Fundamental rights for LGBT people in EU: challenges and achievements

Against a backdrop of rising unemployment and increased deprivation, this FRA Annual report closely examines the situation of those, such as children, who are vulnerable to budget cuts, impacting important fields such as education, healthcare and social services. It looks at the discrimination that Roma continue to face and the mainstreaming of elements of extremist

Lebanon on course to legalize homosexuality

Lebanon is closer to making gay sex legal after psychiatrists and psychologists in the country stated homosexuality was ‘natural’, GSN can reveal. The statements are a huge breakthrough because law 534, used to prosecute gay sex, is actually a law against ‘unnatural’ sex acts. And now psychologists and psychiatrists have stated they would be prepared

Russian landlords use propaganda law to hound gays in their own homes

Witch-hunt notice warns tenants to be vigilant – gays ‘can look like you’ but are breaching the law by ‘living as a homosexual’ and may offer you sex. A witch-hunt style notice, it warns tenants to be vigilant over LGBT people who can ‘look like you’ and could be anyone. A notice says: ‘Please remember,

2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia: LGBT community protests in the world

Protests Against Russian and Its Olympics Opening Dialogues About Its LGBT Community After many years of protesting by the small but active lgbtq activist community, the international community is finally taking notice of human rights abuses and homophobic laws and prejudices rampant in the chilly country. A lot of it has to do with momentum

Police in the Russian city of St Petersburg have seized a number of pieces of art, including a satirical portrait of President Vladimir Putin wearing women’s underwear, for violating undetermined laws. Officers also removed a painting of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church with his torso covered in prison tattoos, and two other pictures

LGBT blood: Ireland and Russia might ban blood donation

Russia may bring back its ban on gay blood donors, and offer an additional gay-to-straight conversion therapy service. 32-year-old Mikhail Degtyarev, who is a candidate for mayor of Moscow, said since 65% of all HIV-positive people were homosexuals, the proposal could not be considered discriminatory. Read more at gaystarnews.com A young gay man in Ireland, Tomás

New Zealand Now Has Gay Marriage

On Monday, August 19, 2013, New Zealand became the fifteenth country to welcome same-sex marriage.  Some newlyweds, estimated at three dozen, took advantage of the new law such as  Rachel Briscoe and Jess Ivess as well as Richard Rawstorm and Richard Andrew in Rotorua, New Zealand. Activist Ferguson, with his new husband laywerJustin Mikita, who were married in New

UK police to hunt down gay hate soccer thugs online

Gay rights campaigners say making homophobia as unacceptable as racism is a step towards an environment where gay players will be able to come out. Homophobic British football fans are being warned they will face prosecution under new police guidelines. For the first time, anti-gay slurs are being included in a Crown Prosecution Service policy

A US reporter invited onto Russian state-funded TV to talk about Bradley Manning who used his time to speak out against the repression of LGBT people in the country was cut off by the host, but not before saying “we’re not going to be silent of horrific repression”. Describing the RT channel (formerly Russia Today),

The Riddle: new anti-homophobia message from United Nations human rights office

The United Nations has launched “Free & Equal” – an unprecedented global public education campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality: “In 76 countries it’s illegal to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.  And in at least five, it can be punished by death. The UN is here to make it clear that

IKEA Taiwan is being accused of homophobia

IKEA Taiwan releases divisive advert, urges gays to go for younger model. Advert has divided viewers with some calling it offensive and homophobic and others saying there is an element of ‘self-ridicule’. Read more on www.gaystarnews.com

Germany: Birth certificates to gain third gender option

From November this year, Germany will become the first country in Europe to introduce a third option for assigning gender on birth certificates, giving parents the choice to leave the child’s gender indeterminate. Read more on www.pinknews.co.ok