Tag: queer

Safe Destinations for LGBTQ Travelers

Read more at Travel Pulse.

Safety is an important aspect for LGBTQ travelers in ways that differ from their straight traveling counterparts. Local, regional, or national laws can affect them, including penalties for outward signs of affection up to regulations that make same-sex relations a crime.

Additionally, cultural attitudes toward queer people may result in hostile behavior that is never welcome, least of all while on a vacation. So, here’s a roundup of some less-known welcoming places, near and far, where LGBTQ travelers can venture to and feel welcomed and celebrated.

Providence, R.I.

Sometimes overlooked because Boston is an hour away, this state capitol is full of history and college students. The whole downtown area is incredibly walkable and overflowing with rainbow flags. Rarely have I visited an U.S. city and felt more welcome and celebrated as a gay man. The city’s annual “RI Pridefest” vendor mart is the largest in the northeast; this year it featured an incredible 275 businesses. 2026 was also the 50th anniversary of Pride here, and the 25th anniversary of the city’s iconic nighttime Pride parade, where illumination is the theme. There are unbelievable block parties around the city each June, when it seems like the entire population is part of the LGBTQ community.

Bellevue, Wash.

This Seattle-area city has been recognized by the Human Rights Campaign as one of the most queer-friendly cities in the country. Bellevue features easy access to the outdoors, with more than 100 parks and 14 miles of waterfront. The walkable city center boasts luxury hotels, award-winning dining, and premier retail. And events such as Paws & Pride and groups like Queer Mountaineers foster a genuine sense of community, making it easy for travelers and community members to connect.

Baja California

Long regarded asone of Mexico’s most welcoming regions for LGBTQ visitors, the area has a deeply cosmopolitan culture shaped by its proximity to San Diego and Los Angeles. Tijuana is the world’s most visited border city and a creative and culinary powerhouse, newly recognized by the Michelin Guide, with a vibrant queer scene. Plaza Santa Cecilia is lined with gay bars, drag shows and dance clubs, and home to La Marcha del Orgullo, the city’s annual Pride march. There’s also a thriving craft beer scene, standout cultural institutions and unique attractions from the oceanfront bullring to the city’s Taco Museum. Rosarito hosts its own annual Pride parade and offers a laid-back coastal playground known for surfing, diving, kayaking, and zip lining, plus the state’s only artificial reef.

Richmond, Va

Diversity Richmond hosts Virginia Pridefest each September during Virginia Pride Month. It is the largest LGBTQ party in the area, with a lineup of great performances and fun activities that are inclusive for the whole family. The city has scored a perfect 100 on the Municipal Equality Index from the Human Rights Campaign for several years in a row. Here, the Virginia Values Act and Human Rights Act provides for comprehensive LGBTQ nondiscrimination protections (employment, housing, public accommodations). Visitors should check out Babes of Carytown, established in 1978 and is the oldest Lesbian Bar on the East Coast, as well as Gold Lion Community Café, a queer‑owned, LGBTQ-affirming café and community hub known for its welcoming vibe, inclusive events like drag brunches, and “everyone belongs” atmosphere.

Guerneville, Calif.

Located in the Russian River Valley, this redwood-lined river town is a welcoming retreat for queer travelers, celebrated for its inclusive spirit, visible queer community, and relaxed come-as-you-are atmosphere. Stay at LGBTQ-friendly properties such as the boon hotel + spa, and Dawn Ranch, along with lively local gathering spots like Rainbow Cattle Company, one of Northern California’s most iconic gay bars. The destination is also home to values-driven wine experiences, including Equality Vines, the world’s first cause-driven wine portfolio dedicated to equality, with deep Sonoma County roots.

Guadalajara

The capital of Mexico’s Jalisco state is widely regarded as one of the country’s cultural epicenters and has increasingly emerged as a welcoming destination for queer travelers seeking authenticity and a sense of community. The well-established LGBTQ scene here is particularly experienced in neighborhoods like Americana and Chapultepec, where inclusive nightlife, creative spaces, and queer-friendly businesses contribute to the open atmosphere. Guadalajara also hosts one of the largest Pride celebrations in the country. , reflecting the city’s role as a hub for LGBTQ culture in western Mexico. Plus, travelers can easily visit the UNESCO-listed agave landscapes surrounding the town of Tequila, and dive into history, the culinary scene, and a dynamic arts community.

