Arkansas on Tuesday became the first US state to ban gender-affirmation medical treatments for transgender youth after the state legislature overrode the veto by governor Asa Hutchinson.

Hutchinson had claimed that the measures give&nbsp;Arkansas too much power to influence decisions made by trans youth, their doctors and families.&nbsp;But the state assembly voted 25-8 in support of the bill which is now law.

The law essentially prohibits surgical and medical treatments that attempt to add, alter, or remove a youngster’s physical features that correspond to their biological sex. Now, healthcare providers can not provide or refer treatment for transgender youth aged below 18. The law also blocks insurance coverage of such treatments.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-state-of-arkansas-bans-nearly-all-abortions-in-sweeping-measure-369274" hreflang="en">US state of Arkansas bans nearly all abortions in sweeping measure</a>

Governor Hutchinson on Monday said that the passage of the bill has put Arkansas in the centre of the debate about the “cultural war in America”.

"If House Bill 1570 becomes law, then we are creating new standards of legislative interference with physicians and parents as they deal with some of the most complex and sensitive matters involving young people," AFP cited him as saying.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-state-of-arkansas-approves-bill-denying-treatment-to-transgender-minors-374162" hreflang="en">US state of Arkansas approves bill denying treatment to transgender minors</a>

Arkansas already has two controversial bills in practice which were signed by Hutchinson. The first allows doctors to refuse treatment to LGBTQIA+ folks on “moral or religious” grounds. The second bill prevents transgender people assigned male at birth from taking part in women’s sports.

Arkansas on Tuesday became the first US state to ban gender-affirmation medical treatments for transgender youth after the state legislature overrode the veto by governor Asa Hutchinson.

Arkansas on Tuesday became the first US state to ban gender-affirmation medical treatments for transgender youth after the state legislature overrode the veto by governor Asa Hutchinson. Hutchinson had claimed that the measures give Arkansas too much power to influence decisions made by trans youth, their doctors and families. But the state assembly voted 25-8 in support of the bill which is now law. The law essentially prohibits surgical and medical treatments that attempt to add, alter, or remove a youngster’s physical features that correspond to their biological sex. Now, healthcare providers can not provide or refer treatment for transgender youth aged below 18. The law also blocks insurance coverage of such treatments. Also read: US state of Arkansas bans nearly all abortions in sweeping measure Governor Hutchinson on Monday said that the passage of the bill has put Arkansas in the centre of the debate about the “cultural war in America”. "If House Bill 1570 becomes law, then we are creating new standards of legislative interference with physicians and parents as they deal with some of the most complex and sensitive matters involving young people," AFP cited him as saying. Also read: US state of Arkansas approves bill denying treatment to transgender minors Arkansas already has two controversial bills in practice which were signed by Hutchinson. The first allows doctors to refuse treatment to LGBTQIA+ folks on “moral or religious” grounds. The second bill prevents transgender people assigned male at birth from taking part in women’s sports.

Arkansas becomes first US state to ban  transgender treatment for minors

The Arkansas Senate in the United States recently approved measures to ban gender confirming treatments for minors in the state.&nbsp;The Senate, with a Republican majority voted 28-7 in support of the legislation on Monday, then forwarding the bill to the governor in the face of mounting criticism.

If enacted, the bill would be the first of its kind to prevent gender confirming treatments in the United States. Doctors would be prohibited from providing gender confirming hormone treatment including surgery to minors. They would also be barred from referring the patients to other doctors.

"This bill sets out to protect children in an area where they very much need protection," Republican Senator Alan Clark, a sponsor of the bill said before the voting began.

But critics including social workers, paediatricians, and even the parents of transgender youth claim that the measure will have the opposite effect of what Clark claims. The community is already highly susceptible to depression and suicide.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/us-state-of-arkansas-bans-nearly-all-abortions-in-sweeping-measure-369274" hreflang="en">US state of Arkansas bans nearly all abortions in sweeping measure</a>

Now, the measure will go to Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, who has not yet revealed whether he supports the bill. He now has four days to sign or veto the legislation before it becomes law without his signature.

Many states including Arkansas have taken out legislation targeting transgender people in the recent past. States of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee recently enacted measures to prevent transgender girls and women from competing in school sports teams that are in sync with their gender identity.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/in-a-first-transgender-woman-rachel-levine-confirmed-to-us-health-post-372960" hreflang="en">In a first, transgender woman Rachel Levine confirmed to US health post&nbsp;</a> 
 
In fact, just on Friday, Hutchinson signed a law allowing doctors to deny treatment to someone based on religious or moral grounds. Critics see this is a way for doctors to turn LGBTQIA+ patients away.

The Arkansas Senate in the United States recently approved measures to ban gender confirming treatments for minors in the state. The Senate, with a Republican majority voted 28-7 in support of the legislation on Monday, then forwarding the bill to the governor in the face of mounting criticism.

The Arkansas Senate in the United States recently approved measures to ban gender confirming treatments for minors in the state. The Senate, with a Republican majority voted 28-7 in support of the legislation on Monday, then forwarding the bill to the governor in the face of mounting criticism. If enacted, the bill would be the first of its kind to prevent gender confirming treatments in the United States. Doctors would be prohibited from providing gender confirming hormone treatment including surgery to minors. They would also be barred from referring the patients to other doctors. "This bill sets out to protect children in an area where they very much need protection," Republican Senator Alan Clark, a sponsor of the bill said before the voting began. But critics including social workers, paediatricians, and even the parents of transgender youth claim that the measure will have the opposite effect of what Clark claims. The community is already highly susceptible to depression and suicide. Also read: US state of Arkansas bans nearly all abortions in sweeping measure Now, the measure will go to Governor Asa Hutchinson, a Republican, who has not yet revealed whether he supports the bill. He now has four days to sign or veto the legislation before it becomes law without his signature. Many states including Arkansas have taken out legislation targeting transgender people in the recent past. States of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee recently enacted measures to prevent transgender girls and women from competing in school sports teams that are in sync with their gender identity. Also read: In a first, transgender woman Rachel Levine confirmed to US health post In fact, just on Friday, Hutchinson signed a law allowing doctors to deny treatment to someone based on religious or moral grounds. Critics see this is a way for doctors to turn LGBTQIA+ patients away.

US state of Arkansas approves bill denying treatment to transgender minors

A district court in Japan on Wednesday ruled that same-sex couples not being able to marry is “unconstitutional”. The court, despite the ruling, threw out the plaintiffs’ demands to seek damages from the Japanese government, Reuters reported.

This marks the first ruling of its kind in Japan, and is being seen as a symbolic victory for the LGBTQIA+ community in the country.

Japan is the only G7 country to not fully recognise same-sex relationships. The country’s constitution defines marriage as “based on the mutual consent of both sexes”.

Constitutionally, "marriage shall be only with the mutual consent of both sexes". According to&nbsp;the government, this means that same-sex marriage is "not foreseen" in the constitution or civil law.

The verdict was not immediately confirmed by Sapporo court after several local media outlets reported the landmark ruling.

Currently, same-sex couples cannot inherit the assets of their partner, including the house that may have shared. In addition, they also have no parental rights to any of their partners' children.

Even though individual municipalities give out partnership certificates to ease renting places for LGBTQIA+ folks and to get hospital visitation rights, the couples are still not given the full legal rights on the same plane as heterosexual couples.

The court threw out demands for damages by six plaintiffs, including two couples of men and one of women - who sought 1 million yen each in damages that they suffered for not being able to marry.

Many other courts in Japan are currently hearing similar cases, and this ruling may influence the outcome in those cases.

Japanese laws are considered relatively liberal for Asian standards, and homosexual sex has been legal since 1880. Even then, the social outlook of the community has kept sexuality stigmatised.

A district court in Japan on Wednesday ruled that same-sex couples not being able to marry is “unconstitutional”. The court, despite the ruling, threw out the plaintiffs’ demands to seek damages from the Japanese government, Reuters reported.

A district court in Japan on Wednesday ruled that same-sex couples not being able to marry is “unconstitutional”. The court, despite the ruling, threw out the plaintiffs’ demands to seek damages from the Japanese government, Reuters reported. This marks the first ruling of its kind in Japan, and is being seen as a symbolic victory for the LGBTQIA+ community in the country. Japan is the only G7 country to not fully recognise same-sex relationships. The country’s constitution defines marriage as “based on the mutual consent of both sexes”. Constitutionally, "marriage shall be only with the mutual consent of both sexes". According to the government, this means that same-sex marriage is "not foreseen" in the constitution or civil law. The verdict was not immediately confirmed by Sapporo court after several local media outlets reported the landmark ruling. Currently, same-sex couples cannot inherit the assets of their partner, including the house that may have shared. In addition, they also have no parental rights to any of their partners' children. Even though individual municipalities give out partnership certificates to ease renting places for LGBTQIA+ folks and to get hospital visitation rights, the couples are still not given the full legal rights on the same plane as heterosexual couples. The court threw out demands for damages by six plaintiffs, including two couples of men and one of women - who sought 1 million yen each in damages that they suffered for not being able to marry. Many other courts in Japan are currently hearing similar cases, and this ruling may influence the outcome in those cases. Japanese laws are considered relatively liberal for Asian standards, and homosexual sex has been legal since 1880. Even then, the social outlook of the community has kept sexuality stigmatised.

Japanese court rules same-sex couples not being able to marry is 'unconstitutional'

With its first transgender news anchor, Bangladesh recently achieved a feat worth celebrating! Tashnuva Anan is a rights activist who was previously engaged with NGOs in support of transgender people and is now the country's first trans news anchor. Her first appearance as a news anchor coincided with International Women's Day.

"This could be revolutionary and create a new dimension in people's thinking," Reuters quoted Anan, 29, as saying. Before starting the job, Anan underwent intensive training at a private news network, after which she was offered the job. "The biggest problem is that people are not sensitized ... I hope this can do that, and urge them to look after the many 'Tashnuvas' around them," she said.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/tashnuva-anan-shishir-becomes-bangladeshs-first-transgender-news-anchor-369105/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to government estimates, there are about 11,500 transgender people in Bangladesh, but LGBTQIA+ campaigners claim that the figure is expected to be at least 100,000, given Banglades's population of 160 million.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/south-koreas-first-transgender-soldier-found-dead-367855" hreflang="en">South Korea's first transgender soldier found dead</a>

Anan claimed that she faced sexual abuse, and was "bullied and tortured'' while growing, and left her home at the age of 16. She recently received a scholarship for pursuing a Masters in public health. Anan said that it is unusual for transgender people to take up jobs in the country. 
 
A religious charity in Bangladesh opened the country's first school for transgenders in November. Even though Anan remains busy with her new job and education, she intends to continue fighting for people's lives.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/joe-biden-reverses-donald-trumps-ban-on-transgender-people-in-military-359317" hreflang="en">Joe Biden reverses Donald Trump's ban on transgender people in military</a>

"I'll always try to work for the transgender community ... so they don't drop out (of school) and don't leave their families," she said. 
&nbsp;

With its first transgender news anchor, Bangladesh recently achieved a feat worth celebrating! Tashnuva Anan is a rights activist who was previously engaged with NGOs in support of transgender people and is now the country's first trans news anchor.

