Heartstopper Season 3 is coming... this October

 

Heartstopper Season 3 is coming... but we have to wait until October. 

Watch the announcement below:

Thailand is closer to legalizing same-sex marriage

 

Thailand is poised to make history as the first nation in Southeast Asia to legalizing same-sex marriage, granting LGBTQ couples equal marital rights.

A parliamentary committee approved a draft amendment to the country’s Civil and Commercial Code. The amendment would redefine marriage as a union between “two individuals” rather than between “a man and a woman”.

The proposed legislation represents a huge milestone for LGBTQ rights in the region. It would grant same-sex couples aged 18 and above the same rights and legal protections as heterosexual couples. They include inheritance, tax allowances, and child adoption.

The landmark bill is expected to be put to a vote in the elected House of Representatives for the second and third readings. If passed, it will then require approval from the Senate and a royal endorsement. The process is expected to conclude by the end of the year.

It's time Thailand!!!

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin supports marriage equality

Japan high court says ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

A Japanese high court ruled that denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and called for urgent government action to address the lack of any law allowing for such unions.

The Sapporo High Court ruling said that not allowing same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as straight couples violates their fundamental right to equality and freedom of marriage. 

The case was brought by three same-sex couples who appealed three years ago after a lower court recognized the unconstitutionality of excluding same-sex couples from marriage equality.

Government offices may continue to deny marriage status to same-sex couples unless the existing law is revised to include LGBTQ couples or a new law is enacted that allows for other types of unions.

Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven nations that still excludes same-sex couples from the right to legally marry and receive spousal benefits. But support for marriage equality has grown among the Japanese public in recent years.

It's time Japan!!!

Congratulations Josh Cavallo!!!

 

Josh Cavallo proposed to his boyfriend on the soccer pitch and he said ‘Yes!’

The Australian soccer star is the only openly gay male professional player in the world.

Congratulations!!!

Josh Cavallo and his partner Leighton Morrell

Florida students and teachers can finally 'say gay' in classrooms

 

Students and teachers will be able to speak freely about sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, provided it’s not part of instruction, under a settlement reached between Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys who had challenged the Parental Rights in Education Act.

The settlement clarifies what is allowed in Florida classrooms following passage two years ago of the law prohibiting instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades. 

Opponents, who dubbed the law “Don't Say Gay,”said it created confusion about whether teachers could identity themselves as LGBTQ or if they even could have rainbow stickers in classrooms.

While the law remains in effect, its interpretation has been significantly altered. The law now clearly states that discussions related to sexual orientation and gender identity are permissible in educational settings. 

Under the terms of the settlement, the Florida Board of Education will send instructions to every school district saying the Florida law doesn't prohibit discussing LGBTQ people, nor prevent anti-bullying rules on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity or disallow Gay-Straight Alliance groups. 

The settlement also spells out that the law is neutral, meaning what applies to LGBTQ people also applies to heterosexual people, and that it doesn't apply to library books not being used for instruction in the classroom.

Let Us Live!!!

France approves bill to rehabilitate people convicted of homosexuality

France's Assemblée Nationale unanimously voted for a bill intended to recognize and compensate homosexual people for the damage caused by discriminatory laws in force between 1942 and 1982.

The anti-gay law was originally introduced by the Vichy government during World War Two, when France was occupied by Nazi Germany. The new bill proposes to reimburse people who were fined for homosexual crimes, and it will also compensate anyone imprisoned for being gay.

The Assemblée reintroduced the principle of financial compensation for people convicted of homosexuality, and the creation of a commission to rule on requests for financial compensation.

Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti asked for forgiveness for those discriminated against: "It is high time to say this evening in the name of the French Republic: sorry, sorry to the people, the homosexuals of France who suffered 40 years of this completely iniquitous repression. Our Republic is never more beautiful than when it recognizes that it has lost the thread of its founding principles: liberty, equality and fraternity," he declared.

An estimated 10,000 people, mostly gay men, were convicted between 1942 and 1982. Many of those convicted are now dead or very old, meaning few are likely to come forward for any reparations. It is estimated that 200 to 400 people could be eligible for compensation.

Recently, President Emmanuel Macron named Gabriel Attal France’s new prime minister, making history in the process because he is the youngest and the first openly gay man to serve in the role.

