Greece is ready to have its first gay prime minister

A Greek American businessman was elected to lead the largest opposition party in Greece, becoming the first out gay leader of a political party in the country’s history, and now he’s ready to become Greece’s first gay prime minister.

Stefanos Kasselakis, 35, received 56.69 percent of the over 130,000 votes cast in elections to lead the leftist Syriza party, defeating former labor minister and early favorite Efi Achtsioglou, who had positioned herself as the more experienced candidate. 

Kasselakis replaces Alexis Tsipras, a former prime minister who resigned as head of Syriza following disastrous losses in recent parliamentary elections.

Kasselakis was born in Greece but went to the U.S. to study at the Phillips Academy prep school and eventually graduate from the Wharton Business School. During this period, he spent time working on Joe Biden’s 2008 presidential campaigns. He later worked as a trader with Goldman Sachs before founding his own shipping company Swift Bulk.

Kasselakis is out and married to Tyler McBeth, a nurse he met while living in the U.S. Kasselakis mentioned McBeth during his acceptance speech to Syriza supporters: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for welcoming him and embracing him,” he told the crowd.

Marriage equality is not recognized in Greece, and while the pair married in the U.S., their relationship will be considered a civil partnership in Greece. Kasselakis promised to reform the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws if elected.

Good luck!!!

Stefanos Kasselakis and his husband Tyler McBeth

Down Low, the last comedy with Zachary Quinto and Lukas Gage

 

Down Low is an outrageous comedy, directed by Rightor Doyle, about one wild night and hysterical outcomes. Starring Zachary Quinto, Lukas Gage, Simon Rex with Audra McDonald, and Judith Light.

Finding yourself can get a little messy. Repressed divorcé Gary (Zachary Quinto) hires Cameron (Lukas Gage), a spirited and boundary-free sex worker to give him an erotic massage. 

When Cameron learns how inexperienced middle-aged Gary is, he becomes determined to deliver a crash course in unapologetic queer life. 

Cameron’s agenda of hookup apps and gay nomenclature quickly causes the day to take several riotously obscure turns as the pair endure a nosy, pill-popping neighbor, a dark web intruder, and more in a hilarious evening of consequences and confrontation. 

Watch the trailer below:

Guadalajara and Hong Kong will co-host Gay Games in November 2023

 

Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco in Mexico, and Hong Kong will host the Gay Games 2023, a sporting and cultural event that takes place every four years. The event will take place in November 3-11, 2023.

Since 1982, the Gay Games have been bringing people from the community together for a week of collaboration, teamwork, and self-expression. 

Previously, the games have been hosted in San Francisco, New York, Paris, Chicago, Amsterdam, and Vancouver, to name a few. This year, the events will be split between Guadalajara and Hong Kong.  

The Gay Games stand as a beacon of inclusivity, setting forth progressive principles for mainstream sports to adopt. Their commitment to inclusivity manifests in various ways, participation is not limited to individuals within the LGBTQ community.

There will be 20 competitive sporting events in Guadalajara: diving, swimming, waterpolo, 5k & 10k race, marathon and half marathon, athletics, badminton, basketball, beach volleyball, bowling, cheerleading, dance sports, golf, soccer 11, soccer 7, softball, tennis, volleyball, wrestling and powerlifting. Hong Kong will have its own unique slate of sports, including mahjong and martial arts.

Registrations in both events are open now here and here.

Ireland deeply concerned about rise in violence towards LGBTI people around the world

Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar adressed to United Nations (UN) to say he is concerned about the rise of violence and hatred towards LGBTI people at home and abroad. 

The Taoiseach, along with Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Transport Minister Eamon Ryan, are currently in New York for the UN High Level Week - 15 Years LGBTI Core Group.

Varadkar said Ireland is also deeply concerned about the  alarming pushback against LGBTI rights. He added to those who argue that marriage equality, or recognition of gender diversity, threatens to undermine society, our experience has been quite the opposite.

He said Ireland has come a long way in recent history, particularly when it comes to LGBTI inclusion: “I sincerely hope that our story can be a source of some optimism at a difficult time. I can vividly remember an Ireland shaped by shame, conformity and fear, where my election as Taoiseach, as Prime Minister, as an openly gay man would have seemed an impossibility.”

