Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has delivered a historic apology to the LGBTQ community for past injustices committed against them.

The Guardian quoted the Canadian prime minister, as saying, in the House of Commons, that the gay intellectuals would be at increased risk of blackmail by Canada&#39;s adversaries was nothing short of a witch-hunt.

&quot;This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government - people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives,&quot; Trudeau said.

&quot;These aren&#39;t distant practices of governments long forgotten. This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit,&quot; he added.

The Canadian prime minister said the people were constantly monitored for anything that could be construed as gay behaviour at their workplaces, bars, parks and even their homes were under watch. Those admitted after interrogations to being gay were forced to leave their jobs.

&quot;It is with shame and sorrow and deep regret for the things we have done that I stand here today and say: We were wrong. We apologise. I am sorry. We are sorry,&quot; Trudeau said to a standing ovation.

&quot;For state-sponsored, systemic oppression and rejection, we are sorry,&quot; he added.

On November 20, Trudeau had announced that his Government would offer a formal apology to the LGBTQ community.

&quot;On November 28, the Government will offer a formal apology to LGBTQ2 Canadians in the House - for the persecution &amp; injustices they have suffered, and to advance together on the path to equality &amp; inclusion,&quot; Trudeau said on Twitter.

The Canadian prime minister&#39;s announcement came at a time when Australia voted in favour of marriage equality, while the Turkish capital Ankara has banned all gay rights functions.

The apology is expected to be the most comprehensive ever offered by any national government for past persecution of sexual minorities.

The Canadian government has already taken other steps to reduce discrimination against sexual and gender minorities, such as passing legislation that bans discrimination against transgender Canadians and equalising the laws of consent for intercourse.

Earlier in July, Justin Trudeau became the first sitting prime minister to march in the Halifax Pride parade.

Dressed up in a pink shirt and white pants, the prime minister waved and yelled &quot;Happy Pride!&quot; to thousands of people along the parade route, stopping periodically to take selfies as members of the crowd called out his name.

'This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government - people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives,' Trudeau said

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has delivered a historic apology to the LGBTQ community for past injustices committed against them. The Guardian quoted the Canadian prime minister, as saying, in the House of Commons, that the gay intellectuals would be at increased risk of blackmail by Canada's adversaries was nothing short of a witch-hunt. "This is the devastating story of people who were branded criminals by the government - people who lost their livelihoods, and in some cases, their lives," Trudeau said. "These aren't distant practices of governments long forgotten. This happened systematically, in Canada, with a timeline more recent than any of us would like to admit," he added. The Canadian prime minister said the people were constantly monitored for anything that could be construed as gay behaviour at their workplaces, bars, parks and even their homes were under watch. Those admitted after interrogations to being gay were forced to leave their jobs. "It is with shame and sorrow and deep regret for the things we have done that I stand here today and say: We were wrong. We apologise. I am sorry. We are sorry," Trudeau said to a standing ovation. "For state-sponsored, systemic oppression and rejection, we are sorry," he added. On November 20, Trudeau had announced that his Government would offer a formal apology to the LGBTQ community. "On November 28, the Government will offer a formal apology to LGBTQ2 Canadians in the House - for the persecution & injustices they have suffered, and to advance together on the path to equality & inclusion," Trudeau said on Twitter. The Canadian prime minister's announcement came at a time when Australia voted in favour of marriage equality, while the Turkish capital Ankara has banned all gay rights functions. The apology is expected to be the most comprehensive ever offered by any national government for past persecution of sexual minorities. The Canadian government has already taken other steps to reduce discrimination against sexual and gender minorities, such as passing legislation that bans discrimination against transgender Canadians and equalising the laws of consent for intercourse. Earlier in July, Justin Trudeau became the first sitting prime minister to march in the Halifax Pride parade. Dressed up in a pink shirt and white pants, the prime minister waved and yelled "Happy Pride!" to thousands of people along the parade route, stopping periodically to take selfies as members of the crowd called out his name.

Justin Trudeau delivers historic apology to Canada's LGBTQ community

In a world divided by race, language, religion, and ideology, it is understandable why we need to celebrate International Integration Day. Development of a peaceful world demands respectful treatment of all forms of diversity. International Integration Day promotes the values of universal acceptance and equality around the globe. But what is ideally desired is not always practised. It has never been. The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals. We have so far failed to extend the idea of inclusiveness to appreciate people with different sexual orientation than what is believed to be the mainstream or the &quot;natural&quot;.&nbsp;

The question that human rights activists and LGBTQ community members have been asking all along is: why being a gay is the crime? Why being different in terms of sexual orientation is offensive, when being different could be unique? The saga of oppression against lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender is a long drawn one but it is sadly the most unacknowledged, ignored and triviliased issue both in India and elsewhere.

Everyone looks for a place in society - to be accepted as an equal member like anybody else. But that acceptance is not easy to achieve because we always tend to judge others by fixed social norms. Members of LGBTQ community, therefore, find it extremely daunting to disclose their identity, fearing reprisals. The reprisals and marginalisation did not spare even an established social persona like Rituparno Ghosh. Ever since the acclaimed filmmaker decided to remain not so discreet about his sexual identity, he has been the butt of unsavoury jokes, even in TV shows.

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<h5>The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals</h5>
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It was Ghosh&#39;s heroism that he openly accepted his sexual preference and even underwent several surgeries to transform her body to his likings. His androgynous personality was never a barrier to him in his filmmaking and acting career but in the last few years of his life, he isolated himself from the entire industry and from his near and dear ones. No matter how brazenly he opened up about his effeminate traits but somewhere deep inside he continued to battle for the acceptance from the people.

Today, Ghosh is not only remembered as an established filmmaker and actor but also as an important icon of the LGBTQ community of India. Through his award-winning films, not only did he break the conservative sensibility of Indian viewers on sexuality, he also educated us on how it is like being a homosexual. He was what can be called a cultural activist. His cross-dressings, his films, his razor sharp intellect cut through the moral morass of the society. &nbsp;

Queer parades: yes, we are gays and we exist

Gay parades are becoming increasingly common. People marching hand in hand on the streets and roaring slogans out loud, demanding equal status and the rights they deserve. Even a decade ago this was not a common sight. But now it is. From Paris to Tel Aviv to Lucknow, LGBTQ community in colourful costumes has been coming out openly, marching in the streets, announcing and celebrating their identity. The goals such parades serve are to make the rest of the society sensitive to their demands for acceptance as well as help LGBT individuals to open up about themselves. Coming together helps the community members to realise they are not alone even if mainstream society go on showing reluctance in integrating them.&nbsp;

Israel parade is a perfect example of such solidarity act. Tel Aviv has conducted a massive and impactful pride parade couple of days back on the theme &quot;Bisexual Visibility&quot;, making it one of the largest parades in the Middle East and Asia celebrating bisexuality. Thousands of activists and revealers gathered, donned in rainbow colour outfits and LGBTQ flags in hands. Israel is one of the most gay-friendly country in the Middle East, where LGBT community members have even rights to serve in the military. However, there are individuals who lash out against such parades. One Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted &ldquo;I am saddened by Sodomists &ldquo;Pride&rdquo; allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel&rdquo;.&nbsp;

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<h5>Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted &ldquo;I am saddened by Sodomists &ldquo;Pride&rdquo; allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel.</h5>
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The LGBTQ community has drawn attention through fascinating and outrageous quotes, such as &quot;What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it&#39;s curved like a road through mountains.&quot; (Tennessee Williams). Another quote goes: &quot;Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?&quot; (Ernest Gaines). Or through chanting slogans like &quot;377, Quit India&quot;, as section 377 of Indian Panel Code considers being gay to be an immoral act, which violates the innate sexual process and is against the law of nature.

