A new study from Stonewall has found that more than half of LGBTQ+ couples in the UK are afraid to hold hands in public, among other public displays of affections. Findings from the study show that 56% of queer couples shy away from holding hands in public for fear of discriminatory actions from others in public spaces. Stonewall’s data also found that more than half of reported hate crimes were public order offenses and a corresponding 41% involved violence, with 5% recorded as criminal damage. The research has been released in association with Stonewall’s “Hold My Hand” campaign, which urges the U.K.…
Author: Lauren Mulvey
Seychelles took strides forward recently after lawmakers approved a bill that will add protections against hate crimes for LBGTQ+ people. Seychelles’ National Assembly made the provision to the national penal code in an 18-8 vote margin. According to The Washington Blade, the provisions include protections for discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, HIV/AIDS status and other factors. Under the bill, those convicted of hate crimes based on any of these factors could be fined or face up to two years in prison. Though it is a small island off the coast of the African continent, Seychelles is…
Around the country new LGBTQ+ businesses and organizations are popping up and fueling communities. Whether it’s a new restaurant with an amazing menu, a cocktail bar with new twists on the classics, or community spaces where all are welcome, we’re glad to see the LGBTQ+ community thriving. But there’s still something to be said for the mainstays of LGBTQ+ culture in the U.S.’s cities. Queer bar and nightclub spaces have come and gone in a near constant rotation since the mid-20th century, but a few strong pillars remain. Here’s our some highlights. The Stonewall Inn – Greenwich Village, New York …
A team of barbers and stylists in Louisville, Kentucky teamed up last week to give gender-affirming haircuts to local LGBTQ+ youth free of cost. Hairdressers and barbers from the city gathered at Wekhaus Barbers for the event hoping to promote accessible “bodily autonomy” for clients, according to LGBTQ Nation. The collective promoted the event through social media posting to Instagram “No Appointment Necessary, just walk-in! Priority will be given to LGBTQIA+ Youth and Young Adults (ages 5-24). All hair textures are welcome.” Services offered include personal haircuts and styling along with wig cutting and styling. “Part of the reason why we…
The Biden-Harris Administration set a record for the number of LGBTQ+ federal judicial appointments last week after Mary Kay Costello was appointed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The number of appointed judges now sits at 12, breaking the former record (11) set by the Obama-Biden administration. Costello, a military vet, served as assistant U.S. attorney in Philadelphia since 2008. Costello served in the U.S. Air Force between 1986 and 1994 before she earned her law degree from Temple University. She was sworn in last month as a federal magistrate judge, NBC reports. According to The…
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has announced that a record 1,400 hundred companies are participating in this year’s Corporate Equality Index (CEI). That represents more than 21 million employees across the U.S. according to HRC president Kelley Robinson. The Human Rights Campaign is an organization that has been working for 40 years to support marginalized Americans who suffer from violence, discrimination and fear based target hate, legislation and bigotry. The HRC launched the CEI in 2002, and since then they have been cultivating the index to survey whether or not U.S. corporations are protecting their employees by evaluating company policies,…
An LGBTQ rights organization in Kenya has revealed a new virtual legal aid platform that allows queer people free access to help from professional lawyers. According to the Washington Blade, The Center for Minority Rights and Strategic Litigation (CMRSL) launched the program after seeing a need for it in their community. “The LGBTQ+ Online Legal Aid Clinic is, we believe, the first of its kind in Kenya providing pro bono legal advice services directly to the LGBTQ community,” their website states. In Kenya, LGBTQ+ rights and protections are still very limited. According to Equaldex, homosexuality is still illegal and punishable…
Thailand became the first Southeast Asian country to legalize same-sex marriage this week after receiving Royal Assent. The bill legalizing same-sex marriage was introduced and approved by Thailand’s lower house of Parliament in late March. During its final reading the bill was approved by 400 of 415 members of Thailand’s House of Representatives. After receiving approval, the bill was sent to King Maha Vajiralongkorn. Following the Royal Assent, the bill is slated to take effect in 120 days, and the first same-sex weddings are anticipated for January, according to LGBTQ Nation. Thailand is the third Asian nation to pass a marriage…
The LGBTQ+ umbrella is ever expanding to include new identities, and the broader queer lexicon can be difficult to decode if you don’t keep up with new terms. Semi-new to the queer dictionary are terms like pinkwashing, ciswashing and straightwashing, which are being used to hold the public accountable for their portrayal, or lack thereof, of queer identities. There are plenty of ways the media tries to disguise, prevent, or dilute the depiction of queer identities. And because new inclusive media on the fringes is working to bring queer identities into the fold of film, television, books and other media…
Gender-affirming care in the U.S.has come under attack from nearly every angle. Whether it’s politicians trying to ban medical practices in their states, or companies excluding it from their insurance coverage, access to medical care for trans people seems hard to come by these days. Luckily, some companies have made it a priority to include gender-affirming care in their health insurance plans. This means employees can feel supported by their company in their identity, safe at work, and better able to complete tasks and become better employees. Here are some of the companies who include gender-affirming care in their employee…
