Asia
Taiwan makes history with election of Huang Jie, its first ever out LGBTQ+ legislator
According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), Jie, 30, won 51 per cent of the vote whilst her opponent Chen Mei-ya received 42 per cent. “This has never been done before,” she told voters following her election victory, “but we did it. We’ve made history. “A 30 year old in Kaohsiung can make their mark.”… Read more »
Gay refugee warns Georgia ‘cannot be considered safe’ as UK government tries to add to safe list
The UK government’s own guidance warns of anti-LGBTQ attitudes in Georgia A refugee has given a stark warning: “Georgia cannot be considered a safe country.” It comes as the UK government tries to add the Eastern European country, as well as India, to the list of those considered safe to return people seeking asylum to.… Read more »
Indonesian transgender models shine spotlight on pollution with plastic fashion
Jakarta – Deep in the slums of Jakarta, a transgender community is using fashion to raise awareness about their lives and the environment in this densely populated, polluted city. Strutting on a makeshift catwalk as their neighbours watch in awe, the women show off colourful dresses made of plastic cutlery and bottles, and in keeping… Read more »
LGBTQ people remain outcasts in Muslim world
Yogyakarta, Indonesia (AP) — On the outskirts of Yogyakarta is a small boarding school with a mission that seems out of place in Indonesia, a nation with more Muslim citizens than any other. Its students are transgender women. It is a rare oasis of LGBTQ acceptance across the far-flung Muslim world. Many Muslim nations criminalize… Read more »
Nepal Registers First Same-Sex Marriage
In a groundbreaking move, a couple in Nepal becomes the first to have their marriage legally recognized. In a landmark event in Nepal, a couple made history on Wednesday by becoming the first to officially register a same-sex marriage, a significant step for LGBTQ+ rights in the region. Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey’s marriage registration… Read more »
Queer teen dies by suicide after relentless online attacks
An Indian makeup artist has died by suspected suicide at just 16 after being subjected to relentless attacks online, leading an activist group to call on Meta to crackdown on cyber bullying. Queer makeup artist, Pranshu, who lived in Divine City, Ujjain, was found dead by his mother on November 21. Police are now investigating,… Read more »
Japan Court Rules It Is ‘Unconstitutional’ to Force Transgender People Be Sterilized
The law has long been decried by LGBTQ+ rights groups, and previous challenges in court have been struck down. Tokyo (CNN) — Japan’s top court has ruled that a government requirement for transgender people to be sterilized before they could be legally recognized was unconstitutional, in a victory for the country’s LGBTQ community years in… Read more »
Gay Sex Ban in Military Upheld by South Korean Court
In the past, the law has been used to arrest dozens of people in what critics have called a “gay witch-hunt.” Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — South Korea’s Constitutional Court has upheld a law banning same-sex relations in the military, citing a threat to combat-readiness, in a judgment decried by the local LGBTQ community as… Read more »
Gay Sex Ban in Military Upheld by South Korean Court
In the past, the law has been used to arrest dozens of people in what critics have called a “gay witch-hunt.” Seoul, South Korea (CNN) — South Korea’s Constitutional Court has upheld a law banning same-sex relations in the military, citing a threat to combat-readiness, in a judgment decried by the local LGBTQ community as… Read more »
LGBTQ+ Afghans plead with United Nations to investigate horrific Taliban abuses: ‘End the silence’
LGBTQ+ Afghans are pleading with the United Nations to investigate the murder, rape and persecution inflicted upon them by the Taliban. Rainbow Afghanistan, a grassroots organisation that campaigns for LGBTQ+ rights in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, has hit out at the UN and other human rights organisations for ignoring their community in a furious open letter. The… Read more »
Marriage Equality Hits a Challenge in Nepal
A move by lower courts threatens the country’s promising record on marriage equality. Two lower courts in the Himalayan country of Nepal have defied the country’s Supreme Court and refused to issue a marriage license to a couple. The couple, a transgender woman and a cisgender man, is considering appealing the decision to the Supreme… Read more »
Church silent as Sri Lanka to decriminalize homosexuality
The Church is silent because sex issues are not discussed publicly in Sri Lankan society Sri Lanka’s push to decriminalize homosexuality will destabilize society and families, say critics while the Catholic hierarchy in the island nation maintains a stoic silence over the issue. A bill that seeks to replace the colonial-era law was handed to… Read more »
Nepal gay marriage ‘victory’ hits legal roadblock
Maya Gurung and Surendra Pandey were poised to create history. Maya is a transgender woman but has not changed her gender on official documents. Her partner Surendra is a gay man. They were to be Nepal’s first same-sex couple to legally get married, following an interim order from the country’s Supreme Court that directed the… Read more »
Queer Asia: The collective unearthing Pan-Asian history