With its first transgender news anchor, Bangladesh recently achieved a feat worth celebrating! Tashnuva Anan is a rights activist who was previously engaged with NGOs in support of transgender people and is now the country's first trans news anchor. Her first appearance as a news anchor coincided with International Women's Day. "This could be revolutionary and create a new dimension in people's thinking," Reuters quoted Anan, 29, as saying. Before starting the job, Anan underwent intensive training at a private news network, after which she was offered the job. "The biggest problem is that people are not sensitized ... I hope this can do that, and urge them to look after the many 'Tashnuvas' around them," she said. According to government estimates, there are about 11,500 transgender people in Bangladesh, but LGBTQIA+ campaigners claim that the figure is expected to be at least 100,000, given Banglades's population of 160 million. Also read: South Korea's first transgender soldier found dead Anan claimed that she faced sexual abuse, and was "bullied and tortured'' while growing, and left her home at the age of 16. She recently received a scholarship for pursuing a Masters in public health. Anan said that it is unusual for transgender people to take up jobs in the country. A religious charity in Bangladesh opened the country's first school for transgenders in November. Even though Anan remains busy with her new job and education, she intends to continue fighting for people's lives. Also read: Joe Biden reverses Donald Trump's ban on transgender people in military "I'll always try to work for the transgender community ... so they don't drop out (of school) and don't leave their families," she said.

Meet Tashnuva Anan, Bangladesh's first transgender news anchor

A transgender man Paulo Batista is striving to fulfill his father’s dying wish for him to join the US military. But he says all he has heard from the armed forces is either silence or a door slamming shut. Watch report.

Transgender man pursues dream to serve in US military: Hopes for waiver or change in policy

The Centre on Monday told the Delhi High Court that marriage between same sex couples was "not permissible" as it is not recognised by "our laws, legal system, society and our values".

The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan by Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta during hearing of a PIL seeking a declaration that same sex marriages be recognised under the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) and Special Marriage Act.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/two-years-after-section-377-judgement-that-said-it-with-poetry-and-words-from-literature-325519#:~:text=The%20495%2Dpage%20path%2Dbreaking,which%20criminalised%20consensual%20gay%20sex.">Two years after Section 377: Judgement that said it with poetry and words from literature</a>&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;

Mehta opposed the relief sought in the petition saying "our laws, our legal system, our society and our values do not recognise a marriage, which is a sacrament, between same sex couples".

He said the plea to grant recognition to or permit registration of such marriages was "not permissible" for two reasons -- firstly, the petition was asking the court to legislate and secondly, any relief granted "would run contrary to various statutory provisions".

"Unless court does violence to various laws, this cannot be done," he added.

Mehta also said that under the HMA, the various provisions regulating marriages or prohibited relationships talk of husband and wife and therefore, who would be assigned these roles where a same sex couple was concerned.

The bench observed that the world over things were changing, but it may or may not be applicable to India.

It, however, questioned the need for a PIL in the instant case, saying the people who claim to be affected are well educated and can themselves approach the court.

"Why should we entertain the PIL," it added.

The counsel for the petitioner stated that the affected people were not coming forward themselves as they feared reprisals and therefore, a PIL was preferred.

It asked the lawyer appearing for the petitioner, Abhijit Iyer Mitra, to give details of the persons who were not permitted to register their same sex marriage.

With the direction to place these factual aspects before the court, the bench listed the matter for further hearing on October 21.

The petition has contended that despite theSupreme Court decriminalizing consensual homosexual acts, marriages between same sex couples was still not possible.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

The Centre on Monday told the Delhi High Court that marriage between same sex couples was "not permissible" as it is not recognised by "our laws, legal system, society and our values".

The Centre on Monday told the Delhi High Court that marriage between same sex couples was "not permissible" as it is not recognised by "our laws, legal system, society and our values". The submission was made before a bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice Prateek Jalan by Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta during hearing of a PIL seeking a declaration that same sex marriages be recognised under the Hindu Marriage Act (HMA) and Special Marriage Act. Also read | Two years after Section 377: Judgement that said it with poetry and words from literature Mehta opposed the relief sought in the petition saying "our laws, our legal system, our society and our values do not recognise a marriage, which is a sacrament, between same sex couples". He said the plea to grant recognition to or permit registration of such marriages was "not permissible" for two reasons -- firstly, the petition was asking the court to legislate and secondly, any relief granted "would run contrary to various statutory provisions". "Unless court does violence to various laws, this cannot be done," he added. Mehta also said that under the HMA, the various provisions regulating marriages or prohibited relationships talk of husband and wife and therefore, who would be assigned these roles where a same sex couple was concerned. The bench observed that the world over things were changing, but it may or may not be applicable to India. It, however, questioned the need for a PIL in the instant case, saying the people who claim to be affected are well educated and can themselves approach the court. "Why should we entertain the PIL," it added. The counsel for the petitioner stated that the affected people were not coming forward themselves as they feared reprisals and therefore, a PIL was preferred. It asked the lawyer appearing for the petitioner, Abhijit Iyer Mitra, to give details of the persons who were not permitted to register their same sex marriage. With the direction to place these factual aspects before the court, the bench listed the matter for further hearing on October 21. The petition has contended that despite theSupreme Court decriminalizing consensual homosexual acts, marriages between same sex couples was still not possible.

Same sex marriages not recognised by our laws, society and our values: Centre to HC

The Supreme Court ruled Monday that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment, a resounding victory for LGBT rights from a conservative court.

LGBT community applaud Supreme Court ruling

Poland's President, Andrzej Duda, compared LGBT "ideology" to communist doctrine in a campaign speech on Saturday. This comes in the wake of a June 28 presidential election in the staunchly Catholic country where LGBT rights become a hotly debated issue.

Duda is an ally of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS), which dismisses the promotion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights as a foreign influence undermining Poland's traditional values.

Poland is a former satellite state of the Soviet Union and was the first country to shed communism in the region in 1989. This year the country was voted the worst in the European Union for LGBT rights in a poll by Brussels-based NGO ILGA-Europe.

On Wednesday, Duda introduced a "Family Card" of election proposals, including a vow to not allow gay couples to marry or adopt children and to ban teaching about LGBT issues in schools.

"My parents' generation for forty years fought to eliminate communist ideology from schools, so it couldn't be forced on children. So youth, children, soldiers and youth organisations couldn't be indoctrinated," Duda told a rally in the southwestern town of Brzeg.

"They didn't fight for this so that a new ideology would appear that is even more destructive."

Opposition candidates and LGBT rights groups condemned Duda's speech.

Love Does Not Exclude, a Polish rights group, told Reuters Duda's proposals were similar to the Russian government's decision to ban "homosexual propaganda".

The Left's presidential candidate, Robert Biedron, the first Polish politician to openly identify as gay, called on Duda to "be done with this hatred" in a tweet posted after the speech.

Poland's President, Andrzej Duda, compared LGBT "ideology" to communist doctrine in a campaign speech on Saturday. This comes in the wake of a June 28 presidential election in the staunchly Catholic country where LGBT rights become a hotly debated issue.

Poland's President, Andrzej Duda, compared LGBT "ideology" to communist doctrine in a campaign speech on Saturday. This comes in the wake of a June 28 presidential election in the staunchly Catholic country where LGBT rights become a hotly debated issue. Duda is an ally of the ruling nationalist Law and Justice Party (PiS), which dismisses the promotion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights as a foreign influence undermining Poland's traditional values. Poland is a former satellite state of the Soviet Union and was the first country to shed communism in the region in 1989. This year the country was voted the worst in the European Union for LGBT rights in a poll by Brussels-based NGO ILGA-Europe. On Wednesday, Duda introduced a "Family Card" of election proposals, including a vow to not allow gay couples to marry or adopt children and to ban teaching about LGBT issues in schools. "My parents' generation for forty years fought to eliminate communist ideology from schools, so it couldn't be forced on children. So youth, children, soldiers and youth organisations couldn't be indoctrinated," Duda told a rally in the southwestern town of Brzeg. "They didn't fight for this so that a new ideology would appear that is even more destructive." Opposition candidates and LGBT rights groups condemned Duda's speech. Love Does Not Exclude, a Polish rights group, told Reuters Duda's proposals were similar to the Russian government's decision to ban "homosexual propaganda". The Left's presidential candidate, Robert Biedron, the first Polish politician to openly identify as gay, called on Duda to "be done with this hatred" in a tweet posted after the speech.

Polish president compares 'LGBT ideology' to Soviet indoctrination

Russian President Vladimir Putin is backing constitutional reforms in the country, which will be put up for a vote next month.

However, a video backing the envisioned reform has run into a controversy for its homophobic rhetoric.

The video, made by a group known as “Patriot” shows the reaction of a young boy to finding out that his soon-to-be adoptive parents are gay.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-unveils-72-billion-virus-recovery-plan-302720" hreflang="en">Russia unveils $72-billion virus recovery plan&nbsp;</a>

"Here's your new mum. Don't be upset”, says one of the men in the video, while showing a dress.&nbsp;"What Russia do you choose?”, a voice in the video says.&nbsp;The video ends with a plead - “Decide the future of the country. Vote for the amendments to the constitution”.

The group is backed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a US-backed ally of Putin.

Watch the video below:

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АААА. Официальный ролик к 1 июля: Голосуй за поправки в Конституцию или всех русских детей ЗАБЕРУТ К СЕБЕ ДОМОЙ ГЕИ!! <a href="https://t.co/Dyhs3s1cuK">pic.twitter.com/Dyhs3s1cuK</a>
— Пётр Верзилов (@gruppa_voina) <a href="https://twitter.com/gruppa_voina/status/1267732905813557248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The country is country being by the coronavirus pandemic, but it set to vote on a few constitutional amendments on July 1, which would decide whether Putin would become the president again.

Amping up its anti-gay rhetoric, the video also endorsed the idea that marriage is a union between a man and woman.

The advertisement has gone viral on social media, and has received thousands of views.

Putin’s biggest opposition - Alexei Navalny shared the video while saying that

"Putin's officials have gone completely out of their minds on the subject of homosexuality," he tweeted.

The head of Patriot, Nikolai Stolyarchuk released a statement claiming that the video was "not campaigning against homosexuals" but "defending the institute of family as a union of a man and a woman”.&nbsp; However, he added his disapproval of allowing adoption by gay couples.

