Best wishes for 2024!!!

 

Israel High Court unanimously rules in favor of same-sex adoption

In a landmark decision, the Israel's High Court of Justice ruled unanimously that same-sex couples may adopt children under the terms of a 1981 adoption law.

The court re-interpreted the current law that, if read literally, excludes same-sex couples from adopting children, and asserted that the legislation’s true intent was to ensure the good of the adopted child.

In light of modern understandings of child welfare, the law could be interpreted as allowing for same-sex adoption, the court said.

The issue of same-sex adoption has been the subject of a long running political and legal battle in Israel, and ruling has been warmly welcomed by LGBTQ rights groups and Human Rights activists.

The head of the Association for LGBTQ Equality in Israel Ran Shalhavi described the ruling as “an historic victory and a groundbreaking achievement” that demonstrated the High Court’s importance in protecting LGBTQ rights.

Republican file bill to ban Pride flags on public buildings in Florida

A Republican lawmaker in Florida has introduced legislation to ban Pride and ‘political’ flags from local and state government buildings.

David Borrero, who represents Northwestern Miami-Dade County, filed the House Bill 901, also called the ‘Display of Flags by Governmental Entities’ bill.

If passed, the legislation would see that a “governmental entity may not erect or display a flag that represent a political viewpoint” in Florida, as it must “remain neutral when representing political viewpoints in displaying of erecting a flag”. 

Such viewpoints include those labelled as “racial, sexual orientation and gender, or political ideology”.

Remember Trump Administration refused to let U.S. embassies fly the Pride flag during Pride month in the past legislature.

Florida’s legislature made national headlines last year when state Republicans introduced the Parental Rights in Education bill, known to its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay bill", to restrict public school teachers’ ability to engage in classroom instruction related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

In March 2023, Republican DeSantis wanted to expand "Don't Say Gay" law in all Florida. And last month the U.S. Supreme Court denied DeSantis' request to reinstate Florida's drag ban. 

Enough is enough, it's time to change, Florida!!!

Not one step back in Madrid!!!

 

Madrid’s regional assembly in Spain approved a proposal by the right wing Popular Party (PP), leaded for her president Isabel Ayuso, to remove protections for transgender individuals. 

The bill, which modified a law supporting trans rights and LGBTQ rights that were both passed in 2016 with the PP’s support, makes Madrid the initial Spanish region to reverse such legislation.

Under the reform, discriminating against workers based on their sexual orientation or gender identity is no longer a punishable offence in Madrid's region. Besides, it is also no longer a punishable offence to beat a person without causing injury based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In December 2022, Spain passed a nationwide bill allowing transgender people aged 14 and over to change their legal gender without the need for psychological or other medical evaluation, but now, the Madrid region's underage trans people will only be able to start hormone replacement therapies after being examined by a psychologist or psychiatrist.

Only the far-right VOX party, which governs in coalition with PP in some Spanish cities and regions, supported the bill and congratulated themselves because PP changed their position.

Instead, the left parties' lawmakers unfurled trans pride flags and several activists displayed red gloves while shouting slogans before being expelled from the gallery of the assembly.

Spain is one of the nation tops a list of 40 countries most accepting of homosexuality, but human rights activists are warning that attacks on queer people increased in Spain in recent times, after PP and VOX have extreme their speech against LGBTQ rights.

Not one step back in Madrid, it is unacceptable!!!

Greece is ready to legalize same-sex marriage

Greece’s government announced that it will follow through on a pledge to legalize same-sex marriage. The spokesperson said the law will be introduced in parliament during the current session. 

PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in July his intention to legalize same-sex marriage during his second term in office, declaring that “same-sex marriage will happen at some point, and it’s part of our strategy.”

Greece recognized cohabitation agreements providing same-sex couples with several of the rights and benefits of marriage since 2015.

However, Orthodox Church opposes the measure and concerns around parenting, which they disagree with because “it does not satisfy the rights of children to have both a father and a mother.”

A new opinion poll shows that the Greek public is almost split on same-sex marriages. According to a nationwide survey, 52 percent expressed a positive view overall, with 20 percent saying they “would like it to be allowed” and 32 percent having no problem, compared to 33 percent who say they would like it not to be allowed.

It's time Greece!!!

The European Union honors the rights of same-sex parents across the union

The European Union (EU) has voted to support parenthood, including same-sex parents, throughout the continent.

The European Certificate of Parenthood will recognize parenthood regardless of how a child is conceived or born or the type of family structure they have. It also provides for rights to education, healthcare, custody, and succession. 

Countries will be able to make their own laws regarding whether or not they will recognize some forms of parenthood, like surrogacy, but after a certificate is approved in one member country, it has to be honored in all of them. 

The move honors the rights of same-sex parents across the EU regardless of the policies of individual countries as long as the child is born in a member country.