A win for trans youth in California and around the country comes after a state judge ruled that Chino Valley Unified School District must comply with the state law that protects trans youth from being forcefully outed in schools. In the court’s 50-page ruling, San Bernardino Superior Court Judge Michael Sachs determined Chino Valley’s policies were “discriminatory” based on prior case law. “The District could have adopted a policy which focused on the existing problems (bullying, mental health, psychological distress, any drastic behavior changes, etc.) instead of focusing on the protected group,” the ruling reads. According to LGBTQ Nation, earlier this…
State Senator Sarah McBride from Delaware is inching closer to becoming the first trans member of Congress after winning the primary for the only Delaware state seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. McBride won the Democratic primary by a landslide last week beating her competitors, including Earl Cooper and Elias Weir according to NBC. McBride first came onto the scene with her historic November 2020 win, when she became the first transgender state senator, beating out Republican candidate Steve Washington to represent Delaware’s 1st Senate District. This win puts McBride on track to win the general election that will replace…
Though there are many politicians, public figures, and hate groups campaigning against the existence of trans people, few have been as consistent and disappointing as author J.K. Rowling. After writing seven young adult novels called Harry Potter (you may have heard of them), and a few other books under an alias, Rowling is worth a whopping £820 million. After the books became movies throughout the earlier aughts, Rowling’s fantasy world of witchcraft and wizardry blew up, it turned into a theme park at Universal Studios in Orlando and series that children and adults would read and watch for years to…
As states continue to censor any mention of LGBTQ+ identities in educational and public spaces, a teacher who got fired for reading an LGBTQ+ book is receiving help from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and 16 states. LGBTQ Nation reported last week that two amicus briefs were filed by the DOJ and 16 different state attorneys general after a Georgia teacher was fired from her post at a public school for reading the book “My Shadow is Purple” by Scott Stuart to her class at Due West Elementary School in March of 2023. The book, which was included in the selection at…
As Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis continues his censorship rampage in schools, public libraries and elsewhere, best-selling author John Green and major publishing houses have filed a lawsuit in return. In August, several authors and publishing houses filed a federal complaint against law HB 1069 that simplifies the process of banning books that contain “sexual conduct” or “pornographic” content. Big five publishers Harper Collins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster and Hachette, along with SourceBooks, John Green, and author Julia Alvarez all complained that the bill violates their First Amendment rights. The Florida Department of Education told reporters the lawsuit was…
This year, thousands of people gathered in Belgrade, Serbia’s capital, for the largest Pride parade the city has seen. The celebrations ensued peacefully with the protection of a heavy police presence, according to Washington Blade. In previous years, the parade had been canceled after violent anti-LGBTQ+ protestors threatened the safety of those in attendance. Those who marched urged the Serbian government to pass new laws to protect LGBTQ+ rights and to also move forward on a “long-promised” same-sex partnership law. The Pride parade journeyed past the Serbian parliament building where a rally was led by parade organizers who read their list…
LGBTQ students in New Hampshire are applauding the state’s Supreme Court ruling that upholds a Manchester School District policy on students’ pronoun preferences and respecting their privacy. The case was brought to court by an anonymous mother of a student in the Manchester School District. The plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe, brought forth the case claiming that respecting pronouns and students’ rights to privacy had “infringed on her ability to properly parent her child,” according to LGBTQ Nation. The court decided that Doe couldn’t prove that the school’s policy truly infringed upon a fundamental parenting right. The court wrote that…
Kenya’s largest LGBTQ+ organization GALCK+ is partnering with dating app Grindr to provide users with important information about their rights. GALCK+ is Kenya’s coalition of 16 LGBTQ rights groups “built on acceptance, inclusion and empowerment,” according to their website. The team announced their partnership in early August as a part of the Grindr for Equality initiative. Grindr for Equality includes wide-ranging initiatives that impact communities large and small on issues that matter to them the most: safety, sexual health, advocacy, and more. Grindr believes right now is the time to mobilize, inform, and empower queer communities around the world. In July, Grindr…
The weight of the upcoming presidential election seems to loom larger everyday. For many Democrats and social justice advocates, Kamala Harris is the more attractive candidate, but just where does she stand on LGBTQ+ rights? And what can the queer community expect should she take office? The ACLU, a known human rights group, recently published an article entitled “Why a Harris Presidency promises hope for LGBTQ rights.” They argue that during Biden’s term, the Biden-Harris administration has made LGBTQ rights an integral part of its agenda, suing states to block anti-trans laws and policies and making attempts to get the…
Research from Out Leadership indicates that LGBTQ+ employees face a glass ceiling in the workplace, making it harder to climb corporate ladders and set new expectations for representation. The study has found that less than one percent of 5,670 boardroom seats at Fortune 500 companies are filled by LGBTQ+ directors. This is according to an annual list published by Fortune magazine, ranking the largest 500 corporations in the US by total revenue. Pink News brings attention to notable queer corporate leaders such as Tim Cook of Apple, Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Tara Bunch of Airbnb. However, beyond these names, there…
