Turkish government drafts new anti-LGBTQ+ laws

 

Türkiye's government has revealed the draft of its 11th Judicial Reform Package, which includes a series of updated laws negatively affecting the LGBTQ community.

The reform is the latest collection of proposed legal changes that the Turkish government is presenting to Parliament for consideration, threatening prison for trans people and same-sex couple.

Under the draft, anyone who publicly promotes behaviors or identities that are not deemed true to their sex given at birth could face one to three years in prison.

The proposed reforms also target the trans community, raising the minimum legal age for gender reassignment surgeries from 18 to 25.

Same-sex couples caught holding engagement or wedding ceremonies could also face prison sentences of one and a half to four years.

Government officials justify the reforms as necessary to their moto: “Protect families, promote healthy development, and preserve social order.”

The country has experienced a rise in anti-LGBTQ rhetoric since President Erdoğan took office in 2014, banning Pride marches just one year into his position.

Erdoğan can't ban love

Heated Rivalry: the gay romance book now on TV

 

Based on the beloved novels of the same name from author Rachel Reid, the television adaptation of Heated Rivalry is set the on-and-off court relationship between a pair of professional Major League Hockey players

Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storie) are two of the biggest stars in Major League Hockey, bound by ambition, rivalry and a magnetic pull neither of them fully understands.

What begins as a secret fling between two confused teenagers at 17 evolves into a years-long journey of love, denial, and self- discovery. Over the next eight years, as they chase glory on the ice, they struggle to navigate their feelings off of it. 

Torn between the sport they live for and the love they can't ignore, Shane and Ilya must decide if there's room in their fiercely competitive world for something as fragile (and powerful) as real love.

On the ice, the pair are sworn rivals, but off of it, they must navigate a forbidden love while grappling in a very different way.

Watch the trailer below:

A new LGBTQ network to support athletes around the world

 

Proud Champions is a European network of LGBTQ athletes and allies committed to a sport where everyone can be themselves. Proud Champions is supported by two associations: Fier-Play (France) and Compete Proud (Spain).

The network’s website features profiles of an initial 15 member athletes, all of whom have experience in elite sports. Some have now retired, while others are still competing.

They connect athletes from all walks of life, whether they are professional competitors or former athletes, and public figures around a common mission: to create visibility, inspire new generations, promote inclusion in sport, and make them proud of this diversity..

The launch of Proud Champions follows the successful staging of Pride House Paris at the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics. The Pride House Paris venue and wider initiative were supported by the International Olympic Committee and helped to provide greater LGBTQ visibility compared to previous editions of the Games.

Proud Champions provides a space where pride becomes a strength, where support can be found, and where inspiration is provided through example. Discover the faces and stories behind Proud Champions here.

Same-sex couples legally recognized in "de facto" marriages in Japan

 

Japan’s government has decided to allow same-sex couples to be treated as being in de facto marriages under a total of nine more laws and ordinances,

The move follows a High Court ruling delivered in March 2024, which stated that denying marriage equality to same-sex couples in Japan is unconstitutional and called on the government to take action to address the lack of protections.

In March 2024, the Sapporo High Court ruled that not granting same-sex couples the right to marry and enjoy the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts amounted to a violation of their fundamental right to equality and freedom of marriage.

Japan remains the only Group of Seven major industrialized country that has not legalized same-sex marriage or civil unions, despite growing pressure from the LGBTQ community and its supporters.

Although Japan does not recognize same-sex marriage, a majority of Japanese show their support, and a number of municipalities issue partnership certificates for LGBTQ couples.

Boots: a closeted teen Marine in the 90s

 

Netflix has released the first trailer for its upcoming show Boots, which centers on the life of a closeted teen Marine.

"It’s 1990, you’re fresh out of high school and not sure what to do with your life, so, obviously, you follow your buddy blindly into the US Marine Corps... What could go wrong?" reads the trailer's caption on YouTube.

Based on the memoir The Pink Marine by Greg Cope White, Boots follows a closeted teen named Cameron Cope (Miles Heizer) who, along with his best friend, joins the Marines. The series is set in the 1990s, when being openly gay in the military was illegal.