"Yet eight years ago, in 2015 Ireland became the first country in the world to provide for marriage equality by popular vote in an historic referendum and to enshrine that right in our constitution."

“Also in 2015, the Gender Recognition Act was passed, which allowed for transgender citizens to have their gender recognised through self-determination. It has been in place for eight years now and has worked well,” he said.

Varadkar stated that Ireland’s culture has changed and society is a lot more understanding of family and inclusion. He added there is always work to do and progress to be made, but he added that he is exceptionally proud of the Ireland of today.

YES won on Ireland's same-sex marriage referendum in 2015

Delhi hospital gets India's first outpatient department for transgender community

The Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi inaugurated India's first dedicated Outpatient Department (OPD) for the transgender community on the occasion of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday.

The initiative was started to alleviate the difficulties encountered by members of the transgender community in accessing healthcare services, largely due to discomfort and the fear of discrimination and social stigma.

At India's first dedicated OPD for transgenders, they will be provided with an endocrinology facility with hormone analysis and free hormonal treatment, a psychiatry facility with clinical-psychological assessment, and plastic surgery.

Also, dermatology, urology and paediatrics services and all related blood investigations will be made available at the OPD. And of course it will have gender-neutral/transgender washroom facilities.

Dr Ajay Shukla, the hospital's medical superintendent, inaugurated the special OPD and declared: "Government hospitals need to be accessible for every section of society and this is the motivation behind opening a separate OPD to provide healthcare services for the transgenders."

Well done India!!!

India prepares for marriage equality ruling

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Aristotle and Dante, one of the most highly anticipated queer films since its announcement in 2018, already hit theaters this september and its first teaser is out.

Based on the popular young adult novel of the same name by gay author Benjamin Alire Saenz, the boy-meets-boy tale follows two Mexican-American teenagers in El Paso, Texas in 1987.

Aristotle (or Ari) is played by Max Pelayo while Dante Quintana is portrayed by Reese Gonzales. Ari and Dante cross paths at a public swimming pool one summer. The pair form an instant bond that changes troubled Ari’s isolated life.

The free-spirited Dante introduces Ari to music, poetry, and lessons about the sky. Ari lets his guard down and explores a new, unusual friendship and the difficult road to self-discovery.

Trans filmmaker Aitch Alberto read the novel in one sitting almost ten years ago. Crafting the film adaptation spanned a seven-year period that encompassed the trans filmmaker’s own gender transition journey.

Prior to its public release, Aristotle and Dante screened in several film festivals, including the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival, the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival, and Outfest Los Angeles 2023.

Watch the trailer below:

Kim Davis must pay damages to one gay couple

A former Kentucky county clerk is being ordered to pay $100,000 to a local couple who sued the clerk after she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Kim Davis, the former clerk of Rowan county in eastern Kentucky, rose to national prominence for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses in 2015, arguing that such actions violated her religious beliefs that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Davis was briefly jailed on contempt of court charges for refusing to issue the licenses. She was later released when her staff issued the marriage certificates, but without her name on the form.

Last year, a federal judge ruled that Davis violated the constitutional rights of the two gay couples who sued her.

US district judge David Bunning said that Davis “cannot use her own constitutional rights as a shield to violate the constitutional rights of others while performing her duties as an elected official”.

This week, in a trial to determine damages Davis must pay, a federal jury ordered Davis to pay $50,000 each to David Ermold and David Moore, one of two gay couples.

The second couple who sued, James Yates and Will Smith, were awarded no damages.

Kentucky’s Republican-leaning legislature passed sweeping anti-LGBTQ laws, banning gender-affirming care for those under 18 and prohibiting trans children from using the bathroom that best suits their gender identity at school.

Sadly, most of the Republican US states are making refugees of their own residents, forcing LGBTQ people and their families, particularly trans kids, to cross state lines for refuge and safety.

For the repeal of Article 534 of Penal Code in Lebanon, which criminalizes homosexuality

A new ad in MTV Lebanon advocating for the decriminalization of homosexuality in the country is stirring up controversy in the Arab world. 

The campaign pushes for the repeal of Article 534 in the Lebanese Penal Code, a law first adopted in 1943 that is used to criminalize consensual same-sex sexual relations with up to one year of imprisonment. 