Manchester

This U.K. gem boasts a visible, established community and LGBTQ spaces that operate year‑round instead of only around major events. Visitors can experience this across everyday cultural, social and neighborhood life, from independent businesses to museums, tours and nightlife. Manchester offers a range of inclusive experiences that allow visitors to engage more deeply with LGBTQ culture and history, including Queer Lit, now home to Europe’s largest collection of LGBTQ titles, and the LGBT+ Free Walking Tour, which explores the city through lived stories and spaces. For those interested in culture and social history, the People’s History Museum offers important context on Manchester’s role in protest and social change, with its recent Re/Assemble exhibition examining what is widely considered the largest LGBTQ+ demonstration in British history.

Norfolk Island

Australia’s Norfolk Island was the first place in the country to introduce same sex marriage—the act was passed by the island’s legislative Assembly in 2014. And going back further, Australia’s first gay love letter was written on the island in 1846 between two convicts and survives to this day! Considered an external territory of Australia, Norfolk Island was once inhabited by Polynesian and Micronesian communities and also bears the remains of European penal colonies. Norfolk is home to 32 km of coastline to explore, with ample opportunities for water sports like snorkeling, surfing, and fishing. After a long day of exploring, treat yourself to one of the many self-care experiences available on the island, like a hot rock massage, a yoga session, or an evening of stargazing. Norfolk is also a foodie’s paradise, with rich soils producing fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables served in world-class restaurants across the island.

St. Maarten

This Caribbean Island is very much having a moment. The island’s unique Dutch-French governance plays a key role in shaping its welcoming environment. The dual influence of the Dutch side, Sint Maarten, and the French side, Saint-Martin, has helped cultivate a culture that is open, diverse, and globally minded. Beyond policy, St. Maarten’s community made up of more than 120 nationalities contributes to a naturally inclusive, judgment-free atmosphere. For queer travelers, it offers the ease of the Caribbean paired with a level of openness not always found in the region. St. Maarten is a compelling choice for queer travelers seeking both comfort and confidence in where they vacation.

Perth

Western Australia’s largest city is a great vacation destination for queer travelers in 2026; visitors now will have a review of what will be the home of the 2030 GAY XIII Games. From March 9-16, 2030, the region will see thousands of competitors take part in up to 36 sporting and six cultural events. A celebration of inclusion and diversity, the event is open to participants regardless of gender, sexuality, or any other factor. Sporting events include aquatics, track and field, cycling, basketball, and football.

0

Blue Pockets in Red Places: The Top 10 LGBTQ+-Friendly Cities in Conservative States

When you think of the premier LGBTQ+ destinations in America, coastal giants like San Francisco and New York usually dominate the conversation. But a massive shift has been happening. Attracted by a lower cost of living, growing tech hubs, and a desire to build grassroots communities, LGBTQ+ Americans have been moving to traditionally conservative states in record numbers.

Living in a red state doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice a vibrant, welcoming queer community. In fact, some of the most resilient, tight-knit, and celebratory LGBTQ+ scenes in the country exist right in the heart of the American South, Midwest, and Mountain West.

Here is a look at the top 10 LGBTQ+-friendly urban oases located in firmly red states.

1. Austin, Texas

Texas is a massive force in conservative politics, but its capital city operates on its own wavelength. Driven by the proud moniker “Keep Austin Weird,” Austin is a deeply progressive, diverse oasis. Nearly 6% of Austin’s population identifies as LGBTQ+, one of the highest concentrations in the country. The city features a dedicated LGBTQ Quality of Life Advisory Commission to advise local government, and the bars lining Fourth Street make the community highly visible and deeply woven into the city’s famous live-music fabric.

2. Salt Lake City, Utah

Perhaps the biggest surprise to outsiders is Salt Lake City. Despite being the global headquarters of the deeply conservative LDS (Mormon) Church, SLC has undergone a massive cultural transformation. It routinely ranks among the top ten cities in the nation for its percentage of LGBTQ+ residents, elected its first openly lesbian mayor back in 2015, and features the vibrant, inclusive Marmalade District as the historic epicenter of its queer culture.

3. St. Louis, Missouri

Missouri’s statewide political landscape tilts heavily conservative, but St. Louis stands out as a massive beacon for the LGBTQ+ community—especially for those looking for affordability. The city consistently scores a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index. Neighborhoods like The Grove feature miles of rainbow-painted crosswalks, queer-owned boutiques, lively nightlife, and active community centers.

