The Senate of Mexico approved a bill that would ban so-called conversion therapy in the country.
The measure passed by a 77-4 vote margin with 15 abstentions. The Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Mexico’s congress, approved the bill last month.
The Senate described conversion therapy as “practices that have incentivized the violation of human rights of the LGBTQ+ community.”
Apart from being immoral and ineffective, conversion therapies can involve dangerous practices such as electric shocks, beatings or “corrective rape”, which can be harmful to the physical and mental health of the victims, on top of being stigmatising and discriminatory.
Besides Mexico, a lot of countries already banned conversion therapy, but it has to be banned around the world!!!
Iranian authorities are waging a large-scale campaign to enforce repressive compulsory veiling laws through widespread surveillance of women and girls in public spaces and mass police checks targeting women drivers.
Tens of thousands of women have had their cars arbitrarily confiscated as punishment for defying Iran’s veiling laws. Others have been prosecuted and sentenced to flogging or prison terms or faced other penalties such as fines or being forced to attend “morality” classes.
Women said that the process to retrieve their cars from the Moral Security Police involves long queues and degrading treatment from officials including gender-based insults and reprimands about the appearance of women as well as humiliating instructions to cover their hair and threats of flogging, imprisonment and travel bans.
The intensifying persecution of women and girls is taking place just weeks before the UN Human Rights Council is set to vote on extending a Fact-Finding Mission with a mandate to investigate rights violations in Iran since the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, particularly against women.
Dominica’s High Court has overturned the country’s ban on consensual same-sex activity, which dates back to colonial times.
The High Court ruled the law that criminalised consensual same-sex activity between adults (sections 14 and 16 of the 1998 Sexual Offences Act) were unconstitutional.
Prior to the ruling, both male and female same-sex sexual activity was illegal. Anyone found guilty faced a maximum penalty of 12 years’ imprisonment, and the possibility of compulsory psychiatric treatment.
The case was brought by a gay man living in the Caribbean country, who argued that the law violated his constitutional rights. The man claimed the legislation had forced him to live in constant fear of criminal sanction for engaging in consensual sexual activity.
Justice Kimberly Cenac-Phulgence wrote in the ruling that the court found the law breached the constitutional right to liberty, freedom of expression and protection of personal privacy.
Laws criminalising homosexuality were first imposed in several Caribbean nations by the British during the colonial era of the 1800s. Following gaining independence, several countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, have legalised homosexuality. Although, some Caribbean countries still criminalise homosexuality, like Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, where judges recently ruled to keep homosexuality illegal.
More than a dozen activists protested in front of the European Union Delegation to the United States in D.C. and demanded the EU to sanction Uganda over the country’s Anti-Homosexuality Act.
They urged the European Union to respond more forcefully to Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act and to punish the officials who spurred its enactment.
“The European Union should immediately announce a comprehensive review of all of its funding to Uganda, and should pause or reprogram any funds that go via government entities. Any essential humanitarian support should be rerouted to non-government organizations who are committed to providing services to and employing LGBTIQ people,” they said in a statement.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni last May signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act that, among other things, contains a death penalty provision for “aggravated homosexuality.”
The country’s Constitutional Court refused to nullify the Anti-Homosexuality Act in its totality. A group of Ugandan LGBTQ activists have appealed the ruling.
This law violates basic human rights and sets a dangerous precedent for discrimination and persecution against the LGBTQ community. Same-sex relationships were already against the law in Uganda before the signing of the bill, as they are in more than half of countries in Africa.
The Biden Administration called for immediate repeal and threatened to cut aid and investment to Uganda. The U.S. removed Uganda from the list of nations eligible to benefit from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which allows eligible sub-Saharan African nations to export over 1,800 products to the U.S. duty-free.
The Houthi authorities in Yemen increased persecution of people based on their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, after two courts sentenced more than 40 people either to death, flogging or prison over charges related to same-sex conduct.
A criminal court in Dhamar, in northern Yemen, sentenced nine people to death, with seven sentenced to be executed by stoning and two by crucifixion, while 23 others were handed prison sentences ranging between six months and ten years on charges including “homosexuality”, “spreading immorality”, and “immoral acts”.
