Massachusetts one step closer to repealing sodomy law
Greece to have same-sex marriage by Valentine's?
I have a story on the Los Angeles Blade about the Massachusetts state Senate unanimously passing a bill to repeal the state’s sodomy and “walking while trans” laws. The bill heads to the state House where it is expected to pass. Eleven other US states still have sodomy laws on their books, although they are no longer in effect due to a 2003 US Supreme Court ruling.
Greece: The Greek drama may be nearing an end. PM Mitsotakis says he’s submitting the same-sex marriage bill to cabinet next week, and expects a vote in Parliament in the first half of February. The government is also ruling out a referendum on the issue. Start booking those wedding halls and stocking up on smashable plates, Greek LGBTs!
Thailand: The country’s Health Department Director-General is proposing that the government reduce restrictions on surrogacy, in part to accommodate same-sex couples given the pending equal marriage law, and to help address a looming population crisis brought on by a low birth right. Commercial surrogacy is banned in the country, due to a series of scandals that were seen as exploiting poor women.
Indonesia: A new process is cards, and even though the cards do not accurately reflect gender, they allow trans people access to crucial public services, banking, and voting.
Australia: The Premier of New South Wales has ordered a review of the state’s hate speech laws. Communities say that the law has not been an effective deterrent for hate speech, which often goes unpunished.
British Virgin Islands: Governor Rankin denies accusations that he’ll impose same-sex marriage on the territory with additional powers he’s seeking from the UK. The powers he’s seeking are unrelated to marriage law (although, really, he could still impose legislation by fiat anyway, so…)
Poland: Not much of an update here, but current events in Poland, where newly elected Prime Minister Tusk is facing stiff opposition to his attempted reforms to end cronyism by canning political appointees of the previous regime, make it seem unlikely that the government will be able to pass a civil union law in the first 100 days of its term as promised. The President, who is from the old party, has already vetoed the state budget, and is likely to continue to obstruct the government’s agenda as much as possible.
Meanwhile, in the States….
Wisconsin: State Republicans passed a bill through the state house yesterday establishing a “parents bill of rights” that would require schools to give notice to parents whenever sexuality or race is discussed in the classroom, to determine what names or pronouns the child can use, and to consent to any medical services, including vaccinations, offered to a child.
Utah: A state senator who ran on ending the state’s virtual wedding business – which has allowed couples all over the world to enter into legally valid same-sex marriages – has instead come around on the virtual weddings. His new bill seeks only to ensure that weddings involve people of legal age, and it just cleared a state senate committee.
Kentucky: A Republican rep has introduced a bill requiring schools to out trans students to their parents, and barring disciplining school employees, staff, or students if they refer to trans students or staff by the wrong name or pronoun.
Idaho: State Democrats introduced a bill to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in state law. It stands no chance of passing in the Republican-controlled legislature.
A similar bill has been introduced in Arizona, and it also faces no chance of passing as Republicans have one-seat majorities in both houses. At least the state is unlikely to pass any LGBT legislation this year, as the Democratic governor will likely veto it.