World
Out in the World: LGBTQ news from Europe and Asia
Malaysian prime minister reiterated opposition to LGBTQ rights at UN
AUSTRALIA
A group has petitioned the Australian Human Rights Commission for an exemption to hold āLesbians Born Female onlyā events that exclude transgender people at the Victorian Pride Center for the next five years.
Lesbian Action Group Melbourne, wrote in their petition to apply for the exemption that the group, exclude āheterosexual, bisexual and gay males, heterosexual and bisexual females, transgender people and queer plus people.ā
The Sydney Star Observer, Australiaās largest LGBTQ media outlet, reported that the event would be held to celebrate International Lesbian Day at the Victorian Pride Center on Oct. 15, 2023.
Under Australian codes the AHRC is empowered under Section 44 of the Sex Discrimination Act of 1984 (Cth) to grant temporary exemptions for up to five years from the provisions of the anti-discrimination law.
According to the Star-Observer, the group said it was set up to promote and organize events for ālesbian born females āwithout the fear of being hauled before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, as we have in the past and told our exclusive lesbian born female events are illegal and having to cancel them.āĀ
The group claimed that over the past two decades, they were able to āorganize and hold private lesbian meetings and gatherings over these past 20 years to avoid any more challenges by the transgender community.ā The application then went on to allege that ālesbians who publicly speak out about lesbian rights are also sacked from their jobs, ridiculed and threatened with all kinds of abuse.ā
Basketball star suspended over anti-gay remarks
Australian NBL professional basketball star Corey Webster was suspended for two games after he posted homophobic remarks to his X/Twitter social media account. In the now deleted tweets, Webster replying to a post that asked: āWhatās the first thing that comes to mind when you see this flag,ā accompanied by the LGBTQ Rainbow Pride flag,ā said: āmental illness.ā
After Perth Wildcats fans and followers started calling out him for the blatant homophobia Webster posted a follow-up that read in all caps: āPROTECT THE CHILDREN,ā and put his social media profile on private.
The team reacted issuing an apology and also released an apology from Webster. In his statement the player said:
āWhile it certainly wasnāt my intent, I understand the hurt my comments have caused and I am sincerely sorry for this. It wasnāt how I intended my comments to be perceived and I will take a break from social media and use that time to better educate myself on the impact comments such as this can make on individuals I may have offended.ā
Perth Wildcats team owner Richard Simkiss said: āWe are really disappointed in these comments and have made this clear to Corey. They donāt reflect our values, and we have committed to working with Corey to help educate him about the harm such comments can bring. As a community driven club, we stand for inclusiveness and have strongly supported the NBLās Pride Round. We look forward to promoting this initiative again in the upcoming season. Our values are clear ā we want to bring people together in a positive way and we understand our responsibility as leaders in the community to live these values both on and off the court.ā
VIETNAM
A decidedly queer subculture import from the U.S. that gained rapid popularity this vibrant southern Vietnamese metropolis is providing a safe haven for gay and trans youth.Ā
Al Jazeera contributor Xuan-Tung Le reported during a recent event, a catwalk for would-be models with fiery dance-off battles, as well as an emotional celebration of kinship between Vietnamās queer people ā all rolled into a single evening of deep connections for trans people especially.
Le notes that not to be confused with ballroom dancing, which evolved from the heterosexual courtship tradition of European aristocrats, ballroom culture emerged in the 1960s among marginalized Black and Latino queer people in the U.S.
Gathering at a āballā function, queer people āwalkā to show off their talents in dancing, lip-syncing, performing and catwalk modelling as a way to both compete on the night and, more broadly, transcend the everyday realities of gender identities, occupational roles and social status assigned in society.
Viral videos of voguing battles have also been helped by the digital power of YouTube and TikTok algorithms, giving people around the world access to the dance form Le added.
āBallroom is more than dancing,ā Minerva Sun Mizrahi, using a stage name preferring that their real name not be used, told Al Jazeera.
