Lots of big updates around the world in today’s newsletter, so let’s dive in!
Taiwan: Cross-strait same-sex couples will finally have their marriages recognized in Taiwan, after the Mainland Affairs Council announced a change in policy. While this will allow cross-strait couples to reside in Taiwan, the Chinese partner may still face obstacles getting a Taiwan ID, as China likely won’t let the person deregister their residency since it won’t recognize the marriage.
Japan: Two of Tokyo’s wards, Setagaya and Nakano, have decided that its same-sex partnership certificates will now use the same wording as heterosexual common-law marriages.
Seychelles: The tiny Indian Ocean nation passed a comprehensive hate speech and hate crimes law that includes protections for LGBTQI people. It’s only the second African nation to pass such a law, after South Africa.
Australia: The government of New South Wales state has issued an apology for its history of dealing with LGBTQ+ hate crimes after a detailed report was released into the spate of such homicides from 1970-2010. The government has also accepted all 19 of the report’s recommendations, most of which relate to specific investigations, but also include new training and procedures for police.
Meanwhile, in Perth, Western Australia, a gang of teenagers has been accused of using Grindr to lure gay men into violent assaults.
Namibia: The President’s office is expected to respond next Thursday to a question about why he hasn’t yet signed the anti-LGBT bills passed by Parliament last summer.
Georgia: The day after Georgia’s parliament passed the draconian anti-LGBT package of bills, the country’s most prominent trans woman was murdered.
The EU’s top diplomat Josep Borrell is the latest high-profile figure to call on the government to withdraw the anti-LGBT bills.
Venezuela: Homosensual has a report on the very bad Maduro dictatorship’s (unsurprising) lack of progress on LGBTQ+ rights. In particular, they point out the lack of marriage equality, discrimination law, and recognition of trans people’s gender.
Meanwhile, in the States
Kentucky: The state’s Democratic Governor Andy Beshear has issued an executive order banning the use of state or federal funds for conversion therapy, and bars medical professionals from performing it on minors, with administrative sanctions.
Michigan: LGBTQNation spotlights downballot races that will impact queer rights in the state going forward. Democrats won slim majorities that gave them unified control of the state in 2022, and they used that power to advance major pieces of equality legislation, but the work isn’t done. In particular, the state still lacks LGBTQ-inclusive hate crime laws, still has sodomy laws on the books, and still hasn’t updated family law to reflect marriage equality. And Republicans are threatening to undo a lot of progress.
Colorado: Religious leaders are backing Amendment J, which would remove the ban on same-sex marriage from the state constitution. Marriage is also on the ballot in Hawaii and…
California: A new poll is out suggesting that the referendum to repeal the defunct constitutional same-sex marriage ban has a strong majority in favor. The same poll suggests that competing referenda – one sponsored by AIDS Healthcare Foundation to repeal a statewide ban on rent control and another sponsored by California landlords and the Republicans to ban AHF from spending money on politics each have slim majority support.
Montana: A new poll suggests the referendum to legalize abortion has strong majority support in the first district, even as the same poll points to a difficult environment for Democrats hoping to hold the US Senate seat and flip the district.
Wisconsin: The Muskego School Board rescinded anti-discrimination protections for “gender identity,” highlighting what’s at stake for LGBT people in elections in November. Newly drawn state legislative maps give Democrats a real chance at taking power in the state for the first time in decades.
North Carolina: A Republican candidate for school superintendent is falsely claiming that the “LGBTQ+” acronym includes pedophiles and oh my god I’m exhausted by this.
In more fun news from the Tar Heel State, Republican gubernatorial candidate and fan of Adolf Hitler Mark Robinson announced he is staying in the race amid sagging poll numbers that threaten to tank other Republicans up and down the ballot, and amid rumors that he enjoys trans porn, bragged about being a peeping tom in college, and fantasized about owning slaves.
Texas: Dallas County commissioners unanimously passed a non-binding resolution supporting LGBTQ equality this week.