Even though several courts have tried to affirm consensual same-sex acts don’t qualify as being “against nature,” it hasn’t stopped multiple arrests continuing to persist,

In the clip, two men are seen standing side-by-side in an elevator when a third man joins them and pulls a gun from his jacket. The tension is palpable until he leaves. When he does, the first two men grasp each other’s hands when words flash across the screen: “There’s crime and there’s love.”

Since premiering, the powerful ad has generated an array of attacks from anti-gay figures, including from Culture Minister Mohammad Mouratda, who lambasted the network and accused it of incitement and division.

Lebanon's LGBTQ community has been the target of repeated attacks in recent months, both by political and religious leaders. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called in late July for the "death penalty" for liwat [a derogatory term for homosexuality].

Despite the outcry, LGBTQ Arabs and allies insist the campaign is sparking much-needed dialogue about the law, which they say is long overdue.  

It's time to change, Lebanon!!! 

Activists celebrate Pride in Belgrade despite threats from government and conservative groups

 

Hundreds of LGBTQ activists gathered in the Serbian capital Belgrade for a Pride event amid a heavy police presence and anti-gay messages sent by the country’s conservative leadership and far-right groups.

On the 11th consecutive gay pride march in Belgrade, activists protested against the discrimination they experience in the country as a heavy presence of riot police blocked off central city.

A small number of protesters and Orthodox priests held banners and religious icons in front of a city-centre church as the Pride event participants passed by. The anti-gay contingent say the Pride event should be banned because it goes against traditional Serbian Christian Orthodox values.

The country’s right-wing President Aleksandar Vucic said that as long as he is in power, he wouldn’t approve a law allowing same-sex marriages or partnerships. He also said that he banned rainbow flags from his office during the march.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, a close ally of Vucic, is the Balkan country’s first openly gay politician but has rarely spoken in favour of LGBTQ rights.

Before the Pride event, the embassies and representative offices of 25 countries and the European Union delegation in Serbia issued a joint statement of support for the values of Pride and urging protection of the rights of LGBTQ persons.

The joint statement said: “We proudly stand with the LGBTQ community in Serbia and strongly support the values that Pride represents: acceptance, inclusion and diversity.”

Happy Pride Belgrade!!!

Serbian police intervened to protect Pride parade

California declares August Transgender History Month

The California Assembly voted to recognize August as Transgender History Month, making it the first American state to do so. California will first observe the August designation in 2024. 

The recognition of Transgender History Month is meant to “create a culture led by research, education, and scholarly recognition of the contributions of transgender Californians,” according to the text of the resolution, which was sponsored by Democratic state Rep. Matt Haney.

"Let’s tell the truth about transgender people’s lives, and let’s lift up the history of the transgender Californians who left their mark on our great state," the lawmaker added.

The month of August was chosen to commemorate Compton’s Cafeteria Riots of 1966, according to the resolution. The 1966 events culminated in a violent transgender-led riot against the cafeteria workers and the police, based on alleged harassment and mistreatment. The city outlawed cross-dressing until 1974, but the Tenderloin District, where the riot took place, was later legally designated as the world’s first transgender cultural district. 

The Californian declaration of August as Transgender History Month follows a tumultuous year for LGBTQ individuals, with Republican-led states passing a litany of restrictions of gender-related treatments for minors and transgender participation in sports. 

Bulgaria urged to recognise same-sex couples

 

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in favour of a same-sex couple, acknowledging that Bulgaria had failed to recognise them as legally married abroad.

The case, taken by Darina Koilova and Lily Babulkova, sought to have their marriage recognised by the Bulgarian Civil Registration Act after the Metropolitan Municipality had refused their application in 2017.

The couple, who legally married in the UK in 2016, filed a case in the Metropolitan Administrative Court, which confirmed the refusal of the Metropolitan Municipality of Sofia. in 2019 the decision was also upheld by the Supreme Administrative Court.

In their appeal, Koilova and Babulkova claimed that the decision was in breach of their right to respect for private and family life protected under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).

The ruling, which was unanimously decided upon by all seven of the presiding judges, stated: “It is clear to the Court that to date the Bulgarian authorities have taken no steps to have adequate legal regulations adopted with regard to the recognition of unions between persons of the same sex.”

