia
First foreigners charged under anti-gay propaganda to minors ban
Russian authorities on Sunday arrested four Dutch LGBT rights advocates for violating the countryās anti-gay propaganda law.
The Russian online newspaper Lenta reported that police detained the activists at a summer camp in the city of Murmansk in the northwestern part of the country during a human rights seminar in which a local LGBT advocacy group was participating. The publication said Kris van der Veen, president of LGBT Groningen, a Dutch LGBT advocacy organization, gave a lecture on gay rights.
Rolf Jurjens of LGBT Groningen confirmed to the Washington Blade from the Netherlands that authorities had arrested van der Veen in Murmansk on Sunday.
Jurjens said van der Veen and the three other Dutch LGBT rights advocates had traveled to the city to film a documentary about gay life in Russia. Local media reports indicate van der Veen interviewed a 17-year-old teenager before authorities took him and the three other activists into custody.
The four activists had been scheduled to appear in a Murmansk court earlier on Monday, but authorities have released them from custody.
Officials reportedly fined them 3,000 rubles ($92.80.)
They are also expected to eventually return to the Netherlands.
āWe are still in Murmansk,ā van der Veen wrote on his Facebook page in Dutch earlier on Monday. āIt is about the documentary, gay propaganda. It is good, but itās still very vague whatās next.ā
Van der Veen and the three other LGBT Groningen members are the first foreigners charged under the āpromotion of homosexualityā to minors ban that President Vladimir Putin signed into law in June.
Putin earlier this month signed a second bill that prohibits same-sex couples from other countries from adopting Russian children.
These two laws came into effect against the backdrop of increasing anti-LGBT discrimination and violence in Russia.
Two men in the southern Russia city of Volgograd and on the Kamchatka Peninsula in the countryās Far East have been killed during what local authorities have described as anti-gay attacks in recent months.
Police in St. Petersburg on June 29 arrested 40 LGBT activists and a handful of nationalists who challenged them during a gay rights rally. Authorities in the Russian capital on May 24 arrested 30 LGBT rights advocates who tried to stage a Pride celebration outside Moscow City Hall.
Members of Coming Out, a Russian LGBT advocacy group in St. Petersburg, will go on trial on Thursday under the country’s “foreign agent” law that came into effect last fall.
The U.S. State Department, the European Union and various human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized Russian lawmakers and Putin over their opposition to LGBT rights in the country. Actor Harvey Fierstein is among the growing number of those who have called for a boycott of the 2014 Winter Olympics scheduled to take place in Sochi in February.
āAmerican and world leaders must speak out against Mr. Putinās attacks and the violence they foster,ā the actor and playwright wrote in an op-ed the New York Times published on July 21. āThe Olympic Committee must demand the retraction of these laws under threat of boycott.ā
“The United States places great importance on the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender persons around the world,” State Department spokesperson Noel Clay told the Blade in a statement on Monday. “We call on Russia to uphold its international commitments regarding freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.”
Jasmine Heiss of Amnesty International also criticized Russian authorities over the Dutch activists’ arrest.
āUltimately, Amnesty International sees the legislation as an affront to free expression and an attack on minority rights, whether applied to Russian citizens or foreign tourists in Russia,ā she said. āAs the arrests showed, the legislation represents government sponsored intolerance and violates the prohibition of discrimination.ā
India
India court allows transgender woman to participate in Armed Forces’ youth wing
Feb. 29 ruling in Kerala state upheld other judge’s decision
A Kerala High Court judge on Feb. 29 upheld another magistrate’s ruling that allowed a transgender woman to participate in the Indian Armed Forces’ youth wing as a female.
The High Court set aside a part of the order that directed the central government to amend the NCC Act to allow trans people to enroll based on their gender identity.
“When the petitioner has been given the identity of a female, she is certainly entitled to be enrolled in the NCC under section 6(2) of the NCC Act,” said Justice Anu Sivaraman. “In the light of the aforesaid provisions of the Transgenders Act and also in the light of the dictum laid down by the Apex Court in National Legal Service Authority (NALSA).”