The vote on July 1 has nothing to do with LGBTQIA+ oriented legislation in the country.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is backing constitutional reforms in the country, which will be put up for a vote next month. However, a video backing the envisioned reform has run into a controversy for its homophobic rhetoric.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is backing constitutional reforms in the country, which will be put up for a vote next month. However, a video backing the envisioned reform has run into a controversy for its homophobic rhetoric. The video, made by a group known as “Patriot” shows the reaction of a young boy to finding out that his soon-to-be adoptive parents are gay. Also read: Russia unveils $72-billion virus recovery plan "Here's your new mum. Don't be upset”, says one of the men in the video, while showing a dress. "What Russia do you choose?”, a voice in the video says. The video ends with a plead - “Decide the future of the country. Vote for the amendments to the constitution”. The group is backed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a US-backed ally of Putin. Watch the video below: АААА. Официальный ролик к 1 июля: Голосуй за поправки в Конституцию или всех русских детей ЗАБЕРУТ К СЕБЕ ДОМОЙ ГЕИ!! pic.twitter.com/Dyhs3s1cuK — Пётр Верзилов (@gruppa_voina) June 2, 2020 × The country is country being by the coronavirus pandemic, but it set to vote on a few constitutional amendments on July 1, which would decide whether Putin would become the president again. Amping up its anti-gay rhetoric, the video also endorsed the idea that marriage is a union between a man and woman. The advertisement has gone viral on social media, and has received thousands of views. Putin’s biggest opposition - Alexei Navalny shared the video while saying that "Putin's officials have gone completely out of their minds on the subject of homosexuality," he tweeted. The head of Patriot, Nikolai Stolyarchuk released a statement claiming that the video was "not campaigning against homosexuals" but "defending the institute of family as a union of a man and a woman”. However, he added his disapproval of allowing adoption by gay couples. The vote on July 1 has nothing to do with LGBTQIA+ oriented legislation in the country.

Homophobic ad backing Putin's constitutional reform draws ire

During a tram ride in the Swiss city of Geneva last month, 41-year-old Jehanne was repeatedly insulted for supporting LGBT rights after she threatened to call the police. So, Swiss LGBT to get legal protection?

Switzerland: LGBT groups face public discrimination even after legal laws

Four hundred thousand people turned out on the streets of Madrid Saturday for a Gay Pride parade dedicated this year to pioneers of the LGBT+ cause, amid growing fears of fresh repression with the rise of the far-right in Europe.

The marchers converged on the Spanish capital's main Atocha train station for the start of the festivities. The 400,000 figure was later given by police.

The slogan for this year's march was "History, struggle and memory" and participants marked 50 years since the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969 which were the foundation of the gay rights movement worldwide.

Catholic Spain at the time was controlled by dictator General Francisco Franco and homosexual acts were illegal. Thousands of gay people were shipped off to rehabilitation centres or even jailed.

Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1978, three year's after Franco's death, since when Spain has become one of the most LGBT-tolerant countries in the world, authorising gay marriage and adoptions by gay couples in 2005.

"I'm 53 years old and I have suffered," said Manuel Carmona, carrying a large rainbow flag for Saturday's march.

"But those who are 63-years-old suffered more and those who are 73-years-old even more and I want us to recognise these people who have helped us," added Carmona, who has been attending the pride march for 30 years.

Resurgent homophobia

Madrid's city hall swung to the right in June after a conservative candidate was elected mayor with the support of newly-emerged far-right party Vox, in a move that has caused concern in Spain.

Vox has said that the Madrid Gay Pride Parade should be moved to a park in the suburbs and opposes public subsidies for the event.

"They do not want to understand that when we talk about LGBT rights, we are talking about human rights," said Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who is himself gay and took part in the march.

Activists say organised opposition against LGBT rights is growing across the continent, with populist politicians in Poland, Hungary and other European countries presenting gay rights as a threat to family values.

Resurgent homophobia made the headlines in Britain recently after a lesbian couple became the high-profile victims of a homophobic attack after refusing to kiss for a gang of youths on a London night bus.

The couple joined the annual Pride march through the heart of the British capital Saturday, which organisers said drew hundreds of thousands.

In the Hungarian capital Budapest, marchers carried rainbow banners and flew balloons at a rally that passed from parliament through the city centre.

Meanwhile, bishops in conservative, Catholic-majority Poland on Saturday denounced Swedish furniture giant Ikea for what they called "LGBT indoctrination" after an employee was sacked for refusing to take down a homophobic comment he had posted on the firm's internal website.

The bishops congratulated the man -- who had quoted passages from the Old Testament in the post -- on his "courage" in defending his faith in everyday life in an "exemplary" way.

Four hundred thousand people turned out on the streets of Madrid Saturday for a Gay Pride parade dedicated this year to pioneers of the LGBT+ cause, amid growing fears of fresh repression with the rise of the far-right in Europe.

Four hundred thousand people turned out on the streets of Madrid Saturday for a Gay Pride parade dedicated this year to pioneers of the LGBT+ cause, amid growing fears of fresh repression with the rise of the far-right in Europe. The marchers converged on the Spanish capital's main Atocha train station for the start of the festivities. The 400,000 figure was later given by police. The slogan for this year's march was "History, struggle and memory" and participants marked 50 years since the Stonewall riots in New York in 1969 which were the foundation of the gay rights movement worldwide. Catholic Spain at the time was controlled by dictator General Francisco Franco and homosexual acts were illegal. Thousands of gay people were shipped off to rehabilitation centres or even jailed. Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1978, three year's after Franco's death, since when Spain has become one of the most LGBT-tolerant countries in the world, authorising gay marriage and adoptions by gay couples in 2005. "I'm 53 years old and I have suffered," said Manuel Carmona, carrying a large rainbow flag for Saturday's march. "But those who are 63-years-old suffered more and those who are 73-years-old even more and I want us to recognise these people who have helped us," added Carmona, who has been attending the pride march for 30 years. Resurgent homophobia Madrid's city hall swung to the right in June after a conservative candidate was elected mayor with the support of newly-emerged far-right party Vox, in a move that has caused concern in Spain. Vox has said that the Madrid Gay Pride Parade should be moved to a park in the suburbs and opposes public subsidies for the event. "They do not want to understand that when we talk about LGBT rights, we are talking about human rights," said Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, who is himself gay and took part in the march. Activists say organised opposition against LGBT rights is growing across the continent, with populist politicians in Poland, Hungary and other European countries presenting gay rights as a threat to family values. Resurgent homophobia made the headlines in Britain recently after a lesbian couple became the high-profile victims of a homophobic attack after refusing to kiss for a gang of youths on a London night bus. The couple joined the annual Pride march through the heart of the British capital Saturday, which organisers said drew hundreds of thousands. In the Hungarian capital Budapest, marchers carried rainbow banners and flew balloons at a rally that passed from parliament through the city centre. Meanwhile, bishops in conservative, Catholic-majority Poland on Saturday denounced Swedish furniture giant Ikea for what they called "LGBT indoctrination" after an employee was sacked for refusing to take down a homophobic comment he had posted on the firm's internal website. The bishops congratulated the man -- who had quoted passages from the Old Testament in the post -- on his "courage" in defending his faith in everyday life in an "exemplary" way.

Hundreds of thousands march across Europe for Gay Pride

Protesters chanting "black trans lives matter" and "we will not be erased" on Friday demanded an end to the killings of black transgender women in the United States and decried the Trump administration`s proposals to reverse transgender rights.

Three black transgender women died of gunshot wounds within five days this month in Cleveland, Dallas and Philadelphia, and five total have been killed this year. Transgender advocates complain that police often give such cases insufficient priority or they go unreported when police identify victims by their gender assigned at birth rather than the person`s gender identity.

By coincidence, President Donald Trump`s administration took action this week that would deny or reduce services to transgender people.

Five silent protesters in New York stood veiled and dressed in white on Friday, holding portraits of the five transgender women killed this year, while the crowd sang protest verses, chanted slogans and hoisted signs demanding "Justice!" and "Speak out, stand up for black trans women."

"I am tired of my sisters being killed," protest leader Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group told about 200 demonstrators in Washington Square Park.&nbsp;

The three shot dead most recently were Claire Legato, 21, in Cleveland, who died on May 15 from gunshot wounds a month earlier; Muhlaysia Booken, 23, in Dallas on Saturday; and Michelle Washington, 40, in Philadelphia on Sunday. In April, Booken was beaten in an attack caught on video that was widely shared on social media.

Dallas police said they are investigating a 2018 murder and an April 2019 aggravated assault of transgender women under similar circumstances but have not established a link. Police in Philadelphia and Cleveland have arrested suspects in each of those cases but say they are not treating them as hate crimes.

At least 26 transgender women were reported killed in 2018 and 29 in 2017, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest US advocacy group for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/cuban-lgbt-activists-plan-alternate-parade-in-defiance-of-government-217929">lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender </a>(LGBT) people.

Among the measures taken by Republican Trump`s administration this week to curtail LGBT rights was the US&nbsp;Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday proposing a rule that would roll back protections for transgender patients under Obamacare. The HHS under Trump said protections against discrimination on the basis of sex did not apply to transgender people.

On Wednesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed a new rule allowing homeless shelters to turn away transgender people for religious reasons.

Earlier this month, HHS released a final rule allowing healthcare providers to opt out of procedures with which they disagree, such as abortions and treatment for gay and transgender patients.

The policies are meant to appeal to Trump`s conservative and religious supporters who helped get him elected in 2016 and who have kept his approval ratings above 40 per cent.

Protesters chanting "black trans lives matter" and "we will not be erased" on Friday demanded an end to the killings of black transgender women in the United States and decried the Trump administration`s proposals to reverse transgender rights.

Protesters chanting "black trans lives matter" and "we will not be erased" on Friday demanded an end to the killings of black transgender women in the United States and decried the Trump administration`s proposals to reverse transgender rights. Three black transgender women died of gunshot wounds within five days this month in Cleveland, Dallas and Philadelphia, and five total have been killed this year. Transgender advocates complain that police often give such cases insufficient priority or they go unreported when police identify victims by their gender assigned at birth rather than the person`s gender identity. By coincidence, President Donald Trump`s administration took action this week that would deny or reduce services to transgender people. Five silent protesters in New York stood veiled and dressed in white on Friday, holding portraits of the five transgender women killed this year, while the crowd sang protest verses, chanted slogans and hoisted signs demanding "Justice!" and "Speak out, stand up for black trans women." "I am tired of my sisters being killed," protest leader Tanya Asapansa-Johnson Walker of the New York Transgender Advocacy Group told about 200 demonstrators in Washington Square Park. The three shot dead most recently were Claire Legato, 21, in Cleveland, who died on May 15 from gunshot wounds a month earlier; Muhlaysia Booken, 23, in Dallas on Saturday; and Michelle Washington, 40, in Philadelphia on Sunday. In April, Booken was beaten in an attack caught on video that was widely shared on social media. Dallas police said they are investigating a 2018 murder and an April 2019 aggravated assault of transgender women under similar circumstances but have not established a link. Police in Philadelphia and Cleveland have arrested suspects in each of those cases but say they are not treating them as hate crimes. At least 26 transgender women were reported killed in 2018 and 29 in 2017, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest US advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. Among the measures taken by Republican Trump`s administration this week to curtail LGBT rights was the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Friday proposing a rule that would roll back protections for transgender patients under Obamacare. The HHS under Trump said protections against discrimination on the basis of sex did not apply to transgender people. On Wednesday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development proposed a new rule allowing homeless shelters to turn away transgender people for religious reasons. Earlier this month, HHS released a final rule allowing healthcare providers to opt out of procedures with which they disagree, such as abortions and treatment for gay and transgender patients. The policies are meant to appeal to Trump`s conservative and religious supporters who helped get him elected in 2016 and who have kept his approval ratings above 40 per cent.

