World
Kamala Harris ‘is the hope we seek for this world’
LGBTQ activists around the world watching US election closely
Activists around the world with whom the Washington Blade spoke this week say a Kamala Harris presidency will ensure U.S. foreign policy will continue to champion LGBTQ and intersex rights.
“A Kamala win would ensure the continuation of U.S. protection and support of global LGBTQ human rights,” said Sexual Minorities Uganda Executive Director Frank Mugisha. “I worry about a Trump win and Project 2025 in particular, as it not only undermines LGBTQ human rights but also rolls back the gains we have made so far.”
Uganda is among the countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized.
The Biden-Harris administration in 2023 imposed visa restrictions on Ugandan officials and removed the country from a program that allows sub-Saharan African countries to trade duty-free with the U.S. after President Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
“I directed the administration to promote human rights for LGBTQ [people] everywhere, particularly, for example, Uganda — they want help from us; they’ve got to change their policy, in terms of the discrimination,” President Joe Biden told the Washington Blade during an exclusive interview in the Oval Office on Sept. 12.
South African MP Steve Letsike, a lesbian woman who founded Access Chapter 2, an LGBTQ advocacy group, told the Blade the U.S. government during the Biden-Harris administration “has been instrumental in extending its policy agenda for its own citizens and lending a hand and support to queer communities in hard criminalized settings such as Uganda and many other countries.”
“Kamala Harris will continue to champion the rights-based approach that raises intersectional issues,” she said. “She is the hope we seek for this world.”
Esteban Paulón, a long-time LGBTQ activist in Argentina who won a seat in the country’s Congress in 2022, agreed.
“The support for the agenda of promoting LGBTIQ rights more globally by the United States government without a doubt depends centrally on Kamala Harris’s victory,” he told the Blade.
Decriminalization was White House LGBTQ foreign policy priority
Biden in 2021 signed a memo that committed the U.S. to promoting LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad as part of his administration’s overall foreign policy. The White House in the same year named Jessica Stern, who was previously the executive director of Outright International, as the next special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad.
Then-State Department spokesperson Ned Price during a 2021 interview with the Blade noted the decriminalization of consensual same-sex sexual relations was one of the Biden-Harris administration’s priorities in its efforts to promote LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad. Stern in 2022 told the Blade that support of marriage equality in countries where activists say such a thing is possible through legislation or the judicial process is “among a wider set of priorities.”
Former President Donald Trump tapped then-U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell to lead an initiative that encouraged countries to decriminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations. Activists with whom the Blade has previously spoken questioned whether this effort had any tangible results.
“We hope for continued support for the defense of Ukraine, which is critical to the survival of LGBTQI people in Ukraine,” Olena Shevchenko, chair of Insight, an LGBTQ rights group in Ukraine, told the Blade. “With Trump it’s definitely a backlash on the rights of LGBTI and women.”
Mugisha also expressed concern about a Trump victory — and Project 2025 “in particular.”
“It not only undermines LGBTQ human rights but also rolls back the gains we have made so far,” he said.
“What worries me is that Trump has proven his hate, his anti-policies and laws that consistently denies LGBTI people their fundamental rights,” Letsike told the Blade. “American LGBTI people’s rights must be guaranteed, respected and protected and not be threatened by any president that assumes office.”
Dindi Tan, national president of LGBT Pilipinas in the Philippines, agreed.
“The proposed policies of (Vice President) Harris align with our advocacy and policy direction on LGBTQIA+ rights in the Philippines and beyond,” Tan told the Blade. “Considering also that there are many LGBTQIA+ Filipinos living in the U.S., I believe that Harris winning the Presidency would advance our ongoing fight for equality.”
“On the other hand, a Trump victory promises to undo the hard-fought victories we have had over the years,” added Tan.
War in Gaza overshadows US election
The presidential election will take place against the backdrop of widespread global criticism of the war in the Gaza Strip, and the Biden-Harris administration’s continued support of Israel.
