EU Parliament votes to protect LGBT parents
Mexican state joins majority banning conversion therapy
European Union: The European Parliament passed draft legislation yesterday that would require all member states to recognize parent-child relationships that are established in any other EU member state, with only very few exceptions. The regulation aims to prevent the trap that is created when member states refuse to recognize a child’s same-sex parents, or a child born through surrogacy. The law will only come into force after EU member states governments are consulted and agree to it by unanimous consent, which may be a tall order, given the strongly anti-LGBT governments in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Italy right now.
Separately, the EU decided to open membership negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, after Hungary agreed to abstain on the vote, which required unanimity. Membership would likely lead to both countries making big advances on human rights, including LGBT rights.
Moldova: Speaking of, a gay soldier has won a harassment suit against the army.
Mexico: The state congress of Quintana Roo voted unanimously yesterday to ban conversion therapy, making it the 17th of 32 states to do so. A federal ban is pending a final vote in Congress.
Meanwhile, a federal legislator, who happens to be trans, has introduced a bill that would decriminalize transmission of STIs, including HIV in the federal criminal code. I believe many of Mexico’s states also have these laws, as well as laws banning people who have HIV from marrying, and it’s good that Mexican legislators are working at eliminating the stigma these laws promote.
Australia: LGBTQ activists say the Tasmania government’s proposed bill to ban conversion therapy leaves too many loopholes, because it allows providers to continue offering conversion therapy to adults.
Ecuador: Parliament passes a law allowing transgender people to change their legal gender, as long as they are of legal age. Previously, the law allowed legal gender change, but some registries had required evidence of sex corrective surgeries.
Parliament also temporarily shot down a proposed amendment to the adoption law which would have allowed same-sex couples and singles to adopt children, because it appears to contradict a section of the constitution, which forbids same-sex couples from adopting. Parliament sent that to the executive for reconsideration for 30 days, after which they might consider it again.
Argentina: New President Javier Milei has eliminated the Women, Gender, and Diversity Ministry, along with ministries of education, labor, social development, and culture, in his new government reorganization, which some activists see as alarming.
Canada: On Wednesday, Parliament gave second-reading approval to the internet censorship bill that purports to protect kids from online pornography. The Liberals overwhelmingly voted against it, but were outvoted by the Conservatives, New Democrats, Bloc Quebecois, and the Green MPs who were unanimously in support. It now goes to committee study, where, it could possibly be killed before facing a final vote in the House.
Spain: The regional parliament for Madrid, currently led by a far-right anti-LGBT coalition, has shot down every proposed amendment to its bill that repeals several landmark trans rights laws. They’re hoping to pass it in an extraordinary session Dec 22. For now, trans people should still be protected by national laws, but it’s clear that the far-right agenda is to chip away at whatever LGBT rights they can eliminate.
Cyprus: The government is working on a national strategy to protect LGBTQ people.
Eswatini: The Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities organization has filed a court case seeking to require the government to register them. The Supreme Court had already ordered the government to do so, but the government has thus far refused. Same-sex intercourse is criminalized in the southern African monarchy.
Jamaica: The Prime Minister told a forum at the embassy in Washington, D.C. that his government was considering hate speech legislation, and some are speculating that an eventual bill could include protections against incitement to violence against LGBT people.
Cayman Islands: File this under “interesting” – the lawyer who represented the couple who sued the British territory for same-sex marriage, eventually leading the Governor to introduce civil unions, has been appointed Chair of the territory’s Human Rights Commission.
Saudi Arabia: MSN has a report on life for LGBT people in the Kingdom.
Meanwhile, in the States
Wisconsin: State Democrats have filed bills to repeal the state’s defunct laws and constitutional sections that prohibit same-sex marriage. Spoiler: these likely won’t even be considered in the state legislature, which currently has Republican super-majorities. However, a case before the state supreme court could end the gerrymander that has rendered legislative elections basically moot since 2011, and make the November elections actually competitive.
Missouri: State Republicans have proposed at least 20 anti-LGBT bills for next year’s session, including a “Don’t Say Gay” law, further restrictions on health care for trans youth, restrictions on drag performances, and restrictions on students’ use of preferred pronouns and names.
Ohio: State Republicans passed bills restricting access to heath care for trans youth and barring trans students from sports. The bills go to the Republican governor for signature.
In addition to Quintana Roo, the state of Morelos also passed a law banning the ECOSIG yesterday.