India formalizes new benefits for same-sex couples

Nepal Prime Minister doesn't know what LGBT rights are

In case you missed it yesterday, my “Out in the World” column at the Los Angeles Blade is here.

India: The government has announced a raft of new measures for the LGBTQIA+ community, apparently in response to last year’s Supreme Court ruling against gay marriage but requiring the government to remove discrimination against gay couples. Among the new measures:

-            Same-sex couples can now be included on the same household ration card

-            Same-sex partners can now claim a deceased person’s body “when near relative/next of kin/family is not available”

-            Same-sex partners now have prison visitation rights

-            Last week, the finance ministry directed that same-sex couples can own joint bank accounts and be named beneficiaries

-            The health ministry is now working on guidelines for treatment of Intersex children so they can “have a medically normal life without complications” (whatever that means)

-            The government is also directed states to prohibit of conversion therapy, make sex reassignment surgery available, and update school curricula, and remove barriers to access to health care for LGBTQIA people.

-            The government is also taking suggestions for additional measures.

You know, with all these new benefits for same-sex couples, you’d think the government would need some way to formally and legally recognize that they exist…

Nepal: The prime minister went viral for pleading ignorance about LGBTQ issues like same-sex marriage.

Denmark: The government has announced a suite of programs to help same-sex couples start families.

Iran: I mentioned yesterday that Australia’s embassy in Iran celebrated an LGBTQIA+ awareness day over the weekend – well, Iran has noticed and summoned the ambassador over it, which is like a mild reprimand.

Uruguay: The LGBT+ Chamber of Commerce has proposed changes to the same-sex marriage law to boost tourism. They’d like to see the requirement that at least one partner be domiciled in Uruguay be dropped, so Uruguay can be promoted as a wedding destination.

Paraguay: The country is launching its first national sex education curriculum, but activists are already mortified that it’s full of gender stereotypes and harmful disinformation about STIs and contraception, and that it doesn’t include information about LGBT people.

Meanwhile, in the States

California: State Democrats are fighting back against local Republicans who are passing anti-LGBT policies at city councils and school boards.

Minnesota: The Appeals Court has denied a request from a sperm donor that he be recognized as the legal parent of a child born to a lesbian couple, but…

Louisiana: Here, a court has denied a man’s request he be recognized as a parent to a child born to his husband via a surrogate, violating the presumption of paternity usually provided to married couples.