Protesters demand end to killings of transgender women, Trump rollbacks

Kenya's high court on Friday upheld a law banning gay sex, keeping same-sex relations punishable by 14 years in jail in the East African nation and drawing strong criticism from the United Nations and rights activists.

Same-sex relationships are a crime in more than 70 countries around the world, almost half of them in Africa. Neighbouring Uganda once enacted a law imposing a life sentence for certain acts of gay sex although it was later nullified by the court.

South Africa is the only African nation to have legalised gay marriage.

"We hereby decline the relief sought and dismiss the combined petition," Justice Roselyn Aburili told a packed courtroom in Kenya's capital Nairobi, relaying the unanimous opinion of the three-justice panel.

"We find that the impugned sections are not unconstitutional, accordingly the combined petitions have no merit."

Some gay rights activists wept outside the courtroom after the verdict while supporters of the ban clapped, congratulated each other and yelled "thank you" at the judges' bench.

Other people backing the ban held placards outside the court with messages, including "homosexuality is an abomination."

Campaigners who filed the petition to decriminalise gay sex argued that the law violated Kenya's 2010 constitution, which guarantees equality, dignity and privacy for all citizens.

"We will appeal. We expect that the court of appeal will overturn this erroneous decision which in our view is very biased," said Eric Gitari, one of the petitioners.

Traditional values

The justices, who began hearing the case last year, threw out the petition on the grounds that gay sex clashed with broader, traditional moral values encapsulated in Kenya's constitution.

Aburili said the constitution still outlaws same-sex marriage but that allowing gay sex would "open the door for same-sex unions."

"We cannot be another Sodom and Gomorrah," Alfred Rotich, a Catholic bishop, told Reuters at the court after the verdict.

In September last year, India's top court scrapped a similar colonial-era law that punished gay sex with up to 10 years in jail, raising hopes among activists worldwide, including in Africa, for similar reforms.

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s senior LGBT rights researcher, Neela Ghoshal, said the Nairobi court verdict reduced Kenya's gay people to "second-class citizenship."

"Rights cannot be trampled upon in the name of social disapproval. The Court of Appeal should revisit this ruling urgently," she said.

UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said the ruling "encourages hostility and even violence against LGBT individuals.”

Due to a lack of legal protection, rights campaigners in Kenya say sexual minorities are routinely abused, assaulted by mobs, raped by vigilantes or enslaved by criminals.

Kenya arrested 534 people for same-sex relationships between 2013 and 2017, according to the government.

The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, one of the petitioners against the law, has recorded more than 1,500 such attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Kenyans since 2014.

Christian and Muslim groups support the law and the attorney general has argued that decriminalising gay sex could lead to legalising same-sex marriage.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said, "gay rights is really a non-issue", while Deputy President William Ruto said Kenya had "no room" for gays. Legislator Aden Duale once told parliament that homosexuality was "as serious as terrorism".

Kenya's high court on Friday upheld a law banning gay sex, keeping same-sex relations punishable by 14 years in jail in the East African nation and drawing strong criticism from the United Nations and rights activists.

Kenya's high court on Friday upheld a law banning gay sex, keeping same-sex relations punishable by 14 years in jail in the East African nation and drawing strong criticism from the United Nations and rights activists. Same-sex relationships are a crime in more than 70 countries around the world, almost half of them in Africa. Neighbouring Uganda once enacted a law imposing a life sentence for certain acts of gay sex although it was later nullified by the court. South Africa is the only African nation to have legalised gay marriage. "We hereby decline the relief sought and dismiss the combined petition," Justice Roselyn Aburili told a packed courtroom in Kenya's capital Nairobi, relaying the unanimous opinion of the three-justice panel. "We find that the impugned sections are not unconstitutional, accordingly the combined petitions have no merit." Some gay rights activists wept outside the courtroom after the verdict while supporters of the ban clapped, congratulated each other and yelled "thank you" at the judges' bench. Other people backing the ban held placards outside the court with messages, including "homosexuality is an abomination." Campaigners who filed the petition to decriminalise gay sex argued that the law violated Kenya's 2010 constitution, which guarantees equality, dignity and privacy for all citizens. "We will appeal. We expect that the court of appeal will overturn this erroneous decision which in our view is very biased," said Eric Gitari, one of the petitioners. Traditional values The justices, who began hearing the case last year, threw out the petition on the grounds that gay sex clashed with broader, traditional moral values encapsulated in Kenya's constitution. Aburili said the constitution still outlaws same-sex marriage but that allowing gay sex would "open the door for same-sex unions." "We cannot be another Sodom and Gomorrah," Alfred Rotich, a Catholic bishop, told Reuters at the court after the verdict. In September last year, India's top court scrapped a similar colonial-era law that punished gay sex with up to 10 years in jail, raising hopes among activists worldwide, including in Africa, for similar reforms. New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW)'s senior LGBT rights researcher, Neela Ghoshal, said the Nairobi court verdict reduced Kenya's gay people to "second-class citizenship." "Rights cannot be trampled upon in the name of social disapproval. The Court of Appeal should revisit this ruling urgently," she said. UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet said the ruling "encourages hostility and even violence against LGBT individuals.” Due to a lack of legal protection, rights campaigners in Kenya say sexual minorities are routinely abused, assaulted by mobs, raped by vigilantes or enslaved by criminals. Kenya arrested 534 people for same-sex relationships between 2013 and 2017, according to the government. The National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, one of the petitioners against the law, has recorded more than 1,500 such attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Kenyans since 2014. Christian and Muslim groups support the law and the attorney general has argued that decriminalising gay sex could lead to legalising same-sex marriage. President Uhuru Kenyatta has said, "gay rights is really a non-issue", while Deputy President William Ruto said Kenya had "no room" for gays. Legislator Aden Duale once told parliament that homosexuality was "as serious as terrorism".

Kenya's high court unanimously upholds ban on gay sex

Nepal was hailed as a leader in LGBT rights when it became the first country in conservative South Asia to recognise a third gender and assure equality for its sexual minorities.

But more than a decade later, that trailblazing reputation has lost its lustre, with gay and transgender Nepalis still confronting obstacles to jobs and schools, and marriage equality a distant prospect.

More than 900,000 of Nepal's roughly 26 million population identify as a sexual minority, according to LGBT rights group Blue Diamond Society.

On paper, they enjoy some of the most progressive protections and rights guaranteed by law in the immediate region.

Landmark reforms in 2007 prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and recognised gay Nepalis at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in neighbouring India.

Transgender Nepalis identifying as neither male nor female was also granted the right to tick "other" when voting or applying for a passport or other official documents.

But gay and transgender Nepalis and rights activists say action has not matched the rhetoric, and more than a decade on, the community still faces discrimination.

"The government recognised our identity but has not been able to put forward a concrete policy or plan to give us rights that all citizens enjoy," said Blue Diamond Society president Pinky Gurung.

"It is heartbreaking that to enjoy one right (citizenship), we have to be deprived of other opportunities."

Rukshana Kapali, a transgender woman, has been allowed to study at university but not formally register as a student because her high school transcript identifies her as male under a former name.

The bureaucratic glitch means she may not be able to graduate.

"I feel like I am in limbo," the 19-year-old told AFP.

"I want to be a linguist, but right now I am worried I won't be able to study here at all."

Tribhuvan University, Nepal's oldest, says it hopes to find a solution but until then, Kapali is off the books.

"We are optimistic, but it is not possible to register her under the current regulations," said Pushpa Raj Joshi, the university's exam controller.

Hopes dashed

Every year, Nepal's LGBT community take to the dusty streets of the capital Kathmandu for a vibrant gay pride parade to demand an end to all forms of discrimination.

Despite much-celebrated gains, there is still plenty to shout about.

Nepal in August adopted a new civil code defining marriage as between a man and a woman, dashing hopes for same-sex unions to be legally recognised any time soon.

Other laws in the new statute have also been criticised for narrowly defining core rights in terms of male and female -- leaving no room for people of the "other" gender.

"We were hoping for change so we could marry and maybe even start a family. But we've been disappointed so far," said Armand Rana, 23, a gay man who lives with his partner of six years.

Rana's family has accepted his partner but many in conservative and patriarchal Nepal still hide their sexuality and gender identity.

"The amount of progress Nepal has experienced... is enormous, and yet implementation of the various pledges from government entities over the years continues to lag," said Kyle Knight of Human Rights Watch.

The government says it is working to make laws more inclusive.

"If any law discriminates, people can point it out so we can seek ways to improve," said Bharat Raj Sharma, who oversees LGBT issues at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens.

But for transgender citizens like Kapali, the wheels of Nepal's bureaucracy are turning too slowly.

"Being recognised as a third gender is important and I am proud of my identity," she said.

"But I don't want it to limit what I can do in my life."

Nepal was hailed as a leader in LGBT rights when it became the first country in conservative South Asia to recognise a third gender and assure equality for its sexual minorities.

Nepal was hailed as a leader in LGBT rights when it became the first country in conservative South Asia to recognise a third gender and assure equality for its sexual minorities. But more than a decade later, that trailblazing reputation has lost its lustre, with gay and transgender Nepalis still confronting obstacles to jobs and schools, and marriage equality a distant prospect. More than 900,000 of Nepal's roughly 26 million population identify as a sexual minority, according to LGBT rights group Blue Diamond Society. On paper, they enjoy some of the most progressive protections and rights guaranteed by law in the immediate region. Landmark reforms in 2007 prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and recognised gay Nepalis at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in neighbouring India. Transgender Nepalis identifying as neither male nor female was also granted the right to tick "other" when voting or applying for a passport or other official documents. But gay and transgender Nepalis and rights activists say action has not matched the rhetoric, and more than a decade on, the community still faces discrimination. "The government recognised our identity but has not been able to put forward a concrete policy or plan to give us rights that all citizens enjoy," said Blue Diamond Society president Pinky Gurung. "It is heartbreaking that to enjoy one right (citizenship), we have to be deprived of other opportunities." Rukshana Kapali, a transgender woman, has been allowed to study at university but not formally register as a student because her high school transcript identifies her as male under a former name. The bureaucratic glitch means she may not be able to graduate. "I feel like I am in limbo," the 19-year-old told AFP. "I want to be a linguist, but right now I am worried I won't be able to study here at all." Tribhuvan University, Nepal's oldest, says it hopes to find a solution but until then, Kapali is off the books. "We are optimistic, but it is not possible to register her under the current regulations," said Pushpa Raj Joshi, the university's exam controller. Hopes dashed Every year, Nepal's LGBT community take to the dusty streets of the capital Kathmandu for a vibrant gay pride parade to demand an end to all forms of discrimination. Despite much-celebrated gains, there is still plenty to shout about. Nepal in August adopted a new civil code defining marriage as between a man and a woman, dashing hopes for same-sex unions to be legally recognised any time soon. Other laws in the new statute have also been criticised for narrowly defining core rights in terms of male and female -- leaving no room for people of the "other" gender. "We were hoping for change so we could marry and maybe even start a family. But we've been disappointed so far," said Armand Rana, 23, a gay man who lives with his partner of six years. Rana's family has accepted his partner but many in conservative and patriarchal Nepal still hide their sexuality and gender identity. "The amount of progress Nepal has experienced... is enormous, and yet implementation of the various pledges from government entities over the years continues to lag," said Kyle Knight of Human Rights Watch. The government says it is working to make laws more inclusive. "If any law discriminates, people can point it out so we can seek ways to improve," said Bharat Raj Sharma, who oversees LGBT issues at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens. But for transgender citizens like Kapali, the wheels of Nepal's bureaucracy are turning too slowly. "Being recognised as a third gender is important and I am proud of my identity," she said. "But I don't want it to limit what I can do in my life."

Nepal stalls on LGBT rights despite early strides

Hong Kong will become the first Asian city to host the Gay Games in 2022 with rights campaigners celebrating the winning bid for a city often criticised for lagging on LGBT rights.

Hong Kong beat Mexico&#39;s Guadalajara and Washington DC to host the 11th edition of the event, with the jubilant bid team saying it would attract 15,000 participants and bring HK$1 billion into the local economy.&nbsp;

Organised by the LGBT community, the Gay Games features a range of sports and is open to all participants, &quot;without regard to sexual orientation, and there are no qualifying standards&quot;, the Hong Kong bid team said in a statement.&nbsp;

Competitors come from many countries, including those where homosexuality remains illegal, it added.&nbsp;

The Gay Games was founded by former Olympic decathlete Tom Waddell and first held in San Francisco in 1982. The next edition will be held in Paris in August next year, featuring 36 sports, from mountain biking to fencing and athletics.&nbsp;

Hong Kong&#39;s Pink Alliance, which promotes equal rights for the LGBT community, said the games would &quot;help to bring a wider understanding and acceptance of our community&quot;, not only in the southern Chinese city but throughout the region.&nbsp;

When the constitutional court in neighbouring Taiwan ruled in favour of allowing gay marriage in May, campaigners in socially conservative Hong Kong highlighted the city&#39;s lack of progress on equality issues.&nbsp;

Hong Kong does not recognise gay marriage and only decriminalised homosexuality in 1991.

But a landmark court decision in September that granted a British lesbian in Hong Kong&nbsp;known as &quot;QT&quot; the right to live and work in the city as a dependant of her long-term partner was hailed as a decision that could reduce more hurdles for same-sex couples.

QT had previously been denied a dependant visa by immigration authorities, forcing her instead to stay in Hong Kong on a visitor visa, which did not allow her to work.

Hong Kong&#39;s Gay Games bid chair Dennis Philipse said there was a &quot;spirit and passion for increased inclusion and diversity&quot; in Hong Kong.

However, the campaign for LGBT rights continues to elicit fury from anti-gay campaigners.&nbsp;

Last year, banking giant HSBC placed a pair of rainbow-painted lions in front of its landmark building in the heart of the city to promote support of gay rights, a move slammed as &quot;disgusting&quot; by opponents who rallied in protest.

Hong Kong will become the first Asian city to host the Gay Games in 2022 with rights campaigners celebrating the winning bid for a city often criticised for lagging on LGBT rights. Hong Kong beat Mexico's Guadalajara and Washington DC to host the 11th edition of the event.

Hong Kong will become the first Asian city to host the Gay Games in 2022 with rights campaigners celebrating the winning bid for a city often criticised for lagging on LGBT rights. Hong Kong beat Mexico's Guadalajara and Washington DC to host the 11th edition of the event, with the jubilant bid team saying it would attract 15,000 participants and bring HK$1 billion into the local economy. Organised by the LGBT community, the Gay Games features a range of sports and is open to all participants, "without regard to sexual orientation, and there are no qualifying standards", the Hong Kong bid team said in a statement. Competitors come from many countries, including those where homosexuality remains illegal, it added. The Gay Games was founded by former Olympic decathlete Tom Waddell and first held in San Francisco in 1982. The next edition will be held in Paris in August next year, featuring 36 sports, from mountain biking to fencing and athletics. Hong Kong's Pink Alliance, which promotes equal rights for the LGBT community, said the games would "help to bring a wider understanding and acceptance of our community", not only in the southern Chinese city but throughout the region. When the constitutional court in neighbouring Taiwan ruled in favour of allowing gay marriage in May, campaigners in socially conservative Hong Kong highlighted the city's lack of progress on equality issues. Hong Kong does not recognise gay marriage and only decriminalised homosexuality in 1991. But a landmark court decision in September that granted a British lesbian in Hong Kong known as "QT" the right to live and work in the city as a dependant of her long-term partner was hailed as a decision that could reduce more hurdles for same-sex couples. QT had previously been denied a dependant visa by immigration authorities, forcing her instead to stay in Hong Kong on a visitor visa, which did not allow her to work. Hong Kong's Gay Games bid chair Dennis Philipse said there was a "spirit and passion for increased inclusion and diversity" in Hong Kong. However, the campaign for LGBT rights continues to elicit fury from anti-gay campaigners. Last year, banking giant HSBC placed a pair of rainbow-painted lions in front of its landmark building in the heart of the city to promote support of gay rights, a move slammed as "disgusting" by opponents who rallied in protest.

Hong Kong to become first Asian host of Gay Games

Maltese lawmakers voted on Wednesday to legalise same-sex marriage on the Roman Catholic Mediterranean island, fulfilling Prime Minister Joseph Muscat&#39;s campaign promise to make this the first law brought before parliament in his new term.

The law, which drew cross-party support, removes words including as &quot;husband&quot;, &quot;wife&quot;, &quot;mother&quot; and &quot;father&quot; from the Marriage Act and replaces them with the gender-neutral &quot;spouse&quot;, &quot;parent who gave birth&quot; and &quot;parent who did not give birth&quot;.

Muscat said such wording was needed to avoid categorising any member of society. He rejected accusations that this could spell the end to &quot;Mother&#39;s Day&quot; or &quot;Father&#39;s Day&quot;, saying such suggestions were &quot;laughable&quot;.

Muscat won a second term in office on June 3 and had vowed to reinforce his call for equality in society.

Once a staunchly conservative nation, Malta has been steadily adopting more progressive legislation in recent years. In 2011, the country voted in a referendum to allow divorce, and in 2014 it approved civil partnerships.

Malta was the 24th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage with Tuesday&#39;s vote coming just two weeks after German lawmakers approved a similar measure in June.

The opposition Nationalist Party backed the introduction of same-sex marriage, despite fierce criticism from some conservatives, who said it marked a damaging departure from the party&#39;s Christian-Democratic principles.

&quot;You have pushed the party into a lose-lose situation and it seems many of you cannot even see it,&quot; said former finance minister Tonio Fenech, who is no longer a member of parliament.

In the end, only one opposition lawmaker voted against the bill, while 66 parliamentarians supported it. There were no abstentions.

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said his party backed the law because society was changing and because it did not alter anything from the civil partnerships law which gave civil partners the same rights as married couples.

The Malta Gay Rights Movement celebrated the new law with a party attended by hundreds in a square outside the prime minister&#39;s office in the capital, Valletta.

Malta was the 24th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage with Tuesday's vote coming just two weeks after German lawmakers approved a similar measure in June

Maltese lawmakers voted on Wednesday to legalise same-sex marriage on the Roman Catholic Mediterranean island, fulfilling Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's campaign promise to make this the first law brought before parliament in his new term. The law, which drew cross-party support, removes words including as "husband", "wife", "mother" and "father" from the Marriage Act and replaces them with the gender-neutral "spouse", "parent who gave birth" and "parent who did not give birth". Muscat said such wording was needed to avoid categorising any member of society. He rejected accusations that this could spell the end to "Mother's Day" or "Father's Day", saying such suggestions were "laughable". Muscat won a second term in office on June 3 and had vowed to reinforce his call for equality in society. Once a staunchly conservative nation, Malta has been steadily adopting more progressive legislation in recent years. In 2011, the country voted in a referendum to allow divorce, and in 2014 it approved civil partnerships. Malta was the 24th country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage with Tuesday's vote coming just two weeks after German lawmakers approved a similar measure in June. The opposition Nationalist Party backed the introduction of same-sex marriage, despite fierce criticism from some conservatives, who said it marked a damaging departure from the party's Christian-Democratic principles. "You have pushed the party into a lose-lose situation and it seems many of you cannot even see it," said former finance minister Tonio Fenech, who is no longer a member of parliament. In the end, only one opposition lawmaker voted against the bill, while 66 parliamentarians supported it. There were no abstentions. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said his party backed the law because society was changing and because it did not alter anything from the civil partnerships law which gave civil partners the same rights as married couples. The Malta Gay Rights Movement celebrated the new law with a party attended by hundreds in a square outside the prime minister's office in the capital, Valletta.

Maltese lawmakers vote to legalise same-sex marriage

&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

American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga disclosed on Monday that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after she was raped as a teenager.

The pop icon admitted to battling with the mental illness in an interview at a New York homeless shelter for gay and lesbian (LGBT) youth.

&quot;I told the kids today that I suffer from a mental illness -- I suffer from PTSD,&quot; said Gaga, speaking to NBC television&#39;s &quot;Today Show&quot; program, news agency AFP reported.

Gaga had revealed two years ago that she was raped at age 19 that had left her emotionally weak.

Gaga, now 30, urged the youths at the Ali Forney Center shelter to find the courage to face their problems.

&quot;I don&#39;t have the same kind&nbsp;of issues that you have, but I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every day,&quot; she said.

&quot;I need my mantra to help keep me relaxed. You are brave. You are courageous.&quot;

Gaga has long championed the right of sexual minorities. She thanked the shelter residents on Twitter for &nbsp;&quot;sharing your stories, trauma &amp; pain&quot;.

