Kenyan transgender rights group Transgender Education and Advocacy (TEA) have won a major court battle, with the country’s high court ruling that the government’s Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) coordination board must allow them to register. Justice George Odunga criticized the board for declining to recognize the group, saying that it had failed to carry out its

Despite the Russian city of St Petersburg repealing its city-wide ban on so-called ‘propaganda of homosexuality to minors,’ officials are still working to frustrate the work of LGBTI activists in the city. Organizers had hoped to hold an LGBTI Pride rally this Saturday, however by Monday this week city officials had rejected every location for

US: Obama signs Executive Order banning anti-LGBT workplace discrimination

Barack Obama has signed on July 21 an Executive Order banning workplace discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. The new order only applies to federal contractors, unlike the broader Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which remains stalled in the House of Representatives. However, it has been praised by some for its lack of a religious

The teacher, who gave the name Silvia, claimed that Sacro Cuore school near Trento let her go because she refused to confirm or deny rumours that she was a lesbian.  She told newspaper La Repubblica: “What happened to me is medieval. Maybe I’m a lesbian, maybe I’m not. But asking me about my sexual orientation as a

Croatia passes civil partnerships law

Croatia’s Parliament has passed a law allowing civil partnerships for same-sex couples. It means same-sex couples will now enjoy equal inheritance rights, social benefits and tax deductions. Their unions will be called ”life partnerships” protected by the Constitution. However, adoption rights for same-sex couples were not included in the bill. On Tuesday, the Parliament passed the civil union law

Belgium: first transgender parliamentarian appointed to Senate

Professor De Sutter comes from a medical background. She is head of the Reproductive Medicine Department of the University Hospital Ghent, as well as an associate professor of gynaecology at the University of Ghent. She ran in the recent elections to the European Parliament. She came second within the Belgian Groen (Green) party, with 47,000 votes,

Hungary: Far right Jobbik Party nationalists fail to ruin Budapest Pride

The 19th Budapest Pride Festival closed successfully this weekend with over 10,000 taking to the streets to march for LGBTI equality in Hungary on Saturday, July 12. However the event was loudly condemned by the far-right ultra-nationalist Jobbik party who also blasted foreign diplomats for showing their support for the event. Jobbik labelled the event a

Earlier this week the National Library Board of Singapore decided to remove and destroy all copies of And Tango Makes Three, a children’s book based on a true story about two male penguins who raise an abandoned penguin chick together at the New York Zoo. Two other same-sex family themed books, The White Swan Express: A

Lithuanian representatives at the EuroPride 2014 in Oslo

On June 28, 2014, the EuroPride March took place in Oslo, the capital of Norway. The event gathered international LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons) as well as many of their supporters. The official number of participants still has to be confirmed, but it is likely to have exceeded last year’s participation to the

Laverne Cox makes history as first trans actress to be nominated for Emmy Award

The Orange is the New Black star picked up a surprise nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series, for her role as inmate Sophia Burset on the show. The Primetime Emmy Award ceremony will be held on 25 August 25 at the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles, California and will be hosted by

On Thursday, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio signed into law a bill to create a municipal identification card for residents who face obstacles obtaining government-issued identification. This law will make it easier for transgender populations, who often face difficulty securing accurate identification, to obtain documents affirming their gender. New York City is the first

Bulgaria: Pride March blocked by nationalist protesters

LGBTI rights defenders took to the streets of the Bulgarian capital Sophia for the seventh time on Saturday, calling on lawmakers and churches to respect their rights. Reports say around a hundred people marched, protected by hundreds more police officers. Marchers had hoped to march past the city’s Vasil Levski monument in the city center but were