āHere, people can vogue, do runway walk, or simply look and act straight-passing ā all are considered talents,ā Minerva said.
āIt is a space to empower queer people.ā
Another queer performer told Al Jazeera that social acceptance of transgender people also lags behind in Vietnam, even in Saigon where gay men and women enjoy relative acceptance in society. Naomi Sun, also using a preferred stage name, told Al Jazeera: āThat is why ballroom events are so unique, as they are one of the few safe spaces in Saigon where trans women can just ‘let loose and have fun,’ā Sun said.
āYou donāt have to do anything to your body or take hormones; just dress up as a fem queen [which is the ballroom slang for a trans woman], go there, and live your dream as a fem queen,ā she said. āItās fine! Thatās how ballroom is.ā
Related: Vietnamās “ballroom” culture: A safe space to celebrate trans people (link)
MALAYSIA
In an interview with CNNās Christiane Amanpour, Malaysiaās Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim says Malaysia will never recognize LGBTQ rights. Recently prison sentences were threatened for selling rainbow watches. āI wouldnāt defend that,ā Ibrahim told the veteran journalist. He says heād like to see things change, but must respect the consensus of the people.
Anwar said that as prime minister, he has to respect the consensus of Malaysians and that they do not accept public displays of LGBTQ (people and issues.) āThe Muslims, non-Muslims, Christians, Hindus or Buddhists, they have a consensus in the country. They do not accept this (LGBTQ+),ā he said. However, he said while there is a need to exercise some degree of tolerance, harassment has to be avoided.
UNITED KINGDOM
A 17-year-old teenage boy from South Wales has been publicly named after being convicted and sentenced on Sept. 21, for a homophobic and racist vandalism crime spree in South Wales and Cardiff.
Haynes and a second 15-year-old male accomplice carried out several racially and homophobically charged counts of criminal damage across South Wales, including extremist Nazi graffiti on a Windrush mural in Port Talbot where the teen was living at the time.
British LGBTQ media outlet PinkNewsUK reported that just hours after the mural, depicting local beloved nurse Donna Campbell and her mother Lydie, was complete, it was daubed with swastikas, the words āNazi zone,ā and a racial slur.
The presiding justice, Jeremy Baker, sent the teen to jail for one year and seven months and ordered the former Royal Air Force Cadet to an additional one yearās probation.
According to Sky News, Counter terrorism police inĀ WalesĀ last year began investigating the two teenagers in connection with āseveral offenses of racially and homophobically aggravated criminal damage.ā
A smoke bomb was also rolled into the Queer Emporium, an LGBTQ business in Cardiff city center.
The 15-year-old, from Tonyrefail, South Wales, appeared at Cardiff Youth Court and pleaded guilty on Aug. 15 to one charge of criminal damage and four charges of racially aggravated criminal damage. He was given community service for one year, and probation for two additional years and ordered to pay Ā£100 ($122.42) compensation to the Queer Emporium.
In the case of Hayes, Baker said the teen had āessentially became self-radicalizedā and held āentrenchedā racist, antisemitic and homophobic views.
āI am satisfied that not only did you hold entrenched racist, antisemitic and homophobic views at the time of the commission of these offenses, but that these are views which you have not genuinely disavowed,ā the judge told him at his sentencing. āIt is apparent that you were not someone who limited your behavior to the expression of your views online, but were prepared to put some of those views into action,ā he added.
The judge also noted, āIt is of particular concern that not only had you asserted that one of your goals in life was to kill someone … but you had already carried out research as to the availability of one of the components for constructing a gun.ā
According to Counter Terrorism Policing Wales Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Williams who spoke at the sentencing:
āFor the older boy in particular, it became evident that he was also involved in the online distribution of extreme right-wing material, which clearly fell into the space governed by terrorism legislation,ā he said.
āThe offences were particularly abhorrent in nature and understandably caused upset to many people, both within the communities the boys targeted, and beyond.