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
To the LGBTQ&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/AliForneyCenter">@AliForneyCenter</a> thank you for sharing your stories, trauma &amp; pain with me &amp; the world today. Your kindness is contagious. ??
&mdash; xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/805773463466057728">December 5, 2016</a></blockquote>

&nbsp;

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Today I shared one my deepest secrets w/ the world. Secrets keep you sick w/ shame ??Watch this video <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShareKindness?src=hash">#ShareKindness</a> <a href="https://t.co/Rynfxekz3Z">https://t.co/Rynfxekz3Z</a>
&mdash; xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/805785828697874432">December 5, 2016</a></blockquote>

(WION with inputs from AFP)

'I don't have the same kind of issues that you have, but I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every day'

American singer-songwriter Lady Gaga disclosed on Monday that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after she was raped as a teenager. The pop icon admitted to battling with the mental illness in an interview at a New York homeless shelter for gay and lesbian (LGBT) youth. "I told the kids today that I suffer from a mental illness -- I suffer from PTSD," said Gaga, speaking to NBC television's "Today Show" program, news agency AFP reported. Gaga had revealed two years ago that she was raped at age 19 that had left her emotionally weak. Gaga, now 30, urged the youths at the Ali Forney Center shelter to find the courage to face their problems. "I don't have the same kind of issues that you have, but I have a mental illness, and I struggle with that mental illness every day," she said. "I need my mantra to help keep me relaxed. You are brave. You are courageous." Gaga has long championed the right of sexual minorities. She thanked the shelter residents on Twitter for "sharing your stories, trauma & pain". To the LGBTQ's @AliForneyCenter thank you for sharing your stories, trauma & pain with me & the world today. Your kindness is contagious. ?? — xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) December 5, 2016 Today I shared one my deepest secrets w/ the world. Secrets keep you sick w/ shame ??Watch this video #ShareKindness https://t.co/Rynfxekz3Z — xoxo, Joanne (@ladygaga) December 5, 2016 (WION with inputs from AFP)

Lady Gaga reveals battle with PTSD after rape

Comic&nbsp;books speak directly to our imagination and no matter our age, where we live or where we are from, they have the uncanny&nbsp;ability to cross cultural barriers, break boundaries and challenge taboos. They touch the child in us and feed&nbsp;our fantasies. Dhee, Bangladesh&#39;s&nbsp;first lesbian comic book&nbsp;character, manages to do precisely that -- and&nbsp;in a conservative,&nbsp;Muslim-majority country.

She is the protagonist of a comic strip launched last September by Boys of Bangladesh (BoB), a non-governmental organisation that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. Dhee is a young Bangladeshi woman in her twenties who discovers she is attracted to other women. She is not a superhero. She does not have super powers. Nor does she have super weapons. She is just the (Muslim) girl next door, living with her family&nbsp;in the suburbs. 

Curly-haired, bespectacled, average-looking, Bengali-speaking and dressed in traditional clothes, Dhee could be any of the young women out on the streets of Dhaka.

Dhee has a momentous challenge though: understanding her desires, accepting her sexuality and finding a way to tell a conservative society that she is lesbian. Her message is simple:&nbsp;there is nothing wrong with her. Nothing perverse or dangerous. She just loves other women and she wants to be free to do so. 
 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/flash-card-dhee-7-20160823053702.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
A strip from Dhee.
</div>

 
The appearance of a lesbian comic character, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, received huge attention from the international media. Her story develops through ten simple strips with clear and colourful lines in&nbsp;cartoon style. She uses the language of kids to reach adults. 
 
&ldquo;We tried to keep everything as simple as possible, in order to make it understandable to everyone,&rdquo; says Rajeeb, a BoB activist who did not want his full name revealed due to security concerns. &ldquo;We wanted people to relate to homosexuality in Bangladesh. I would not define our society as entirely conservative. You know it depends. It is extremely conservative when it comes to the private sphere of life, particularly when you talk about sex and sexuality,&rdquo;&nbsp;he adds. And this is exactly what Dhee needs to overcome. 
 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/head-20160823054202.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
Dhee asks herself what could she do .
</div>

 
The picture above deserves a translation. The headline reads:&nbsp;&quot;Standing at this point of life I could not understand which turn my future will take. Can you tell me what should I do?&quot; 
 
From the top left image,&nbsp;moving clockwise, Dhee thinks&nbsp;about the options she has: &quot;Marrying a guy after giving up my real identity?&nbsp;Going abroad with the hope of a new life?&nbsp;Committing suicide with all the pain and silence in my heart?&quot; 
 
And, fortunately,&nbsp;she finds a good answer: &quot;I should accept myself and work for people who cannot speak freely about their identity.&quot; 
&nbsp;

Sometimes, the children in us create&nbsp;a lot of noise and they get wrong people to listen to. Dhee caused such a ruckus, she attracted the attention of some Bangladeshi newspapers which incited violence. Banglagazette.com called for prompt government intervention and stated, &ldquo;Bangladesh has taken yet another step towards aping the West&rdquo;. 
 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/banglagazette-20160823052910.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
Bangladeshi website BanglaGazette attacking Dhee.
</div>

&nbsp;

The hardline Islamist political party, Khilafat Andolan, told dailysanghram.com that &ldquo;homosexuals are enemies of civilisation and enemies of Islam.&rdquo; 
 
 
<img alt="" class="img-responsive" src="http://s.wionews.com/photos/dailysanghram-20160823053218.jpg" />

<div class="media-description">
Bangladeshi website Dailysanghram attacking Dhee.
</div>

&nbsp;

But comic writers are a defiant species. &ldquo;I think that some of our scholars need to catch up with the times. Nowadays there are eminent views proposing a more tolerant and inclusive interpretation of Islam. Moreover, this conservative and strict version of Islam is actually imported. Islam does not openly condemn homosexuality,&rdquo; says Rajeeb.

Comic books may be fun to glance across but often convey powerful messages. This is exactly what makes Dhee such a strong instrument of communication and a disruptor for many. Comic book characters live in a kind of no man&rsquo;s land halfway between drawings and books, between seriousness and joke, between the worlds of kids and adults. Often considered too childish to be a real menace, they enjoy a fairly free space and are able to speak their mind with fearlessness. No surprise that they have been historically used both for satire and propaganda.

A few years back, the people&rsquo;s love for comic books brought the first Comic Con to Bangladesh. Comic Con is the international festival for fans and producers of comic books. Ever since, it has been an annual affair.

Yousuf Abu Syed, one of the founders of the Dhaka Comic Con, is an excited man. He says, &ldquo;We thought that a maximum of 500 people would come and we were astonished when thousands of participants, some of them even dressed as popular superheroes, turned up. We keep doing it every year and it is growing bigger.&rdquo; 

Bangladesh has its own indigenous comic book characters. &ldquo;Comic Con came into being when the comic books industry in Bangladesh was going through a tough time. But now, we do have quality Bangladeshi comics for an affordable price, often for less than two US dollars. But this is a new thing, many of us have obviously grown up following the usual superheroes. When I was a kid, Bengali comics came only in black and white,&rdquo; quips Syed.

At the Comic Con fans come in droves, often dressed as their favourite comic book character, they lollygag and meet other superheroes, take some selfies and, then, get back to reality. Comic Con becomes a meeting point for comic book fans and the industry. Publishers and young illustrators showcase their works. Stalls do brisk business.

&ldquo;For me, it&rsquo;s like reliving my childhood,&rdquo; says a euphoric young woman dressed as Pikachu, one of the stars of the Pok?mon cartoon series. Most participants are in their twenties and many of them are students.

But Dhee is actually a breed apart from the fun-and-frolic safe comic characters who crowd the Comic Con. Her presence disturbs that pop and emotionally safe atmosphere. And Dhee&rsquo;s creators, Boys of Bangladesh (BoB), are only too aware of this. But they want to press on. 

<div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div>

<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5 style="text-align: justify;">&ldquo;We are definitely keen to move forward with our project but it&rsquo;s not easy. We are travelling around the country to promote these comic strips and the messages they carry but we are totally unfunded and that is a major issue&rdquo;</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote" style="text-align: justify;"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=?We are definitely keen to move forward with our project but it?s not easy. We are travelling around the country to promote these comic strips and the messages they carry but we are totally unfunded and that is a major issue,? says Rajeeb from BoB." target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div>

One wonders what would happen if Dhee had the chance to walk around the stalls of Comic Con, exactly as other characters, meeting people and telling them her story. After all, they live in the same artistic world and speak the same language. But they just haven&rsquo;t met yet.

Being homosexual in Bangladesh is not easy. No one knows that better than Dhee. In her early twenties, she likes girls. And while that is problematic, she goes out to seek her place in a conservative society that is fiercely critical and, often, threatening

Comic books speak directly to our imagination and no matter our age, where we live or where we are from, they have the uncanny ability to cross cultural barriers, break boundaries and challenge taboos. They touch the child in us and feed our fantasies. Dhee, Bangladesh's first lesbian comic book character, manages to do precisely that -- and in a conservative, Muslim-majority country. She is the protagonist of a comic strip launched last September by Boys of Bangladesh (BoB), a non-governmental organisation that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. Dhee is a young Bangladeshi woman in her twenties who discovers she is attracted to other women. She is not a superhero. She does not have super powers. Nor does she have super weapons. She is just the (Muslim) girl next door, living with her family in the suburbs. Curly-haired, bespectacled, average-looking, Bengali-speaking and dressed in traditional clothes, Dhee could be any of the young women out on the streets of Dhaka. Dhee has a momentous challenge though: understanding her desires, accepting her sexuality and finding a way to tell a conservative society that she is lesbian. Her message is simple: there is nothing wrong with her. Nothing perverse or dangerous. She just loves other women and she wants to be free to do so. A strip from Dhee. The appearance of a lesbian comic character, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, received huge attention from the international media. Her story develops through ten simple strips with clear and colourful lines in cartoon style. She uses the language of kids to reach adults. “We tried to keep everything as simple as possible, in order to make it understandable to everyone,” says Rajeeb, a BoB activist who did not want his full name revealed due to security concerns. “We wanted people to relate to homosexuality in Bangladesh. I would not define our society as entirely conservative. You know it depends. It is extremely conservative when it comes to the private sphere of life, particularly when you talk about sex and sexuality,” he adds. And this is exactly what Dhee needs to overcome. Dhee asks herself what could she do . The picture above deserves a translation. The headline reads: "Standing at this point of life I could not understand which turn my future will take. Can you tell me what should I do?" From the top left image, moving clockwise, Dhee thinks about the options she has: "Marrying a guy after giving up my real identity? Going abroad with the hope of a new life? Committing suicide with all the pain and silence in my heart?" And, fortunately, she finds a good answer: "I should accept myself and work for people who cannot speak freely about their identity." Sometimes, the children in us create a lot of noise and they get wrong people to listen to. Dhee caused such a ruckus, she attracted the attention of some Bangladeshi newspapers which incited violence. Banglagazette.com called for prompt government intervention and stated, “Bangladesh has taken yet another step towards aping the West”. Bangladeshi website BanglaGazette attacking Dhee. The hardline Islamist political party, Khilafat Andolan, told dailysanghram.com that “homosexuals are enemies of civilisation and enemies of Islam.” Bangladeshi website Dailysanghram attacking Dhee. But comic writers are a defiant species. “I think that some of our scholars need to catch up with the times. Nowadays there are eminent views proposing a more tolerant and inclusive interpretation of Islam. Moreover, this conservative and strict version of Islam is actually imported. Islam does not openly condemn homosexuality,” says Rajeeb. Comic books may be fun to glance across but often convey powerful messages. This is exactly what makes Dhee such a strong instrument of communication and a disruptor for many. Comic book characters live in a kind of no man’s land halfway between drawings and books, between seriousness and joke, between the worlds of kids and adults. Often considered too childish to be a real menace, they enjoy a fairly free space and are able to speak their mind with fearlessness. No surprise that they have been historically used both for satire and propaganda. A few years back, the people’s love for comic books brought the first Comic Con to Bangladesh. Comic Con is the international festival for fans and producers of comic books. Ever since, it has been an annual affair. Yousuf Abu Syed, one of the founders of the Dhaka Comic Con, is an excited man. He says, “We thought that a maximum of 500 people would come and we were astonished when thousands of participants, some of them even dressed as popular superheroes, turned up. We keep doing it every year and it is growing bigger.” Bangladesh has its own indigenous comic book characters. “Comic Con came into being when the comic books industry in Bangladesh was going through a tough time. But now, we do have quality Bangladeshi comics for an affordable price, often for less than two US dollars. But this is a new thing, many of us have obviously grown up following the usual superheroes. When I was a kid, Bengali comics came only in black and white,” quips Syed. At the Comic Con fans come in droves, often dressed as their favourite comic book character, they lollygag and meet other superheroes, take some selfies and, then, get back to reality. Comic Con becomes a meeting point for comic book fans and the industry. Publishers and young illustrators showcase their works. Stalls do brisk business. “For me, it’s like reliving my childhood,” says a euphoric young woman dressed as Pikachu, one of the stars of the Pok?mon cartoon series. Most participants are in their twenties and many of them are students. But Dhee is actually a breed apart from the fun-and-frolic safe comic characters who crowd the Comic Con. Her presence disturbs that pop and emotionally safe atmosphere. And Dhee’s creators, Boys of Bangladesh (BoB), are only too aware of this. But they want to press on. “We are definitely keen to move forward with our project but it’s not easy. We are travelling around the country to promote these comic strips and the messages they carry but we are totally unfunded and that is a major issue” One wonders what would happen if Dhee had the chance to walk around the stalls of Comic Con, exactly as other characters, meeting people and telling them her story. After all, they live in the same artistic world and speak the same language. But they just haven’t met yet.

The hard life of Dhee: Bangladesh's first lesbian comic book character

Hundreds protested peacefully yesterday in Istanbul calling for justice after the brutal murder of a transgender woman earlier this month in Turkey. 
 
The body of Hande Kader, an activist for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) cause, was found in a forest on August 8 after she was killed. 
 
The 22-year-old`s burnt body was identified in a morgue by a friend, Turkish media reported. 
 
More than 200 demonstrators carried banners saying &quot;justice for Hande Kader&quot; and &quot;let`s fight for our survival&quot; under the supervision of anti-riot police close to the famous Istiklal Avenue near Taksim Square. 
 
&quot;We will not stop until we find those responsible for Hande Kader&#39;s murder,&quot; Ebru Kiranci, spokeswoman for Istanbul&#39;s LGBTI Solidarity Association, said. 
 
Another transgender activist read a statement saying &quot;transgender murders are political&quot; because those responsible advocate a &quot;hetero-normative&quot; and &quot;conservative educational system that does not take us into consideration&quot;. 
 
Although police had water cannons, they were not used. Previous LGBT demonstrations have seen the use of water cannon and tear gas against protesters. 
 
The murdered sex worker became an iconic figure in the LGBT community after she sat in front of water cannon and anti-riot officers in June last year as authorities tried to ban a gay pride parade in Istanbul. 
 
A lawyer for the LGBT cause, Levent Piskin, told AFP that the penal code made no mention of murder committed out of hate. 
&quot;There is no legal recognition and no will on the part of the court&quot; to change this. 
 
No arrests have been made in Kader&#39;s case. In a report published in March this year, the rights group Transgender Europe said Turkey had the highest rate of trans murders in Europe. 
 
Between January 2008 and December 2015, 41 trans and gender diverse individuals were killed in Turkey compared with the second highest in Italy of 33, the group said. 
 
Kader was the second murder to shock the LGBT community in recent weeks after Syrian refugee Muhammed Wisam Sankari was found mutilated and decapitated on July 25, his friends said. 
 
Homosexuality has been legal in Turkey since 1923 and was also legalised in the Ottoman Empire from the mid-nineteenth century. 
But the LGBT community in Turkey often describes the harassment and abuse they face in a largely conservative Muslim society where open displays of same-sex love and being transgender are severely frowned upon. 
 
Authorities in Istanbul banned gay pride in June this year over security concerns, sparking anger from gay rights activists. In previous years, Istanbul Pride had been the biggest LGBTI gathering in a Muslim country in the region. 
 
(AFP)

More than 200 demonstrators carried banners saying 'justice for Hande Kader' under the supervision of anti-riot police

Hundreds protested peacefully yesterday in Istanbul calling for justice after the brutal murder of a transgender woman earlier this month in Turkey. The body of Hande Kader, an activist for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) cause, was found in a forest on August 8 after she was killed. The 22-year-old`s burnt body was identified in a morgue by a friend, Turkish media reported. More than 200 demonstrators carried banners saying "justice for Hande Kader" and "let`s fight for our survival" under the supervision of anti-riot police close to the famous Istiklal Avenue near Taksim Square. "We will not stop until we find those responsible for Hande Kader's murder," Ebru Kiranci, spokeswoman for Istanbul's LGBTI Solidarity Association, said. Another transgender activist read a statement saying "transgender murders are political" because those responsible advocate a "hetero-normative" and "conservative educational system that does not take us into consideration". Although police had water cannons, they were not used. Previous LGBT demonstrations have seen the use of water cannon and tear gas against protesters. The murdered sex worker became an iconic figure in the LGBT community after she sat in front of water cannon and anti-riot officers in June last year as authorities tried to ban a gay pride parade in Istanbul. A lawyer for the LGBT cause, Levent Piskin, told AFP that the penal code made no mention of murder committed out of hate. "There is no legal recognition and no will on the part of the court" to change this. No arrests have been made in Kader's case. In a report published in March this year, the rights group Transgender Europe said Turkey had the highest rate of trans murders in Europe. Between January 2008 and December 2015, 41 trans and gender diverse individuals were killed in Turkey compared with the second highest in Italy of 33, the group said. Kader was the second murder to shock the LGBT community in recent weeks after Syrian refugee Muhammed Wisam Sankari was found mutilated and decapitated on July 25, his friends said. Homosexuality has been legal in Turkey since 1923 and was also legalised in the Ottoman Empire from the mid-nineteenth century. But the LGBT community in Turkey often describes the harassment and abuse they face in a largely conservative Muslim society where open displays of same-sex love and being transgender are severely frowned upon. Authorities in Istanbul banned gay pride in June this year over security concerns, sparking anger from gay rights activists. In previous years, Istanbul Pride had been the biggest LGBTI gathering in a Muslim country in the region. (AFP)

Hundreds protest in Istanbul over transgender woman's murder

Dressed as a&nbsp;mermaid, Brazilian Murilo Sousa voiced hope that the record number of openly gay athletes at the Rio Games would boost acceptance in his South American nation, amid a backlash over same-sex marriage. 
 
Wearing a fishy tail made of silver fabric, Souza won a competition for the best&nbsp;mermaid&nbsp;at the Danish Olympic Delegation&#39;s pavilion on Ipanema beach on Sunday, a night of fun to celebrate diversity at the Games. 
 
&quot;The LGBT community in Brazil is going to have another face besides Carnival. Now we will (be identified with) sport which is healthy, constructive, educational,&quot; he said, expressing hope that homosexuality, a taboo issue in traditional Brazilian families, could now become a topic of dinner conversation. 
 
&quot;Right-wing politicians are attacking the LGBT community very hard,&quot; Sousa said. 
 
Raising the visibility of gay cause&nbsp; 
 
Same-sex marriage had already made Games headlines after the stadium manager for the women&#39;s Rugby Sevens tournament proposed to her girlfriend, a Brazilian player, after the medals ceremony. 
 
According to Outsports magazine in July, the Rio Games has set the record for the highest number of openly gay athletes participating with 49, double the number of London in 2012. 
 
The coming-out of world-class athletes, such as US basketball player Elena Delle Donne who announced her engagement to a woman days before the Games, raised the visibility of the gay cause, said Sousa, a visual artist. 
 
Brazil&#39;s Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that same-sex couples in stable relationships had the same rights as heterosexual couples in regard to retirement benefits, inheritance and alimony. 
 
But the conservative Congress, which has a strong Evangelical Christian lobby, has opposed legalisation for same-sex marriages. Evangelicals are instead backing a family bill that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. 
 
The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community hopes the high-profile example of Olympic athletes can help change attitudes in the majority Catholic nation. 
 
&quot;This mega event gives us this opportunity to have a bit of visibility,&quot; said Juno Griz, attending the&nbsp;mermaid&nbsp;competition with her girlfriend. &quot;It sends the message that we exist and we have a voice and we deserve a voice that cannot be denied.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Promoting tolerance

Anders Garde Kongshaug, an organiser of the event, said Denmark&#39;s delegation wanted to promote openness and toleration. 
 
&quot;We want to contribute now to the Olympics, saying no matter what happens with the political situation, we believe in the human,&quot; he said. 
 
Brazil&#39;s first gold medalist in Rio, women&#39;s judo winner Rafaela Silva, is in a same-sex relationship and has been feted as a national hero. 
 
Two days after her flawless performance turned her into a national hero, the 24-year-old discussed for the first time in public her relationship of three years with her girlfriend. 
 
Silva&#39;s girlfriend, Thamara Cezar, handles her public image on social media, cooks for her and looks after their three dogs, the athlete told Globo Sports television channel. 
 
&quot;She is here for me with everything I need in day-to-day life and so she was very important too in winning the medal,&quot; Silva said. &quot;I don&#39;t know how to do anything except fight.&quot; 
 
Brazilian rugby player Isadora Cerullo melted hearts last week when she accepted a marriage proposal from her girlfriend at the inaugural women&#39;s rugby sevens tournament. 
 
International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams said the marriage proposal exemplified the IOC&#39;s efforts to promote tolerance and end discrimination in sport. 
 
&quot;This takes it even further. It&#39;s a celebration of that and it certainly made me feel good,&quot; he said. 
 