Hasan Kilani, a Jordanian Palestinian queer activist, told the Blade he supports Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein.
“We do not want the queer rights movement associated with a government that has supported the atrocities witnessed in Gaza,” said Kilani.
He added he rejects “a binary view that frames the choice solely between Trump and Harris.”
“I believe that real progress lies in moving towards voting Green,” said Kilani. “If Trump were to win, it could prompt the Democratic Party to reassess its policies and return to the core of progressive values, a space where the queer community once found alignment. Right now, however, I see little practical difference between Kamala Harris and Trump when it comes to the impact on queer people in the Middle East.”
Outright International is among the LGBTQ rights groups that has called for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Maria Sjödin, the group’s executive director, in a statement to the Blade did not specifically mention the war. Sjödin, however, defended the U.N. and other “multilateral systems” that “play a vital role for LGBTIQ communities — especially when domestic governments fail to protect their rights.” (The Israeli Knesset on Monday approved a bill that will ban the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA, from conducting “any activity” in the country. UNRWA is the largest aid provider in Gaza.)
“Any retreat by the U.S. from these international institutions would weaken essential platforms where marginalized voices are heard,” said Sjödin. “Additionally, funding for global human rights initiatives is a lifeline for many organizations working in countries where LGBTIQ people face severe oppression.”
“A U.S. administration that deprioritizes international solidarity and human rights funding would deeply harm efforts to ensure dignity, freedom, and equality for LGBTIQ people worldwide,” added Sjödin.
Sjödin also expressed concern about the election’s impact on LGBTQ Americans.
“No matter who wins the upcoming presidential election, there is a significant risk if an ‘America First’ ideology — focused on isolationism — prevails,” said Sjödin. “Such a posture undermines the role the U.S. has played in promoting human rights globally. We have witnessed devastating attacks on the rights of trans people at the state level, and the spread of this rhetoric to the federal level would not only hurt the LGBTQ community in the U.S. but also severely damage the U.S.’ credibility as a leader in promoting equality and dignity for LGBTIQ people around the world.”
Caleb Orozco, a prominent activist in Belize, told the Blade the global LGBTQ rights movement will continue, regardless of who wins the U.S. presidential election.
“While freedoms and rights demand vigilance that remains fragile in the US and around the world, voters will determine if they want allyship or exclusion,” said Orozco. “Either way LGBTQ resilience continues.”
Serbia
Ana Brnabić becomes world’s first openly lesbian head of state
Former Serbian prime minister succeeded President Aleksandar Vučić on Monday
Ana Brnabić on Monday became the world’s first openly lesbian head of state after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić resigned.
Brnabić was the country’s prime minister from 2017-2024. She was most recently the president of the Serbian National Assembly.
Vučić resigned ahead of parliamentary elections that will take place on Oct. 25. Media reports indicate Vučić could become Serbia’s next prime minister if his Serbian Progressive Party can successfully form a new government. Brnabić until then will be the country’s acting president.
Former Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who became his country’s first openly gay head of government in 2017, praised Brnabić.
“Congratulations to Ana Brnabić on becoming the world’s first lesbian head of state (president of Serbia),” said Varadkar on social media. “She visited while in her previous office and is a friend of Ireland.”
Congratulations to Ana Brnabic on becoming the world's first lesbian head of state (President of Serbia). She visited while in her previous office and is a friend of Ireland. 12 countries have now had gay or lesbian head of state/government. So far, all in Europe – the… https://t.co/TBpmeeEs9I
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) September 29, 2026
Former Icelandic Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir in 2009 became the world’s first openly lesbian head of government. Former San Marino Captain Regent Paolo Rondelli in 2022 became the world’s first openly gay head of state.
Andorran Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, and Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs are openly gay. Former Luxembourgish Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, and former Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo are also gay.
Varadkar was Ireland’s prime minister from 2017-2020 and again from 2022-2024.
Brazil
529 openly LGBTQ candidates running in Brazilian election
Lula running against Jair Bolsonaro’s son in presidential contest
Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers will be on assignment in Brazil through Oct. 6.