Besides, another court in Ibb, in southern Yemen, handed down death sentences against 13 students and flogging sentences to three others on charges of “spreading homosexuality”.
At present, Houthis are the best friends of Iran, and they have become key partners in Tehran’s quest for regional dominance. Iran is considered one of the most dangerous places to be gay. Under the Islamic Shariaa law practiced in Yemen and Iran, same-sex relations are a criminal offence and the punishment ranges from flogging to the death penalty.
The Houthi authorities must immediately quash the death sentences against these individuals and drop all charges related to their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. They also must immediately and unconditionally release all individuals who are held solely based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Mary & George is inspired by the “outrageous true story” of Mary Villiers, played by Academy Award winner Julianne Moore, who “moulded her beautiful and charismatic son” George (Nicholas Galitzine) to become King James’ “all-powerful lover”. As The New York Timeswrote, Galitzine is more than just a pretty face and he is now outstripping the limits of his debonair onscreen identity and looking for what’s beyond them.
Based on The King’s Assassin by Benjamin Woolle, the series is described as an “audacious historical psychodrama about a treacherous mother and son who schemed, seduced and killed to conquer the Court of England and the bed of its King”.
The official synopsis reads: “Through outrageous scheming, the pair rose from humble beginnings to become the richest, most titled and influential players the English court had ever seen, and the King’s most trusted advisors.
“And with England’s place on the world stage under threat from a Spanish invasion and rioters taking to the streets to denounce the King, the stakes could not have been higher.
“Prepared to stop at nothing and armed with her ruthless political steel, Mary married her way up the ranks, bribed politicians, colluded with criminals and clawed her way into the heart of the Establishment, making it her own.”
The series boasts an ensemble cast, with supporting players such as: Nichola Walker (The Split), Niamh Algar (The Wonder), Trine Dyrholm (The Legacy), Sean Gilder (Slow Horses), Adrian Rawlins (Chernobyl), Mark O’Halloran (The Miracle Club), Laurie Davidson (Guilty Party), Samuel Blenkin (Atlanta) and Jacob McCarthy (SAS: Rogue Heroes).
Soccer is one of the most closed sports: few active male professional footballers have declared themselves openly homosexual. Furthermore, in lower categories it can be difficult to practice this sport if you are gay.
Aware of this, two LGTBI football teams were born in Spain: Orgullo Hispalense in Seville and Rinos Fútbol Club in Granada. The desire to enjoy football in a safe environment free of homophobia was one of the motivations of these teams for their foundation.
"Most of us end up leaving football due to issues of rejection, homophobia, discomfort in the locker room and some annoying comments," explains Jose, a player on the Sevillian team.
Now, one of their main objectives is to participate in different competitions in Spain, seeking to federate, and begining to play more continuously. In June, they will play in the Pride Games in Madrid and would also like playing in some edition of Euro Games.
Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson has been suspended for three matches for making a homophobic slur towards an Essendon player.
The player accepted a three-match ban for a homophobic slur the Australian Football League (AFL) decreed was “hurtful and totally unacceptable”. The League took his contrition into account when determining the penalty.
“I unreservedly apologize again to the Essendon player, my teammates, Port Adelaide members and supporters and the LGBTQIA+ community for the distress I have caused,” Finlayson said in a statement.
In addition to the three-game ban, Finlayson will also complete a Pride in Sport education course, at his own cost.
AFL general counsel Stephen Meade reiterated the AFL's stance that there was no place for homophobia in football. "Everyone, including Jeremy, understands the word he used is both hurtful and totally unacceptable in any setting, ever," he said.
"The AFL is very clear that homophobia has no place in our game, nor in society. We want all people in LGBTQI+ communities to feel safe playing or attending our games and we know the incident that happened on the weekend does not assist this goal. As a code we will continue to work together to improve our game as a safe and inclusive environment for all," Meade added.
The American Library Association (ALA) has released its list of the 10 most challenged books of 2023, and seven of the 10 were challenged, that is, subject to ban attempts, at least in part for LGBTQ content. Several of them are by or about people of color.