4. Atlanta, Georgia

While Georgia has leaned “purple” in recent federal elections, its state legislature and rural areas remain firmly conservative. Atlanta, however, is frequently crowned the “LGBTQ+ Capital of the South.” It features an incredibly diverse, politically active queer population, anchored by a historic and massive Black queer community. The neighborhood of Midtown is the heart of the action, where rainbow flags fly year-round from restaurants, bars, and high-rises.

5. Louisville, Kentucky

Kentucky may be famous for coal and bluegrass, but Louisville is widely celebrated for its progressive, welcoming charm. Louisville has maintained a perfect 100 score on the Municipal Equality Index for years, thanks to local ordinances that protect LGBTQ+ residents in housing, employment, and public accommodations. The Highlands neighborhood is the city’s cultural heart, known for its eclectic, artsy vibe.

6. Columbus, Ohio

Ohio has solidified its status as a reliable red state in recent election cycles, but Columbus remains a booming, progressive powerhouse. Home to Ohio State University and a massive corporate tech presence, Columbus boasts one of the largest LGBTQ+ populations in the Midwest. The Short North Arts District is the epicenter of the community, packed with queer-owned galleries, bars, and businesses that make the city incredibly welcoming.

7. Indianapolis, Indiana

Indiana has a reputation for deeply conservative state politics, but its capital city is a distinct blue hub. Indianapolis has long held a perfect 100 on the Municipal Equality Index. The historic Mass Ave Arts District serves as the city’s progressive heartbeat, featuring a high concentration of inclusive theaters, bars, and restaurants. The city’s corporate pillars (like Eli Lilly and Salesforce) also actively champion local diversity initiatives.

8. New Orleans, Louisiana

Louisiana is culturally conservative, but New Orleans is a law unto itself. Long heralded as one of the most bohemian and accepting cities in the world, NOLA’s queer history runs deep. While the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood and the edge of the French Quarter host famous gay establishments, the entire city embraces an open, “live and let live” ethos. Events like Southern Decadence bring hundreds of thousands of queer travelers to the city every Labor Day weekend.

9. Bloomington, Indiana

While Indianapolis handles the big-city energy, Bloomington represents the classic, ultra-progressive college town oasis. Home to Indiana University, Bloomington punches way above its weight class for inclusivity. It features comprehensive local non-discrimination ordinances and a highly visible queer academic and local population. It consistently ranks as one of the most affordable and welcoming small cities for LGBTQ+ singles and families alike.

10. Birmingham, Alabama

Often a surprise addition for those unfamiliar with the modern deep South, Birmingham has built an incredibly resilient and active LGBTQ+ infrastructure despite a heavily conservative state environment. The city boasts a perfect 100 on the Municipal Equality Index and supports vital resources like the Magic City Acceptance Center, a sanctuary for queer and trans youth. The city’s progressive core ensures a vibrant local nightlife scene where community protection and grassroots activism go hand in hand.

The Takeaway: While statewide laws in red states can present hurdles, the local leadership, municipal protections, and fiercely supportive grassroots networks in these ten cities prove that you can find a safe, joyful, and thriving community just about anywhere in America.

Honorable Mention: Greensboro, North Carolina

While North Carolina frequently finds itself at the center of heated national political debates, Greensboro quietly serves as a masterclass in local progressivism and community building.

Greensboro has scored a perfect 100 on the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index for five consecutive years, consistently ranking as a top city for inclusivity in the state. Driven by a massive student population from local universities and an active grassroots network, the city boasts a thriving queer culture. Year-round events like Green Queen Bingo pack local venues, and institutions like Chemistry Nightclub and Twist Lounge anchor a welcoming nightlife scene. It’s a prime example of a mid-sized Southern city proving that inclusivity isn’t just a big-city trait.

0

Red states push conservative rebrands of Pride month in backlash to LGBTQ+ celebrations

Read more at The Guardian.

June is widely marked as gay Pride month – when LGBTQ+ communities march to protest discrimination and celebrate their identities in the month that the modern US gay liberation movement was born out of the 1969 uprising at New York’s Stonewall Inn – although not so much in certain Republican-led states this year.

Some Republican governors have suddenly come up with alternative labels for the month, which both supporters and opponents view as counterprogramming.