SÃO PAULO — 529 openly LGBTQ candidates are running for in the Brazilian election that will take place on Sunday.
VoteLGBT, an organization that seeks to increase LGBTQ representation in Brazilian politics, notes 109 of these candidates are either transgender or travesti. They include Congresswomen Erika Hilton and Duda Salabert, who made history in 2022 as the first travesti and first trans women respectively to win seats in the Brazilian Congress.
Hilton, a member of the leftist Socialism and Liberty Party, known by the acronym PSOL, is a former sex worker who was a member of the São Paulo Municipal Council before her election to Congress. She currently chairs the Chamber of Deputies’ Women’s Rights Commission.
The Chamber of Deputies is Congress’s lower house.
Salabert, who is also a member of PSOL, represents Minas Gerais state in the Chamber of Deputies. Both she and Hilton in 2025 sharply criticized the Trump-Vance administration after it listed their gender as “male” on American visas that would have allowed them to travel to the U.S.
Benny Briolly is a travesti woman and member of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s Workers’ Party who is running to represent Rio de Janeiro state in the Chamber of Deputies. Thabatta Pimenta is a trans woman of mixed ethnicity who is running to represent Rio Grande do Norte state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of the Green Party.
Nicolas is a trans masculine bisexual man from Pará state who is part of the Banca Transformer, a “collective candidature” for the Chamber of Deputies that VoteLGBT notes is “100 percent trans and lead by a trans masculine person.” Mãe Kaká Garcia is a gay travesti woman of African descent who is running to represent Mato Grosso state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of PSOL.
“My bid for Congress stems from my life story and the need to bring voices that have historically been marginalized into the political arena,” Garcia told the Washington Blade.
“I am a Black travesti woman and a leader within the African-derived religious community, with a background in work, entrepreneurship, and community activism in Mato Grosso,” she added. “I am intimately familiar with the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, the Black population, women, and terreiro communities.”
Garcia added she is running because she believes “these spaces must also be occupied by people who live these realities.”
“I want issues such as combating violence against trans people, racism, religious intolerance, protections for women, LGBTQIA+ rights, and social policies to be treated as permanent public policies,” she said.
Associaçao Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (National Association of Travestis and Transsexuals) President Bruna Benavides in a statement to the Blade praised all of the trans and travesti candidates.
“For ANTRA, the strength of trans and travesti candidacies lies in what our representatives already demonstrate through their work in office — acting beyond the LGBTQIA+ agenda in areas such as education, health, labor, human rights, culture, the environment, public safety, and the fight against inequality,” she said. “The presence of trans people is already a reality, and democracy needs them in politics — not merely as representatives of an identity, but as agents capable of shaping initiatives that benefit society as a whole.”
“Politics will only be truly transformed when it incorporates the perspectives and experiences of those historically excluded from centers of power — people who have nonetheless envisioned a nation where everyone can be free and live with dignity and security,” she added.
The Blade also spoke with other openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual candidates.
Uédem Lima is a bisexual, Makuxi Indigenous man who is running to represent Roraima state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of the centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement.
“I am 23-years-old, a Makuxi Indigenous man, and bisexual,” he told the Blade. “I come from a reality where young people, Indigenous people, and LGBTQ+ individuals often still face difficulties in occupying spaces where decisions are made.”
“My candidacy is also a way to show that these spaces can — and must — be occupied by people who know these realities firsthand,” added Lima.
He told the Blade that education, health, climate justice, and Indigenous rights are among the top issues on which he will work in Congress if elected. Lima added his life in Roraima state, which borders Venezuela and Guyana in northern Brazil, and his identity will further shape his tenure.
“I know what it is like to grow up in Roraima, experience the shifts between the interior and the capital, and forge my path while carrying multiple identities,” he said. “I do not want to separate these parts of who I am. They are part of my story and also help explain why I chose to enter politics.”