&quot;Give me a support so that I can take off my mask&quot; is another slogan that evokes the emotional urge of the queers. Such slogans signify that there is a larger volume of people out there, hiding in their closet who are, however, unique in their own way but drowning in the fear of rejection.

Success and failure: LGBT rights battle in India and beyond

After going through numbers of the heated debates on giving legal recognition to same-sex marriage, Netherlands became the first country in the world to grant same-sex couples their basic human right. Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Israel are other few countries to legalise homosexuality and same-sex marriage later on.

However, countries in the Middle East, Asia, and most of Africa, as well as St Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and other Carribbean Sea countries, have criminalised homosexuality and same-sex marriage as per their respective laws.&nbsp;

Anjali Gopalan is a noted name today for her contribution towards the LGBTQ community. Her organisation Naz foundation is working against the colonial era law which defined homosexuality as &ldquo;carnal intercourse against the order of law&rdquo;.

India still has a long way to go because in term of achieving rights for the gays. The LGBTQ community is ceaselessly in catch-22 situation. They are harassed&nbsp;and discriminated, their murders go unreported, they are abandoned by their families and along with emotion abuse they also face physical assault. But what for, just for being different?

Achieving integration is the need of the hour, particularly because we are talking and debating basic rights every other day. Then, why are gay rights not to be acknowledged? The philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (the world is one) is the need of the hour. Real integration can only be achieved through building inclusive societies across the globe. To avoid incompletion, we have to accept the gay individuals as one of the shining colours of rainbow in the sky.

On International Integration Day, the world largely remains intolerant towards sexually different people.

In a world divided by race, language, religion, and ideology, it is understandable why we need to celebrate International Integration Day. Development of a peaceful world demands respectful treatment of all forms of diversity. International Integration Day promotes the values of universal acceptance and equality around the globe. But what is ideally desired is not always practised. It has never been. The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals. We have so far failed to extend the idea of inclusiveness to appreciate people with different sexual orientation than what is believed to be the mainstream or the "natural". The question that human rights activists and LGBTQ community members have been asking all along is: why being a gay is the crime? Why being different in terms of sexual orientation is offensive, when being different could be unique? The saga of oppression against lesbians, gay, bisexual, and transgender is a long drawn one but it is sadly the most unacknowledged, ignored and triviliased issue both in India and elsewhere. Everyone looks for a place in society - to be accepted as an equal member like anybody else. But that acceptance is not easy to achieve because we always tend to judge others by fixed social norms. Members of LGBTQ community, therefore, find it extremely daunting to disclose their identity, fearing reprisals. The reprisals and marginalisation did not spare even an established social persona like Rituparno Ghosh. Ever since the acclaimed filmmaker decided to remain not so discreet about his sexual identity, he has been the butt of unsavoury jokes, even in TV shows. The intolerance that marks our everyday existence is most visible towards sexual minority groups, such as the gays, lesbians, transgenders and bisexuals × It was Ghosh's heroism that he openly accepted his sexual preference and even underwent several surgeries to transform her body to his likings. His androgynous personality was never a barrier to him in his filmmaking and acting career but in the last few years of his life, he isolated himself from the entire industry and from his near and dear ones. No matter how brazenly he opened up about his effeminate traits but somewhere deep inside he continued to battle for the acceptance from the people. Today, Ghosh is not only remembered as an established filmmaker and actor but also as an important icon of the LGBTQ community of India. Through his award-winning films, not only did he break the conservative sensibility of Indian viewers on sexuality, he also educated us on how it is like being a homosexual. He was what can be called a cultural activist. His cross-dressings, his films, his razor sharp intellect cut through the moral morass of the society. Queer parades: yes, we are gays and we exist Gay parades are becoming increasingly common. People marching hand in hand on the streets and roaring slogans out loud, demanding equal status and the rights they deserve. Even a decade ago this was not a common sight. But now it is. From Paris to Tel Aviv to Lucknow, LGBTQ community in colourful costumes has been coming out openly, marching in the streets, announcing and celebrating their identity. The goals such parades serve are to make the rest of the society sensitive to their demands for acceptance as well as help LGBT individuals to open up about themselves. Coming together helps the community members to realise they are not alone even if mainstream society go on showing reluctance in integrating them. Israel parade is a perfect example of such solidarity act. Tel Aviv has conducted a massive and impactful pride parade couple of days back on the theme "Bisexual Visibility", making it one of the largest parades in the Middle East and Asia celebrating bisexuality. Thousands of activists and revealers gathered, donned in rainbow colour outfits and LGBTQ flags in hands. Israel is one of the most gay-friendly country in the Middle East, where LGBT community members have even rights to serve in the military. However, there are individuals who lash out against such parades. One Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted “I am saddened by Sodomists “Pride” allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel”. Kazi Azizul Huq tweeted “I am saddened by Sodomists “Pride” allowed in the Holy Land. It delegitimises Israel. × The LGBTQ community has drawn attention through fascinating and outrageous quotes, such as "What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it's curved like a road through mountains." (Tennessee Williams). Another quote goes: "Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" (Ernest Gaines). Or through chanting slogans like "377, Quit India", as section 377 of Indian Panel Code considers being gay to be an immoral act, which violates the innate sexual process and is against the law of nature. "Give me a support so that I can take off my mask" is another slogan that evokes the emotional urge of the queers. Such slogans signify that there is a larger volume of people out there, hiding in their closet who are, however, unique in their own way but drowning in the fear of rejection. Success and failure: LGBT rights battle in India and beyond After going through numbers of the heated debates on giving legal recognition to same-sex marriage, Netherlands became the first country in the world to grant same-sex couples their basic human right. Belgium, Spain, Canada, South Africa, Israel are other few countries to legalise homosexuality and same-sex marriage later on. However, countries in the Middle East, Asia, and most of Africa, as well as St Lucia, Jamaica, Barbados, Guyana and other Carribbean Sea countries, have criminalised homosexuality and same-sex marriage as per their respective laws. Anjali Gopalan is a noted name today for her contribution towards the LGBTQ community. Her organisation Naz foundation is working against the colonial era law which defined homosexuality as “carnal intercourse against the order of law”. India still has a long way to go because in term of achieving rights for the gays. The LGBTQ community is ceaselessly in catch-22 situation. They are harassed and discriminated, their murders go unreported, they are abandoned by their families and along with emotion abuse they also face physical assault. But what for, just for being different? Achieving integration is the need of the hour, particularly because we are talking and debating basic rights every other day. Then, why are gay rights not to be acknowledged? The philosophy of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam (the world is one) is the need of the hour. Real integration can only be achieved through building inclusive societies across the globe. To avoid incompletion, we have to accept the gay individuals as one of the shining colours of rainbow in the sky.

Social integration is a distant dream for the LGBTQ community

When an angry mob of Islamists threatened to burn down a place hosting a gay and lesbian film festival in Jakarta in 2010, Indonesian police came to protect those staging it.