From now, no child should be discriminated against because of who they belong to or how they were born across the European Union. 

Pope Francis formally allows priests to bless same-sex couples

 

Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it.

The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Pope Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage.

The new document repeats that condition and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. But it says requests for such blessings for same-sex couples should not be denied full stop, and it insists that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God and looking for his love and mercy should not be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” as a precondition for receiving it.

Thank you DC Comics!!!

Over the past two years, conservatives have increasingly focused on comic books and graphic novels with LGBTQ content. “Parents rights” advocates have targeted titles like Maia Kobabe’s Gender Queer: A Memoir, Alison Bechdel’s Fun Home, Alice Oseman’s Heartstopper, and other queer-themed graphic works for removal from schools and public libraries.

DC Comics has used its deep multiverse to introduce queer and gender-swapped variants of longtime characters like Superman (Jon Kent), Green Lantern (Sojourner Mullein), Aquaman (Jackson Hyde), and the Flash (Jess Chambers), as well as introducing new LGBTQ+ characters like Galaxy, Xanthe Zhou, and Circuit Breaker. 

Additionally, DC Comics’ multiverse sometimes results in different individuals assuming the same superhero identities on different timelines or universes, such as when Damien Wayne and Tim Drake both fight crime as Batman’s sidekick, Robin.

If young readers and free-speech advocates are holding out for a hero, DC Comics, one of the United States’ oldest and largest comic book publishers, might just be the streetwise Hercules they need. In the past year, the powerhouse publisher behind such iconic heroes as Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman has quietly stood behind and even increased its LGBTQ content. 

DC Comics’ continued production of queer content feels especially important in an era when several large corporations have reconsidered (or outright scaled back) their outward commitments to LGBTQ communities in response to conservative boycotts and some media pressure.

Thank you DC Comics!!!

Top European Court rules Poland should recognize same-sex marriage

Poland has violated the right to respect for a private life by failing to offer legal recognition for same-sex couples, the European Court of Human Rights said, putting pressure on Donald Tusk’s new government to quickly change the law.

Ten Poles argued that the vast majority of Council of Europe member states offered same-sex couples a right to marry or to enter into registered civil unions, and asserted that they were disadvantaged, for example in the fields of taxation, social rights and family law.

“The Court considered that the Polish State had failed to comply with its duty to ensure that the applicants had a specific legal framework providing for the recognition and protection of their same-sex unions,” it said in a statement.

“That failure had resulted in the applicants’ inability to regulate fundamental aspects of their lives and amounted to a breach of their right to respect for their private and family life.”

The case dates back to the rule of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which was effectively ended after eight years when parliament backed a new pro-European government under Donald Tusk to take power after October’s election.

It is time Poland!!!

Poland’s parliament elected pro-EU Donald Tusk as prime minister

Poland’s parliament elects pro-EU Donald Tusk as prime minister

 

Poland's parliament voted in favour of Donald Tusk becoming prime minister, putting an end to eight years of nationalist rule and setting the stage for a thawing of relations with the European Union (EU).

Earlier in the day, former prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki of the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party lost a vote of confidence. PiS undermined judicial independence, turned state-owned media into a propaganda outlet and fomented prejudice against minorities such as immigrants and the LGBTQ community in Poland.

The attacks against LGBTQ rights in Poland gained pace eight years ago when ruling ultra conservative party PiS launching a tirade of abuse towards the country’s LGBTQ community as a key part of its government. Party leader and former prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski directly targeted LGBTQ people in frequent demonising speeches. 

Because PiS, Poland has seen tens of billions of euros of European Union funds frozen due to a dispute with Brussels over democratic standards, but Tusk, a former European Council president, has vowed to mend relations and unblock the cash.

Speaking in the Polish parliament after winning the vote to become prime minister, Donald Tusk thanked Poles and said his new government will “right the wrongs” so that everyone “can feel at home.”

A new era begins in Poland!

Bye-bye Morawiecki and Kaczynski

Moscow gay bars raided after law change

Russian security forces raided gay clubs and bars across Moscow last night, less than 48 hours after the country’s top court banned what it called the “global LGBTQ movement” as an extremist organization.

Police searched venues across the Russian capital, including a nightclub, a male sauna and a bar that hosted LGBTQ parties, under the pretext of a drug raid.

The raids follow a decision by Russia’s Supreme Court to label the country’s LGBTQ “movement” as an extremist organization.

The ruling, which was made in response to a lawsuit filed by the Justice Ministry, is the latest step in a decadelong crackdown on LGBTQ rights under President Vladimir Putin, who has emphasized “traditional family values” during his 24 years in power.

Russian LGBTQ activists say the broad definition of the latest ruling means that the authorities could potentially crack down on any individuals or groups who are deemed to be part of the movement. Putin intends to eradicate Russia’s LGBTQ community.

Enough!!!