The judgement mandates that state legislators create a legal framework to allow same-sex couples adequate recognition and protections. So, Bulgaria now has a positive obligation to create a legal framework guaranteeing the effective exercise of the rights enshrined in Article 8 of the ECHR.

Darina and Lily

Hong Kong top court urges to recognize same-sex civil unions

 

Hong Kong’s top court ruled that the Chinese territory's legislature should provide a framework for recognizing same-sex partnerships in a landmark decision for the city’s LGBTQ community. 

The high court refused to recognize full marriage equality for homosexual couples but said the government had a responsibility “to provide them with a sense of legitimacy, dispelling any sense that they belong to an inferior class of persons whose relationship is undeserving of recognition.”

The court order gives the government two years to legally recognize same-sex civil unions. The ruling is the first time the court has directly addressed the issue.

Currently, Hong Kong only recognizes same-sex marriage for certain purposes such as taxation, civil service benefits and dependent visas.

Surveys showed 60% of the respondents showed support for same-sex marriage in 2023, up from 38% in 2013, according to a report issued by researchers in May.

It's time Hong Kong!!!

Never forget Matthew Shepard

 

A moving new documentary will explore the life and legacy of Matthew Shepard, 25 years after his death in what remains one of the most horrendous homophobic hate crimes in modern history.

Wyoming student Matthew Shepard was just 21 years old when he was brutally beaten and left for dead in the US state on 6 October 1998. He was pronounced dead six days later, on 12 October.

On 9 October this year, marking 25 years since his death, a new two-hour documentary will premiere, honouring Matthew's life and reflecting on how the murder marked a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ rights.

Matthew’s parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, set up the Matthew Shepard Foundation in his memory. The foundation works to educate on LGBTQ inclusion and advocate for equal rights.

Their fight was instrumental in the formation of the 2009 Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which introduced federal-level protections for crimes based on sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and disability.

In the new documentary Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime, airing on Investigation Discovery, Matthew’s friends, local journalists and members of the queer community will reflect on how his story created change and forced America to reckon with its deep-rooted homophobia.

Never forget!

Mississippi elects first openly gay state lawmaker ever

 

Mississippi will have its first-ever openly gay state legislator after a House candidate won his Democrat primary election runoff.

Fabian Nelson, a 38-year-old realtor from Byram, prevailed over Roshunda Harris-Allen, an education professor at Tougaloo College and alderwoman in Byram.

The race to represent the House district in the south Jackson metro area was decided in a runoff after neither Nelson nor Allen received a majority vote. Republicans did not field a candidate for the general election, so Democrat and openly gay Nelson will go on to represent the district.

The Hinds County district includes Southwest Jackson and part of Byram, Salem and Terry. Nelson said he connected with voters by relying on his deep local ties. In office, he wants to increase health care access for low-income people by pushing for Medicaid expansion.

Nelson’s victory comes on the heels of a historic wave of restrictions passed by Republican-controlled legislatures targeting the rights of transgender people. There have seen a record number of measures against LGBTQ community in Mississippi in 2023.

So glad in a time when we are seeing attacks legislatively and through violence against the LGBTQ community that the majority of people reject that kind of animus.

Congrats rep. Nelson!!!

Repeal the Uganda anti-gay law and death penal for 'aggravated homosexuality'

 

A 20-year-old man is facing a potential death sentence after he became the first person to be charged with “aggravated homosexuality” under Uganda’s new law that calls for the death penalty for some same-sex sexual relations.

The unnamed man was charged with aggravated homosexuality after he "performed unlawful sexual intercourse" with a 41-year-old man. 

The man’s lawyer told four other individuals have been charged under the new law but that her client is the first to be charged with aggravated homosexuality.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill was passed by the Uganda Parliament and signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni in May 2023. People found to be “engaging in acts of homosexuality” can be sentenced to life in prison

The law calls for the death penalty in cases of “aggravated homosexuality,” which refers to repeat offenders and people living with HIV engaging in same-sex sexual relations. 

Awful!!!

Brazilian Supreme Court rules homophobia punishable by prison

 

The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court ruled homophobia now punishable with up to five years in prison. The justices ruled by a 9-1 margin. Their decision equates homophobia to racism in terms of prison time.

The Supreme Federal Court issued its ruling less than eight months after President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in Brazil. His predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, faced sharp criticism over his rhetoric against LGBTQ and intersex Brazilians and other groups. 

