Tokyo High Court says same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional
Good and bad news for queers in Canada
Japan: The Tokyo High Court ruled that the country’s ban on same-sex marriage i
s unconstitutional, upholding a lower court ruling. This is the second High Court ruling favoring same-sex marriage after Sapporo earlier this year – and more High Court rulings are expected over the next few months.
These rulings do not compel the government to act, but they add pressure on the government to address the unconstitutionality. These cases will likely find their way to the Supreme Court next year.
Suriname: The tiny South American country is showing signs of growing support for LGBTQ rights, but not enough to get same-sex marriage on the government’s agenda.
Argentina: Diplomats from 30 embassies released a joint statement ahead of Buenos Aires Pride calling on the government to protect LGBTQIA+ people, after a year of hostility from Argentina’s new far-right President Javier Milei.
Panama: Activists have launched a new campaign for same-sex marriage.
Poland: A new poll shows 60% support for the government’s civil union bill – although that’s only provided it doesn’t allow adoption. Nevertheless, it’s still unclear if the bill has the support to pass parliament, as one of the coalition partners is still refusing to endorse it and pushing an alternative that gives partners even fewer rights. Additionally, the president has threatened to veto civil partnerships, preferring a weaker status he calls “closest relative.”
Georgia: Protests are ongoing over last weekend’s disputed elections. President Biden has joined the chorus denouncing the election irregularities.
A reminder that Moldova faces a second-round presidential election on Sunday, where the incumbent pro-Western President Sandu is facing a tough, pro-Russian challenger.
Canada: Saskatchewan voters defied some late-breaking polls and returned the conservative Saskatchewan Party to power Monday. While the NDP made gains, it wasn’t particularly close, with the SP getting 53% of the vote to the NDP’s 39%. Some ridings remain too close to call, but the SP has already won a majority of seats. The SP has pledged to double down on their anti-trans agenda by making a ban on trans people competing in sports their top agenda item in the new mandate. While anti-trans parties have lost three provincial elections this year (in Manitoba, British Columbia, and New Brunswick), this likely gives comfort to Alberta, which has proposed further anti-trans policies.
Speaking of, the government of Alberta is proposing amendments to the province’s Bill of Rights which would establish a right to bear arms (in accordance with federal law), a right to refuse medical treatment, and a right to refuse vaccines, because Alberta’s government is made up entirely of the worst trolls from 4Chan.
It is not clear how the proposed “right to bodily autonomy” squares with Alberta’s forthcoming legislation banning trans youth from accessing gender care. If both end up passing, it’s likely the courts will have to sort it out. But, fun fact: In Canada, provincial rights legislation can just be amended away when the government of the day finds it inconvenient.
And hey, since we’re still talking about elections, how about some happier news? British Columbia’s newly elected legislature is the first in Canada to be majority female.
Duly Noted
Canadian singer-songwriter Shawn Mendes says he’s still “figuring out” his sexuality.
Meanwhile, in the States
LGBTQ voters could be pivotal in several swing states this election, so get out and vote blue up and down the ticket!
South Dakota: A poll shows that a ballot question to amend the state constitution to make references to certain jobs (like governor) gender-neutral will fail by a wide margin. This is what happens when Republicans train their voters to fear anything involving the word gender.
We should probably brace ourselves for a number of failures on ballot questions next week, including on abortion questions in South Dakota and Florida.
New York: Niagara Falls got a new plaque celebrating the state’s first same-sex marriage there in 2011. New Yorkers can make history again this year by passing Amendment 1, which would add anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people and abortion rights to the state constitution.
Michigan: Analysts are skittish that Democrats can hold their narrow control of the state legislature next week. If they lose it, that will end efforts to pass a state hate crime law, repeal the sodomy law, and repeal bans on same-sex marriage, all of which failed to get over the line during the last session. So if you’re in Michigan, that’s another reason to vote!