Antarctica, Oceania

Antarctica is Earth's southernmost continent, overlying the South Pole. It is the fifth-largest continent in area after Asia, Africa, North America, and South America. About 98% of Antarctica is covered by ice, which averages at least 1.6 kilometres (1.0 mi) in thickness. On average, Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent, and has the highest average elevation of all the continents. Since there is little precipitation, except at the coasts, the interior of the continent is technically the largest desert in the world. There are no permanent human residents. Only cold-adapted plants and animals survive there, including penguins, seals, mosses, lichen, and many types of algae. The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by twelve countries; to date, forty-six countries have signed the treaty. The treaty prohibits military activities and mineral mining; it supports scientific research and protects the continent's ecozone. Ongoing experiments are conducted by more than 4,000 scientists of many nationalities and with different research interests. Read More. Since no one country's laws govern Antarctica there are no laws governing civil society and no laws about homosexuality. Each science station has its own national culture and attitudes about social behavior. At the American station it has been reported that lesbian scientists are not unusual.

 

News & Reports:

 

Haters helped this gay Polish couple gain permission to marry in Portugal

A Polish couple who received death threats on their coming out video are getting a sweet taste of revenge, as their haters have made their dreams of marriage a reality. Polish TV presenter and journalist Jakub Kwiecinski and his partner David have been granted special permission to get married in Madeira, Portugal. The couple had… Read more »

Gay Polish mayor becomes opposition icon

Robert Biedron is a progressive and openly gay mayor in one of Europe’s most conservative countries. Slupsky, Poland — Poland’s right-wing government has put it on the fringes of Europe on issues that include abortion, migration and democracy. But a charismatic 40-year-old mayor is leading a counter-cultural charge from the Baltic coast city of Slupsk.… Read more »

Gay Polish mayor becomes opposition icon

Robert Biedron is a progressive and openly gay mayor in one of Europe’s most conservative countries. Slupsk, Poland — Poland’s right-wing government has put it on the fringes of Europe on issues that include abortion, migration and democracy. But a charismatic 40-year-old mayor is leading a counter-cultural charge from the Baltic coast city of Slupsk.… Read more »

Thousands march for gay rights in Poland, Croatia, Italy

Warsaw, Poland — Several thousand people marched Saturday in colorful gay pride events in Italy, Poland and Croatia urging support for minority rights in the mostly Catholic nations. The parades in Poland and Croatia come amid mounting right-wing sentiments that pose new challenges to gay rights activists. In Italy, however, the gay pride celebration comes… Read more »

Poland passes first gender recognition bill

Polish parliament has passed the country’s first ever transgender recognition legislation. Anna Grodzka – Poland’s first openly transgender politician – introduced the Gender Accordance Act in May 2012, and it was finally passed on Thursday (23 July) by 252 votes to 158, with 11 absentations. Although the country has legally recognised transgender citizens since the… Read more »

Poland blocks debate on gay civil partnerships

The Polish Parliament has voted against having a debate on the regulation of gay and straight civil partnerships. The Polish Sejm rejected the proposal, put forward by the Democratic Left Alliance, meant that same-sex couples in civil partnerships would be able to pay income tax jointly, the right to inheritance, and social security benefits as… Read more »

Robert Biedron Becomes Poland’s First Openly Gay Mayor

Warsaw, Poland (AP) — Robert Biedron already made history once in Poland by becoming the first openly gay lawmaker in parliament in 2011. On Monday, he became the country’s first openly gay mayor. The 38-year-old’s political successes are a marker of how quickly this deeply conservative and Catholic country has changed in the decade since… Read more »

Poland: Prime Minister backs down and admits opposition to civil unions is too strong

The Polish Prime Minister admitted that civil unions would not happen soon The Prime Minister of Poland has backed down in the face of strong cross-party opposition to civil unions for gay couples, and admitted that the country will not adopt measures to allow it in the near future. Back in March, Deputies in Warsaw… Read more »

Poland’s only gay MP attacked after Equality Parade

Poland’s first openly gay MP has revealed that a man launched a homophobic attack on the group he was with after Warsaw’s Equality parade, before turning on the MP himself. Robert Biedron, who was elected to parliament in 2011, said the incident occurred after he had attended the Warsaw Equality Parade on Saturday. Several thousand… Read more »

Interview: Anna Grodzka on life as Poland’s only openly trans MP

In an exclusive interview with PinkNews.co.uk, Anna Grodzka, currently the only serving openly transgender MP in Poland, and the world, talks of the struggles that the trans community face in her native country. Anna is currently in London because on Friday evening she will be giving the annual Kaleidoscope Trust lecture to mark International Day… Read more »

World’s only transgendered MP to become Polish deputy parliament speaker?

