News :: World News

Gay activist scales Seven Summits for LGBT rights

Gay activist scales Seven Summits for LGBT rights

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Jan 8, 2020

Kyrgyzstan gay activist Dastan "Danik" Kasmamytov is on a mission to plant a rainbow flag atop the world's Seven Summits to bring visibility for LGBT rights around the world.

Highs and lows marked global LGBT news in 2019

Highs and lows marked global LGBT news in 2019

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Dec 30, 2019

In 2019, global news affecting LGBTQs was filled with intense struggles and some big wins — from marriage equality to decriminalization to conversion therapy to politics.

Gabon passes law criminalizing gays

Gabon passes law criminalizing gays

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Dec 18, 2019

Last week, an unidentified government official announced that Gabon passed a law criminalizing homosexuality, placing the county on a growing list of nations passing anti-gay laws.

Out contestant competes in Miss Universe pageant

Out contestant competes in Miss Universe pageant

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Dec 11, 2019

Miss Myanmar, Swe Zin Htet, didn't win the Miss Universe crown December 8, but she did make history.

LGBT groups call for investigation after activist's death

LGBT groups call for investigation after activist's death

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Dec 4, 2019

International LGBT organizations are calling for Haiti's government to investigate the suspicious death of the country's leading gay rights activist.

Microbusiness helps queer refugees in Kenya

Microbusiness helps queer refugees in Kenya

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Nov 26, 2019

Soap is a necessity to maintain good hygiene, but for the thousands of refugees living in Kenya's notorious Kakuma refugee camp, soap, shampoo, and conditioner are costly commodities to come by.

LGBT advocates call for Australia to release Saudi gay journalist couple

LGBT advocates call for Australia to release Saudi gay journalist couple

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Nov 20, 2019

Two gay Saudi journalists, who claim they were outed in retaliation for contacts one of them had with a foreign media outlet, have been detained in Australia after requesting asylum.

Violence breaks out at gay film premier in Georgia

Violence breaks out at gay film premier in Georgia

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Nov 13, 2019

Anti-gay demonstrators and police clashed last week as violence erupted at the opening of the highly acclaimed Swedish gay romance, "And Then We Danced," in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.

Lesbian travel leader honored by A Wider Bridge

Lesbian travel leader honored by A Wider Bridge

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Nov 6, 2019

Rachel Wahba humbly stood on the stage Sunday as she accepted an award for her work advancing LGBT, Jewish, and Israeli rights from A Wider Bridge.

Lopez makes history as Bogotá 's first lesbian mayor

Lopez makes history as Bogotá 's first lesbian mayor

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Oct 30, 2019

Claudia Lopez made history last week after being elected the first-ever lesbian and woman mayor of Bogotá, Colombia.

In SF, Power speaks about fighting for LGBT rights globally

In SF, Power speaks about fighting for LGBT rights globally

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Oct 23, 2019

Former United States Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power didn't waste time last month talking about championing LGBT rights on the global stage when she served in the Obama administration.

Anti-gay platform leads Poland's conservative party to victory

Anti-gay platform leads Poland's conservative party to victory

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Oct 16, 2019

Poland's conservative ruling Law and Justice Party sailed to electoral victory Sunday, after months of targeting the country's LGBT community and stoking unfounded fear among residents.

Two books document the queer African experience

Two books document the queer African experience

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Oct 9, 2019

Two authors, Robbie Corey-Boulet and Mikael Owunna, are seeking to change Western perspectives of LGBT Africans with their respective books, "Love Falls on Us: A Story of American Ideas and African LGBT Lives" and "Limitless Africans."

Gay Peruvian congressman resigns

Gay Peruvian congressman resigns

  • by Heather Cassell
  • Oct 2, 2019

Alberto de Belaunde, who was one of two openly gay congressmen in Peru, stepped down late Monday night after Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra dissolved the South American country's Congress.