Far right groups attack Ukraine queer film fest

Plus, the Pope, Kanye, and an Oscar-winning actress

Queer love lock found on a bridge in Kyiv, 2015.

First, some housekeeping: I’m taking a well-deserved vacation tomorrow until the end of the month, so my next newsletter will likely come next Friday – unless some true bombshell happens between now and then, like a decriminalization or same-sex marriage case gets suddenly decided.

I’ll be heading to New York City, where I have a couple of pieces on display as part of the Dandyland Queer Erotic Art EXXXPO. Check it out if you’re in the area!

And now, the news.

For the Los Angeles Blade, I interviewed West Hollywood’s new mayor Chelsea Byers about her plans for the city – including her plans to help deal with the city’s affordability crisis and protecting queer institutions.

Argentina: The federal court reinstated the Gender Identity Law, nullifying President Milei’s decree that blocked access to gender care for minors. The court’s ruling fell on the fact that Milei didn’t have the right to amend the law that had been passed by congress, and that the trans minor involved in the case had the right to free development of their own personality.

Ukraine: Far-right protestors disrupted the “Sunny Bunny” LGBTQ+ film festival in Kyiv over the weekend, apparently incensed that the festival coincided with the holy Easter week. Sunny Bunny has long been a target of far-right extremists, though – I reported on far-right arsonists who targeted the festival for Vice ten years ago. (And boy, does that make me feel old!)

Oh, and USAID cut funding to Sunny Bunny amid the general shutdown of that agency this year.

Russia: In a significant escalation of its anti-LGBT crackdown, the government named an individual as a member of the banned (so-called) “international LGBT public movement,” in what is believed to be a legal first. The nonexistent organization has been banned in Russia since a 2023 court ruling and subsequent legislation.

Turkiye: An extremist Islamic party that is allied with President Erdogan has submitted a bill to parliament that would criminalize most LGBTQ expression and organization, and define trans people out of existence. The bill’s future is uncertain, but Erdogan has been increasing his anti-LGBT rhetoric over the past few years.

The Vatican: Pope Francis passed away Sunday night, age 88. In his time as pope, he frequently pushed for greater inclusion of LGBTQ people, even as he continued Catholic doctrine that found gay sex and trans identities to be intrinsically disordered. He introduced a new word to English speakers last year when it was reported that he referred to there being to much “frociaggine” (faggotry) in the church. Church leadership will soon call a conclave to elect a new pope, much like in that recent Oscar-nominated film, Anora.

Elections Watch

Coming up while I’m away:

April 25: Marshall Islands parliamentary election
April 28: Canada and Trinidad & Tobago parliamentary elections
April 30: Cayman Islands parliamentary election and referendums (including one on decriminalizing cannabis possession)

Duly Noted

Oscar-winning actress Youn Yuh-jung (Minari) revealed in an interview that her soon is gay and married his partner in New York years ago. The news has generated some buzz in South Korea, where same-sex marriage is a hot-button issue.

And, in I’m-sorry-to-make-you-read-these-words news, rapper Kanye West announced in a graphic post on Twitter that he was in a gay incestuous relationship with his cousin as a child, and he has just released a song about how he believes that his cessation of the relationship led his cousin to murder a woman years later.

If you are in an abusive relationship and you need someone to talk to, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline.