Mexican state passes broad LGBT rights bill
Colorado, West Virginia, take opposite steps on trans rights
Mexico: The state of Tamaulipas has passed a sweeping LGBT rights bill that bans discrimination in public services, bans conversion therapy (although that’s already banned under federal law), bans unnecessary surgeries on intersex children, and requires comprehensive sex education. From what I understand, the state still lacks a hate crime law, or a law to facilitate legal gender change. Legislators are also considering a bill to decriminalize abortion in the state.
The Supreme Court granted an injunction protecting abortion providers in Guanajuato state until the legislature formally decriminalizes abortion. In Yucatan, where the state congress did decriminalize abortion, the executive has refused to officially publish the reform. Morelos legislators have a deadline of May 10 to pass a decriminalization bill, but they’ve missed previous deadlines too. Meanwhile, Mexico City, where abortion has been legal up to 12 weeks since 2007, is putting on hold a bill to fully decriminalize abortion until all 32 states at least get to 12 weeks – currently only 24 have partially decriminalized abortion.
Mexico City is also considering a bill to ban hate speech.
Ecuador: Women’s groups have called on the Constitutional Court to fully decriminalize abortion, which is currently only legal in cases of rape.
Australia: Anthony Albanese’s Labor Party was reelected with a majority government, holding off a threat from the far-right Liberal-National coalition. While Labor has been a big disappointment on LGBT rights, the coalition would have threatened to reverse progress.
Romania: Also over the weekend, the first-round presidential election was held, and the results are not great. Far right, pro-Russia AUR candidate George Simion took 40% of the vote to runner up independent Nicosur Dan’s 21%. Dan is the more progressive and reform-minded candidate, but he’s also previously rejected same-sex marriage and civil liberties as a cause in the past.
South Africa: A cabinet minister has called on all African countries to repeal anti-LGBT legislation, recalling the African Union’s Commission on Human and People’s Rights.
Meanwhile, in the States
West Virginia: The governor has signed an extreme anti-trans bill into law, which removes a loophole allowing suicidal youth to access gender-affirming care, defines trans people out of law, and opens gender care providers to the threat of lawsuits and loss of licenses.
Colorado: A bill has advanced to the senate floor that would clarify that deadnaming and misgendering a trans person are considered acts of discrimination.