Most LGBTQ voters in the U.S. prefer President Biden to Trump

 

LGBTQ Americans are highly motivated to vote in November, with a majority preferring President Joe Biden to Donald Trump according to polling result released by GLAAD.

The survey asked 1,000 LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ registered voters about how likely they are to vote in the 2024 presidential election and other key campaign issues. 

Among the poll’s key findings, 83 percent of registered LGBTQ voters said they would definitely vote in November, while 11 percent said they probably would. More than half of those voters said they prefer the Democratic incumbent, with 68 percent indicating they would likely vote for President Biden versus 15 percent who said they prefer Trump.

The polling results found that likely voters who identify as LGBTQ in seven key battleground states (Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) prefer Joe Biden to Trump by more than 57 percentage points.

In his recent State of the Union address, President Joe Biden referred some important issues on LGBTQ topics.

President Biden called against the recent surge in book bans, stating, “Banning books... It’s wrong!” This declaration was a rebuke of attempts to censor educational materials, with Biden emphasizing the importance of confronting history to forge a better future: “Instead of erasing history, let’s make history!”

President Biden also addressed the challenges faced by transgender Americans, reaffirming his commitment to their rights and dignity in the face of escalating hostility. “To all the transgender Americans watching at home, especially the young people, you are so brave. I want you to know your president has your back,” he declared.

With both the U.S. House and Senate up for grabs in 2024, LGBTQ voters could also play a key role in Congressional elections this year.

 

HRW requires Ghana President to veto anti-LGBTQ bill

Human Rights Watch required Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo to unequivocally reject The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 and refuse to sign it. 

The bill was passed last month by the parliament making it illegal to identify as LGBTQ in Ghana. 

Under the passed bill, anyone identifying as LGBTQ could face up to three years in prison, while anyone who forms or funds LGBTQ groups could face up to 5 years in prison. 

The bill awaits assent by the president before it becomes law. However, Akufo-Addo said his government will wait for a Supreme Court ruling before taking action on the bill. 

LGBTQ people in Ghana have historically faced serious human rights abuses including discrimination, and  they are living in constant fear of being attacked in public because of their sexual orientation. 

No way, Ghana!!!

Ron DeSantis, Let Us Live in Florida!

 

Transgender activists from across Florida marched on the state Capitol with a simple demand: “Let Us Live!”

At a rally on the steps outside the building, LGBTQ leaders and progressive lawmakers slammed legislation HB1639 threatening to erase trans identities. 

If passed, the legislation could reportedly make it easier for health insurance providers to refuse to offer gender-affirming care for trans people. It might also require medical insurers that cover transition procedures to cover “de-transitioning”.

In addition, the proposed law would mandate that state-issued IDs, such as driving licences, display the person’s sex assigned at birth in Florida. 

Beyond fighting transphobic bills, trans leaders and allies also promised to seek office and sit more queer lawmakers in the halls of the Capitol to fight Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ anti-LGBTQ policies.

Florida has become infamous for passing anti-LGBTQ legislation, with the “Don’t Say Gay” law affecting classrooms across the state. The Republican Floridian lawmakers have also tried to ban public drag performances, as well as bar trans people from using public toilets consistent with their gender.

Not one step back in Florida!!!

No way, Ghana!

Ghana's parliament has passed a tough new bill that imposes a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ. It also imposes a maximum five-year jail term for forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups.

It is the latest sign of growing opposition to LGBTQ rights in the conservative West African nation. Gay sex is already against the law in Ghana - it carries a three-year prison sentence.

The bill, which had the backing of Ghana's two major political parties, will come into effect only if President Nana Akufo-Addo signs it into law.

Last month Amnesty International warned that the bill "poses significant threats to the fundamental rights and freedoms" of LGBTQ people.

Also United Nations rights experts condemned arbitrary arrest of LGBT human rights defenders in Ghana and urged their release.

Activists fear there will now be witch-hunts against members of the LGBTQ community and those who campaign for their rights, and say some will have to go into hiding.

In many African countries LGBT people may be stigmatised and excluded from society. Many are forced to hide their identities in fear of their safety.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, legal discrimination is, in part, a legacy of colonial-era laws. Many governments have not taken steps to reform these laws.

Read a report here.