The governors of Indiana and Tennessee have rebranded June as “nuclear family month”, explicitly to celebrate units made up of “one husband, one wife and any biological, adopted or fostered children”.

In Alabama, it is now titled “strong families month”, apparently to promote Father’s Day, which falls in June in the US. However, despite the fact that millions of LGBTQ+ people are from and go on to create strong families, including households with two fathers, the Republican governor, Kay Ivey, was nothing if not explicit, declaring: “Homes led by a father and mother provide children with the structure and discipline necessary to succeed throughout life.” She also proclaimed that the father was the head of such households.

The governors have not specified that these labels are meant to replace Pride month for LGBTQ+ communities, but the sociopolitical message is loud and clear to most.

Josh Coleman, president of Central Alabama Pride, which has 42 events planned over two weeks, said the month’s celebrations, which culminate with a parade on 13 June and festival 14 June, won’t be affected by the proclamation.

“It’s not lost upon LGBTQ people when elected leaders don’t recognize or value the visibility of the community,” he said. “That’s why Pride started in the first place – to make sure the community had a community.”

The governors of Utah and Arkansas have deemed it “fidelity month”, which emphasizes fidelity to faith, country and family, however, without comment on how those families might be composed.

But last week, the X account of Arkansas’s governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, posted a link to an article about her proclamation that declared: “Another Red State is Counter-Programming Pride Month.”

She and the other governors have not answered questions from the Associated Press about why their proclamations are all set in June.

The second Trump administration has seen an escalation in conservative state and federal attacks on transgender rights, in particular, especially access to gender-affirming medical care, efforts to undermine the legality of same-sex marriage and bans on LGBTQ+ Pride flags.

Republican lawmakers in at least four other GOP-controlled states have introduced legislation this year calling for June to be “fidelity month”.

An organization pushing that concept was founded by Robert P George, a Princeton University professor of jurisprudence who has long been a leader on conservative thought. His group did not respond to interview requests.

He told the National Catholic Register about the idea in 2023, saying “nobody gets a monopoly on a particular day or a particular month”.

June Pride celebrations, which often include parades, festivals and performances, began in 1970 to mark the first anniversary of the violent police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a New York City LGBTQ+ bar, and have since expanded to cities worldwide.

“You can call it whatever you want, but one thing you’re not going to do is take away our pride or take away our joy,” said Jordan Braxton, co-president of USA Prides, an association of Pride celebration organizations.

Every Democratic president since Bill Clinton in 1999 has signed a Pride proclamation each year, while no Republican president has.

Last year, Donald Trump’s education department began declaring June to be “Title IX month” – and using it to open investigations into schools that allow transgender students to use the bathrooms or locker rooms that align with their gender identities.

One of the few GOP governors who has proclaimed LGBTQ+ Pride in June is Utah’s Spencer Cox, who did so in 2021, 2022 and 2023. In 2024, he deemed June a “month of bridge building” before switching to ”fidelity month” this year.

A poll released this week found that a two decade-long increase in acceptance of same-sex marriages and relationships has flattened, largely because more Republicans oppose them.

Last year, the Illinois Republican congresswoman Mary Miller introduced a resolution to make June “family month” – and to derecognize Pride month, saying: “Americans are inundated with perverse Pride Month displays and events throughout the month of June that denigrate the nuclear family.” It never got a vote.

Kevin Roberts, president of the conservative Heritage Foundation, said in an interview that it was good to have the conservative recognitions because Pride celebrations “were going so far as to make it difficult to celebrate traditional marriage”.

The resolution approved by Tennessee’s legislature and governor does not mention Pride month specifically, while saying the “nuclear family is under attack in our beloved State and nation”.

But Lakie Derrick, a conservative activist who wrote the measure with a friend, said she did indeed target it to June to counter Pride month, which she said “goes against” American values.

“We’re just reclaiming the culture, and there’s no better month to do that than in a month where the culture says we’re gonna celebrate something so opposite to what we know to be right,” Derrick said.

Marina Lowe, who leads legal and legislative affairs for the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Utah, rejected the zero-sum game, saying that Pride month is not the antithesis of other values-based recognitions. Many LGBTQ+ people also value faith and family, she said, so “I don’t think that these positions need to be in conflict with one another.”

Meanwhile, thousands of events celebrating LGBTQ+ pride and campaigning for equality are already going on as usual across the US in a drench of rainbow colors.