A volunteer at the festival, Adi, 28, now fears that instead of safeguarding their rights authorities are targeting his community, forcing them to hide their lifestyles or even consider moving abroad.

Indonesia&#39;s Islamists have long sought to criminalise gay sex. The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the vigilante group that threatened the now defunct Q! film festival in Jakarta, has previously broken up what they said were gay parties and then urged the police to detain the men. But what is sending a new chill through the gay community is that police seem to have taken on the vice patrol role themselves. In May, officers detained 141 men in a raid on the Atlantis sauna, accusing them of involvement in a gay prostitution ring in a part of Jakarta that is also home to many heterosexual &quot;spas&quot;.

A month earlier, police raided a hotel in Indonesia&#39;s second-biggest city of Surabaya over an alleged &quot;sex party&quot; and made the 14 detained men undergo HIV tests before publicly releasing the results, local media reports said.

&quot;Before this, we used to think of the police as our safety net when mass organizations, or anyone claiming to represent the people, came to attack us,&quot; said Adi, who works in e-commerce and asked to be identified using only one name.

&quot;Now if I want to do anything, I&#39;ll do it in my apartment, in a private space,&quot; he said, adding he was thinking of emigrating.

&nbsp;

US&nbsp;CONGRESSIONAL LETTER

With the exception of the ultra-conservative Aceh province in northern Sumatra, where Islamic law is enforced and two men were publicly flogged last month for gay sex, homosexuality is legal in Indonesia, the world&#39;s most populous Muslim country.

Police denied targeting the LGBT community.

The police raided the Atlantis and the Surabaya hotel because the gatherings there had caused &quot;turmoil in the community&quot;, national police spokesman Rikwanto said. &quot;As long as they are kept private and their (LGBT community&#39;s) personal affairs are kept to themselves, then it will not be a problem,&quot; he said.

Indonesia&#39;s reputation for tolerance and pluralism was already under scrutiny after Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese Christian, was sentenced last month to two years in prison for blasphemy in a trial that came after mass Islamist-led rallies last year.

His case highlighted the role of Islamic vigilante groups like the FPI, who helped organise the protests against him. The groups are known for raiding bars and brothels during the fasting month of Ramadan. Some have been suspected in arson attacks on churches.

Predominantly Muslim Indonesia has substantial minorities of Christian, Buddhist, Hindus, Confucianists as well as non-Sunni Muslim creeds, such as Shias, who have expressed worries about the vigilantes.

Members of the US&nbsp;Congress sent a letter to the Indonesian government last week, stating their concern over the reports of possible human rights abuses targeting the gay community.

&quot;These attacks are an unfortunate symptom of the growing radicalisation in Indonesia that has targeted women, religious and ethnic minorities, and which could negatively impact diplomatic relations and foreign investments in your country, if left unchecked,&quot; said the letter signed by 35 congress members.

An Indonesian presidential spokesman declined to comment on the letter. President Joko Widodo last year gave qualified support for the gay community, telling the BBC &quot;there should be no discrimination against anyone&quot;, but noted homosexuality is not popular in his country.

Homosexuality remains a taboo topic with the public, which is why the gay community gathers away from the public eye in saunas and underground parties. A Pew Research Center poll in 2013 found 93 per cent of respondents in Indonesia disagreed that &quot;society should accept homosexuality&quot;.

&nbsp;

SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Activists say controversial anti-pornography laws, under which offenders can face up to 15 years&#39; jail, were being misused against some of those rounded up during the recent raids in Jakarta. Police also seemed to be using shaming tactics in the raids.

The men detained at Jakarta&#39;s Atlantis sauna were nearly all later released without charge, but not before being strip-searched, photographed and marched semi-naked from the venue into vehicles. Adding to their humiliation, photos were then shared on social media.

&quot;Honestly, after what happened, I&#39;m scared. Because what the police stripped naked was not just your body, but your name, your place of work. I&#39;m a lecturer so it could be a problem for me,&quot; said Ahmad, 33, who works at a university in Jakarta. He declined to give his full name or place of work, but nonetheless pledged he would not be deterred from visiting gay bars in Jakarta.

Amnesty International said the police raids were further evidence of an &quot;increasingly hostile environment&quot; for the gay community, fuelled over the past year by &quot;reckless, inflammatory and inaccurate statements made by public officials apparently under the guise of &lsquo;defending public morality&rsquo;.&quot;

Vice President Jusuf Kalla last year asked the United Nations Development Programme to stop $8 million of funding of LGBT-related activities in Indonesia, while Defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has suggested homosexuality was part of a &quot;proxy war&quot; waged by foreign states.

'Before this, we used to think of the police as our safety net when mass organisations, or anyone claiming to represent the people, came to attack us'

When an angry mob of Islamists threatened to burn down a place hosting a gay and lesbian film festival in Jakarta in 2010, Indonesian police came to protect those staging it. A volunteer at the festival, Adi, 28, now fears that instead of safeguarding their rights authorities are targeting his community, forcing them to hide their lifestyles or even consider moving abroad. Indonesia's Islamists have long sought to criminalise gay sex. The Islamic Defenders Front (FPI), the vigilante group that threatened the now defunct Q! film festival in Jakarta, has previously broken up what they said were gay parties and then urged the police to detain the men. But what is sending a new chill through the gay community is that police seem to have taken on the vice patrol role themselves. In May, officers detained 141 men in a raid on the Atlantis sauna, accusing them of involvement in a gay prostitution ring in a part of Jakarta that is also home to many heterosexual "spas". A month earlier, police raided a hotel in Indonesia's second-biggest city of Surabaya over an alleged "sex party" and made the 14 detained men undergo HIV tests before publicly releasing the results, local media reports said. "Before this, we used to think of the police as our safety net when mass organizations, or anyone claiming to represent the people, came to attack us," said Adi, who works in e-commerce and asked to be identified using only one name. "Now if I want to do anything, I'll do it in my apartment, in a private space," he said, adding he was thinking of emigrating. US CONGRESSIONAL LETTER With the exception of the ultra-conservative Aceh province in northern Sumatra, where Islamic law is enforced and two men were publicly flogged last month for gay sex, homosexuality is legal in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country. Police denied targeting the LGBT community. The police raided the Atlantis and the Surabaya hotel because the gatherings there had caused "turmoil in the community", national police spokesman Rikwanto said. "As long as they are kept private and their (LGBT community's) personal affairs are kept to themselves, then it will not be a problem," he said. Indonesia's reputation for tolerance and pluralism was already under scrutiny after Jakarta Governor Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, an ethnic Chinese Christian, was sentenced last month to two years in prison for blasphemy in a trial that came after mass Islamist-led rallies last year. His case highlighted the role of Islamic vigilante groups like the FPI, who helped organise the protests against him. The groups are known for raiding bars and brothels during the fasting month of Ramadan. Some have been suspected in arson attacks on churches. Predominantly Muslim Indonesia has substantial minorities of Christian, Buddhist, Hindus, Confucianists as well as non-Sunni Muslim creeds, such as Shias, who have expressed worries about the vigilantes. Members of the US Congress sent a letter to the Indonesian government last week, stating their concern over the reports of possible human rights abuses targeting the gay community. "These attacks are an unfortunate symptom of the growing radicalisation in Indonesia that has targeted women, religious and ethnic minorities, and which could negatively impact diplomatic relations and foreign investments in your country, if left unchecked," said the letter signed by 35 congress members. An Indonesian presidential spokesman declined to comment on the letter. President Joko Widodo last year gave qualified support for the gay community, telling the BBC "there should be no discrimination against anyone", but noted homosexuality is not popular in his country. Homosexuality remains a taboo topic with the public, which is why the gay community gathers away from the public eye in saunas and underground parties. A Pew Research Center poll in 2013 found 93 per cent of respondents in Indonesia disagreed that "society should accept homosexuality". SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA Activists say controversial anti-pornography laws, under which offenders can face up to 15 years' jail, were being misused against some of those rounded up during the recent raids in Jakarta. Police also seemed to be using shaming tactics in the raids. The men detained at Jakarta's Atlantis sauna were nearly all later released without charge, but not before being strip-searched, photographed and marched semi-naked from the venue into vehicles. Adding to their humiliation, photos were then shared on social media. "Honestly, after what happened, I'm scared. Because what the police stripped naked was not just your body, but your name, your place of work. I'm a lecturer so it could be a problem for me," said Ahmad, 33, who works at a university in Jakarta. He declined to give his full name or place of work, but nonetheless pledged he would not be deterred from visiting gay bars in Jakarta. Amnesty International said the police raids were further evidence of an "increasingly hostile environment" for the gay community, fuelled over the past year by "reckless, inflammatory and inaccurate statements made by public officials apparently under the guise of ‘defending public morality’." Vice President Jusuf Kalla last year asked the United Nations Development Programme to stop $8 million of funding of LGBT-related activities in Indonesia, while Defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has suggested homosexuality was part of a "proxy war" waged by foreign states.