(Reuters)

Same-sex marriage had already made Games headlines after the stadium manager recently proposed to her girlfriend

Dressed as a mermaid, Brazilian Murilo Sousa voiced hope that the record number of openly gay athletes at the Rio Games would boost acceptance in his South American nation, amid a backlash over same-sex marriage. Wearing a fishy tail made of silver fabric, Souza won a competition for the best mermaid at the Danish Olympic Delegation's pavilion on Ipanema beach on Sunday, a night of fun to celebrate diversity at the Games. "The LGBT community in Brazil is going to have another face besides Carnival. Now we will (be identified with) sport which is healthy, constructive, educational," he said, expressing hope that homosexuality, a taboo issue in traditional Brazilian families, could now become a topic of dinner conversation. "Right-wing politicians are attacking the LGBT community very hard," Sousa said. Raising the visibility of gay cause Same-sex marriage had already made Games headlines after the stadium manager for the women's Rugby Sevens tournament proposed to her girlfriend, a Brazilian player, after the medals ceremony. According to Outsports magazine in July, the Rio Games has set the record for the highest number of openly gay athletes participating with 49, double the number of London in 2012. The coming-out of world-class athletes, such as US basketball player Elena Delle Donne who announced her engagement to a woman days before the Games, raised the visibility of the gay cause, said Sousa, a visual artist. Brazil's Supreme Court ruled in 2011 that same-sex couples in stable relationships had the same rights as heterosexual couples in regard to retirement benefits, inheritance and alimony. But the conservative Congress, which has a strong Evangelical Christian lobby, has opposed legalisation for same-sex marriages. Evangelicals are instead backing a family bill that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community hopes the high-profile example of Olympic athletes can help change attitudes in the majority Catholic nation. "This mega event gives us this opportunity to have a bit of visibility," said Juno Griz, attending the mermaid competition with her girlfriend. "It sends the message that we exist and we have a voice and we deserve a voice that cannot be denied." Promoting tolerance Anders Garde Kongshaug, an organiser of the event, said Denmark's delegation wanted to promote openness and toleration. "We want to contribute now to the Olympics, saying no matter what happens with the political situation, we believe in the human," he said. Brazil's first gold medalist in Rio, women's judo winner Rafaela Silva, is in a same-sex relationship and has been feted as a national hero. Two days after her flawless performance turned her into a national hero, the 24-year-old discussed for the first time in public her relationship of three years with her girlfriend. Silva's girlfriend, Thamara Cezar, handles her public image on social media, cooks for her and looks after their three dogs, the athlete told Globo Sports television channel. "She is here for me with everything I need in day-to-day life and so she was very important too in winning the medal," Silva said. "I don't know how to do anything except fight." Brazilian rugby player Isadora Cerullo melted hearts last week when she accepted a marriage proposal from her girlfriend at the inaugural women's rugby sevens tournament. International Olympic Committee (IOC) spokesman Mark Adams said the marriage proposal exemplified the IOC's efforts to promote tolerance and end discrimination in sport. "This takes it even further. It's a celebration of that and it certainly made me feel good," he said. (Reuters)

Record number of gay athletes, siren song at mermaid parade boost homosexual community in Brazil

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marched with thousands of people in Montreal&#39;s annual gay pride parade yesterday, his third such appearance of the summer. 
 
Large crowds along the parade route greeted the youthful politician whose popularity is soaring, as he walked through the city`s downtown alongside colourful floats, dancers and musicians. 
 
Trudeau made history in July when he became Canada&#39;s first sitting prime minister to participate in Toronto&#39;s gay pride parade, and also attended Vancouver&#39;s pride event. &nbsp;Canada is &quot;an open, positive society,&quot; the prime minister said, speaking in French. &quot;It&#39;s an example that we should provide to the whole world.&quot; 
 
Among G7 countries he is the only head of government or head of state to have participated in a gay pride parade.&nbsp;Government representatives from all of Canada&#39;s political parties joined Trudeau in Montreal. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s important that all parties are here to recognise that the rights of the LGBT community are Canadian and human rights,&quot; Trudeau said before the event, sporting a seafoam green button-up and white pants.&nbsp; 
 
Two girls led the procession holding a banner bearing the names of the 49 victims killed in the June 12 nightclub attack in Orlando, Florida.&nbsp;&quot;The Orlando massacre was a dark moment, and it`s important to denounce these acts daily,&quot; said Quebec justice minister Stephanie Vallee, who is heading an action plan against homophobia. 
 
&quot;We must fight against homophobia, transphobia and aversion to diversity throughout the entire country,&quot; Vallee said.&nbsp;Trudeau noted that the government would focus on recognising transgender rights this year. 
 
His government unveiled legislation in May that would add &quot;gender identity&quot; as a banned grounds for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, alongside race, religion, age, sex and sexual orientation. 
 
(AFP)

Trudeau made history in July when he became Canada's first sitting prime minister to participate in Toronto's gay pride parade

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau marched with thousands of people in Montreal's annual gay pride parade yesterday, his third such appearance of the summer. Large crowds along the parade route greeted the youthful politician whose popularity is soaring, as he walked through the city`s downtown alongside colourful floats, dancers and musicians. Trudeau made history in July when he became Canada's first sitting prime minister to participate in Toronto's gay pride parade, and also attended Vancouver's pride event. Canada is "an open, positive society," the prime minister said, speaking in French. "It's an example that we should provide to the whole world." Among G7 countries he is the only head of government or head of state to have participated in a gay pride parade. Government representatives from all of Canada's political parties joined Trudeau in Montreal. "It's important that all parties are here to recognise that the rights of the LGBT community are Canadian and human rights," Trudeau said before the event, sporting a seafoam green button-up and white pants. Two girls led the procession holding a banner bearing the names of the 49 victims killed in the June 12 nightclub attack in Orlando, Florida. "The Orlando massacre was a dark moment, and it`s important to denounce these acts daily," said Quebec justice minister Stephanie Vallee, who is heading an action plan against homophobia. "We must fight against homophobia, transphobia and aversion to diversity throughout the entire country," Vallee said. Trudeau noted that the government would focus on recognising transgender rights this year. His government unveiled legislation in May that would add "gender identity" as a banned grounds for discrimination under the Canadian Human Rights Act, alongside race, religion, age, sex and sexual orientation. (AFP)

Canadian PM Trudeau marches in Montreal gay pride parade

Thousands&nbsp;of people marched in the streets of Paris today&nbsp;to celebrate sexual diversity and remember the victims of the deadly shooting at an Orlando gay night-club.

The annual parade was held under tight security as the French capital hosted some of the matches in the month-long Euro 2016 soccer tournament. It came in the wake of the November 2015 Islamic State attacks where 130 people were killed.

The route of Saturday&#39;s parade had been shortened and was a week late to avoid clashing with a soccer match between Northern Ireland and Wales at the Parc des Princes stadium in the city.

Despite the security concerns, those who took part in the parade, like Patrice, said they would never let fear rule.

&quot;Always a bit (afraid), but it will not make me change my mind. I have been attending (the parade) for about 10 years and I do not want to give it up. Because if I do, they (Islamic State) have won, and I do not want them to win,&quot; he said.

The parade paid tribute to the 49 victims of the June 12 shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub - the deadliest mass shooting in modern US&nbsp;history. 
 
(Reuters)

The message was clear - 'We would never let fear rule'

Thousands of people marched in the streets of Paris today to celebrate sexual diversity and remember the victims of the deadly shooting at an Orlando gay night-club. The annual parade was held under tight security as the French capital hosted some of the matches in the month-long Euro 2016 soccer tournament. It came in the wake of the November 2015 Islamic State attacks where 130 people were killed. The route of Saturday's parade had been shortened and was a week late to avoid clashing with a soccer match between Northern Ireland and Wales at the Parc des Princes stadium in the city. Despite the security concerns, those who took part in the parade, like Patrice, said they would never let fear rule. "Always a bit (afraid), but it will not make me change my mind. I have been attending (the parade) for about 10 years and I do not want to give it up. Because if I do, they (Islamic State) have won, and I do not want them to win," he said. The parade paid tribute to the 49 victims of the June 12 shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub - the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. (Reuters)

Thousands take to Paris streets to honour Orlando shooting victims

The&nbsp;gunman&nbsp;who massacred 49 people at the Pulse&nbsp;club&nbsp;in&nbsp;Orlando&nbsp;was himself a&nbsp;regular&nbsp;at the&nbsp;gay&nbsp;nightspot, four clubgoers told the&nbsp;Orlando&nbsp;Sentinel on Monday.

&quot;Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would get so drunk he was loud and belligerent,&quot; Ty Smith told the Sentinel, referring to slain shooter Omar Mateen, 29.

Smith told the paper that he saw Mateen inside at least a dozen times.

&quot;We didn&#39;t really talk to him a lot, but I remember him saying things about his dad at times,&quot; Smith said. &quot;He told us he had a wife and child.&quot;

Another Pulse&nbsp;regular, Kevin West, told the Los Angeles Times that Mateen messaged him on and off for a year using a&nbsp;gay&nbsp;chat app.

Other clubgoers told local media and MSNBC that Mateen had been using multiple&nbsp;gay&nbsp;apps, including Grindr, with mutual acquaintances to &quot;hook up.&quot;

Mateen also was at Walt Disney World in April, said a Disney manager who requested anonymity.

His wife, Noor Zahi Salman, was not cooperating with authorities, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Sentinel said.

Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded in the attack, which was also the deadliest mass&nbsp;shooting&nbsp;in US history.

FBI chief James Comey said his bureau was &quot;highly confident&quot; Mateen had been &quot;radicalized&quot; while consuming online propaganda and that he had claimed allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a series of calls during the attack.

And had been a regular at Pulse, the nightclub where he finally shot 49 people and wounded 53

The gunman who massacred 49 people at the Pulse club in Orlando was himself a regular at the gay nightspot, four clubgoers told the Orlando Sentinel on Monday. "Sometimes he would go over in the corner and sit and drink by himself, and other times he would get so drunk he was loud and belligerent," Ty Smith told the Sentinel, referring to slain shooter Omar Mateen, 29. Smith told the paper that he saw Mateen inside at least a dozen times. "We didn't really talk to him a lot, but I remember him saying things about his dad at times," Smith said. "He told us he had a wife and child." Another Pulse regular, Kevin West, told the Los Angeles Times that Mateen messaged him on and off for a year using a gay chat app. Other clubgoers told local media and MSNBC that Mateen had been using multiple gay apps, including Grindr, with mutual acquaintances to "hook up." Mateen also was at Walt Disney World in April, said a Disney manager who requested anonymity. His wife, Noor Zahi Salman, was not cooperating with authorities, according to a law enforcement official who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Sentinel said. Forty-nine people were killed and 53 others wounded in the attack, which was also the deadliest mass shooting in US history. FBI chief James Comey said his bureau was "highly confident" Mateen had been "radicalized" while consuming online propaganda and that he had claimed allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a series of calls during the attack.

Shooter had been using gay apps to 'hook up'

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