“In looking at the titles of the most challenged books from last year, it’s obvious that the pressure groups are targeting books about LGBTQIA+ people and people of color,” ALA President Emily Drabinski said. “At ALA, we are fighting for the freedom to choose what you want to read. Shining a light on the harmful workings of these pressure groups is one of the actions we must take to protect our right to read,” she added.
The top 10 list, released Monday during National Library Week, consists of these books:
Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe; reasons: LGBTQ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson; reasons: LGBTQ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson; reasons: LGBTQIA content, sex education, claimed to be sexually explicit.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky; reasons: claimed to be sexually explicit, LGBTQ content, rape, drugs, profanity.
Flamer by Mike Curato; reasons: LGBTQ content, claimed to be sexually explicit.
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison; reasons: rape, incest, claimed to be sexually explicit, equity, diversity, and inclusion content.
Tricks by Ellen Hopkins; reasons: claimed to be sexually explicit, drugs, rape, LGBTQ content.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews; reasons: claimed to be sexually explicit, profanity.
Let’s Talk About It by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan; reasons: claimed to be sexually explicit, sex education, LGBTQ content.
Sold by Patricia McCormick; reasons: claimed to be sexually explicit, rape.
The fight to protect access to books comes amid a book banning boom, with an alarming increase in attempts to censor books in K-12 schools, universities and public libraries. Many of these efforts seek to pull books with LGBTQ characters or themes and are part of a broader, Republican-led movement to chisel away at the rights and status of LGBTQ Americans.
Each attempt to ban a book represents a direct attack on every person’s right to freely choose what books to read and what ideas to explore, and to suppress the voices of LGBTQ community.
Cardiff has been chosen to host the EuroGames in 2027, marking the first time the LGBTQ+ inclusive event has been held in the UK.
LGBTQ+ sports development and inclusion organisation, Pride Sports Cymru, has been successful in ensuring that Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ sporting event would be staged in the Welsh capital.
The first EuroGames, governed by the European Gay and Lesbian Sport Federation, was held in The Hague in The Netherlands in 1992 and this year’s event will be staged in the Austrian capital, Vienna, in July.
It is the largest multi sport event for athletes, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation in Europe. Up to 10,000 athletes, including transgender sportsmen and women, are expected to descend on Cardiff in 2027.
Uganda's Constitutional Court rejected to scrap a harsh anti-gay law that is considered one of the toughest in the world.
The legislation was adopted in May last year, triggering outrage among the LGBTQ community, rights campaigners, the United Nations and Western powers.
It imposes penalties of up to life in prison for consensual same-sex relations and contains provisions that make "aggravated homosexuality" an offense punishable by death in Uganda.
"We decline to nullify the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 in its entirety, neither will we grant a permanent injunction against its enforcement," Richard Buteera, Uganda's deputy chief justice and head of the court, said in the landmark ruling.
The decision was greeted with dismay by opponents of the law, although the five-judge bench did strike out several provisions it said were inconsistent with international rights conventions.
This law violates basic human rights and sets a dangerous precedent for discrimination and persecution against the LGBTQ community. Same-sex relationships were already against the law in Uganda before the signing of the bill, as they are in more than half of countries in Africa.
President Joe Biden honored Transgender Day of Visibility observance with a statement highlighting his administration’s work advancing the rights of trans Americans and fighting back against harmful anti-LGBTQ state laws.
“On Transgender Day of Visibility, we honor the extraordinary courage and contributions of transgender Americans and reaffirm our nation’s commitment to forming a more perfect union, where all people are created equal and treated equally throughout their lives,” president Biden said.
“I am proud to have appointed transgender leaders to my administration and to have ended the ban on transgender Americans serving openly in our military,” noting also his issuance of “historic executive orders that strengthen civil rights protections in housing, employment, health care, education, the justice system and more” and his signing, in 2022, of the Respect for Marriage Act which ensures “that every American can marry the person they love,” president Biden added.
Joe Biden is the most pro-equality U.S. president ever. According to polling result released by GLAAD, most LGBTQ voters prefer President Joe Biden to Trump.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The report, titled “A political and cultural glimpse into America’s future,” released by the Public Religion Research Institute, sought to highlight the cultural and political views of Gen Z adults, compared with older Americans.