Indonesia's gay community driven underground after police raids

&quot;I&rsquo;m Gay and I&rsquo;m Pakistani &ndash; deal with it,&quot; reads the brief Twitter description under the image of a smiling and whiskered man. He is Chacha, uncle of Ahmed, a young boy living in the bustling city of Karachi.

Well, Chacha is not a real person. There is no flesh and blood. He is inked on paper, the main character of &ldquo;My Chacha is Gay&rdquo;, a comic book. The book tells the story of a homosexual man as seen through the eyes of his nephew.

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<h5>Little Ahmed knows his uncle is gay but he can&#39;t understand why people are so fussed about it. His uncle is fun</h5>
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Ahmed knows his uncle is gay. He does not understand why people are fussed about it. Chacha is his uncle and he is fun. The uncle and nephew&nbsp;love&nbsp;ice cream, go&nbsp;for camel rides on the beach and enjoy&nbsp;flying kites. Pretty much the same as the boy next door&rsquo;s uncle. Ahmed has met Uncle Faheem, Chacha&rsquo;s boyfriend. He likes him. Uncle Faheem is a pilot, a real one, with fatigues and proper aviator goggles. Sometimes Faheem lets Ahmed wear his official hat. It fills the young lad with excitement. Maybe, one day, Ahmed will also gain entry into a real cockpit.

The images are simple and the communication clear. There is a calm and happy atmosphere. Serenity may be a powerful instrument to tackle homophobia. The book has few written words but they deliver a strong and unequivocal message: love matters and not who you love.

Pakistani-Canadian blogger and illustrator Eiynah is the creator of the book. Her twitter profile @NiceMangos states that she writes about sex, religion and apostasy. She said to feminisminindia.com that she chose the nickname because mangoes are often used in Pakistan as a synonym for breasts. Her position is clear and provocative: She is a &quot;critic of Islam who loathes anti-Muslim bigots&quot;.

Eiynah is, of course, not her real name. For her, anonymity was a matter of necessity than one of choice. Reaching her directly is a tough task. She does not share her personal number or address. E-mails are the only way to reach her. She explains in an email interview with WION, &quot;I get a lot of threats for my work. So, I remain anonymous and therefore don&#39;t share personal contact details.&quot; Facebook suspended her account because she was using a nom de plume to protect her identity.

&quot;My Chacha Is Gay was something I had been planning for a long time. Homosexuality comes up often, especially with regards to Pakistani culture and lack of acceptance,&quot; writes the author. Same-sex relationships are a punishable offence in Pakistan. It can lead to imprisonment for a minimum of two years to a maximum of ten years. This law dates back to 1860. It was written during the British colonial rule. While the British left Pakistan in 1947, many of the laws did not.

Chacha generated instant public interest and acceptance. Crowdfunding it was an easy task. Popularity comes at a price, though. Being Pakistani and writing about homosexuality touches the raw nerves of a generally conservative society. &quot;I received many rape and death threats, for writing this book alone, along with my other projects as well,&quot; tells the author.

Spreading the book around the country is a tall order. The first version of the comic book was published in English but Eiynah decided to break linguistic barriers. Uncle Chacha started speaking Russian, Hebrew, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, German and, most importantly, Urdu, the official language of Pakistan. The translated versions are currently only available online. Eiynah says, &quot;There is sadly no real market for a printed Urdu version of a book that teaches homophobia is not okay since it is unfortunately still not accepted in much of the country.&rdquo;

The largest Pakistani book retailer initially showed some interest in her comic book but then nothing happened. It refused to have &quot;My Chacha Is Gay&quot;&nbsp;on its shelves as the book was too controversial. The book is also not available on the retailer&rsquo;s online shopping page. The purchase officer at the retailer says that he does not know anything about this comic book.

Eiynah belongs to the progressive section of the Pakistani society which dreams of a country free from religious fanaticism. People like her want a country where citizens can speak freely and publicly about every issue. Chacha, that way, is more than just a cartoon character. He is Eiynah&rsquo;s voice which is trying to bring to the world another picture of Pakistan, far from the common narrative of terrorism and violence.

(WION)