āThe sentencing today concludes the investigation and enables professionals to work intensively with them in the hope that they can lead far more productive lives in their respective futures.ā
The court battle over to overturn the UK Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jackās veto block of the Gender Recognition Reform ended this week with a ruling by Judge Lady Shona Haldane of the Court of Session in Edinburgh not expected for āsome timeā according to a statement from the court.
Haldane said after the judicial review concluded a day earlier than expected ā that she will take āsome timeā to reach her decision on the matter. She added she write her opinion following what she described as a āunique, very interesting and challenging case.ā
The Gender Recognition Reform bill introduced by the Scottish government to Parliament last spring was passed in a final 86-39 vote days before this past Christmas 2022. The sweeping reform bill modifies the Gender Recognition Act, signed into law in 2004, by allowing trans Scots to gain legal recognition without the need for a medical diagnosis.
The measure further stipulates that age limit for legal recognition is lowered to 16.
Jack had released a statement indicating that with the backing of 10 Downing St., he would use a Section 35 order under the Scotland Act to block the kingās signature which is referred to as royal assent.
Under Section 35 of the Scotland Act, UK ministers can stop a bill getting royal assent. Jack can do so if he is of the opinion that a Scottish Parliament bill would modify laws reserved to Westminster and have an āadverse effectā on how those laws apply.
PinkNewsUK reported the legislation itself was not discussed, with the case instead focusing on whether or not the Jack had the legal right to veto the bill.
Whoever loses the case, when Haldane issues her ruling, will have the right to appeal the outcome at the Court of Session Inner House. Whoever loses that appeal will have the option to take the case to the Supreme Court in London.
This means, regardless of the result, the political and legal battle could go on for months, or even years.
Additional reporting from the Star Observer, Al Jazeera, CNN, Sky News and PinkNewsUK
South Africa
WorldPride 2028 to take place in Cape Town
South Africa is first African country to host event
Cape Town last month secured enough votes to host WorldPride in 2028.
The bidding process, which started in late October, took place in MedellĆn, Colombia, where the Guadalajara (Mexico) Pride and WorldPride Cape Town bidding teams contended for the rights to host WorldPride. InterPride, which organizes the event, on Nov. 8 officially declared Cape Town the host of WorldPride 2028.
It will be the first time WorldPride will take place in an African country.
South Africa is the only country on the continent that constitutionally recognizes LGBTQ rights. South Africa, as a result, in recent years has seen a surge in the number of LGBTQ asylum seekers from Africa and around the world.
Reacting to the historical precedence, Cape Town Pride said it was now time for Africa to shine and acknowledged the WorldPride Cape Town bidding team and the city of Cape Town for their role in the bidding process.
“This is a first for the whole continent of Africa,ā said Cape Town Pride CEO Tommy Patterson. āA few weeks ago, in MedellĆn, Cape Town Pride, the city of Cape Town, and the bidding team presented our bid. The team did a wonderful job and we all forged great friendships and allies from Pride groups all over the globe.ā
āCape Town Pride is thrilled by the news and support shown by the global LGBTI+ family,” added Patterson.
Michael Gladwin of the WorldPride Cape Town bidding team echoed Pattersonās excitement.
“This will mark the first time WorldPride is held on the African continent, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the global LGBTQ+ community to our beautiful city,ā said Gladwin. āA heartfelt thank you goes out to all our incredible partners who supported this journey. Together, we will showcase Cape Town as a beacon of inclusivity and diversity.”
Gladwin also congratulated Guadalajara Pride for their bid.
“Their commitment in promoting LGBTQ+ rights is inspiring, and we look forward to collaborating in the future,” said Gladwin.
Cape Townās LGBTQ community is celebrating the successful bid, while others in the city have criticized it.
Rev. Oscar Bougardt, founder and lead pastor of the Calvary Hope Baptist Church, described WorldPride as āgarbageā and āfilthā that should be condemned.
“I am happy to say I am amongst the pastors in Cape Town who are in opposition and are outraged at this garbage planned for 2028,ā said Bougardt. āThe city of Cape Town and LGBTQ+ organizations planned this event without consulting rate payers, this bid was done in secret and taxpayers’ money will be used to fund this filth.”