Boots debuts on Netflix on October 9. Watch the trailer below:

A trans soldier’s brave battle against Trump

 

From The New Republic:

Nicolas Talbott stood at attention, fists tight to his trouser seams, avoiding the eyeballs of the first sergeant asking why he’d joined the Army. “I’m here because I’m transgender,” he sounded off. “And I want to prove that people like me can do this. And frankly, can do it better than some of the people standing around me right now.”

Afterward, the other 64 trainees huddled around him in an “incredible moment of camaraderie” that Talbott says brought them together as a unit. After basic training, he would be selected as an honor graduate and earn his commission this year as a second lieutenant, 17 days before his commander in chief, Donald Trump, issued a January 27 executive order banning transgender people from military service. 

The following day, Talbott became lead plaintiff in Talbott v. Trump (now v. USA), the first of two cases challenging the policy headed to the Supreme Court.

Read more here.

Dutch parliament agrees to ban gay conversion

 

The Dutch parliament has voted to criminalize so-called ‘conversion therapy’ in a victory for LGBTQ people in The Netherlands.

The new bill marks a significant step forward in protecting LGBTQ individuals from harmful and discredited interventions.

Conversion therapy incorporates various physically, emotionally and psychologically abusive methods to attempt to change someone’s gender and/or sexuality. This can include berating or beating, being forced to pray as a form of healing, and “corrective rape”.

The criminalization covers therapies involving electric shocks and faith healing practices, and it would be punishable to ‘systematically’ and ‘intrusively’ try to change someone’s gender and/or sexuality. 

However, simple conversations, such as between a religious leader and a believer, about trying not to be LGBTQ will not be criminalized under the new law.

“Love does not need to be cured,” said parliament member Wieke Paulusma. “With this law, we protect vulnerable people from harmful practices that endanger their health and safety. This is a choice for freedom, equality, and human dignity.”

Well done!!!

Trump Administration must restore public health web pages related to DEI and gender identity under court settlement

 

Trump Administration must restore more than 100 health and science datasets and webpages that federal agencies wiped earlier this year, resolving a lawsuit filed by the Washington State Medical Association.

The settlement requires the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to recover any information it deleted from government websites since January, which mainly includes guidance around LGBTQ health, trans youth, pregnancy and reproductive care, vaccines, opioid-use treatment, and racism in health care, among other topics. 

Federal agencies began to remove the webpages following two of Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 executive orders on gender identity and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.

Won't be erased!!!

Florida gay bar defiants DeSantis' removal of rainbow crosswalks

 

A gay bar in St. Petersburg, Florida, has responded to the removal of rainbow crosswalks across the state, ordered by the Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.

In line with a new ban on “non-compliant pavement surface markings”, DeSantis Administration has written to local cities in recent weeks demanding they remove rainbow crosswalks, included the rainbow crosswalk beside the site of Pulse nightclub in Orlando, in memorial to those who were murdered at the venue in 2016.

As a reaction, the St. Petersburg gay bar Cocktail St. Pete has decided to refresh its window decals. If DeSantis wants rainbows removed from the streets of Florida, this bar is fighting back, its windows are ablaze with rainbows.

On Instagram, the bar said, “Last night the state painted over the Pulse Memorial Crosswalk! We will not stand by and be erased!!! Next week we will install new graphics across the front of our building putting our PRIDE on display. We are proud and will not fight quietly.”

Won't be erased by DeSantis!!!

How many adults and youth identify as LGBTQ in the United States?

 

Gallup finds 9.3% of United States adults identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or something other than straight or heterosexual. The percentage has more than doubled since Gallup first measured LGBTQ identification in 2012.

According to the report, LGBTQ people make up just 1.8% of the Silent Generation, which comprises of those born 1945 or earlier, compared to 3% for baby boomers (born 1946-1964), 5.1% for Generation X (born 1965-1980), 14% for Millennials (born 1981-1996), and 23.1% for Generation Z (born 1997-2006).

The report’s age differences are consistent with other statistical reports about demographics in the broader LGBTQ community. Nearly three million people 13 years and older in the U.S. identify as transgender, according to a new report published by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law.