About 20% of Americans are Gen Z, which the survey’s researchers specify as those ages 18 to 25,
28 percent of Z adults in the U.S. identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer, dwarfing the percentages of LGBTQ Americans in older age groups, according to a report
The report found about 10% of all adults, 16% of millennials, 7% of Generation X, 4% of baby boomers and 4% of the Silent Generation identify as LGBTQ.
Besides, 20 percent of Gen Z adults say they have personally experienced hostility or discrimination based on their race, age, gender or gender expression, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.
The new trailer of Challengers, a queer romantic sports comedy, starring Zendaya (Euphoria), Josh O’Connor (The Crown), and Mike Faist (West Side Story), has been released.
Directed by film director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) and written by American playwright and novelist Justin Kuritzkes. In the film Zendaya, O’Connor, and Faist play members of a love triangle.
The synopsis reads, “Tennis player turned coach Tashi (Zendaya) has taken her husband, Art (Mike Faist), and transformed him into a world-famous grand slam champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a “Challenger” event —close to the lowest level of pro tournament— where he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend (Josh O’Connor).”
Challengers is scheduled to be released in the United States on April 26, 2024, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer through Amazon MGM Studios.
37 schools across Ireland have been awarded for championing LGBTQ+ inclusion. The post-primary institutions are the first cohort to complete Belong To LGBTQ+ Quality Mark programme, and received their accreditation.
The initiative saw the participating schools supported in implementing evidence-based actions across key areas, which have been proven to benefit the wellbeing and safety of LGBTQ+ students.
These include ensuring that staff are equipped to support queer pupils, creating a safe and inclusive school culture and environment with student input, developing and implementing effective policies, plans and curriculums that champion diversity and respect, and working with parents, community organisations and LGBTQ+ youth projects or groups to promote inclusion.
Moninne Griffith, CEO of Belong To, stated: “Today is about celebrating 37 brilliant schools who have shown leadership and outstanding commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion through participation in the LGBTQ+ Quality Mark. I want to thank the entire school community in each of these schools and, in particular, recognise the incredible efforts of each LGBTQ+ Quality Mark Coordinator and Principal. Thank you for showing up for LGBTQ+ students and for demonstrating commitment, courage and leadership. Congratulations on being the first schools in Ireland to receive the LGBTQ+ Quality Mark!”
For the 30th annual Hollywood issue of Vanity Fair, the publication created an in-motion cover featuring several A-list Hollywood stars. The cover includes Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, Pedro Pascal, Colman Domingo, Jodie Foster, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jenna Ortega, and Barry Keoghan.
Keoghan’s in-motion Vanity Fair cover appearance is standing out for obvious reasons: the actor appears bare-ass naked in it. After making a huge splash with his performance as Oliver Quick in Saltburn, Keoghan has been having a moment as The Internet’s Boyfriend.
Close to You is Dominic Savage and and Elliot Page’s improvisational drama about a transgender man named Sam (Page) who, after being invited to his ageing father’s birthday party, makes his way back to his small home town for the first time since coming out.
His well-meaning family try to make him feel welcome, but misgendering and mistakes follow. It’s a story that those in the LGBTQ community know all too well, but there is a salvation: Sam manages to reconnect with his closest friend from school days, played Hillary Baack, in a moving reunion.
With an honest and fully felt performance, Page shows us Sam’s fraught process of trying to reconnect with the people he grew apart from as he became more himself, and coping with the dread of returning to a space that never felt fully welcoming to begin with.
Greece “is proud to become the 16th European Union country to legislate marriage equality,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis tweeted after the vote. “This is a milestone for human rights, reflecting today’s Greece a progressive, and democratic country, passionately committed to European values.”
The nation has offered civil partnerships to same-sex couples for a decade, but those came with parental rights only for the biological parents of the couple’s children.
Now both spouses will be legally recognized as parents. But same-sex couples still won’t be able to access surrogacy in Greece, although they can be legally recognized as parents of children born by surrogacy abroad.
Polls indicated a majority of Greeks supported marriage equality, but there was strong opposition from conservative lawmakers and the Greek Orthodox Church.