Meet the project pushing queer Pan-Asian voices to the forefront, from London to Berlin. Interview Queer Asia, a network and collective of queer-identifying scholars, academics, activists and creatives, has been spotlighting issues affecting LGBTQ+ people – or those belonging to other non-normative sexualities and gender identities – in Asia or Asian diasporas. Set up in… Read more »
LGBTQ+: India’s first Pride march which made history
Pride parades in India today are vibrant affairs, where thousands gather to express themselves and offer support to the queer community. But things were very different in 1999, when the country’s first Pride walk was organised in the eastern state of West Bengal. Journalist Sandip Roy revisits the trailblazing event. On 2 July 1999, Pawan… Read more »
Georgia: Right-wing, anti-LGBTQ+ mob storms Tbilisi Pride, setting fire to rainbow flags
Thousands of right-wing protestors stormed a LGBTQ+ Pride event in Georgia’s capital of Tbilisi, setting fire to rainbow flags and clashing with police. Organisers of Tbilisi Pride announced on Saturday (8 July) that they had been forced to shut down the event as participants were evacuated to safety after the authorities failed to maintain the… Read more »
Nepal ordered to recognise same-sex marriage by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court in Nepal has issued an interim order enabling the registration of same-sex marriages, a move which has been described as a “significant step towards marriage equality” in the country. The interim order was issued by the Supreme Court on Wednesday (28 June), asking the government to establish a separate register of marriages… Read more »
Nepal ordered to recognise same-sex marriage by Supreme Court
The Supreme Court in Nepal has issued an interim order enabling the registration of same-sex marriages, a move which has been described as a “significant step towards marriage equality” in the country. The interim order was issued by the Supreme Court on Wednesday (28 June), asking the government to establish a separate register of marriages… Read more »
In the Philippines, a survey shows growing support for gays and lesbians
Manila, Philippines – A sharp majority of Filipinos say they agree that gays and lesbians are trustworthy and contribute to the progress of society, according to a national survey. The survey, conducted in March by the nonprofit social research group Social Weather Stations and released in June — Pride Month in many nations — shows… Read more »
Singapore holds first LGBTQ rally since gay sex decriminalised
Singapore (AFP) – Hundreds of people wearing pink attended Singapore’s annual “Pink Dot” LGBTQ rally on Saturday, the first to be held since the city-state decriminalised gay sex last year. Brandishing rainbow flags and sporting glittery makeup, participants gathered in a downtown park — the only place in Singapore where protests are allowed without a… Read more »
With Rainbow Flags, 2 Students Test China’s Shrinking L.G.B.T.Q. Space
The students at an elite college in China found themselves on a collision course with the authorities amid a crackdown on gay and transgender expression. Karolyn Li still remembers reading the brochure from China’s prestigious Tsinghua University when she was in high school preparing to apply to college. It highlighted a graduate who had co-founded… Read more »
Second thoughts on homosexuality
In his own way, Pope Francis has changed the conversation One of the side effects of democracy is that everyone wants to have his — or her — say. And this is not just in the political life with the right to vote, but in other areas too. In earlier times, a hegemonistic majority might… Read more »
Police bust two ‘gay sextortion gangs’ operating on Grindr dating app; four held
With the arrest of four men in separate operations, the Delhi Police on Friday claimed to have unearthed two ‘gay sextortion gangs’ active in south east Delhi, who used to trap victims using online dating app ‘Grindr’, an official said. The accused were identified as Arun Kumar alias Chotu (22), Vishal Kohli (24), Rajesh Kumar… Read more »
Taiwan: The best LGBTQ+ destinations in one of Asia’s most progressive countries
From gay bars to cafés and book shops, there are countless destinations for the LGBTQ+ community in Taiwan. As the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage, Taiwan is known for its progressive LGBTQ+ values. Did you know that Taiwan is the only jurisdiction in Asia – and the Chinese-speaking world, as a matter of… Read more »
Pakistan court rules against trans individuals as contrary to Sharia
In its determination the court found that “the Islamic teachings do not allow individuals to change their gender at their own will Islamabad, Pakistan – The Federal Shariat Court ruled May 19 to enact revocation of sections of the country’s Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, of 2018. According to Pakistan media outlet ARY, the… Read more »
The Religious Right’s Hidden Sway as Japan Trails Allies on Gay Rights
As a G7 summit nears in Hiroshima, Japan is under pressure to show greater support for equality. A national Shinto group has spread a more hostile message. To millions of Japanese, the Shinto faith is not so much a spiritual practice as a cultural one. Every January, crowds gather at shrines to pray for good… Read more »
Taiwan grants right of adoption to same-sex couples in latest move toward full equality
Taipei, Taiwan – Taiwan’s legislature passed a bill Tuesday that granted same-sex couples the right to jointly adopt a child neither of them are related to, clearing one of the final hurdles in achieving full marriage equality. Taiwan in 2019 became the first jurisdiction in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage but it stopped short of… Read more »