This other report found that roughly 1% of the U.S. population above the age of 13 identifies as transgender. In total, the report concluded that there are at least 2.8 million individuals in the U.S. who identify as transgender and are 13 years of age or older.

Notably, younger age groups are significantly overrepresented in the overall breakdown of transgender Americans by age, according to the report. Roughly 724,000 people between the ages of 13 and 17 identify as transgender, representing 3.3% of youth, compared to a total of 2.1 million trans adults 18 years of age or older, about 0.8% of adults. 

We won't be removed!!!

DeSantis orders cities to remove Pride crosswalks in Florida

 

The Florida Department of Transportation under Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis sent a letter to Delray Beach ordering city officials to remove a mural in the roadway. A similar letter also arrived in Key West.

"As required by state law, if the pavement markings are not removed by September 3, 2025, the Florida Department of Transportation will remove them by any appropriate method necessary without further notice,” the FDOT letter states. “You are further notified that if the markings are removed by the Department, all costs associated with the removal will be assessed against City of Delray Beach.”

That message came days after city officials voted to defy direction from the state. Other Florida cities like Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach caved immediately after the state issued its directive.

DeSantis' Administration has yet to pick a fight with some of Florida’s biggest cities with rainbow sidewalks. Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando all have rainbow crosswalks and intersections, but have yet to endure such heavy-handed tactics from the state.

A poll commissioned by GLAAD reveals broad concerns of LGBTQ people and ally in Florida about legislation stripping away their rights. Florida’s Republican passed bills banning LGBTQ-related conversation in schools, the known “Don’t Say Gay" bill. Ever since law was passed, DeSantis has turned Florida into a test kitchen for anti-LGBTQ restrictions that have since spread to other states.

Freedom for Enes now!!!

 

Türkiye authorities has arrested an LGBTQ youth activist over criticism he made abroad at the Council of Europe about the repression of opponents by President Tayyip Erdogan's government.

Enes Hocaogullari, 23, gave a speech in Strasbourg criticising police violence and detentions plus democratic backsliding in Türkiye, saying: "The youth has had enough ... We are ready to go on the streets to regain our freedoms."

He was detained on arrival from France at Ankara's Esenboga Airport pending trial on charges of publicly disseminating misleading information and inciting hatred and enmity. The Council of Europe said the charges against Hocaogullari were a reprisal for his words and urged his immediate release.

After a spectacular march in 2014 of more than 100,000 people in Istanbul, the Turkish authorities have banned it year after year, officially for security reasons. Turkish President Erdogan and his cabinet have become increasingly more hostile towards the LGBTQ community and their rights.

LGBTQ people in Türkiye are not protected from discrimination in employment, education, housing, health care, public accommodations, or credit. 

#FreeEnesNow

The NFL releases a video supporting LGBTQ community

 

The U.S. National Football League (NFL) has released a new video "Football is for everyone" that unequivocally embraces the LGBTQ community, stating that football is gay, lesbian, queer, transgender, beautiful and other descriptors. 

The NFL intention with the video is to send a strong message of acceptance from the league to fans, players and coaches. The video is a direct response to the coming out of Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib.

The film also features The Trevor Project to highlight life-saving resources for LGTBQ youth.

You can watch the video below:

Positive attitudes toward LGBTQ+ people in China

 

Researchers from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law, surveyed Chinese public about their familiarity with and acceptance of LGBTQ people. 

This study examines participants’ attitudes toward policy issues such as discrimination at work, same-sex marriage, and same-sex couples raising children in China.

Responding to a survey on attitudes towards LGBTQ+ people in China, 53 per cent said queer people should be accepted in society, which flies in the face of some of the country’s restrictive laws, which flies in the face of some of the country’s restrictive laws. 

A similar number felt same-sex couples should be able to marry, while 46 per cent said they would personally attend a same-sex wedding. 48 per cent believed gay couples would make capable parents.

62 per cent of those surveyed said LGBTQ+ people should be treated fairly at work, and 68 per cent felt the government should improve protections for queer students.

According to the study, at least 70 per cent of Chinese people know at least one person who is out as LGBTQ+, while 47 per cent know at least two.

