Bulgaria passes anti-LGBT "propaganda" law
Canada's Supreme Court to Jordan Peterson: Bug off
Bulgaria: Parliament passed a vaguely worded anti-LGBT “propaganda” law, banning the promotion of “non-traditional sexual orientation” in or near schools. The bill was promoted by far-right Russia-aligned parties but got the surprise backing of the Western-aligned governing party, probably trying to shore up support ahead of fall elections (Bulgaria’s fifth or sixth in the last couple of years).
The move sparked protests around the capital.
Bulgaria isn’t the only EU country to have passed this type of Russia-inspired law – Hungary and Lithuania have them – but I believe it is the first to do since the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Lithuania’s law breached the Convention in January 2023. Other countries considering such laws right now are Georgia and Kazakhstan. And of course, several Republican-led US states have imposed restrictions on LGBTQ topics in schools too. Also, similar bills are popping up in various parts of Africa.
Speaking of…
Namibia: The President is still delaying signing the harsh anti-LGBT law passed by Parliament last year, but hasn’t committed to vetoing it.
Poland: The government’s national prosecutor has issued an opinion repealing a directive of the previous government requiring local registry offices to notify his office whenever a same-sex couple applies to have their foreign marriage or parental status registered in Poland. The letter states that it is the prosecutor’s opinion that EU law requires Poland to recognize same-sex marriages concluded in EU countries or involving EU citizens. As yet, local offices are still not implementing the new directive, citing a need for Polish legislation in order to register same-sex couples, which has caused some friction.
A civil union bill has been stuck in coalition negotiations since the current government took power in December, but the government hopes to pass it during the autumn session beginning Sept 11. (Here’s the government page about it).
Separately, Poland’s parliament just passed a new widow/er’s pension benefit, which of course does not apply to same-sex couples right now, but that may change with the new civil union bill, if it passes.
Austria: Local organizers Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour cancelled three dates in Vienna after authorities arrested two suspected extremists on charges that they planned to attack the concert.
Canada: The Supreme Court has refused to hear online troll Jordan Peterson’s appeal of the decision by the College of Psychologists of Ontario requiring him to undergo social media training or risk losing his license to practice (which he doesn’t actually do anyway). He’s vowed to continue fighting this, somehow.
Argentina: The Milei government has officially closed the national agency that fights discrimination.
Meanwhile, in the States…
Ohio: A judge has ruled that the state’s ban on gender care for trans youth can take effect, vacating an earlier decision that put the law on hold. The ACLU has announced plans to appeal the decision immediately.
Missouri: A bigot’s viral campaign for secretary of state went down in flames as Valentina Gomez placed sixth in Tuesday’s Republican primary. Her campaign also managed to get her brother fired from his job as an assistant to the mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey, after he made contributions to her.