'My Chacha is Gay' tells the story of a family through the eyes of a child

"I’m Gay and I’m Pakistani – deal with it," reads the brief Twitter description under the image of a smiling and whiskered man. He is Chacha, uncle of Ahmed, a young boy living in the bustling city of Karachi. Well, Chacha is not a real person. There is no flesh and blood. He is inked on paper, the main character of “My Chacha is Gay”, a comic book. The book tells the story of a homosexual man as seen through the eyes of his nephew. Little Ahmed knows his uncle is gay but he can't understand why people are so fussed about it. His uncle is fun × Ahmed knows his uncle is gay. He does not understand why people are fussed about it. Chacha is his uncle and he is fun. The uncle and nephew love ice cream, go for camel rides on the beach and enjoy flying kites. Pretty much the same as the boy next door’s uncle. Ahmed has met Uncle Faheem, Chacha’s boyfriend. He likes him. Uncle Faheem is a pilot, a real one, with fatigues and proper aviator goggles. Sometimes Faheem lets Ahmed wear his official hat. It fills the young lad with excitement. Maybe, one day, Ahmed will also gain entry into a real cockpit. The images are simple and the communication clear. There is a calm and happy atmosphere. Serenity may be a powerful instrument to tackle homophobia. The book has few written words but they deliver a strong and unequivocal message: love matters and not who you love. Pakistani-Canadian blogger and illustrator Eiynah is the creator of the book. Her twitter profile @NiceMangos states that she writes about sex, religion and apostasy. She said to feminisminindia.com that she chose the nickname because mangoes are often used in Pakistan as a synonym for breasts. Her position is clear and provocative: She is a "critic of Islam who loathes anti-Muslim bigots". Eiynah is, of course, not her real name. For her, anonymity was a matter of necessity than one of choice. Reaching her directly is a tough task. She does not share her personal number or address. E-mails are the only way to reach her. She explains in an email interview with WION, "I get a lot of threats for my work. So, I remain anonymous and therefore don't share personal contact details." Facebook suspended her account because she was using a nom de plume to protect her identity. "My Chacha Is Gay was something I had been planning for a long time. Homosexuality comes up often, especially with regards to Pakistani culture and lack of acceptance," writes the author. Same-sex relationships are a punishable offence in Pakistan. It can lead to imprisonment for a minimum of two years to a maximum of ten years. This law dates back to 1860. It was written during the British colonial rule. While the British left Pakistan in 1947, many of the laws did not. Chacha generated instant public interest and acceptance. Crowdfunding it was an easy task. Popularity comes at a price, though. Being Pakistani and writing about homosexuality touches the raw nerves of a generally conservative society. "I received many rape and death threats, for writing this book alone, along with my other projects as well," tells the author. Spreading the book around the country is a tall order. The first version of the comic book was published in English but Eiynah decided to break linguistic barriers. Uncle Chacha started speaking Russian, Hebrew, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, German and, most importantly, Urdu, the official language of Pakistan. The translated versions are currently only available online. Eiynah says, "There is sadly no real market for a printed Urdu version of a book that teaches homophobia is not okay since it is unfortunately still not accepted in much of the country.” The largest Pakistani book retailer initially showed some interest in her comic book but then nothing happened. It refused to have "My Chacha Is Gay" on its shelves as the book was too controversial. The book is also not available on the retailer’s online shopping page. The purchase officer at the retailer says that he does not know anything about this comic book. Eiynah belongs to the progressive section of the Pakistani society which dreams of a country free from religious fanaticism. People like her want a country where citizens can speak freely and publicly about every issue. Chacha, that way, is more than just a cartoon character. He is Eiynah’s voice which is trying to bring to the world another picture of Pakistan, far from the common narrative of terrorism and violence. (WION)

Gay comic book character ?Chacha? tries to break homosexuality taboo in Pakistan

The leaders of Muslim and gay rights groups in Chicago, one of America&#39;s biggest cities, on Monday joined forces to slam Donald Trump in the wake of the Orlando massacre, saying now was not a time for divisions. 
 
On June 12, 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded in the shooting at a gay nightclub in the central Florida city. The shooter Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Muslim American of Afghan descent, was killed in a shootout with police. 
 
Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has since renewed calls for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and controversially suggested on Sunday that profiling of Muslims was not off the table. 
 
In Chicago, which has both a large Muslim population and a vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, leaders said Trump&#39;s comment were divisive and unproductive. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re scared, because it starts rhetorically, and then more people accept it if you don&#39;t nip it in the bud,&quot; Ahmed Rehab, the leader of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told AFP. 
 
&quot;If common sense doesn&#39;t step in right now, people are capable of mass hysteria, and he is fanning those flames,&quot; he said, speaking of Trump. 
 
Rehab said there was fear in Chicago&#39;s Muslim community, one of the largest in the United States, that they could potentially become targets of hate crimes. 
 
In the past week, there have been two threats emailed and phoned into area mosques, he said. 
 
&quot;There is never a time to divide Americans, and of course that is especially true at a time of deep national pain,&quot; James Bennett of Lambda Legal, an LGBT group, told a press conference. 
 
Rehab told reporters that his group and Lambda Legal planned to meet every two weeks with the goal of making &quot;clear statements on a mutual agenda of equal civil rights of all people regardless of their background.&quot; 
 
Bennett chimed in: &quot;I would encourage people to watch Chicago&#39;s example.&quot; 
 
Sending a message 
 
Illinois is home to an estimated 400,000 Muslims and 370,000 LGBT people, most of them located in the greater Chicago area, which has a population of about 5.2 million people. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re trying to send a message that this is not the time to try to pit communities against each other,&quot; said Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, a gay rights group. 
 
&quot;Any public official or media personality who says such things that would not only suggest divides, but suggest putting in place actual divides, is deeply concerning,&quot; Johnson told AFP. 
 
On Sunday, Trump said profiling of Muslims, and racial profiling more generally, was &quot;not the worst thing to do.&quot; 
 
&quot;I hate the concept of profiling. But we have to use common sense. We&#39;re not using common sense,&quot; Trump said. 
 
African-Americans, Latinos, Muslims and other minorities in the United States have complained bitterly for decades about the practice in which police use a person&#39;s race, religion, national origin or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting them of committing a crime. 
 
&quot;He questions Muslims&#39; assimilation into America. I question his assimilation into our American values,&quot; Rehab said.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

'There is never a time to divide Americans and that is especially true at a time of deep national pain,' they said

The leaders of Muslim and gay rights groups in Chicago, one of America's biggest cities, on Monday joined forces to slam Donald Trump in the wake of the Orlando massacre, saying now was not a time for divisions. On June 12, 49 people were killed and 53 others wounded in the shooting at a gay nightclub in the central Florida city. The shooter Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old Muslim American of Afghan descent, was killed in a shootout with police. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has since renewed calls for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States and controversially suggested on Sunday that profiling of Muslims was not off the table. In Chicago, which has both a large Muslim population and a vibrant lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, leaders said Trump's comment were divisive and unproductive. "We're scared, because it starts rhetorically, and then more people accept it if you don't nip it in the bud," Ahmed Rehab, the leader of the Chicago chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told AFP. "If common sense doesn't step in right now, people are capable of mass hysteria, and he is fanning those flames," he said, speaking of Trump. Rehab said there was fear in Chicago's Muslim community, one of the largest in the United States, that they could potentially become targets of hate crimes. In the past week, there have been two threats emailed and phoned into area mosques, he said. "There is never a time to divide Americans, and of course that is especially true at a time of deep national pain," James Bennett of Lambda Legal, an LGBT group, told a press conference. Rehab told reporters that his group and Lambda Legal planned to meet every two weeks with the goal of making "clear statements on a mutual agenda of equal civil rights of all people regardless of their background." Bennett chimed in: "I would encourage people to watch Chicago's example." Sending a message Illinois is home to an estimated 400,000 Muslims and 370,000 LGBT people, most of them located in the greater Chicago area, which has a population of about 5.2 million people. "We're trying to send a message that this is not the time to try to pit communities against each other," said Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, a gay rights group. "Any public official or media personality who says such things that would not only suggest divides, but suggest putting in place actual divides, is deeply concerning," Johnson told AFP. On Sunday, Trump said profiling of Muslims, and racial profiling more generally, was "not the worst thing to do." "I hate the concept of profiling. But we have to use common sense. We're not using common sense," Trump said. African-Americans, Latinos, Muslims and other minorities in the United States have complained bitterly for decades about the practice in which police use a person's race, religion, national origin or ethnicity as grounds for suspecting them of committing a crime. "He questions Muslims' assimilation into America. I question his assimilation into our American values," Rehab said. (AFP)

In Chicago, Muslim and gay rights leaders take on Trump

Despite strong popular support for marriage equality, Australia&#39;s opposition Labor party on Tuesday blocked the plan to hold a national vote on the same-sex marriage bill.&nbsp;

The party ruled out support to hold the national plebiscite in February on same-sex marriages, saying not only was it expensive and divisive, but it could be harmful to those in same-sex relationships and their families by exposing them to questions over the &quot;integrity&quot; of their unions.&nbsp;

&quot;Why should gay Australians be subjected to a different law-making process than any other Australians?&quot; said Labor leader Bill Shorten.