āJust as the LGBTQ + organizations have the right to host WorldPride 2028, we have the right to say we donāt want it in Cape Town,ā he added. āI pray more church leaders will stand up against the planned WorldPride 2028. To church leaders and parents, this is the time to unite and tell the city of Cape Town and LGBTQ+ organizations that we are disgusted at the planned event. Untied we stand and divided we will fall!”
Kaohsiung, Taiwan, in 2022 won the bid to host WorldPride 2025, but the local planning committee withdrew it amid a dispute with InterPride. WorldPride 2025 will take place in D.C. from May 17-June 8, 2025.
The 2024 ILGA World Conference took place last month in Cape Town.
World
Out in the World: LGBTQ news from Europe, Asia, and Canada
Slovenia court rules same-sex couples have constitutional right to assisted reproduction
SLOVENIA
The Constitutional Court has issued a ruling that laws barring same-sex couples and single women from accessing assisted reproduction are unconstitutional discrimination.Ā
The court has left the laws in place while giving parliament one year to bring the laws governing assisted reproduction into compliance with the constitution.
The Slovenian LGBTQ advocacy group LEGEBITRA celebrated the ruling in a post on its web site.
āThe decision of the Constitutional Court is a victory for all those who wanted to start a family in Slovenia and were unfairly deprived of this opportunity in the past. Rainbow (and single-parent) families are part of our society, and their children are part of the community in the country in which they live and grow up. It is only fitting that their story begins here,ā the post says.
The Treatment of Infertility and in Vitro Fertilization Procedures Act has had its restrictions on single women and same-sex couples from fertility treatment targeted by progressive legislators since it was introduced in 2000.
Amendments that would have allowed single women to access in vitro fertilization were passed in 2001 but were immediately put to a citizen-initiated referendum, which voted them down.
Since then, the former Yugoslav republic has undergone a number of progressive changes, including joining the European Union in 2004 and gradually expanding LGBTQ rights.
In 2020, a group of legislators from the Left party asked the Constitutional Court to review the law, and the following year, their request was joined by the stateās Advocate for the Principal of Equality.
The court spent more than four years deliberating the appeal, during which time it also struck down laws banning same-sex marriage in 2022. Parliament later amended the law so that same-sex couples enjoy all rights of marriage, including adoption, but left the ban on assisted reproduction in place.
The Slovenia Times reports that the ruling was welcomed by the governing coalition, which includes the Left party. The government has pledged to move quickly to implement the ruling.
“This corrects one of the gravest injustices done to women by right-wing politics and the Catholic Church in Slovenia, who denied women the right to become mothers,” the Left said.
The case was brought by a group of left-leaning MPs four years ago ā but perhaps the delay is related to the fact that in that time, the court also struck down the ban on same-sex marriage in 2022.
RUSSIA
Russian authorities raided three nightclubs in Moscow over the weekend as part of the stateās deepening crackdown on LGBTQ people and expression, Radio Free Europe reports.
The raids took place late Saturday night and early Sunday morning at the Mono, Arma, and Simach nightclubs in the capital. All three clubs have been known to host themed events for LGBTQ clientele.
According to Russian state-owned media outlet TASS and several Telegram channels, patrons, and employees of the clubs were forced to lie on the floor with their hands behind their heads before they were carted away in police wagons. Patrons and workers had their phones, laptops, and cameras seized and documents inspected
Itās not yet known what prompted the raids, although Russian authorities frequently claim to be inspecting for illegal substances and drug users.
Russian authorities have carried out several raids on LGBTQ establishments since the passage of a law banning positive portrayals or information about queer people in 2022. Last year, the Russian Supreme Court ruled that the āinternational LGBT movementā is an āextremist organizationā and granted a request from the Ministry of Justice to ban it from the country.Ā
Russiaās crackdown on LGBTQ rights has inspired copycat legislation among its neighbors, notably in Georgia, Belarus, and Kyrgyzstan.