"Such a decision brings legal certainty and reinforces the court’s understanding with regard to the principle of equality and nondiscrimination," said the National LGBTI+ Alliance in a statement. "It is an important step in the civilizing process and in the fight against hatred in Brazilian society."

President Lula da Silva defeated Bolsonaro in October 2022

A gay policeman gets paternity leave to take care of his daughter for first time in Brazil

Sergeant Valdi Barbosa, from the Military Police of Pernambuco, had a victory. Together with her husband, Rafael Moreira, he took a six-month paternity leave to take care of their newborn daughter, Sofia, the result of a "solidarity belly". This is the first time that such a case has happened in Brazil.

Valdi's battle to secure his paternity leave has not been an easy one. He faced bureaucracies, institutional resistance and a legal system that often showed that it did not know how to deal with new situations. 

Legally in Brazil, he would be entitled to 20 days of leave, until a longer term is released. The state tried to appeal the sentence, but the appeal was denied. The sergeant combined the six months of leave with his vacation and managed to spend eight months taking care of Sofia. 

"It's not my right, it's my daughter's. Some people might think that I wanted a right that belongs to mothers, but in fact it's the child's right, to have someone fully dedicated to her for six months", said Valdi.

Valdi always had the dream of being a father and his sister served as a supportive belly, in vitro fertilization, to give birth to his niece. The couple had to face many prejudices during their management and they would not stop fighting for paternity leave after everything they had been through.

Congratulations to the newlydads!!!

Gay Japanese assemblyman call on Japan to legalize same-sex marriage after tying knot in Taiwan

 

An openly gay assemblyman from Japanese Aichi Prefecture and his Taiwanese partner, having just registered their union in Taiwan, called on Japan to swiftly legalize same-sex marriage to ensure equality for sexual minorities.

Takahama city assembly member Masahiro Shibaguchi, 53, of the Japanese Communist Party, and his spouse Ariel Ling-chun Liu, 38, who also lives in Japan, traveled to Taiwan to register their marriage in Taipei City's Datong District.

In 2019, Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage for its citizens. Instead, Japan remains the only Group of Seven nation that does not recognize same-sex marriage. 

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who heads the party, remains cautious about legalizing same-sex marriage in Japan and has called for further debate, saying doing so "could extensively change society as it concerns the lives of the people."

It's time Japan!!!

Several chess federations will not exclude trans women despite international ban

Chess skyrocketed into the media spotlight this week after the world’s top chess federation, known as FIDE, said it will ban trans women from participating in women’s competitions. The policy would also see players who held women’s titles and later transitioned to male removed. 

The English Chess Federation (ECF) has said it won’t be a pawn in the FIDE’s anti-trans game and will continue to welcome all players. Trans women have worked on behalf of the ECF and played in ECF events, as have trans women in various other chess federations.

A similar positions have been adopted by the German Chess Federation, the French Chess Federation, and the United States Chess Federation. The Finnish Chess Federation wrote on social media that FIDE’s anti-trans policy is “incomprehensible” and assured trans women that they’re still welcome in their competitions. 

Cathy Renna, communications director for the National LGBTQ Task Force, called FIDE’s policy “a case of trans panic with no justification, not grounded in reality and once again marginalising trans people.”

“The new guidelines on trans competitors in chess are infuriating, confusing, contradictory and a sign that the anti-trans movement, particularly those who are promoting exclusion in sports, is spreading into other areas of competitive sport and is a very disturbing development,” Renna told.

There are no reasons to ban trans women from sports, according to science and experts.

UN human rights experts denounce Taliban's treatment of women, LGBTQ people, and other groups in Afghanistan

United Nations (UN) human rights experts sharply criticized the Taliban over its treatment of LGBTQ and other groups in Afghanistan.

“Two years ago, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. Since then, the policies they have imposed on the Afghan population have resulted in a continuous, systematic and shocking rescinding of a multitude of human rights, including the rights to education, work and freedoms of expression, assembly and association," reads a statement.

"Consistent credible reports of summary executions and acts tantamount to enforced disappearances, widespread arbitrary detention, torture, and ill treatment, as well as arbitrary displacement have caused increased concern.” 

