Polish government finally introduces civil union bill

Elections in Canada and Moldova leave knife-edge results

Fun fact: Canada’s Rocky Mountains are smarter than any of Canada’s Conservative politicians.

My “Out in the World” column is up at the Los Angeles Blade, with stories from Poland, Italy, Canada, and Australia.

Poland: The government has finally introduced its long-awaited civil union bills to parliament. The bills would allow same-sex and opposite-sex couples to form a civil union, but will not allow couples in a civil union to adopt children. The equalities minister says the compromise was necessary to get the bills passed – but it remains to be seen if even this can pass through parliament and get the president’s signature. More in The Blade.

UK: The England and Wales Cricket Board has banned trans women from elite competition. This matches a ban from the International Cricket Commission.

India: The National Medical Commission has released an update to its curriculum removing “gender identity disorder” and other prejudicial language about LGBT people, following an order by the Madras High Court.

Moldova: Pro-Western president Maia Sandu advanced to the second round of the presidential election, which will take place Nov 3 – she’ll face a pro-Russian opponent. At the same time, voters appear to have very narrowly (50.1-49.9%) rejected a constitutional amendment that would have put its aspirations to join the EU in the constitution. The referendum does not bind the government from pursuing EU accession, but if it passed, would have committed the government to pursue it.

Both votes were marred by allegations of Russian interference and vote-buying. It’s not yet clear how this will affect Moldova’s accession talks with the EU.

Georgia: Even before the anti-LGBT law was passed, queer Georgians were routinely victims of violence and unable to seek justice from police, due to stigma and discrimination. Georgia goes to the polls next Sunday.

Spain: The local congress of Valencia is considering setting up a commission of inquiry into conversion therapy after it was revealed that a number of schools were secretly carrying it out, despite it being banned in the country.

Mexico: Psychologists in Tamaulipas state support a local conversion therapy ban, to supplement the federal ban passed this year.

A state deputy in Guanajuato has announced a package of pro-LGBT legislation, including codifying same-sex marriage, recognizing legal gender change, a constitutional equal rights amendment, a ban on discrimination, a hate crime law, and establishing a state day against LGBTphobia. The state is currently governed by the conservative PAN, but the party has recently indicated openness to passing the marriage equality bill.

Meanwhile, in Canada

British Columbia’s provincial election Saturday has not yet been officially resolved, as there remain a number of close races heading to recount. So far, the incumbent BC NDP were leading or elected in 46 seats to the BC Conservatives’ 45, while the BC Greens were elected in 2 seats. It may be a full week before results are finalized, due to automatic recounts, mail-in ballots, and out-of-district ballots (Elections BC allows voters to vote for their local rep anywhere in the province). The most likely outcome appears to be a BC NDP minority or BC NDP-Green coalition, which would be a (narrow) victory for a party that upheld an anti-bullying program for sexual orientation and gender identity, vs a party that pushed anti-trans education policies. You may remember a similar dynamic played out in Manitoba earlier this year.

Disappointingly, the BC Cons’ worst candidate, who became known for a series of racist and conspiracy theory filled Facebook posts – including alleging that the Pulse massacre was staged – won his election in suburban Vancouver.

Today, New Brunswick goes to the polls, where the NB Progressive Conservative government has pushed anti-trans education policies all year, and where (admittedly, limited) polls seem to indicate they’re in for a drubbing. Anti-trans flyers have been distributed by a Catholic anti-LGBT group.

Saskatchewan goes to the polls next Monday. The incumbent premier, who’s already initiated several anti-trans education policies, said last week that pushing even more anti-trans garbage will be his top priority if reelected. The opposition NDP leader pushed back against that hard, and appears to be running a close race.

Meanwhile, Alberta’s proposed bill requiring parental notice and opt-in for any sex education or discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in classrooms is raising serious concerns. More on all of this in The Blade.

Meanwhile in the States

Texas: The state is suing a doctor for allegedly providing gender care to minors, in violation of the state’s ban on gender care.

The Supreme Court has announced it will hear a challenge to a gender care ban passed by Tennessee on Dec 4. 

California: A nonbinary teacher in Cupertino was put on leave for discussing gender with her kindergarten class.

Ohio: The town of Waynesville committed illegal discrimination by refusing to appoint a gay man to its council, despite him being the only applicant, the ACLU alleges. The village president pro tem specifically said he objected to his LGBT activism, so this sounds pretty open and shut.

South Carolina: A man received a life sentence for murdering trans woman Dime Doe in 2019. South Carolina remains one of just two states without a hate crime law.