Hate Crimes bill proposed in Mexico
Sri Lanka sodomy decriminalization bill inches forward
Mexico: A Senator has proposed a bill that would penalize hate crimes more severely under the federal penal code. Currently, only 20 states have hate crime laws.
Meanwhile, a Chiapas state legislator says he thinks a bill codifying same-sex marriage ought to be subject to popular consultations, despite the fact it’s been legal in the state for seven years. (States where the law has not been updated to reflect court decisions can impose burdens on same-sex couples seeking to marry). LGBT activists are also seeking a law for legal gender change and legalization of abortion.
Greece: I feel like I’m going to reporting some variation of “actually the same-sex marriage bill is/isn’t going to be delayed after all” every day for the next year at this point, but today’s story is that the government now doesn’t want to delay the bill, and it may come before EU elections scheduled for the spring, but after some public consultations. Apparently, the PM is going to reveal his plans tomorrow, but the proposed bill will not include any rights to medically assisted reproduction or surrogacy. The Greek Orthodox Church is urging politicians to vote it down.
The Opposition SYRIZA party submitted its own same-sex marriage bill to Parliament yesterday.
The Vatican: In his annual foreign policy address, the Pope called for a global ban on surrogacy, calling the practice “despicable.” Many Catholic countries in Europe, notably Italy and Spain, already ban the practice, with Italy’s government recently introducing a bill that would criminalize parents who go out of the country to have a surrogate child.
Sri Lanka: The Human Rights Commission is trying to get the Justice Minister to take a stand on the private members’ bill that was submitted last year to decriminalize gay sex. The bill has already received a favorable report from the Supreme Court, and HRC notes that the bill is in keeping with Sri Lanka’s commitments under various human rights treaties to protect LGBT rights. Per this report, the bill received second reading in December, although the Parliament website doesn’t show that.
Japan: Yamagata Prefecture’s same-sex partnership registry opened last week. It is the 20th of 47 prefectures to have an active registry; another seven come into effect later this year.
UK: The government of Scotland has begun consultations toward a conversion therapy ban – the consultation period is open until April 2.
AFRICA: Amnesty International has a report out on increasing anti-LGBT sentiment in several African countries, stoked by politicians pushing anti-LGBT legislation. The report singles out Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Burundi, Eswatini, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.
Duly Noted
Vietnam: A football player from the national team married her girlfriend this weekend.
Meanwhile, in the States
Florida is leading the nation in viciously anti-trans and anti-LGBT bills filed ahead of the 2024 legislative session, with more than a dozen bills tabled, including some blatantly unconstitutional bills that would un-recognize all trans people’s true gender in the state, massively censor the internet, and create a cause of action for anyone who is accused of homophobia. Yeesh.