The judge said that the court cannot direct the government to amend the law, but expressed hope that the Indian government would amend the NCC Act to expressly allow the entry of trans candidates to the NCC.
The Kerala High Court said that the fact that the National Cadet Corps Act does not recognize the third gender cannot be a reasonable justification to deny entry to a trans person.
Hina Haneefa had filed a petition with the High Court that challenged a section of the NCC Act that only allowed males and females under Section 6 of the law to enroll in the Cadet Corps.
“In view of the specific provisions of the 2019 act, a transgender person has the right to be recognized not only as a transgender but also a right to self-perceived gender, i.e. the female gender,” said Sivaraman. “The denial of enrolment is unsustainable. The petitioner will be entitled to participate in the selection process on the basis of her application. If she is successful, the petitioner will be enrolled in the NCC Unit.”
Haneefa is a trans woman who applied to enroll in the NCC after undergoing gender-affirming procedures and getting her identity card. The NCC denied her application.
Parliament in 2019 passed Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2019, which extended rights to trans people.
While talking with the Washington Blade, Kalki Subramaniam, an Indian trans activist, queer artist, entrepreneur and actor, said trans people in the country have to fight for the inclusion of trans people in all sectors.
“We have to go to the court, we have to fight with the system, then the high court directs the state and the central government to take inclusive steps. Again and again, repetitive,” said Subramaniam. “Why should trans people should struggle for everything? I am sure, the central government is working towards equality and inclusion because they recently published Equal Opportunity Policy for Transgender Persons. The government will consider this to include trans people in NCC. What I am looking for is the inclusion of transgender people in the Indian military. That could be a long term plan, but it is possible and ultimately rests in the government’s hands.”
Subramaniam expressed her firm belief that all Indian citizens, including members of the trans community, deserve the opportunity to serve the country. She emphasized the potential of trans individuals to contribute to national defense and public service, highlighting both the military and civil services as avenues for their inclusion. Subramaniam voiced her confidence in the central government of India’s willingness to address this issue and expressed hope for future action.
Souvik Saha, an LGBTQ activist and founder of People for Change, one of India’s premier advocacy groups, said he supports the Kerala High Court ruling.
“This decision is a significant step towards inclusivity and recognizing the rights of transgender individuals to participate fully in all aspects of society,” saidĀ Saha. “The NCC Act currently only allows for the enrollment of male and female cadets, which is discriminatory against transgender individuals and reinforces harmful binary gender norms. By ordering the central government to amend the NCC Act to accommodate transgender individuals, the Kerala High Court is acknowledging the need for legal protections and equal opportunities for all genders.”
Saha said the decision will set a positive precedent for other institutions and organizations to follow suit in recognizing and accommodating trans people. Souvik added it sends a clear message that discrimination based on gender identity is not acceptable and that trans people have the right to equal opportunities and access to resources.
“Moreover, allowing transgender individuals to enroll in the NCC provides them with valuable opportunities for personal development, leadership training, and civic engagement,” he said. “By participating in programs like the NCC, transgender individuals can gain skill, confidence, and a sense of belonging, which are essential for their overall well-being and success.”
“Overall, the Kerala High Court’s decision to allow a transgender woman to enroll in the NCC is a significant victory for LGBTQ rights and a crucial step towards creating a more inclusive and equitableĀ society,” he added. “It is imperative that the central government swiftly amends the NCC Act to ensure that transgender individuals are not excluded or discriminated against based on their gender identity.”
Ankush Kumar is a reporter who has covered many stories for Washington and Los Angeles Blades from Iran, India and Singapore. He recently reported for the Daily Beast. He can be reached atĀ [email protected]. He is on Twitter at @mohitkopinion.Ā
Congress
Sens. Butler, Smith introduce Pride in Mental Health Act to aid at-risk LGBTQ youth
Bill is backed by Democrats in both chambers
U.S. Sens. Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) introduced the Pride in Mental Health Act on Thursday, legislation that would strengthen resources in mental health and crisis intervention for at-risk LGBTQ youth.
āAccessing mental health care and support has become increasingly difficult in nearly every state in the country,āĀ said Butler, who is the first Black LGBTQ senator. āBarriers get even more difficult if you are a young person who lacks a supportive community or is fearful of being outed, harassed, or threatened.”
“I am introducing the Pride in Mental Health Act to help equip LGBTQ+ youth with the resources to get the affirming and often life-saving care they need,” she said.
āMental health care is health care,” said Smith. “And for some LGBTQ+ youth, receiving access to the mental health care they need can mean the difference between living in safety and dignity, and suffering alone through discrimination, bullying, and even violence.āĀ
The Minnesota senator added that data shows LGBTQ students are experiencing “an epidemic” of “anxiety, depression and other serious mental health conditions.”
For example, a 2023 study by The Trevor Project found that 54 percent of LGBTQ youth reported symptoms of depression, compared to 35 percent of their heterosexual counterparts.
Joining the senators as cosponsors are Democratic U.S. Sens. Ed Markey (Mass.), Bob Casey (Penn.), Peter Welch (Vt.), Alex Padilla (Calif.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Cory Booker (N.J.), and Tammy Baldwin (Wis.). Baldwin was the first LGBTQ woman elected to the House in 1999 and the first LGBTQ woman elected to the Senate in 2013.
Leading the House version of the bill are LGBTQ Democratic U.S. Reps. Sharice Davids (Kan.), Eric Sorensen (Ill.), and Ritchie Torres (N.Y.), along with 163 other House members.
Organizations that have backed the Pride in Mental Health Act include the Human Rights Campaign, GLSEN, American Academy of Pediatrics, National Education Association (NEA), National Center for Transgender Equality, Seattle Indian Health Board, PFLAG National, The Trevor Project, American Psychological Association, Whitman-Walker Institute, InterACT: Advocates for Intersex Youth, National Alliance on Mental Illness, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Mental Health America, and Center for Law and Social Policy.
District of Columbia
D.C. mayorĀ honors 10th anniversary of Team Rayceen Productions
LGBTQ entertainment, advocacy organization praised for āvital workā
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser today issued an official proclamation declaring Monday, March 18, 2024, as Team Rayceen Day in honor of the local LGBTQ entertainment and advocacy organization Team Rayceen Productions named after its co-founder Rayceen Pendarvis.
āWhereas Rayceen, along with Team Rayceen Productions co-founder, Zar, have spent 10 years advocating for the Black LGBTQI+ community using various forms including in-person events, social media, and YouTube,ā the proclamation states.
The proclamation adds that through its YouTube Channel, Team Rayceen Productions created a platform for āBlack LGBTQIA+ individuals to discuss various topics including spotlighting nonprofit organizations and small businesses, voter registration and participation, the state of LGBTQIA+ rights and resources in D.C, gender equality and equity, and the amplification of opportunities to bring the community together.ā
It also praises Team Rayceen Productions for its partnership with the Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs in helping to produce āexciting events like the District of Pride talent showcase held each June and the iconic 17th Street High Heel Race celebrated in October.ā
āWhereas I thank Team Rayceen Productions for its vital and necessary work and am #DCProud to wish you all the best as you continue to support Black LGBTQIA+ residents across all 8 Wards,ā the proclamation continues.
āNow, therefore, I, the Mayor of Washington, D.C., do hereby proclaim March 18, 2024, as TEAM RAYCEEN DAY in Washington, D.C. and do commit this observance to all Washingtonians,ā it concludes.
āWe thank Mayor Bowser for this special proclamation, which highlights where it all began, with the Black LGBTQIA+ community of Washington, D.C,ā Team Rayceen Productions says in a statement. āStarting with The Ask Rayceen Show, Reel Affirmation, and events with D.C. Public Library to Art All Night, Silver Pride by Whitman-Walker, and events with the Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs, we are #dcproud of what we have accomplished in the Nationās Capital,ā the statement says.
“For TEAM RAYCEEN DAY, we thank the diverse group of individuals who have made everything we have done possible by volunteering their time and talents over the past decade ā as online co-hosts, event staff, performers, DJs, photographers, and more,ā says the statement.
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