CANADA
A small town in Northern Ontario has been fined C$10,700 (approximately $10,000) for its refusal to issue a Pride Month declaration or raise the rainbow flag.
The town of Emo population 1,300, which sits on the border with Minnesota about 200 miles northwest of Duluth, had been requested to issue the Pride declaration by Borderlands Pride in 2020 and raise the flag for one week, but the town council refused in a 3-2 vote, prompting a years-long legal battle.Ā
Last week, that came to an end as the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal found the town and its mayor guilty of discrimination and ordered the town to pay Borderlands Pride C$10,000 in compensation, and the mayor to pay an additional C$5,000 ($3,559.92).
“We didn’t pursue this because of the money. We pursued this because we were treated in a discriminatory fashion by a municipal government, and municipalities have obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code not to discriminate in the provision of a service,” Doug Judson, a lawyer and board member of Borderlands Pride, told CBC News.
The tribunal also ordered the mayor to take a Human Rights 101 training course offered by the Ontario Human Rights Commission within 30 days.
Mayor Harold McQuaker has not commented publicly on the ruling.
CHINA
Calls for Hong Kong governmentās to officially recognize same-sex unions have intensified after the cityās Court of Final Appeal issued rulings last week that affirmed lower court rulings that found same-sex couples have equal rights to inheritance and social housing as heterosexual couples.
The ruling was in line with a similar ruling issued last year by the cityās top court, in which the city was ordered to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples by September 2025.
The new ruling with facilitate same-sex couplesā access to public housing, a vital need in one of the worldās most housing-crunched cities. The ruling also affirms that same-sex spouses can inherit public housing from a deceased spouse.
In both cases, the ruling only applies to spouses who have legally married overseas, because Hong Kong does not yet have a way for same-sex couples to legally register their relationships.
The nearest places where same-sex Hong Kong citizens can marry are Australia and the U.S. territory of Guam, with Thailand becoming available in the new year. Although same-sex marriage is legal in nearby Taiwan, residency requirements may block access there.
Although legislators have been slow to act on demands for civil unions or same-sex marriage, Hong Kongese same-sex couples have gradually gained access to more rights through court actions.
The Court of Final Appeal has previously ordered the government to have foreign marriages recognized for immigration purposes, to allow same-sex couples to file their taxes jointly, and to stepchild adoption.
India
India’s Transgender Welfare Boards fail to meet trans people’s basic needs
Committees have only been established in 17 regions
Nineteen of Indiaās 28 states and eight union territories lack a functional Transgender Welfare Board, despite legal mandates.
Most of the boards that have been established in 17 regions operate without policies, compliance framework, or any substantial authority. This lack of oversight, combined with an absence of policies, has left transgender Indians without access to critical services.
India’s 2011 Census says there are 487,803 trans people in the country, yet only 5.6 percent have managed to apply for a trans identity card. These identity cards, essential for accessing government programs designed specifically for trans people, remain challenging to obtain, hindering access to crucial welfare programs.
Under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 and its 2020 rules, 17 states and union territories, including Assam, Bihar, Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, have notified the establishment of a Transgender Welfare Board. Rule 10(1) of the law, however, mandates all state and union governments must constitute a board to safeguard trans rights, promote their interests, and facilitate access to government welfare schemes.
Reports reveal most Indian states with a notified Transgender Welfare Board have held fewer than one meeting per year since their inception, raising concerns about the effectiveness of these boards. States such as Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, and Tripura have yet to disclose any updates on their boardsā activities. Notably, Gujaratās Transgender Welfare Board, established in collaboration with UNAIDS in 2019, reportedly did not hold a single meeting until Oct. 14, according to board members.
Only a few states and union territories saw any regular activity from their Transgender Welfare Boards in 2023; with Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Chandigarh, and Maharashtra holding just four meetings each. Other states have held fewer meetings or none at all since the boardās formation.