Homosexuality has been legal in China since 1997, after the country updated its penal code. However, same-sex marriage is still illegal, and there are virtually no protections for LGBTQ+ people.

Same-sex couples have been able to apply for a “guardianship appointment” since 2017, which affords them certain rights to share assets and inheritance, but they are not allowed to adopt.

Read the whole report here.

Democratic states sue Trump admin over ending healthcare access to trans youth

 

Sixteen states are suing the Trump administration to defend transgender youth healthcare access, which has rapidly eroded across the US due to threats from the federal government.

Trump’s policies are an attempt to impose a nationwide ban on the treatment for people under 19, and that’s unlawful because there’s no federal statute that bans providing the care to minors. 

The Democratic attorneys general of California, New York, Massachusetts, Illinois and Connecticut are leading the lawsuit, which challenges the president’s efforts to eradicate vital medical treatments for trans youth.

The complaint targets one of Trump’s first executive orders, called for federal funds to be withheld from hospitals that provide the treatments. Those gender-affirming treatments, which are accessed by a small fraction of youth in the US, have for years been the standard of care endorsed by major US medical associations.

"The federal government is running a cruel and targeted harassment campaign against providers who offer lawful, lifesaving care to children," New York Attorney General Letitia James, said in a statement. 

"This administration is ruthlessly targeting young people who already face immense barriers just to be seen and heard, and are putting countless lives at risk in the process," she added. 

Europe's Best Countries For LGBTQ+ Travelers

 

From Islands.com:

Queer travel is about more than just finding gay bars or attending Pride festivals (although these are often major markers of LGBTQ+ acceptance in any country). It's about being able to show up as yourself, fully and freely, wherever you are in the world. In all this, safety becomes more than just a travel checkbox. It is essential to the travel experience and can be the definitive factor in how much a traveler is truly able to enjoy a place. 

Here are some of Europe's best countries for LGBTQ+ travelers that you can explore with pride.

A new book published which compiles interviews with LGBTQ writers

 

“Passionate Outlier” is a collection of 20 interviews and book reviews by freelance journalist Frank Pizzoli, covering gay authors, with one lesbian and one ally. 

Ranging from 2007 to 2019, Pizzoli talks with authors like Edmund White, John Rechy, Daniel Mendelsohn, and Salman Rushdie, and covers books about Gore Vidal and Christopher Isherwood. 

He captures great writers speaking about literature, politics, and gay life, while providing all necessary background on them.

The book offers a rich, informative history of the queer community in a manner that keeps readers engaged with interesting stories and memories that many of us will read about for the first time. 

Frank Pizzoli’s book is filled with the passion that comes from writers who have lived a life of community activism and commitment to the people within their community.

The Trevor Project is here for you, day or night

 

The Trevor Project is the leading suicide prevention and crisis intervention nonprofit organization for LGBTQ+ young people in the U.S. They provide information & support to LGBTQ+ young people 24/7, all year round.

Their crisis counselors are trained to answer calls, chats, or texts from LGBTQ+ young people who reach out on their free, confidential and secure 24/7 service when they are struggling with issues such as coming out, LGBTQ+ identity, depression, and suicide. Explore crisis services here.

Their services now are crucial after Donald Trump's decision to end the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline’s LGBTQ service on July 17. This decision has come amid Trump's push to curtail services, support, and access for transgender people across the federal government. He has pushed to end diversity, equity, and inclusion policies (DEI) within the federal government,

According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the LGBTQ+ youth program served more than 1.4 million callers since it launched in September 2022. Callers now don’t have the option to “Press 3” for specialized LGBTQ+ support.

To support The Trevor Project, become a fundraiser here or simply donate here.

LGBTQ+ Americans reclaim the flag

 

Once a symbol of unity, freedom, and patriotism, the historic American flag has now become synonymous with fear for many Americans, citizens whose rights are in uncertain flux. 

Renowned designer Alexis Bittar and Academy Award-winning producer Bruce Cohen have created a short documentary showcasing a vast array of nearly 50 leaders and luminaries from the LGBTQ+ community, spanning age, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and profession, to raise a vital question: how do we reclaim the American flag?

