Mexico may finally ban conversion therapy
The far right continue crackdowns on LGBT in Spain and Russia
I reported for the Los Angeles Blade on an anti-LGBT protestor driving a tractor on a highway in suburban Vancouver, Canada, who got involved in a chase with police and ended up flipping the tractor over after colliding with the BC Highway Patrol vehicle. The protestor was part of a small convoy of vehicles showing up to protest sex ed in schools, in what is becoming an alarming trend in Canada.
Mexico: After nearly a year, the federal Chamber of Deputies has scheduled the final debate and vote on the bill to ban conversion therapy for next Tues Dec 5.
Spain: The far-right government that runs the region of Madrid has used emergency powers to repeal local laws that protect trans rights, including the ban on conversion therapy, a ban on discrimination, and laws that facilitate legal name and gender change. The orders also make it more difficult for trans children to access medical care. To a certain extent, trans people in the region are still shielded by national laws that protect them, but this is a big red alarm about what the far right intend to do in Spain when they get power – and they’re not far from it at the national level either.
Russia: Radio Free Europe has a report on what the government is trying to do by asking the Supreme Court to declare the “international LGBT movement” an extremist organization.
Greece: Another government member says he won’t support a same-sex marriage bill that has been floated by the Prime Minister. The bill has not been introduced yet, but will need at least half the governing party to support it, along with the main opposition parties.
Curacao, Sint Maarten: The Secretary of State for Kingdom Relations of the Netherlands told the Senate she believes the kingdom is in violation of the European Convention on Human Rights because these two countries within the kingdom do not offer same-sex civil unions (at least). She’s also regretting that they and Aruba do not offer same-sex marriage, but is not intervening, and is waiting for the Cassation Court to rule on the matter next spring.
Uganda: The Constitutional Court has set hearings on the Anti-Homosexuality Act to begin on Dec 11. The Court struck down a previous version of the law on procedural grounds, but it’s not clear how the Court is leaning now.
Asia: Pew research has some surprising polling that suggests majority support – though soft support – for same-sex marriage in Japan, Thailand, India, Cambodia, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Even the numbers for Singapore aren’t terrible.
Another poll from Pew finds overwhelming majority support for same-sex marriage in Italy.
Meanwhile, in the States
Michigan: Two by-elections to fill state house vacancies created when two Democrats we elected as mayors in early November have been called for April 14, 2024. This seems a fairly leisurely pace, considering that the state house is deadlocked until Democrats retake these traditionally blue seats. Hopefully the legislature can at least progress bills through the Senate and committee stages in the first quarter of next year. We’re still waiting on sodomy decriminalization, family law updates, and a ban on the gay/trans panic defense to pass.
Ohio: The Republican-controlled legislature is hearing testimony on a suite of anti-trans legislation today – including a ban on medical treatment for trans youth and a ban on trans youth playing sports. Follow @ErinInTheMorn on Twitter for the best coverage.