&quot;Why should a couple in a committed relationship have to knock on the doors of 15 million of their fellow Australians and see if they agree with it? The easiest way is the way which this parliament has done for a hundred years:&nbsp;legislate.&quot;

The rejection by the centre-left Labor party to vote on whether to legalise same-sex unions could be a potential blow to conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull&#39;s already waning popularity.&nbsp;

Turnbull&#39;s centre-right coalition government had introduced the bill in Parliament last month. But it required the support of the opposition, as the coalition enjoys only a single-vote majority in the lower house. He has insisted that if the vote was carried, parliament would ensure that gay marriage was legislated, even though the plebiscite would not be binding on parliament.

Debate on gay marriage in Australia has gone on for more than a decade and this move could likely delay it for at least&nbsp;three more years. Turnbull has said that, should the legislation proposing a national vote be rejected, the issue of same-sex marriage would not be reintroduced into parliament until after the next election, which is due in or before November 2019.

Same-sex marriage is supported by 61 per cent of Australians, a Gallop poll in August found, and Turnbull&#39;s inability to deliver the legislation could further damage his support.

&quot;If things don&#39;t turn around by this time next year, and Turnbull&#39;s poll numbers haven&#39;t improved, he will find himself under pressure from within his own party,&quot; said Haydon Manning, an associate professor in political science at Flinders University in Adelaide.

On a two-party preferred basis,&nbsp;where votes for minor parties are redistributed to the two main blocs,&nbsp;the government trails Labor by a margin of 52-48, a Newspoll by The Australian newspaper on Monday showed. Dissatisfaction with Turnbull&#39;s government is at an all-time high of 56 per cent.

(WION with inputs from&nbsp;agencies) 
&nbsp;

Opposition lawmakers claim the bill to put same-sex marriage to a national vote may harm those in same-sex relationships

Despite strong popular support for marriage equality, Australia's opposition Labor party on Tuesday blocked the plan to hold a national vote on the same-sex marriage bill. The party ruled out support to hold the national plebiscite in February on same-sex marriages, saying not only was it expensive and divisive, but it could be harmful to those in same-sex relationships and their families by exposing them to questions over the "integrity" of their unions. "Why should gay Australians be subjected to a different law-making process than any other Australians?" said Labor leader Bill Shorten. "Why should a couple in a committed relationship have to knock on the doors of 15 million of their fellow Australians and see if they agree with it? The easiest way is the way which this parliament has done for a hundred years: legislate." The rejection by the centre-left Labor party to vote on whether to legalise same-sex unions could be a potential blow to conservative Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull's already waning popularity. Turnbull's centre-right coalition government had introduced the bill in Parliament last month. But it required the support of the opposition, as the coalition enjoys only a single-vote majority in the lower house. He has insisted that if the vote was carried, parliament would ensure that gay marriage was legislated, even though the plebiscite would not be binding on parliament. Debate on gay marriage in Australia has gone on for more than a decade and this move could likely delay it for at least three more years. Turnbull has said that, should the legislation proposing a national vote be rejected, the issue of same-sex marriage would not be reintroduced into parliament until after the next election, which is due in or before November 2019. Same-sex marriage is supported by 61 per cent of Australians, a Gallop poll in August found, and Turnbull's inability to deliver the legislation could further damage his support. "If things don't turn around by this time next year, and Turnbull's poll numbers haven't improved, he will find himself under pressure from within his own party," said Haydon Manning, an associate professor in political science at Flinders University in Adelaide. On a two-party preferred basis, where votes for minor parties are redistributed to the two main blocs, the government trails Labor by a margin of 52-48, a Newspoll by The Australian newspaper on Monday showed. Dissatisfaction with Turnbull's government is at an all-time high of 56 per cent. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Australia's opposition blocks bill to have country vote on same-sex unions

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has recommended that a vote on whether to allow same sex marriage be delayed, but a spokesman for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Sunday no decision had been made. 
 
Australia has been criticised by international human rights groups over its slowness to act on same-sex marriage. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, have already amended their marriage laws to recognise same-sex unions. 
 
The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that the plebiscite, which Turnbull had promised to hold this year, had been delayed until at least February, but a spokesman for the prime minister said no date had been set. 
 
&quot;Late last week the AEC provided advice to the Special Minister of State that strongly recommended against the conduct of a plebiscite this calendar year,&quot; the spokeswoman said. 
 
&quot;The government has always said that a decision on same-sex marriage will be made by a vote of all Australians in a national plebiscite to be held as soon as practicable. That commitment has not changed.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;The mechanics of the plebiscite, including the specific question and also the timing, are subject to the usual cabinet processes. No decisions have as yet been made.&quot; 
 
The Daily Telegraph reported that Turnbull would reveal his timeline for the plebiscite at a party room meeting of the ruling coalition on September 13. 
 
(Reuters)

While the country's electoral commission wants delay in vote date, PM Turnbull's spokesperson said no date has been set yet

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) has recommended that a vote on whether to allow same sex marriage be delayed, but a spokesman for Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Sunday no decision had been made. Australia has been criticised by international human rights groups over its slowness to act on same-sex marriage. Several countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, France, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, have already amended their marriage laws to recognise same-sex unions. The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that the plebiscite, which Turnbull had promised to hold this year, had been delayed until at least February, but a spokesman for the prime minister said no date had been set. "Late last week the AEC provided advice to the Special Minister of State that strongly recommended against the conduct of a plebiscite this calendar year," the spokeswoman said. "The government has always said that a decision on same-sex marriage will be made by a vote of all Australians in a national plebiscite to be held as soon as practicable. That commitment has not changed. "The mechanics of the plebiscite, including the specific question and also the timing, are subject to the usual cabinet processes. No decisions have as yet been made." The Daily Telegraph reported that Turnbull would reveal his timeline for the plebiscite at a party room meeting of the ruling coalition on September 13. (Reuters)

Australia denies reneging on equal marriage plebiscite date

Four lesbian women are suing a US state for discrimination for insisting women have unprotected sex with a man to prove they are infertile and claim insurance cover for treatment. 
 
In a landmark case, the women filed the complaint after being rejected by their insurer for infertility treatment, and arguing the law discriminated against infertile gay women by forcing them, not straight women, to pay for procedures.&nbsp;Two of the women, Erin and Marianne Krupa, a couple, spent more than $25,000 on failed infertility treatment in five months after their insurance claim was rejected, the complaint said. 
 
The civil complaint filed in a federal court in the state of New Jersey adds to an ongoing debate in the United States about the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. 
 
Grace Cathryn Cretcher, an attorney for the women, said she believed this was the first case of its kind with the women trying to change the legal definition of infertility to make it easier for future lesbian couples seeking to have a baby. 
 
