Tag Archives: LGBT rights

Polish Lawmakers Consider Bill To Ban Pride Parades

The Associated Press reports:  Polish lawmakers held an emotional debate Thursday on proposed legislation dubbed “Stop LGBT,” which would ban pride parades and other public gatherings deemed to “promote” same-sex relationships. The lawmakers are due to vote Friday on whether to reject or continue work on the proposal, which is a citizen’s legislative initiative that was submitted to parliament by …

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Italian Senators Cheer Defeat Of LGBT Hate Crimes Bill

Reuters reports: The Italian Senate voted on Wednesday to block debate over a bill that would make violence against women and LGBT+ people a hate crime, effectively killing off a proposal previously approved by the lower house of parliament. The bill, championed by the centre-left Democratic Party (PD), has triggered fierce discussion in Italy, with the Vatican also getting involved, …

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Polish PM Accuses EU Of Blackmail In Supremacy Fight

The BBC reports: Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki has accused the EU of blackmail in a heated debate with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen over the rule of law. The clash in the European Parliament follows a top Polish court ruling that rejected key parts of EU law. Mrs von der Leyen said she would act to prevent …

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Wichita City Council Approves LGBTQ Rights Ordinance

The Kansas City Star reports: After four months of delays, Wichita City Council passed a nondiscrimination ordinance Tuesday aimed at banning discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations. The council voted 6-1 to approve the ordinance, with Jeff Blubaugh voting against. The council also rejected a carve out that would have allowed religious groups to fire or refuse to hire …

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Russia May Label LGBT Rights Groups As “Extremists”

The Moscow Times reports: Russia’s LGBT, radical feminist and child-free groups should be recognized as “extremist,” the chairman of an influential government commission said Wednesday. “LGBT ideology, radical feminism and child-free movements should be recognized as extremism — an extremist ideology,” the state-run TASS news agency cited Andrei Tsyganov, chairman of a commission for the protection of children at the …

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Exit Polls: Swiss Voters Approve Same-Sex Marriage

The BBC reports: Swiss voters have backed same-sex marriage in a referendum, according to projections. More than 60% supported the measure, which would bring the country into line with most of western Europe. In the build up to the vote, church groups and conservative political parties opposed the idea, saying it would undermine the traditional family. Switzerland has allowed same-sex …

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Hungary: Anti-LGBT Laws Protect Kids From Pedophiles

The Associated Press reports: In an interview Thursday with The Associated Press on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly’s meeting of world leaders, Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said his country would not cede ground on policies that have caused the European Union to impose financial penalties and start legal proceedings against it over violations of the bloc’s values. Topping …

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Switzerland To Vote Sunday On Same-Sex Marriage

Reuters reports: Swiss voters decide on Sunday whether to allow same-sex couples to wed and adopt children after a highly charged campaign pitted gay rights activists against conservative opponents in one of the last Western European countries to still ban gay marriage. The federal government and parliament approved opening civil marriage to same-sex couples, but opponents forced a referendum on …

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Florida Students Hurl Anti-LGBT Abuse At Classmates

Jacksonville’s NBC News affiliate reports: A troubling series of videos posted to social media this week appears to show a group of students hurling hate speech at other students at a St. Johns County high school. Students can be heard using homophobic slurs in the videos, which have been edited by News4Jax to shield the identities of students. Parents told …

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Orban Accuses EU Of Blocking Funds Over LGBT Policies

Euronews reports: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has accused the European Commission of blocking funds over the country’s LGBT policies. Orban claimed on Friday that the EU had failed to approve Hungary’s coronavirus recovery plan because of their disagreements over gay rights. “The funds are loans that Brussels does not want to give us because of the debate on our …

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Victims Of Military Anti-LGBT Bias To Get Full Benefits

The Military Times reports: Tens of thousands of LGBT veterans forced from the military for their sexual orientation and given other-than-honorable discharges will be able to receive full Veterans Affairs benefits despite their dismissal status under a new move set to be announced Monday. The change comes as the country approaches the 10th anniversary of repeal of the controversial “don’t …

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Exit Poll: 83% Of LGBTs Voted Against Newsom Recall

NBC News reports: Like the state at large, an overwhelming majority of California’s LGBTQ voters voted “no” to a Republican-led effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, and remove him from office, according to an NBC News Exit Poll of early and Election Day voters. The poll found that 7 percent of California recall voters identify as LGBTQ. Of …

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Hungary: LGBT Films Get Same Rating As Horror Movies

Reuters reports: Hungary’s media regulator published guidelines for broadcasters to comply with new LGBT laws on Wednesday, relegating some films portraying homosexuality or gender identity issues to the same age group restrictions as gory horror movies. Publication of the guidelines follows the June adoption of a law banning the “display and promotion of homosexuality” among under-18s despite criticism from rights …

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EU May Withhold Poland Funds Over “LGBT-Free Zones”

Bloomberg News reports: The European Union threatened to block as much as 126 million euros ($150 million) of cohesion funds to local Polish governments over anti-LGBTQ zones introduced in five provinces. The European Commission, the bloc’s executive arm, sent letters to the governors of the provinces last week warning that if the resolutions weren’t rescinded the money would be withheld. …

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Thousands Rally For Marriage Equality In Switzerland

The Associated Press reports: Tens of thousands protested in Switzerland on Saturday for the legalization of same-sex marriage in the Alpine country. The protests came ahead of a national referendum on Sept. 26 on the legalization of gay marriage, which has already been introduced in many other European countries. So far, same-sex couples in Switzerland can only get official approval …

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Missouri Paper’s Editorial Board Compares Removal Of LGBT History Exhibit To Taliban Destruction Of Artifacts

From the editorial board of the Kansas City Star: The decision to remove a display of Kansas City’s gay and lesbian history from the Missouri State Capitol is outrageous, potentially illegal, and yet another embarrassment for a state with a history of intolerance. It appears a state legislative staffer was somehow offended by the exhibit, raised a stink on social …

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China Bans Effeminate “Sissy Men” From Television

The Associated Press reports: China’s government banned effeminate men on TV and told broadcasters Thursday to promote “revolutionary culture,” broadening a campaign to tighten control over business and society and enforce official morality. President Xi Jinping has called for a “national rejuvenation,” with tighter Communist Party control of business, education, culture and religion. Broadcasters must “resolutely put an end to …

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20 States Sue Biden Admin Over LGBTQ Protections

The Associated Press reports: Attorneys general from 20 states sued President Joe Biden’s administration Monday seeking to halt directives that extend federal sex discrimination protections to LGBTQ people, ranging from transgender girls participating in school sports to the use of school and workplace bathrooms that align with a person’s gender identity. Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery filed the lawsuit in …

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Virginia School Board To Pay $1.3M To Gavin Grimm

Axios reports: A Virginia school board will pay $1.3 million to Gavin Grimm, a transgender man who sued his Gloucester County high school in 2015 after being denied access to the boys’ restroom. The settlement comes two months after the Supreme Court declined to hear the board’s appeal of a lower-court ruling that allowed transgender students to use the bathrooms …

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Politico: GOP “Waves White Flag” On Marriage Equality

Politico reports: In interviews with Republican operatives, former Trump administration officials, and conservative leaders, there is a widespread acceptance that debate over marriage equality is settled. There is no serious discussion about trying to overturn Obergefell v. Hodges, the landmark Supreme Court case that ruled states are required by law to recognize the marriage of same-sex couples. There were openly …

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