The 30-minute short film calls on LGBTQ+ community leaders and trailblazers to share their story of resilience, and honor the rich diversity that truly makes America a country worth celebrating. 

From legendary activists Bill T. Jones and Raquel Willis; to RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Symone and the iconic Lena Waithe; to community leaders like Ford Foundation President Darren Walker, the film showcases a vast array of powerful voices, and examines how the flag can be reclaimed as a symbol of unity for all Americans, with a focus on the LGBTQ community.

Watch the documentary below:

A nice Indian boy

 

A nice Indian boy is a 2024 queer romantic comedy film directed by Roshan Sethi. 

Based on Madhuri Shekar's play of the same name, the film follows Naveen (Karan Soni), an Indian-American doctor, who brings his fiancé Jay (Jonathan Groff), a white man adopted by Indian parents, to meet his traditional family.

The film humorously and poignantly explores cultural expectations and queer identity. The story combines elements of both the American rom-com and the Indian Bollywood film to create a new and much-needed type of love story.

A tender rom-com about love and marriage today, gay or straight, arranged or not. An original plot elevated to classic status by great comedy, well developed characters and excellent performances. You'll definitely laugh, and may cry too. Highly recommended.

The film had its international premiere at BFI London Film Festival on 15 October 2024, and it received the audience award at the 2024 Tasveer Film Festival and won the Sherzum Award at the 2024 Hamptons Film Festival.

Watch the trailer below:

3 Millions Page Views!!! Many Thanks to All!!!

 

A court in Ukraine recognizes a same-sex couple as family

 

A Kyiv's District Court has formally recognized a same-sex couple as a family, marking the first legal precedent of its kind in Ukraine. Ukraine does not currently recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions.

A district court in  has formally recognized a same-sex couple as family, the first legal precedent of its kind in the country. does not currently recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions.

The plaintiffs in the case were Zoryan Kis, first secretary of Ukraine’s Embassy in Israel, and his longtime partner, Tymur Levchuk. The couple has lived together since 2013 and were married in the U.S. in 2021.

The court’s decision cited both the Ukrainian constitution and precedent from the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), to which Ukraine is a signatory. ECHR requires member states to ensure legal recognition and protection for same-sex families.

A draft law recognizing civil partnerships, introduced in March 2023, has not advanced in parliament. The proposed bill would legalize civil partnerships for both same-sex and heterosexual couples, offering them inheritance, medical, and property rights, but not the full status of marriage.

Public support for LGBTQ+ rights in Ukraine has grown steadily in recent years as the country has drawn closer to Europe, and in particular after Russia’s invasion on the sovereign nation in 2022.

Zoryan Kis and Tymur Levchuk wins first legal recognition as family in Ukraine

The new Superman, an immigrant and queer icon

 

James Gunn's new Superman movie is just out, and it's already igniting debate about superheroes and what they represent. David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult are starring in the movie.

Superman tells the story of an alien from the planet Krypton who landed on Earth as a baby and now possesses incredible powers. 

It seems like a simple premise, yet the film is making headlines after writer and director James Gunn pointed out something obvious: Superman is an immigrant.

When Gunn talks about Superman being an immigrant, he's talking about him being an outsider. Superman is not like most people. He's not like most men. He knows he is different and has to navigate the world and all his relationships, knowing most people will not be able to relate to significant parts of his life. 

These same things can often be said for queer people. Most of the population is not queer and many people even find understanding queerness to be difficult. If queer people are outsiders, at least superheroes are too.

No matter how much conservatives complain, Superman's story is an immigrant story, and it is a queer story. Queer people have always seen themselves in superheroes, and will continue to do so. 

Watch the official teaser trailer:

David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult are starring in the movie

International Court warrants Taliban leaders for gender-based persecution

 

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for two top Taliban leaders in Afghanistan on charges of abuses against women and girls.

ICC judges said there were reasonable grounds to suspect Taliban Supreme Leader Haibatullah Akhunzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani of committing gender-based persecution.

“While the Taliban have imposed certain rules and prohibitions on the population as a whole, they have specifically targeted girls and women by reason of their gender, depriving them of fundamental rights and freedoms,” the court said in a statement.