Former Congressman Jean de Wyllys, who is the first openly gay man elected to the Brazilian Congress, resigned in 2019 and fled the country after he received death threats that he claimed came from supporters of then-President Jair Bolsonaro. De Wyllys at the time of his resignation represented Rio de Janeiro state and had just been elected for a third term.
De Wyllys has returned to Brazil and is running to represent São Paulo state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of the Workers’ Party.
“My decision to return to present myself as a candidate is linked to the public responsibility with respect to this year’s elections, the most important for the future of Latin America in the last two decades,” he told the Blade. “Everyone knows that not just our region, but the whole world is a stage for a clash between two projects: one led by Donald Trump and his far-right (supporters) internationally that is neofascist, neocolonial, and neofeudalistic, and the other spearheaded by China that advocates for multipolarity, nations’ sovereignty, and global cooperation to overcome challenges, such as the climate crisis and possible pandemics.”
“As someone who enjoys national popularity and international connections, and having served two highly productive terms regarding human rights and cultural diversity, I could not ignore the electorate’s calls to participate in this global contest — and not merely as an intellectual and artist,” added de Wyllys.
Mônica Benício is a Rio de Janeiro Municipal Councilwoman who is running for the Brazilian Senate as a PSOL member.
Her widow, Rio de Janeiro Municipal Councilwoman Marielle Franco, and her driver, Anderson Gomes, were murdered on March 14, 2018. One of the two former police officers later convicted lived in the same condominium complex in the city’s exclusive Barra da Tijuca neighborhood in which Bolsonaro lived at the time. (Bolsonaro was not president when the murders took place, and strongly denied media reports that suggested one of the suspects visited his home before Franco and Gomes were killed.)
Franco was also friends with De Wyllys and a political ally.
“After Marielle’s assassination, the LGBTQIAPN+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual/travesti/, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, nonbinary) community was one of the networks that embraced me and gave me the strength to carry on,” Benício told the Blade on Tuesday. “My Senate candidacy stems from this very commitment: to transform that affection and collective strength into a voice, protection, and rights within Congress.”
Benício stressed the LGBTQ and intersex community “needs to occupy more decision-making spaces.”
“I want to reach the Senate so that our rights, families, and lives are represented where laws are made,” she said.
Lula is running for a second consecutive term.
He defeated Bolsonaro in the second round of the 2022 presidential election.
The Brazilian Supreme Court last year sentenced Bolsonaro — who repeatedly targeted LGBTQ Brazilians and other groups while in office — to more than 27 years in prison for his role in an attempted coup that saw thousands of his supporters storm the Congress, presidential palace, and the Supreme Court itself on Jan. 8, 2023. Bolsonaro is currently serving his sentence at his home in Brasília, the country’s capital, because of his poor health.
Lula main challenger in this year’s presidential election is Bolsonaro’s son, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro.
A second round will take place on Oct. 25 if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote.
Colombia
Colombia withdraws from Equal Rights Coalition
International LGBTQ group ‘not a priority’ for country’s new government
Colombia last week withdrew from a coalition of more than 40 countries that pledges to champion LGBTQ and intersex rights.
The Bogotá Post, an English-language news website in the Colombian capital, reported the country officially withdrew from the Equal Rights Coalition on Sept. 17.
The Equal Rights Coalition formed in 2016.
The group’s current members are Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cabo Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the U.K., and Uruguay. Civil society organizations from Colombia and dozens of other countries, including the U.S., work with the Equal Rights Coalition.
Colombia had co-chaired the group alongside Spain.
The decision to withdraw from the Equal Rights Coalition took place less than two months after far-right Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella took office.
El Páis, a Spanish newspaper, reported Colombian Vice Minister for Consular and Migration Affairs Pedro Agustín Roa said the Equal Rights Coalition “is not a priority” for his government and the country’s participation in it was “something from a previous government.”
Caribe Afirmativo is a Colombian LGBTQ advocacy group that works with the Equal Rights Coalition. Wilson Castañeda, its director, criticized his country’s withdrawal from it.
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