In states like Mizoram, the Transgender Welfare Board has not held meeting since its creation.
In Manipur, the board has been virtually defunct since its establishment in 2017. Although the state’s reappointed the 17-member board last year, it included only minimal trans representation, with one trans woman and one trans man appointed.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2022 criticized the Chandigarh Transgender Welfare Board for its insufficient activity, describing it as a mere “cosmetic feature” in a Public Interest Litigation filed by Yashika, a trans student. The court observed that the board had failed to meet regularly, hindering its ability to fulfill its duties and effectively support the trans community.
“Although the petitioner had submitted complaints in this regard to the Union Territory Administration, no relief was granted and, thus, it is essential to ensure that bodies such as the Transgender Welfare Board acquire teeth and do not remain cosmetic features,” said the High Court. “Meetings should be held more frequently so that issues likely to arise in the future can be anticipated.ā
An Amicus Curiae the Kerala High Court appointed in 2021 reported the Kerala State Transgender Justice Board had not held a single meeting that year.
Since its creation under the Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, the National Council for Transgender Persons has held only two meetings in the past four years. Reports also suggest that budget allocations for state Transgender Welfare Boards often vary based on the ruling political party.
Maharashtra in 2020 allocated approximately $602,410 to its welfare board, but no further budget was earmarked for the board after the government changed.
Souvik Saha, founder of Jamshedpur Queer Circle, an LGBTQ organization that conducts sensitization workshops with law enforcement and local communities, criticized the frequent inaction of Transgender Welfare Boards.
“As an LGBTQ rights activist and head of Jamshedpur Queer Circle, I find it deeply disheartening yet unsurprising that only 5.6 percent of transgender people in India possess a transgender ID card. This figure underscores the systemic barriers faced by the transgender community when accessing their rights,” said Saha. “The example of Gujarat’s Transgender Welfare Board, which despite its collaboration with UNAIDS was dormant for nearly four years, illustrates how bureaucratic inefficiency and lack of political will stymie progress. Similarly, Mizoramās board has yet to hold a single meeting, reflecting the widespread neglect of transgender issues.”
Souvik further said the situation in Jharkhand mirrors these national trends.
The stateās Transgender Welfare Board, though established, has faced challenges in regular functioning and proactive policy implementation. Reports from local community members highlight that meetings are infrequent and the boardās activities lack sufficient outreach. Trans people in Jharkhand, as a consequence, face barriers in securing IDs and accessing welfare schemes, contributing to a continued cycle of marginalization.
Saha told theĀ Washington BladeĀ that inaction within Transgender Welfare Boards stems from a lack of political will, bureaucratic hurdles, social stigma, marginalization, and inadequate representation. His organization has encountered numerous stories reflecting these challenges, with community members expressing frustration over the stagnant state of welfare boards and theĀ difficultĀ process of obtaining official recognition. Saha emphasized that these systemic barriers leave many in the transgender community struggling to access the support and resources they are entitled to.
“For any meaningful change, it is essential that welfare boards function effectively, with regular meetings, transparent procedures, and active community involvement,” said Saha. “The government must take urgent steps to address these issues, enforce accountability, and collaborate with local LGBTQ organizations to bridge the gaps between policy and practice.”
Meera Parida, aĀ trans activistĀ from Odisha, told the BladeĀ that while the previous state government implemented numerous welfare initiatives for trans individuals, it fell short of establishing a dedicated Transgender Welfare Board.
“Back then it was Biju Janata Dal party leading the state and now it is Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) still there is no Transgender Welfare Board in the state,” said Parida. “After the Supreme Court’s judgement, it was our thought that some radical change is coming, nothing short of that happened. Most of the governments have no interest in it and that is why this is not happening.”
Parida told the Blade it was also her failure as she was associated with the previous government and in the party, but she was not able to convince her political party to establish a welfare board for trans people.
The Blade reached out to UNAIDS for reaction, but the organization has yet to response.
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Out in the World: LGBTQ news from Europe, Asia, and Canada