“In addition, other persons were targeted because certain expressions of sexuality and/or gender identity were regarded as inconsistent with the Taliban’s policy on gender,” the court added.

The two Taliban leaders are now wanted men for their alleged persecution of women, girls, and gender nonconforming people. The international community should fully back the ICC in its critical work in Afghanistan and globally, including through concerted efforts to enforce the court’s warrants. 

Taliban have erased women from public life and
continue to punish homosexuality in Afghanistan

Rainbow captain’s armbands return at Women’s Euro 2025

 

UEFA has welcomed a visible celebration of LGBTQ+ pride at the Women’s Euro, with team captains like Switzerland’s Lia Wälti, Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, and Germany’s Giulia Gwinn proudly wearing rainbow armbands. 

After FIFA banned similar symbols at recent men’s World Cups, UEFA’s approval marks a bold embrace of diversity and inclusion.

The German Football Association worked closely with UEFA to permit the rainbow design instead of the standard “Respect” armband. 

Giulia Gwinn confirmed she would wear it during her side’s match against Poland, saying, “There was never any question of changing the armband, if the opportunity arose.”

The return of the rainbow armband coincides with an increasing number of openly LGBTQ+ players at the tournament, over 20% of squad members have publicly come out. 

This marks a significant shift in representation compared to previous years and underscores women’s football as a pathfinder for inclusion.

Hey FIFA, what about you and the men's competitions?

Over 1.5M celebrate LGBTQ+ unity in London

 

Central London did bursts with color as over 1.5 million celebrated Pride in London 2025. The vibrant parade, led by Mayor Sadiq Khan and featuring Chaka Khan’s electrifying performance, marched from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall, showcasing LGBTQ+ unity.

Every year, London is home to the UK’s largest Pride event, and brings together 500 groups, including LGBTQ+ community organizations, businesses, and partners, with 35,000 participants marching in solidarity. 

The parade is led by LGBTQ+ community groups celebrating significant milestones and anniversaries, alongside distinguished supporters, showcasing the rich history and continuing progress of London's diverse LGBTQ+ communities.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: “Hundreds of thousands of Londoners and visitors to our capital are uniting in a sea of colour and creativity — as we march in solidarity and celebration with our LGBTQI+ community.”

“The fantastic parade and celebrations across central London have shown once again that our capital is a beacon of inclusivity and diversity. This year’s event was also a defiant reminder that we must keep fighting for equality and take a stand against those seeking to roll back hard-won rights,” he added.

Also the British Royal Family joined to the event and wrote “Happy Pride!” in a social media post alongside a rainbow and sparkle emoji. They accompanied the message with a special performance by The Coldstream Guards on the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

Happy Pride folks!!!

Trans books banned in children's library sections in UK's county

U.K. Kent County Council will remove all transgender-related books from the children's sections of its libraries, with immediate effect.

The authority runs 99 community libraries and five mobile library vans, but it is unknown how many books are to be removed or how the council will classify transgender-related books. 

Paul Webb, the newly-appointed Reform cabinet member for communities and regulatory services who oversees libraries, said the move came after a "concerned member of the public" contacted him.

Defending the decision, Webb said: "In our society, children are quite rightly and properly protected from items and actions that could cause them harm – for example alcohol, cigarettes and gambling.

"My fellow Reform members and I believe that our young people should be protected from exposure to potentially harmful ideologies and beliefs such as those held by the trans lobbyists."

The book at the heart of the issue is called The Autistic Trans Guide to Life and is described by publishers as an essential survival guide that gives autistic trans and/or non-binary adults all the tools and strategies they need to live as their very best self.

The move emboldens anti-trans rhetoric and contributes to a culture where marginalised people feel unsafe, unwelcome, and silenced.

Shame on you Webb!!

US Supreme Court rules in favor of parents who don't want LGBTQ education on public schools

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of a group of Maryland parents who challenged their school district's decision to deny them the ability to opt their elementary-aged children out of instruction featuring storybooks that address gender identity and sexual orientation.

The high court said in a 6-3 decision that the government burdens parents' religious exercise when it requires their children to participate in instruction that violates the families' religious beliefs. Justice Samuel Alito authored the majority opinion, with the Trump-appointed justices siding, whereas the three liberal justices in dissent.