In New York City last Saturday, an “eve of Pride” event saw the cathedral of St John the Divine illuminated in the colors of the rainbow and the transgender Pride flag as the pews were packed.

0

Senegal doubles penalties for homosexuality amid gay sex panic

Read more at LGBTQ Nation.

Following campaign pledges from both the president and prime minister in Senegal’s latest elections, the country’s Parliament on Wednesday passed a bill doubling penalties in the far West African nation for homosexuality, described in the measure as “acts against nature.”

The revised law is just the latest attack on “degenerate” Western values by government and religious officials.

Same-sex acts in Senegal will now earn 5-10 years in prison. Acts committed with a minor are subject to the maximum penalty, France 24 reports.

“Homosexuals will no longer breathe in this country. Homosexuals will no longer have freedom of expression in this country,” lawmaker Diaraye Ba told colleagues in the National Assembly to applause.

The bill, passed overwhelmingly with three abstentions and no opposing votes, awaits President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s signature.

In addition to doubling prison terms and fines for homosexual acts, the measure includes criminal penalties for those found guilty of promoting or financing same-sex relationships.

Passage of the bill comes amid a veritable gay panic in Senegal, with a wave of arrests and anti-LGBTQ+ protests by religious groups in the Muslim-majority country demanding tougher penalties.

Social media has been flooded with homophobic messages outing gay people, and the media has fixated on the government arrests with headlines like “Big homo clean-up” and “Bisexuals, walking dangers.”

Adding to the hysteria, the gay sweep has been conflated with a child sex ring investigation that detained gang members accused of sexual violence against minors.

The wave of arrests began in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, in February, with the detention of two of Senegal’s highest-profile celebrities, among 12 people rounded up and charged with committing “unnatural” acts and other crimes.

“The majority of Senegalese do not accept homosexuality. Our culture rejects it, and we are firmly opposed to it,” said Amadou Moustapha Ndieck Sarré, the government’s Minister of Employment.

Over 90% of Senegalese oppose acceptance of gay people, according to Equaldex, the LGBTQ+ collaborative knowledge base. The country ranks 4 out of 100 on the site’s Equality Index. More than half of the 53 countries in Africa impose penalties for homosexuality, from caning and fines to death.

Charles Dotou, head of the Senegal LGBTQ Association, has resigned over the new legislation.

“Most of the same-sex relationships were hidden anyway. There are even people who are married in the society and who are still entertaining a same-sex relationship because of the norm and the cultural norm in that society,” Dotou told the BBC.

“People will be hiding more, it will create more fear, and people will be scared to live normally in that community. So there will be an exodus of people, particularly people who were already exposed, so that that creates a bit of chaos in society,” he added.

0

Pair jailed for attack on gay men in ‘encouraging’ moment for Kenya’s queer community

Read more at Pink News.

Two people have been sentenced to jail time for attacking and robbing two gay men in Kenya, a ruling that has been hailed as a breakthrough moment for queer people in the east African nation.

The convicted individuals, known as Abel Meli & Another, were handed a 15-year prison sentence for robbery with violence at Milimani law courts in Nairobi on 3 March.

The victims in the case were two men, both in their mid-20s, who experienced hours of violence after they met up with a man they had been speaking to on Facebook.

After they arrived at the man’s home, three other men arrived at the property and the victims were beaten, with their phones, wallets and clothes were taken.

During the attack, the men were made to call family and friends to get them to transfer as much money as possible to the blackmailers’ accounts. They were threatened with being outed to their families and killed if they did not comply.

“I tried to resist and I wanted to fight back,” one of the victims – named as Anyango – told The Guardian. “That’s when one of them took a knife, held it at me and said: ‘If you don’t cooperate now, I will stab you and throw you out the window.’”

In the end, 100,000 Kenyan shillings (£576) was sent to the blackmailers’ accounts by friends and family of the victims.

After the incident, the men were supported in reporting the matter to the police and subsequently the attackers were arrested.

Also speaking to the outlet, a paralegal from Ishtar – an organisation providing health and wellbeing services to gay men – who went with the victims to the police said how when LGBTQ+ people go to the police they are often “harassed and discriminated against”.

“They tell you that you are not a normal citizen and they throw away your case,” they admitted.