According to the suit, the law in New Jersey defines infertility as when a woman cannot conceive after a year or more of unprotected intercourse.&nbsp;Susan Sommer, a spokeswoman for Lambda Legal, a New York City-based LGBT rights group, said insurance standards needed to be updated for same-sex couples to receive full equality, 
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<h5>This lawsuit reflects the frustration and indignities lesbian and gay people endure because state laws and insurance rules continue to presume the only parents are heterosexual parents,&quot; Susan Sommer said in a statement</h5>
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The four women are seeking an order declaring the New Jersey insurance law is unconstitutional and discriminatory and also an injunction ordering the state to expand insurance cover for infertility to women in same-sex relationships. 
 
New Jersey is one of 15 US states to have passed laws that require insurance companies to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks state laws.&nbsp;So far California and Maryland are the only states to have updated their definitions of infertility to include gay couples. 
 
The lawsuit, filed in a Newark court last week, names the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance&#39;s commissioner, Richard J Badolato, as the defendant. It did not list a defense attorney.&nbsp;A government spokesman said the department &quot;does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation&quot;. 
 
The Krupas and the two other women, Sol Mejias and Sarah Mills, were all clients of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the complaint said.&nbsp;A spokesman for the company said the suit takes issue with the law and not Horizon, which covers &quot;infertility services equally, regardless of sexual orientation&quot;. 
 
The company eventually agreed to pay for infertility treatment for Krupa, the complaint said, but it was not successful.&nbsp;&quot;Horizon is committed to equality, values our LGBTQ members, and is sensitive to their unique healthcare challenges and needs,&quot; the insurance company said in an email. 
 
(Reuters)

The four women seek an injunction ordering the state to expand insurance coverage for infertility to women in same-sex relationships

Four lesbian women are suing a US state for discrimination for insisting women have unprotected sex with a man to prove they are infertile and claim insurance cover for treatment. In a landmark case, the women filed the complaint after being rejected by their insurer for infertility treatment, and arguing the law discriminated against infertile gay women by forcing them, not straight women, to pay for procedures. Two of the women, Erin and Marianne Krupa, a couple, spent more than $25,000 on failed infertility treatment in five months after their insurance claim was rejected, the complaint said. The civil complaint filed in a federal court in the state of New Jersey adds to an ongoing debate in the United States about the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Grace Cathryn Cretcher, an attorney for the women, said she believed this was the first case of its kind with the women trying to change the legal definition of infertility to make it easier for future lesbian couples seeking to have a baby. According to the suit, the law in New Jersey defines infertility as when a woman cannot conceive after a year or more of unprotected intercourse. Susan Sommer, a spokeswoman for Lambda Legal, a New York City-based LGBT rights group, said insurance standards needed to be updated for same-sex couples to receive full equality, This lawsuit reflects the frustration and indignities lesbian and gay people endure because state laws and insurance rules continue to presume the only parents are heterosexual parents," Susan Sommer said in a statement The four women are seeking an order declaring the New Jersey insurance law is unconstitutional and discriminatory and also an injunction ordering the state to expand insurance cover for infertility to women in same-sex relationships. New Jersey is one of 15 US states to have passed laws that require insurance companies to cover infertility diagnosis and treatment, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, which tracks state laws. So far California and Maryland are the only states to have updated their definitions of infertility to include gay couples. The lawsuit, filed in a Newark court last week, names the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance's commissioner, Richard J Badolato, as the defendant. It did not list a defense attorney. A government spokesman said the department "does not comment on pending or ongoing litigation". The Krupas and the two other women, Sol Mejias and Sarah Mills, were all clients of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, the complaint said. A spokesman for the company said the suit takes issue with the law and not Horizon, which covers "infertility services equally, regardless of sexual orientation". The company eventually agreed to pay for infertility treatment for Krupa, the complaint said, but it was not successful. "Horizon is committed to equality, values our LGBTQ members, and is sensitive to their unique healthcare challenges and needs," the insurance company said in an email. (Reuters)

Four lesbians sue US state for insisting sex with a man proves infertility

Italy&#39;s long-awaited, much-disputed law allowing gay civil unions took effect today after it was published in an official journal, as couples start applying for legal recognition of their same-sex relationships. 
 
In Milan, an official went on Wednesday to an intensive care unit to perform the civil union ceremony of a terminally ill 53-year-old teacher named Margherita and her partner of 28 years.&nbsp;Theirs will be the first union registered in Milan in about 10 days&#39; time, the city told the media. 
 
Throughout Italy, town halls have reported that requests for gay unions have started coming in. 
 
The Italian parliament passed the landmark legislation in May overruling opposition from the country&#39;s powerful Catholic Church.&nbsp;It introduces civil unions for the first time, but denies same sex couples equal adoption rights to their heterosexual counterparts. 
 
Italy was the last major Western country to introduce legal recognition of gay relationships, and the law&#39;s provisions do not go as far as the gay marriage legislation enacted in other European countries such as Britain, France and Spain. 
 
Some more complicated cases in Italy, such as couples of different nationalities who got married overseas, will have to wait a bit longer until a definitive decree of the new law is made by early December. 
 
(AFP)

The landmark legislation that came into effect today was passed in May, overruling opposition from the country's powerful Catholic Church

Italy's long-awaited, much-disputed law allowing gay civil unions took effect today after it was published in an official journal, as couples start applying for legal recognition of their same-sex relationships. In Milan, an official went on Wednesday to an intensive care unit to perform the civil union ceremony of a terminally ill 53-year-old teacher named Margherita and her partner of 28 years. Theirs will be the first union registered in Milan in about 10 days' time, the city told the media. Throughout Italy, town halls have reported that requests for gay unions have started coming in. The Italian parliament passed the landmark legislation in May overruling opposition from the country's powerful Catholic Church. It introduces civil unions for the first time, but denies same sex couples equal adoption rights to their heterosexual counterparts. Italy was the last major Western country to introduce legal recognition of gay relationships, and the law's provisions do not go as far as the gay marriage legislation enacted in other European countries such as Britain, France and Spain. Some more complicated cases in Italy, such as couples of different nationalities who got married overseas, will have to wait a bit longer until a definitive decree of the new law is made by early December. (AFP)

Gay civil unions become reality in Italy

The apex court in India refused on Wednesday to hear a petition challenging a law criminalising gay sex, a battling in the country&#39;s courts to get the ban overturned. 
 
A number of well-known lesbian, gay and bisexual Indians had argued that Section 377 of India&#39;s penal code, which prohibits &quot;carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal&quot;, undermined their fundamental rights by failing to protect their sexual preferences. 
 
&quot;The Supreme Court refused to hear the matter and asked the petitioners to approach the Chief Justice of India,&quot; Arvind Dattar, a lawyer for one of the petitioners, told Reuters. 
 
India&#39;s Chief Justice is already hearing a separate case to strike down the ban, and the top court has previously argued that only parliament has the power to change Section 377. 
 
The decision is the latest setback India&#39;s gay community has faced in its fight to get a prohibition on homosexual sex overturned ever since the Supreme Court reinstated a colonial-era ban in late 2013.&nbsp;That ban ended a four-year period of decriminalisation that had helped bring homosexuality increasingly out into the open in a deeply conservative society. 
 
Discrimination faced by homosexual communities across the world was thrown into sharp relief again this month after a gunman slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida. 
 
Some western countries have pressured India to overturn its ban on gay sex and respect human rights regardless of sexual orientation. 
 