“The Court does not accept the Board’s characterizations of the LGBTQ+-inclusive instruction as mere ‘exposure to objectionable ideas’ or as lessons in ‘mutual respect,'” Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority. “The storybooks unmistakably convey a particular viewpoint about same-sex marriage and gender. The question in cases of this kind is whether the educational requirement or curriculum at issue would substantially interfere with the religious development of the child or pose a very real threat of undermining the religious beliefs and practices the parent wishes to instill in the child,” he added.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor read her dissent aloud from the bench. In her opinion, simply being exposed to beliefs contrary to your own does not amount to prohibiting the free exercise of religion. The result will be chaos for this nation's public schools. Requiring schools to provide advance notice and the chance to opt out of every lesson plan or story time that might implicate a parent's religious beliefs will impose impossible administrative burdens on schools," she added.

“This ruling is a deeply disappointing blow to the right to read under the First Amendment,” said U.S. Free Expression Programs staff attorney for PEN America Elly Brinkley in a statement. “It is a fundamental betrayal of public schools’ duty to prepare students to live in a diverse and pluralistic society. By allowing parents to pull their children out of classrooms when they object to particular content, the justices are laying the foundation for a new frontier in the assault on books of all kinds in schools.”

A new step back in Trump's regime!

Tens of thousands defy Orban's ban at Budapest Pride 2025

 

Over 200,000 people marched at Budapest Pride 2025 to protest Hungarian’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws. All of them proved that the spirit of Pride is still alive in Hungary as they turned out to march at Budapest’s 30th annual Pride event despite Orban's ban.

The participants came together to celebrate Budapest Pride against the backdrop of an increasingly hostile legislative environment for LGBTQ+ citizens in Hungary, under Orban regime.

Most of the European countries support the Budapest Pride and stand for members of the LGBTQ+ community and their rights to equality and non-discrimination, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, and freedom from violence.

The European Commission decided to refer Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU over a Hungarian law which discriminates against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and gender identity. We expect the ruling this year.

We stand with Hungary!!!

Australian hockey team wear rainbow socks to support gay teammate

Members of Australia’s national field hockey team have sported rainbow socks to mark Pride month and support a gay teammate. 

Davis Atkin was accidentally outed as gay to his coach at the University of Canberra in 2021. Now, he told: “I said to the boys this morning that I really appreciate everyone being as inclusive as they are, and this was as simple as wearing socks. It paves the way for other people to follow that journey as a high-performance athlete.

Atkin also said: “Being able to run out on to the pitch with Pride socks together as a team was something truly special. The inclusivity, the support and the joy in this group made it all feel surreal".

“You can’t be what you can’t see, and even something as simple as rainbow socks can be a powerful sign to someone out there that they are seen, valid and belong,” he added.

This support is very important when a quarter of LGBTQ+ people do not feel welcome during live sporting events, according to research commissioned by Stonewall. 

Happy pride at sports also!!!

Davis Atkin is doubly proud

US Supreme Court upholds Tennessee ban on youth gender-affirming care

 

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth in the case of U.S. v. Skrmetti. It has been a 6-3 decision, with the Court’s Republican appointees (most by Donald Trump) opposing trans rights and the Democratic appointees supporting them. 

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote the opinion for the majority, and Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan wrote dissenting opinions. Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Samuel Alito, and Clarence Thomas wrote concurring opinions.

Skrmetti concerns three families of transgender youth, as well as a doctor, who argued that they’re victims of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors. They argued that they were being deprived of essential medical care on the basis of their sex, since the gender-affirming care ban only bans such care for trans youth. 

Roberts, in the majority opinion, wrote that the law doesn’t discriminate on the basis of sex or on the basis of transgender status, saying that it only makes distinctions based on a diagnosis of gender dysphoria. 

That is the same definition of trans identity that the Trump Administration is using for the trans military ban, which also bars people with “symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria” from joining the military.

With this ruling, the Supreme Court is greenlighting the eradication of trans people from society. The are allowing the 25 states that currently have such bans on the books to continue to enforce them.