A new state policy in Texas has barred transgender residents from changing the sex listed on their driver’s licenses. An internal email from the Department of Public Safety found that if a trans person presented the state of Texas with a certified court order or an amended birth certificate, the gender marker on their license still cannot be altered with the exception of a clerical error. The new policy, according to investigative reporter Lauren McGaughy, was instituted, quietly last week and is currently in effect. McGaughy posted the news to X last week, and received comments from transgender residents claiming the…
Two Democratic U.S. Representatives sent a letter to U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently asking that the STI treatment doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy PEP) be free on insurance plans. California Reps. Robert Garcia and Barbara Lee’s request asked that doxy PEP be designated under the same ranking as PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, an HIV treatment taken ahead of potential exposure to HIV. After making PrEP essential free on insurance plans for Americans, a significant reduction in HIV rates was seen, according to LGBTQ Nation. Garcia said in a statement, “Surging STIs are disproportionately impacting LGBTQ+ individuals. We must ensure…
Pope Francis denounced Uganda’s oppressive “Kill the Gays” law in meeting with African gay rights activists recently.Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), has been called the “Kill the Gays” law because of the severity of its punitive actions for those accused of homosexuality. Pope Francis met with activist Clare Byarugaba, and can be seen in a video posted to X greeting her with a broad smile and shaking her hand as the two prepared to engage in a discussion about LGBTQ+ rights in her country. According to LGBTQ Nation, Byarugaba acts as the equality and non-discrimination program officer for the civil liberties group…
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has all the makings to be a great Vice President of the United States of America. He served a total of 24 years in the Army National Guard before retiring in 2005, and has since advocated for veterans after being elected to the U.S. House. He also worked as a school teacher and football coach at a public school in Minnesota before he became a Congressman and governor. Though Walz holds plenty of progressive stances, he also plays both sides of the fence, being a gun owner, football fan, and military vet, traits that will undoubtedly…
The 2024 Paris Olympics highlighted the contributions and achievements of many outstanding LGBTQ Athletes from around the world. LGBTQ athletes competed across various categories and represented and panoply of countries. Some showed their swag competing in track and field events, some cut it up on the dance floor during the break dance finals, some took the gold in fencing, judo, rugby or BMX, but all brought their best. Here are some queer athletes who took home medals this summer. Let’s start with rugby. Portia Woodman-Wickliffe and her New Zealand team won gold for the second time, beating Canada. Meanwhile, Canada’s…
New research published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine has revealed that twice-yearly injections of the drug Lenacapavir could offer complete protection from HIV. According to reports from Them, the research provides findings from a randomized trial of more than 5,000 cisgender women in South Africa and Uganda, conducted by drug developer, Gilead Sciences. The study found that 2,134 participants who took Lenacapavir every 26 weeks had avoided acquiring HIV by the end of the trial period. Contrastingly, 55 infections were reported by other groups who used PrEP as an alternative preventive measure. “The injection has been hailed as…
The newest Miss USA was crowned this past weekend, and though a trans woman competed for the title and didn’t win, her participation in the contest marks a huge win for trans representation. Winning the competition was Alma Cooper, who competed under her former title of Miss Michigan USA. She will now move on to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. Cooper is a 22-year-old U.S. Army officer https://youtu.be/j_VdMOElFXk?feature=shared Though she didn’t win the Miss USA contest, the trans contestant Bailey Anne Kennedy made history with her Miss Maryland USA win in June. Not only was she one of the first…
A record number of LGBTQ athletes are competing in the current summer Olympics in Paris, however, one boxer from Algeria is being hated for being trans…but she’s not even trans. Yes, it’s another ridiculous ploy by conservatives to troll the LGBTQ+ community gone wrong, because pro-boxer Imane Khelif has been in a swath of media controversy over her gender eligibility criteria ahead of the games. Talk about Khelif’s gender identity has been swirling in a constant spur of hate on social media, an issue which has also affected Taiwan’s Lin Yu-Ting, according to USA Today. Debate over whether or not…
As conservative lawmakers around the country call for divestment from diversity, equity and inclusion programs, some companies are making cuts to their DEI teams. DEI has been a hot button topic as the 2024 presidential race unfolds. New Republican VP elect, JD Vance has openly opposed DEI, proposing bills to deconstruct federal DEI programs just last month. What’s the driving force? State legislatures, including those in Utah, Florida and Texas have given the OK to DEI bans in high education. Working in tandem is the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down affirmative action programs in college admissions. Corporate giants rushed to…
This year’s London Trans+ Pride saw tens of thousands of people take to the city streets to celebrate trans life and advocate for trans rights. With an attendance of around 60,000 people, the parade was a huge success. According to Pink News, Trans+ Pride co-founder Lewis G Burton said they were immeasurably proud of the turnout, calling the event “powerful and poignant” at this moment of strife for the trans community. The event was a beacon of hope for the U.K.’s trans community considering it was just last year when a Trans Rights Map published by Transgender Europe analyzed policies…