“The hardest hit are women and girls, ethnic, religious and other minorities, people with disabilities, displaced persons, LGBTQ persons, human rights defenders and other civil society actors, journalists, artists, educators and former government and security officials.”

Under sharia, conviction of same-sex sexual conduct is punishable by death, flogging or imprisonment. Individual Taliban members made public statements reiterating that their interpretation of sharia includes the death penalty for homosexuality.

A 2022 report already showed the desperate situation of LGBTQ people in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in 2021.

#FreeAfghanistan

To be gay in Afghanistan is a death sentence now

Red, White, & Royal Blue: the gay rom-com to watch this summer

Red, White, & Royal Blue is a gay romantic comedy, directed by Tony Award-winning playwright Matthew López and written by him and Ted Malawer.

The movie is an adaptation of the New York Times best-sellingnovel by Casey McQuiston, which follows the story of the first son of the President of the United States of America and the second in line to the British throne, as the two transform their rivalry into a budding romance after a tabloid scandal.

Starring Nicholas Galitzine as Britain’s Prince Henry, Uma Thurman as the President of the United States, and Taylor Zakhar Perez as her son Alex Claremont-Diaz. 

A disastrous and very public altercation between Alex and Prince Henry at a royal event becomes tabloid fodder driving a potential wedge in U.S./British relations at the worst possible time. 

Going into damage control mode, their families force the two rivals into a staged ‘truce.’ But as Alex and Henry’s icy relationship unexpectedly begins to thaw into a tentative friendship, the friction that existed between them sparks something deeper than they ever expected.

Red, White, & Royal Blue is streaming exclusively on Prime Video. Watch a trailer below:

Barry Keoghan and Jacob Elordi stars in the new Emerald Fennell's movie: Saltburn

 

Directed by the Oscar-winning director Emerald Fennell, Saltburn is the obsessive thriller the gays have been looking for, and described as “a wicked tale of privilege and desire”.

The movie casts The Batman star Barry Keoghan along with Euphoria fame Jacob Elordi.

Oliver (Barry) is studying at Oxford University in the early Noughties, and struggling to find his tribe. Before long, he becomes obsessed with fellow student, the charming and aristocratic Felix (Jacob).

Felix invites Oliver to meet his eccentric family on their huge estate in Saltburn, the British town which gives the film its name. The pair will then embark on a summer never to be forgotten, which somehow sounds as ominous as it does erotic.

Barry Keoghan was nominated for best supporting actor at this year’s Oscars and bagged a BAFTA for his role as Dominic Kearney in comedy drama The Banshees of Inisherin. While Euphoria villain Jacob Elordi is one of the most sought-after young actors in recent years. He’s currently gearing up to star as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla.

Saltburn has been confirmed to premiere on 24 November in Los Angeles before a wider rollout on 1 December.

This movie smells an Oscar run!

FIFA can't stop love in Women's World Cup

Alba Redondo is having a great FIFA Women’s World Cup. The forward for Spain has scored three goals in four matches in Group C and the knockout stage, scoring twice against Zambia and once against Switzerland.

After her big match against Zambia, a 5-0 win for Spain, she showed the world her love for her girlfriend, laying a big kiss on Cristina Monleón as she leaned out of the stands. 

Alba is one of almost 100 publicly out gay, lesbian, bi, trans and queer athletes Outsports has identified at this World Cup.

The two have not been shy on Instagram about sharing their love for one another. Both of their feeds, and in particular Cristina’s, are chock full of loving photos of the two women together.

FIFA confirmed that players at the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand would not be able to wear the rainbow armband in support of LGBTQ rights, but they can't stop love.

Proud on top of the world

Aidan Hyman celebrated his 20th birthday in unprecedented fashion. The queer extreme athlete climbed the second-highest mountain on earth; and when he reached the elevation of the base camp, stuck down a rainbow flag to represent the LGBTQ community.

The University of California student started his odyssey in mid-June, when he joined a mountaineering expedition in Pakistan with the goal of reaching the base camp of K2. With its elevation raising to 8,251 feet, it only trails Mount Everest in terms of stature.

It wasn’t an easy trek. After landing in Pakistan, Aidan and his team drove eight hours through the desert toward the Karakorum Mountains before beginning a 100-mile hike just to reach K2. The mountain itself is one of the most deadly on earth, but Aidan was determined. 

