Reminders of what's at stake next week

Mexico and Switzerland shoring up LGBT rights, while Alberta goes after trans kids

Oh look, my penis made it onto Boyculture’s list of Halloween Costumes of the Year! (I also drew the portrait hanging in the background. You can see more of my art on my art Twitter account, @gaydudesketches).

But now the news. We’re in the home stretch for the US election next Tuesday.

In case you still need more information, CBS compares Harris and Trump’s records on LGBTQ issues.

I obviously firmly endorse Harris for president and all Democrats up and down the ballot. Unfortunately, although I am a permanent resident of the United States, I am not a citizen and do not have the right to vote. But please, please, please, if you are entitled to vote, go out and exercise your right and help save this country’s democracy and rights.

Speaking of down-ballot races, this is your regular reminder that marriage equality is on the ballot in California, Colorado, and Hawaii. A non-discrimination law is on the ballot in New York, and abortion rights are on the ballot in ten states.

State legislative races are going to be incredibly important for advancing LGBTQ rights, and again, this will only happen when Democrats gain unified control of legislatures (meaning, majorities in both upper and lower houses). In this election, Democrats have a chance to win control of Arizona, New Hampshire, Alaska, and Pennsylvania. Democrats also have a chance to win control of one house in Wisconsin, and they’ll be trying to break Republicans’ supermajorities in several other states like Montana, North Carolina, Georgia, Kansas and Tennessee.

Democrats are also trying to win supermajorities in Oregon, to stop Republicans from blocking LGBT rights legislation – for example, last year, Republicans blocked Oregon from putting a question on the ballot to repeal the state’s defunct constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

Democrats are also on the defensive in Michigan and Minnesota, where they’re trying to defend their razor-thin majorities in both houses.

Michigan: A Catholic Church has fired its music director of 34 years, months before his planned retirement, simply because he married his same-sex partner.

Texas: Republican Attorney-General Ken Paxton has stepped up his war on trans health care, charging a second doctor with providing gender-affirming care.

Meanwhile, in the rest of the world…

Mexico: State legislatures in Guanajuato advanced a slew of LGBT rights bills through commission stage – one that would finally codify same-sex marriage into state law, one that allows legal gender change, one that bans conversion therapy, and one that legalizes abortion. The bills will still need to pass through the plenary.

Switzerland: The canton of Vaud has just banned conversion therapy, making it the second to ban the practice. A federal ban is very slowly working its way through parliament.

Canada: Canada’s worst premier, Alberta’s Danielle Smith introduced four pieces of anti-LGBT legislation, aiming to ban trans women from women’s sport, banning gender care for trans youth, requiring parental notification and consent if a student uses a different name or pronoun, and restricting classroom discussions of sex ed or LGBT topics unless parents have opted in. The bills are red meat to her conservative base ahead of a leadership review and will likely pass. Alberta’s next election isn’t until 2027.

Ghana: The Supreme Court apparently held a hearing on a challenge to the anti-LGBT bill, but I can’t find any other reports on it.

New Zealand: Reports show an alarming rise in the number of reported anti-LGBT hate crimes, and particularly anti-trans hate crimes.

Moldova: The second round of the presidential election happens this weekend, and the two choices will essentially decide if Moldova remains on its pro-western track or realigns toward Russia.