Massachusetts close to passing parenting equality bill

Malawi ruling upholding sodomy law published, and it's nonsense

Malaysia: The rock band The 1975, is being sued by festival organizers after frontman Matty Healy kissed a man on stage as a protest against the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws last July. The festival is seeking $2.4 million in damages alleging breach of contract after the festival was shut down by authorities.

Thailand: Thailand just joined the Equal Rights Coalition, an intergovernmental organization devoted protecting the rights of LGBT people. It is the organization’s 44^th member state, and the first from Asia.

Malawi: The High Court released its (LONG) judgement in the case in which it upheld the country’s colonial-era “carnal knowledge against the order of nature” laws, and they are a breathtaking logic pretzel. I should acknowledge that if the Court’s summary of the case is correct, the two claimants had really, really shitty lawyers who made bad and incomplete arguments. (It should also be said that the two claimants are deeply flawed individual; one is accused of sexually assaulting minors in his employment, the other is a sex worker accused of robbing her clients).

But the Court seems to have cooked the ruling from the beginning, shutting down every challenge. On whether “sexual orientation” should be included in the constitution’s prohibition on discrimination based on “sex” or “any other status,” the court rules that if the drafters intended for it to be included, that it would have been included outright. Well then what is “any other status” supposed to mean, then? And they don’t even reckon with the idea that “sex” must include “sexual orientation” as other courts have ruled (a law that bans a man from having sex with a man, but doesn’t ban a woman from having sex with a man is obviously “sex” discrimination).

But the wildest part of the ruling is the court’s finding that laws that ban people from having gay sex don’t discriminate against gay people because they apply to gay people and street people. That’s an argument stupid on its face that Anatole France demolished it in 1894: “The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread.” Better lawyers might’ve articulated this argument more clearly – the Court says no evidence was presented to “prove” that the law banning gay sex targets gay people – but if this was the Court’s starting point, it’s unlikely they would have succeeded.

Olympics

Out diver Tom Daley from the UK won Silver in Men’s Synchronized 10m Platform Diving in Paris on Monday – that’s his fifth Olympic medal over his career. He made his debut at age 14 at the 2008  Beijing Olympics.

Other queer medalists include Amandine Buchard of France who won Bronze in Judo (52kg category) and Lauren Scruggs of the USA who won Silver in Women's Foil.

Meanwhile, in the States

Massachusetts: The Senate Ways and Means Committee finally approved the Parentage Equality Bill, but with a recommendation to pass an amended version. The Senate passed it with two more amendments yesterday, which sends it back to the House for concurrence, which should happen today. The legislature adjourns today until after the elections in November.

Still no movement on the sodomy decriminalization bill. If it’s not passed today, there’s a slight chance it could be brought back in the fall.

New York: The November ballot question that is meant to protect abortion right and ban discrimination against LGBT people will not include the words “abortion” or “LGBT” in its explanatory note.  

Florida: A nice new poll shows that an abortion rights measure on the ballot in November enjoys about 69% support. Oddly, the same poll shows Donald Trump leading Kamala Harris in the state, and Republican Rick Scott leading likely Democrat nominee Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in the state’s Senate race. Nevertheless, Harris is apparently investing in her campaign in Florida, likely hoping to capitalize on the popular ballot initiative (and another one on legalizing marijuana).

Nebraska: The state supreme court has upheld a law that banned abortion and gender care for trans youth. Nebraska will have competing constitutional amendments on abortion rights on the November ballot.