Anna Grodzka, Poland and the world’s only transgendered MP, says she is willing to stand for the post of deputy speaker of parliament “if my party supports me”. The MP for the liberal Palikot Movement – Poland’s third largest party in the lower house of parliament (Sejm) – has been put forward for the post… Read more »

Poll: Support for marriage equality in Poland doubled over nine years, but remains low

According to a new poll, support for equal marriage in Poland has doubled since 2003, but still remains low. The poll by TNS Polska indicated that in 2003, 8% of Polish people supported marriage equality, which had risen to 16% in 2012, reports Polskie Radio. The study was conducted between 6 and 10 December 2012… Read more »

Poland: HIV infections on the rise for gay men due to ‘risky’ sexual behavior

A study in Poland shows there were 992 new HIV infections reported in the country last year, and that two thirds of those who tested positive for the virus were in the gay community. Poland’s National AIDS Centre said that some of the rise was down to improved HIV testing. However, the report also said… Read more »

Poland moves towards introducing civil partnerships

Poland’s ruling centre-right party, Platforma Obywatelska (PO), has announced that it will introduce legislation allowing gay couples to have civil unions. It’s being seen as a step forward for gay rights in the Eastern European country – although it falls far short of marriage equality, and the measure is facing stiff opposition from social conservatives.… Read more »

East Europe Gays,Lesbians March in Show of Pride

Warsaw, Poland (AP) – Hundreds of gays, lesbians and their supporters marched Saturday through the capitals of Poland and Latvia, demanding more rights in Eastern European societies where they still face high levels of intolerance. The parades were supported by the governments of the United States and other Western countries who are pushing for an… Read more »

Polish Court Considers it Legitimate to Compare Homosexuality to Beastiality

Warsaw – Controversy in Poland following the judgment of a Warsaw court has dismissed the lawsuit brought by LGBT activists against one of the largest dailies in the country porcomparar homosexuality to bestiality. The ruling comes just months after another Polish court unleashed a wave of indignaciónal authorize a far-right party to use a symbol… Read more »

Gay Poland News & Reports 2011

1 Love Does Not Exclude – About the campaign 2/11 2 Love Doesn’t Exclude in Small Towns 2/11 3 LGBT History month remembers classic lesbian novel 3/11 4 Equality Parade marches through Warsaw 6/11 5 A Refracted Rainbow 6/11 6 Poland’s first transgender MP will fight for equal rights 10/11 7 Poland swears in first… Read more »

Gay Poland News & Reports 2010

1 European court rules Poland discriminated against gay man 3/10 2 Poland to Stage Summer-Long Gay Themed Exhibition at National Museum 3/10 3 Polish President who said homosexuality will destroy human race dies in plane crash 4/10 4 Gay love exhibition opening in Warsaw museum 6/10 5 Homophobic Polish politician Jaroslaw Kaczynski loses presidential election… Read more »

Gay Poland News & Reports 2008-09

 Video of Warsaw Gay Pride 2006 1 Poland defiant over gay adoptions 1/08 2 Poles appeal for funds to establish LGBT centre 3/08 2a New York man files complaint against Polish president for anti-gay marriage speech 3/08 3 Media Frenzy at Warsaw Airport for Arrival of Gay American Couple 3/08 4 Polish intellectuals apologize for… Read more »

Gay Poland News & Reports 2007

Also see: Video of Warsaw Gay Pride 2006 1 Polish Activists Plan Gay Holocaust Memorial 1/07 2 Polish government plan own version of Section 28 3/07 3 EU parliament sanctions Polish MEP Giertych for xenophobic pamphlet 3/07 4 By Campaign Against Homophobia 3/07 5 European Parliament To Examine Polish Anti-Gay Law 3/07 6 European official… Read more »

Gay Poland News & Reports 2006

 Video of Warsaw Gay Pride 2006 1 Polish anti-gay leaders at vanguard of Europe’s `culture war’ 2/06 2 Polish President Heckled by Gay Rights Protestors 3/06 3 Warsaw Police Attack Le Madame Club, Expel Occupants 3/06 4 Police forced to intervene in Polish gay rights march 4/06 5 Poland’s Gay Parade Attacked 4/06 6 Warsaw… Read more »

Gay Poland News & Reports 2005

1 2nd Edition of "Culture for Tolerance" April 21 – 24, 2005 2 Polish Mayor Cancels Gay Pride for Second Year 5/05 3 Warsaw’s Gay Pride Parade To Go Ahead Despite Mayor’s Ban 5/05 4 Advocate Against Ban on Warsaw Equality Parade 6/05 5 Thousands Rally for Gay Rights in Poland–Defy Ban 6/05 6 Anti-gay… Read more »

Gay Poland News & Reports 2001-04

0 The Reality of Being Gay in Poland 8/01 1 Welcome Gays from around the World to our Gay Apartment & Suite Hotel (2002) 2 Coming out: Warsaw’s gay clubs triple 2/02 3 Gay life gains steam in Warsaw 8/02 4 Polish Campaign Sparks Debate Over Gays 5/03 4a Equality Parade in Warsaw 6/03 5 Same-sex… Read more »

Lambda Warsaw Report and Campaign against Homophobia

Report from Lambda-Warsaw and the Campaign Against Homophobia November 2005 by Sander van der Eijk and Wim Monasso  Nederlandse vereniging tot integratie van homoseksualiteit COC HAAGLANDEN Scheveningseveer 7, 2514 hb Den Haag tel: 070-365.9090 / fax: 070-362.0204 Email: info@cochaaglanden.nl www.cochaaglanden.nl C O N T E N T S : Overview of Contents Geographic map of… Read more »