This month, US Ambassador Richard Verma&#39;s residence in New Delhi&#39;s leafy diplomatic quarter was lit in the colours of the rainbow in a gesture of solidarity towards victims of the Orlando massacre. 
 
Pertinently, violation of the Indian law on gay sex can result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Some Western countries have pressured India to overturn its ban on gay sex and respect human rights regardless of sexual orientation

The apex court in India refused on Wednesday to hear a petition challenging a law criminalising gay sex, a battling in the country's courts to get the ban overturned. A number of well-known lesbian, gay and bisexual Indians had argued that Section 377 of India's penal code, which prohibits "carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal", undermined their fundamental rights by failing to protect their sexual preferences. "The Supreme Court refused to hear the matter and asked the petitioners to approach the Chief Justice of India," Arvind Dattar, a lawyer for one of the petitioners, told Reuters. India's Chief Justice is already hearing a separate case to strike down the ban, and the top court has previously argued that only parliament has the power to change Section 377. The decision is the latest setback India's gay community has faced in its fight to get a prohibition on homosexual sex overturned ever since the Supreme Court reinstated a colonial-era ban in late 2013. That ban ended a four-year period of decriminalisation that had helped bring homosexuality increasingly out into the open in a deeply conservative society. Discrimination faced by homosexual communities across the world was thrown into sharp relief again this month after a gunman slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida. Some western countries have pressured India to overturn its ban on gay sex and respect human rights regardless of sexual orientation. This month, US Ambassador Richard Verma's residence in New Delhi's leafy diplomatic quarter was lit in the colours of the rainbow in a gesture of solidarity towards victims of the Orlando massacre. Pertinently, violation of the Indian law on gay sex can result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years. (Reuters)

India's Supreme Court refuses to hear plea on Sec 377, setback for gay rights movement

&nbsp;Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London today for an annual parade celebrating gay and transgender rights, with many expressing concerns as Britain gears up to part ways with the European Union after Thursday&#39;s referendum. 
 
One of the attendees, Andrew Bailey, said that even though the EU&#39;s human rights charter is incorporated into British laws he was worried that a great deal could now change. 
 
&quot;We are really worried about the future here. We have rights, we have a great celebration here and we have the apparent solidarity of this government. We need to have the EU support as well,&quot; he said. 
 
Another attendee, Sue Underwood, was more optimistic. 
 
&quot;I think I am looking at a positive outcome ... It is just going to be a hard few years I think but I am hoping it will be good at the end of it,&quot; she said. 
 
Britain is under pressure to set out a quick timetable for a divorce from the European Union, with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker saying he wanted to begin negotiating immediately. 
 
London&#39;s 43rd Pride Festival also saw some attending to show solidarity with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender&nbsp;(LGBT) community in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 in a gay nightclub on June 12, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. 
 
(Reuters)

Many are worried that things might change now that Britain is parting ways with the European Union

Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London today for an annual parade celebrating gay and transgender rights, with many expressing concerns as Britain gears up to part ways with the European Union after Thursday's referendum. One of the attendees, Andrew Bailey, said that even though the EU's human rights charter is incorporated into British laws he was worried that a great deal could now change. "We are really worried about the future here. We have rights, we have a great celebration here and we have the apparent solidarity of this government. We need to have the EU support as well," he said. Another attendee, Sue Underwood, was more optimistic. "I think I am looking at a positive outcome ... It is just going to be a hard few years I think but I am hoping it will be good at the end of it," she said. Britain is under pressure to set out a quick timetable for a divorce from the European Union, with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker saying he wanted to begin negotiating immediately. London's 43rd Pride Festival also saw some attending to show solidarity with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 in a gay nightclub on June 12, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. (Reuters)

Thousands take to London's streets for annual gay pride parade

Corporate and individual donors have given more than $5.3 million to help victims of Sunday&#39;s mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida by a gunman who killed 49 people and wounded 53, organizers of fundraising drives said on Tuesday. 
 
US&nbsp;investigators were digging into what motivated Omar Mateen, 29, to attack the Pulse dance club in downtown Orlando, including whether he was inspired by militant Islamist ideology, and reports that he may have struggled with his own sexual identity. 
 
Mateen, a US&nbsp;citizen who was born in New York to Afghan parents, was shot dead by police after a three-hour standoff. 
 
The gay rights group Equality Florida set up a page on the fundraising website GoFundMe.com, which had collected $3.6 million from more than 80,000 donors online as of Tuesday afternoon. 
 
&quot;We do not know the total costs for the victims of this horrific hate crime, therefore are working to raise as much as possible and disperse the funds as fast as possible,&quot; Equality Florida said. 
 
The group said it will work with the National Center for Victims of Crime to distribute the funds. 
 
A representative for Equality Florida could not immediately be reached for further comment. 
 
Separately, a campaign led by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has received donations including $1 million from the Walt Disney Co, which hosts millions of visitors a year at its Walt Disney World Resort in the Orlando area, company and city officials said. 
 
Eligible donations from Disney employees will be also matched by a gifts program of the Walt Disney Company Foundation, the company said. 
 
&quot;We are heartbroken by this tragedy and hope our commitment will help those in the community affected by this senseless act,&quot; Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in a statement. 
 
Donations to the mayor&#39;s OneOrlandoFund will be distributed through the Central Florida Foundation and will support non-profit organizations that are supporting the victims and their families, the Hispanic community as well as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, Dyer said. 
 
Aside from Disney&#39;s contribution, at least $750,000 in other donations have been made to the OneOrlandoFund fund, Dyer added. 
(Reuters)

Gay rights group and Orlando mayor collect individual and corporate donations, including $1 million from Walt Disney Co

Corporate and individual donors have given more than $5.3 million to help victims of Sunday's mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida by a gunman who killed 49 people and wounded 53, organizers of fundraising drives said on Tuesday. US investigators were digging into what motivated Omar Mateen, 29, to attack the Pulse dance club in downtown Orlando, including whether he was inspired by militant Islamist ideology, and reports that he may have struggled with his own sexual identity. Mateen, a US citizen who was born in New York to Afghan parents, was shot dead by police after a three-hour standoff. The gay rights group Equality Florida set up a page on the fundraising website GoFundMe.com, which had collected $3.6 million from more than 80,000 donors online as of Tuesday afternoon. "We do not know the total costs for the victims of this horrific hate crime, therefore are working to raise as much as possible and disperse the funds as fast as possible," Equality Florida said. The group said it will work with the National Center for Victims of Crime to distribute the funds. A representative for Equality Florida could not immediately be reached for further comment. Separately, a campaign led by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer has received donations including $1 million from the Walt Disney Co, which hosts millions of visitors a year at its Walt Disney World Resort in the Orlando area, company and city officials said. Eligible donations from Disney employees will be also matched by a gifts program of the Walt Disney Company Foundation, the company said. "We are heartbroken by this tragedy and hope our commitment will help those in the community affected by this senseless act," Bob Chapek, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, said in a statement. Donations to the mayor's OneOrlandoFund will be distributed through the Central Florida Foundation and will support non-profit organizations that are supporting the victims and their families, the Hispanic community as well as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, Dyer said. Aside from Disney's contribution, at least $750,000 in other donations have been made to the OneOrlandoFund fund, Dyer added. (Reuters)

Over $5.3 million raised for Orlando club shooting victims

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