Congratulations Aidan!!!

Gay Days 2023 at Disneyland resort confirmed and dates revealed

Gay Days has officially announced that the fan meetup will return to Disneyland Resort from September 22 to 24, 2023. 

In the 1990s, the inaugural Gay Days hit Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort, thousands of members of the LGBTQ community held an unofficial meetup at Magic Kingdom and Disneyland Park. Since then, Gay Days has remained a Disney Parks fan-favorite event.

Gay Days isn't presented by Disneyland, hence why it's "unofficial". This event is a "mix in," meaning gay people and straight people mingle together; the park is open to the general public so that our chosen families are mixing with the families of the other guests.

Gay Days is not a single event, it's comprised of multiple events staged at world famous attractions, gay & lesbian clubs, and unique venues secured for the purpose of creating a gay and lesbian atmosphere at greatest theme parks and at multiple parties occurring during this long week.

Check the schedule here.

Gay Days draw crowds of over 30,000 people annually 

Over 30,000 people participated in Bucharest Pride 2023

 

The Accept association organized Bucharest Pride 2023, an event of the Romanian LGBTQ community, and over 30,000 people participated in the march. The demonstrators demanded equal rights for all citizens, regardless of sexual orientation. 

Under the umbrella of "Visible love. Visible families", the event  this year focused on the feeling of family, as well as the right to have a family recognized and legally protected by the Romanian state, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity of the partners.

Every year, the LGBTQ community in Romania takes to the streets to celebrate their identity, to make their voice heard and to claim their right to a dignified life. This year, gay  people are invited to join the march accompanied by the people they love, to show the world the beauty of family diversity.

Bucharest Pride is an important occasion to stand up for LGBTQ rights and inclusion. Encourage the Romanian authorities to address any current legal gaps for the full realization of LGBTQ rights and push for the legalization of same-sex marriages and homosexual adoptions.

Dozens of embassies and diplomatic missions and international organizations placed in Bucharest also signed a statement supporting Pride 2023 and the LGBTQ community in Romania.

Happy Pride!!!

Liverpool to host Kyiv Pride march on behalf of Ukraine

 

Thousands of LGTBQ people march through Liverpool this weekend, as the city hosts a joint pride celebration with Ukraine.

Kyiv's own pride march cannot be held there, due to the Russian invasion, so Merseyside will hold the event on its behalf.

More than 15,000 turned the city centre into what organisers called a "sea of rainbows" for last year's Liverpool Pride.

Pride organisers in Merseyside believe the event follows on naturally from hosting Eurovision to help Ukraine during the war.

It is a celebration and a protest according organisers. "We've developed an affinity with Kyiv over the time of the war. We've co-delivered, on their behalf, Eurovision which was an amazing success and now... this celebration, this protest in combination with their pride," they said.

Happy Pride!!!

Russian invasion fuels public support for LGBTQ people in Ukraine

How people view same-sex marriage around the world

A Pew Research Center report evaluating support for same-sex marriage in 24 countries around the world shows how it differs based region, religion, and other factors.

Sweden leads the way, with 92% of respondents backing marriage equality, according to the research. Nigeria, meanwhile, is at the other end of the spectrum, with just 2% of the population in support of marriage rights for queer people.

In addition to Sweden’s pro-marriage stance, the country is closely followed by the Netherlands (89%), Spain (87%), France (82%) and Germany (80%). In the United Kingdom, 73% of adults support gay marriage, but, in Italy, gay marriage, which has been a headline in the news and politics since the election of Giorgia Meloni, is not legal, despite 74% of adults being in favor of it. 

In the United States, support for gay marriage is at 63%, but the support is fragmented depending on political beliefs, religion, and other areas. Democrats are nearly two times more likely than Republicans to support marriage equality, 82% vs. 44%.

In the Americas, support is also generally above the halfway mark. Aside from the United States, support for same-sex marriage is 79% in Canada, 63% in Mexico, 67% in Argentina, and 52% in Brazil.

In Asia, marriage support sits at 75% among adults in Australia and 74% in Japan, though it is still not legal in Japan. In India, 53% of adults are in favor of same-sex marriage, which is currently in the process of being decided in their Supreme Court. 

Africa and the Middle East (except Israel) remain among the least supportive of gay marriage

Check the repoprt here.