LGBT News

The Brussels Times reports: Belgium is banning conversion practices – a pseudoscientific practice of trying to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity to align with heterosexual and cisgender norms – for members of the LGBTQ community, announced State Secretary for Gender Equality, Equal Opportunity and Diversity Sarah Schlitz. “Belgium is a pioneer in the field of LGBTQ rights. Numerous …

Market Watch reports: Shares of Grindr Inc. GRND, +304.02% rocketed out of the gate under their new ticker Friday, after the LGBTQ social networking platform’s merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Tiga Acquisition Corp. was completed. The first trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “GRND” after the 9:30 a.m. Eastern open was at $17.00, …

The Daily Mail reports: The United States’ men’s national team have made a huge statement at the World Cup in Qatar by redesigning their crest to incorporate the rainbow flag, in a bid to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. The tournament, which starts on Sunday and sees the US play their opener against Wales on Monday, has been hugely …

The Oregonian reports: Democrat Tina Kotek has won the race for Oregon governor, defeating Republican Christine Drazan. It was a hard-fought and expensive win by Democrats, who have a huge party registration advantage in Oregon but faced strong headwinds this year amid voter frustration at problems including homelessness, violent crime and lackluster delivery of government programs and services. Kotek’s win …

Reuters reports: A Qatar World Cup ambassador has told German television broadcaster ZDF that homosexuality was “damage in the mind”, as the Gulf state prepares to host the global tournament in less than two weeks. Khalid Salman addressed the issue of homosexuality, which is illegal in the conservative Muslim country. “They have to accept our rules here,” Salman said. “(Homosexuality) …

NBC News reports: A Georgia county has agreed to settle a lawsuit brought by a man whose case was one of three that led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment. The Clayton County Board of Commissioners this week approved an $825,000 settlement for Gerald Lynn …

Haaretz reports: Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu said in private talks on Friday that “There will be no harm to pride parades nor to the status-quo on LGBTQ rights,” following statements made by lawmakers from the Religious Zionism slate that they intend to work to cancel pride parades around the country. Sources in Likud said Thursday the party intends to cancel …

The New York Times reports: Russia’s Parliament is set to pass a legislative package that would ban all “gay propaganda,” signaling an even more difficult period ahead for a stigmatized segment of society. The laws would prohibit representation of L.G.B.T.Q. relationships in any media — streaming services, social platforms, books, music, posters, billboards and films — and, activists fear, in …

Washington DC’s NBC affiliate reports: The world is set to show its LGBTQIA+ pride in Washington, D.C., in 2025. Capital Pride Alliance announced that the District will host WorldPride from May 22 to June 8, 2025. D.C. was chosen by InterPride, an international association representing more than 400 organizations from 70 countries. WorldPride is among the biggest LGBTQIA+ celebrations in …

Oregon Live reports: Just weeks after a Yamhill County judge ruled a controversial ban on the display of Pride flags in Newberg schools was unconstitutional, a masked person approached the home of school district employee, lit the employee’s Pride flag on fire and performed a Nazi salute. In a statement Tuesday, the Newberg School District referred to the flag-burning as …

The Associated Press reports: Serious, standing upright and dressed in long gala dresses – despite the midday Cuban heat – Lisset and Liusba quietly walk up the ten steps of the notary office, their hands clenched and shaking. Less than a few feet ahead walk their two young daughters. Nearly an hour later, when they walked out of the doors, …

The Irish Times reports: New laws will criminalise incitement to hatred against transgender people and those with a disability, the Cabinet agreed on Tuesday when approving a Bill intended to make prosecutions for hate speech and hate crimes easier. The Bill will add gender, including gender expression and identity, as well as disability to a list of “protected characteristics” which …

Miami’s NBC affiliate reports: Four men accused of attacking a gay couple after a Miami Beach pride parade back in 2018 have avoided prison time under a plea deal. Juan Carlos Lopez, Luis Alonso, Adonis Diaz and Pablo Figueroa were accused of beating a gay couple and calling them anti-gay slurs after the Pride Parade on South Beach. The four …

TMZ reports: Leslie Jordan, the beloved actor and comedian has died. Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Jordan was driving in Hollywood Monday morning when it’s suspected he suffered some sort of medical emergency and crashed his BMW into the side of a building. LJ became a social media sensation during the pandemic, with his silly video posts helping him skyrocket …

PBS NewsHour reports: U.S. District Judge Wendy Berger in Orlando has dismissed a lawsuit brought by LGBTQ students, parents and their families — as well as several civil rights groups — and refused their request for a preliminary injunction to stop the law from being implemented. Earlier this month, a federal judge in Tallahassee dismissed a similar challenge to the …

Michigan Live reports: A Shiawassee County judge has found Mark David Latunski, the man who previously admitted to killing and dismembering 25-year-old Kevin Bacon of Swartz Creek, guilty of first-degree murder. The ruling came following a day and a half of testimony in a rare degree hearing in which Judge Matthew J. Stewart was tasked with determining whether Latunski was …

The Military Times reports: Same-sex spouses who were in long-term relationships with a veteran but were not legally able to marry before 2015 may now qualify for survivor benefits under a policy change announced by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The change applies to survivors who — because of bans before a Supreme Court ruling that year making gay marriage …

Spectrum News reports: Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday signed a bill that will expand a program for older New Yorkers to provide funding and services based on “greatest social need” that includes barriers or isolation created by racial and ethnic status, as well as sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and HIV status. Under the current federal law, the state …

The Associated Press reports: Slovakia’s president joined a rally of thousands on Friday to honor two gay men who were shot dead in the capital earlier this week and demonstrate support for the LGBTQ community. People lit candles at the site of the shooting before marching to a central Bratislava square. Police said Friday they are investigating the killings as …

Agence France-Presse reports: A “radicalised teenager” shot dead two men at a gay bar in Slovakia’s capital Bratislava, Prime Minister Eduard Heger said on Thursday. The shooting happened on Wednesday outside the Teplaren bar and police said they found the gunman dead at another location on Thursday. “Two people were murdered just because they were part of the LGBTI community,” …