Second Japanese court rules same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional
Judge issued ruling in Nagoya In a ruling issued Tuesday, the Nagoya District Court became the second major higher court in the country to rule that the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. Presiding Judge Osamu Nishimura said more people have become supportive of recognizing same-sex marriage, and the reasoning behind excluding… Read more »
Report on Violations of LGBT People’s Rights in Kazakhstan in 2022
f discrimination by medical professionals, most of which are related to doctors disclosing patients’ personal data. In 2022, ECOM registered more cases of extreme violence against queer people in Kazakhstan compared to previous years, including a case of conversion therapy and the use of cold weapons. The following main barriers were identified in the legal… Read more »
Taiwan: The best LGBTQ+ destinations in one of Asia’s most progressive countries
From gay bars to cafés and book shops, there are countless destinations for the LGBTQ+ community in Taiwan. As the first Asian country to legalise same-sex marriage, Taiwan is known for its progressive LGBTQ+ values. Did you know that Taiwan is the only jurisdiction in Asia – and the Chinese-speaking world, as a matter of… Read more »
Never knew PRIDE like this before – Thailand Pride Festival 2022: Pride for Unity and Diversity
The coalition of Thai LGBTQI groups, a network of individuals and community-based organizations working to advance the human rights of LGBTQI community for decades, hosted the premier Thailand Pride Festival 2022 during 25-27 November 2022 in Bangkok as the annual and national event. Under the concept of “Unity and Diversity”, this festival aims to raise… Read more »
Hong Kong court strikes down ‘unacceptable’ gender law that forces surgery on trans people
Hong Kong’s highest court handed down a landmark ruling that will allow trans people to change their gender on identity cards without undergoing surgery. Trans activist Henry Edward Tse and another trans man, only identified as “Q”, filed a legal challenge in 2019 against the government’s current policy that trans people can only update their… Read more »
Indian government refused to appoint openly gay judge: Supreme Court
New Delhi – India’s government has refused to appoint a senior lawyer as a judge because he is gay and has a foreign partner, the country’s Supreme Court said. New Delhi only decriminalised gay sex in 2018 with a Supreme Court ruling, and opposition to gay rights is widespread in the largely conservative and devout… Read more »
‘More work needed’ to eradicate Aids by 2030
Civil society organisations that advocate on behalf of Aids victims and related issues have urged the government to work harder to achieve the goal of wiping out cases of acquired immune deficiency syndrome… During a recent media interview, Midnight Poonkasetwattana, executive director of the Asia Pacific Coalition for Male Sex Health (APCOM), said there are… Read more »
Superheroes, jazz, queer art: how Pakistan’s transgressive pop culture went global
In August, Pakistan’s three censor boards cleared Saim Sadiq’s award-winning film Joyland for release. Shot in Lahore, the film is about a young married man from a conservative family who finds work at a dance theatre and falls in love with a trans woman struggling to land her moment on stage. It was the first… Read more »
Gay couples in India ask Supreme Court to legalise same-sex marriage
New Delhi (Reuters) – Four gay couples have asked India’s Supreme Court to recognise same-sex marriages, setting the stage for a legal face-off with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government which has in the past refused to legalise such marriages. In a historic verdict in 2018, India’s top court decriminalised homosexuality by scrapping a colonial-era ban… Read more »
‘Queersapien’ by Sharif D. Rangnekar and queer as new normal
For a queer person, “coming out” happens multiple times. First and the most difficult one is coming out to the self, then the family and close friends and ultimately to the larger world. The process is neither linear nor always progressive. For instance, during the Covid-19 emergency, many queer persons had to move back into… Read more »
Gay couples in India ask Supreme Court to legalise same-sex marriage
New Delhi (Reuters) – Four gay couples have asked India’s Supreme Court to recognise same-sex marriages, setting the stage for a legal face-off with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government which has in the past refused to legalise such marriages. In a historic verdict in 2018, India’s top court decriminalised homosexuality by scrapping a colonial-era ban… Read more »
LGBTQ people remain outcasts in Muslim world
Yogyakarta, Indonesia (AP) — On the outskirts of Yogyakarta is a small boarding school with a mission that seems out of place in Indonesia, a nation with more Muslim citizens than any other. Its students are transgender women. It is a rare oasis of LGBTQ acceptance across the far-flung Muslim world. Many Muslim nations criminalize… Read more »
LGBTQ people remain outcasts in Muslim world
Yogyakarta, Indonesia (AP) — On the outskirts of Yogyakarta is a small boarding school with a mission that seems out of place in Indonesia, a nation with more Muslim citizens than any other. Its students are transgender women. It is a rare oasis of LGBTQ acceptance across the far-flung Muslim world. Many Muslim nations criminalize… Read more »
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