Half of black gay men will get HIV in their lifetime

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have evaluated the HIV risk to gay African-American men for the first time.     The CDC, which has tracked data related to HIV transmission for many years, released a study which breaks down the ‘lifetime risk’ of HIV infection among groups including men who have sex with men.

Persecution of Homosexuals under National Socialism

The persecution of Jews under National Socialism is widely known. But one seldom learns about the persecution of other groups: politicals, criminals, anti-socials, Jehovah’s Witnesses, emigrants, Romanies, and homosexuals. On International Holocaust Remembrance Day LGL initiated a workshop about the Persecution of Homosexuals under National Socialism to talk about paragraph 175, lesbians, and the “special

European Parliament gravely concerned over situation LGBTI people in Crimea

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Crimea and the severe restrictions on the freedoms of expression, association and peaceful assembly. The resolution starts out by strongly condemning “the unprecedented levels of human rights abuses perpetrated against Crimean residents” (paragraph 2) following the Russian annexation. Zooming in on LGBTI rights,

India appoints first trans police officer

The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has appointed the nation’s first transgender woman to the police force. Prithika Yashini is among 21 sub-inspectors to receive orders from Salem police commissioner, Sumit Charan, to join the region’s local service. Having always dreamed of being a police officer, Ms Yashini told reporters her plan was to work hard and

Taiwan elects new President who supports equal marriage

A vocal supporter of same-sex marriage has been elected as Taiwan’s new President. The country, known variously as Taiwan, the Republic of China and Chinese Taipei, made a bold step today by electing Tsai Ing-wen of the Democratic Progressive Party as President. As well as being the country’s first female President, Ms Tsai is an outspoken

Mayor of Bulgaria capital endorses anti-marriage campaign

SOFIA, Bulgaria — Yordanka Fandakova, the first female mayor of the Bulgarian capital of Sofia, will officiate the wedding of a different-sex couple as part of a campaign against marriage rights for same-sex couples. The Society and Values Association, an anti-gay organization that is behind The Week of Marriage campaign, made the announcement. The Society

Police use water cannons against Peruvian LGBT activists

Peruvian police on Saturday used water cannons against a group of activists who staged an LGBT rights protest. More than two dozen people gathered in Lima’s Plaza de Armas to take part in the protest that was described as “kisses against homophobia.” Sin Etiquetas, a Lima-based LGBT website, posted pictures to its website that show

Hungary: suspended sentence for protester who threatened Pride participants

A member of an extreme right wing organisation has been sentenced to two years imprisonment (suspended for three and a half years) for insulting and threatening Budapest Pride March participants in 2012 as part of a larger group. Háttér Society have released a detailed press statement on the judgment. It is available to read below

United Nations Issues Stamps Celebrating LGBT Identity

There may finally be a reason to return to the ancient art of letter writing as the United Nations’s post office has issued new stamps this week, which for the first time celebrate LGBT identity.  The stamps are designed by out artist Sergio Baradat as part of the U.N.’s “Free & Equal” campaign, which promotes understanding and

European Parliament calls on Kosovo and Serbia to step up efforts on LGBTI rights

Yesterday, the European Parliament adopted two of its annual progress reports for candidate and potential candidate EU countries. MEPs have assessed the rights of LGBTI people in Serbia and Kosovo, and recommended the countries to improve the situation. Discrimination, hate speech and hate crime against LGBTI people, remain a strong concern for the Parliament in both

India’s Supreme Court to review sodomy ruling

India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would review its controversial ruling that recriminalized consensual same-sex sexual acts. The Guardian reported the Supreme Court asked a five-judge panel to reconsider its 2013 decision that reinstated India’s colonial-era Sodomy law known as Section 377. “This is an undeniably thrilling action by India’s highest court,” James Robertson,

Women whose resumes suggest that they may be lesbian, bisexual or transgender are less likely to receive a call back for a job interview, according to a study published in a sociology journal, Socius. The study by researcher Emma Mishel, who is currently a PhD student in sociology at New York University, conducted a field experiment by sending