2 US states fail to put equal rights on the ballot
Suprise lesbian wedding stirs controversy in the Balkans
Namibia: The Supreme Court did not issue its expected ruling in the sodomy decriminalization case. The judgement is now expected June 14.
Lithuania: 24 foreign embassies led by the United States issued a joint statement of support for the local LGBT community and calling on the government to pass the long-stalled civil union bill.
Albania: A lesbian couple held a symbolic religious wedding, in protest over the lack of access to legal same-sex marriage and recognition of their children. The wedding has caused a lot of discussion in the country, but it doesn’t appear like the government is moving to address the needs of LGBT citizens (neighboring Kosovo has pledged to introduce civil unions this month, and the clock is ticking).
Switzerland: The canton of Valais has banned conversion therapy, becoming the second canton to do so. One other canton, Neuchatel, has banned it, while bans are under consideration in Geneva and Vaud. A federal ban is pending in parliament.
Iran: President Raisi died in a helicopter crash over the weekend, leaving a bit of a power vacuum. Raisi presided over ongoing crackdowns on LGBT rights, women’s rights, and democracy activism and it’s not a stretch to say the world is better off without him, but I wouldn’t expect much to change with whoever takes his place.
Slovakia: Local police are still trying to figure out if the person who attempted to assassinate prime minister Fico last week was acting as a lone wolf or with a group. Fico is said to be recovering well in hospital. Fico’s own record is also hostile to LGBT rights and democracy, and pro-Russia.
Netherlands: Dutch lawmakers have agreed to form a government with the far-right PVV party led by Geert Wilders. They haven’t decided on a prime minister, but it won’t be Wilders. It should be expected that Netherlands won’t make much progress on LGBTQI issues under this government, which is also focused on various anti-immigrant policies.
European Union: Member states seem to be holding up a proposed European certificate of parenthood, which is meant to ensure that children born to European parents are recognized by all EU countries – Hungary and some other states oppose this on anti-LGBT and anti-surrogacy grounds. Moreover, 9 member states refused to join an EU statement on defending LGBTQ rights issued on the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia – the holdouts were Italy, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Lithuania, Latvia, Czechia and Slovakia.
Peru: Hundreds took to the street to protest against the government’s recent classification of trans gender identity as a mental illness.
Meanwhile in the States
Minnesota: The state legislature ended sine die yesterday, meaning everything that wasn’t passed died. That includes the proposed equal rights amendment, which the house and senate couldn’t agree on. The senate had passed a version without abortion rights to go to the voters in November last year, the house had at the last minute passed a version with abortion rights to go on the ballot in 2026. Also dead is a proposed ban on the gay panic defense. Democrats will be fighting to maintain control of the house in November so that these issues might play out next year.
Connecticut: While I was away, the state legislature also ended its session without passing a proposed equal rights amendment. Perhaps next term – although Democrats will have to win a very large supermajority to pass it.
California: The state Democratic Party has endorsed a referendum to repeal Prop 8, the defunct ban on same-sex marriage, which will be on the ballot in November.
New Hampshire: The State Senate gave final passage to a bill requiring teachers to out trans students to their parents on Thursday. Then on Friday, it passed three more anti-LGBT bills: a trans sports ban, a don’t say gay law, and a surgery ban. New Hampshire’s narrowly divided legislature and governorship is a top target for Democrats in November.