Kenya is not a friendly country to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The east African nation is one of 31 countries in Africa which still criminalise homosexuality, with consensual same-sex acts in the country being punishable by up to 21 years in prison with hard labor and fines.

More widely, LGBTQ+ rights are thin on the ground in the country with censorship of LGBTQ+ topics state enforced, access to gender-affirming care is often denied by doctors and no protections from discrimination in housing or employment contexts.

Njeri Gateru, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission – which supports LGBTQ+ people in Kenya – said the attackers were part of a larger criminal organisation which prey on queer men across Kenya.

She told The Guardian: “There’s always that fear of self-incrimination. If I say that I met with a man on Grindr and I was hoping to engage in a romantic or an intimate relationship with this man, then obviously I’m evidence against myself. So the blackmailers rely on that.

“They also rely on the pervasive homophobia and homophobic attitudes within public institutions and also within the general public. And so this creates a situation that makes it possible for them to operate with quite a bit of impunity.”

“We had so many files against them,” Gateru said of the group. “We’ve had cases where these two men were arrested for other cases and later released.

“This can now serve as a deterrent to other gang members who have seen that the law has finally caught up.”

Gateru noted the queer community in the country faces great prejudice but “some of us still trust that we can find justice, so this case encourages us”.

The second victim in the case, named as Ochieng, said he has been “emotionally and physically damaged” by the ordeal.

However, they urged others who experience similar attacks to come forward and seek justice.

0

Spotlight on Mauritania, where LGBT people hide their identities for fear of stigma

Read more at Erasing 76 Crimes.

Mauritania criminalizes same-sex sexual activity under its Penal Code, which provides a maximum possible sentence of death by stoning for men. However, in 2021, the government confirmed its de facto moratorium on the death penalty.

There have been reports of people being arrested and detained for these charges in recent years, as well as LGBTIQ people being harassed.

LGBTIQ visibility is fairly low in Mauritania, which contributes to social stigma. Due to the fear of discrimination and rejection, many LGBTIQ people remain private about their identities.

The country became a refuge for Senegalese LGBTIQ people after 2008, when homosexuality became the subject of recurrent public controversies in Senegal. Some Senegalese LGBTIQ people have been granted refugee status by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) but face serious legal dangers, health risks, and social rejection, making it difficult for them to get the help and protection they need.

[Mauritania’s anti-homosexuality law] specifically applies to Muslim men, though it is not clear if it applies equally to non-Muslim men.

There is some evidence of the law being enforced in recent years, with LGBT people being occasionally subject to arrest. A high-profile incident in 2020 saw ten people arrested and detained on same-sex activity charges, with eight of them being prosecuted and sentenced. There have been limited reports of discrimination and violence being committed against LGBT people in recent years, and the lack of reporting is attributed to social stigma.

In January, ten people were arrested and detained after video footage emerged on social media of what was alleged to be a same-sex wedding. [In the capital,] Nouakchott Police Commissioner, Mohamed Ould Nejib, subsequently acknowledged in a television interview that the event had not been a same-sex wedding but was simply a birthday celebration. He indicated that the men had been arrested for “imitating women”. According to the police report, the eight men “confessed that they are homosexuals” during police interrogations, at which they had no legal representation, but these confessions were subsequently refuted during the trial.

Eight of those arrested were subsequently convicted and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for ‘indecency’ and ‘inciting debauchery’ under Articles 264 and 306 of the Penal Code respectively. One woman received a one-year suspended sentence for participating in ‘inciting debauchery’ by being present at the event. The restaurant owner was acquitted.

[Related articles from Erasing 76 Crimes: Mauritania: Police arrest 10 after seeing video of ‘gay wedding’  (January 31, 2020) and Mauritania: Prison for 8 men ‘imitating women’ at party (February 7, 2020)]

The U.S. Department of State evaluated LGBT rights in Mauritania in 2022:
The US Department of State found that LGBT persons are reportedly harassed and subjected to violence from the National Police, the General Group for Road Safety, neighbours, and family members. No laws protect LGBT persons from discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics. LGBT identity is rarely publicly identified or discussed, which observers attributed to the severity of the stigma and the legal penalties attached to it.

0

2025 LGBTQ rights update: African activists resist growing repression

Read more at Erasing 76 Crimes.

North Africa

Morocco: Morocco has been under a long-term project to revise its legal system, and this year published reforms to the code of criminal procedure that ought to at least make the justice system more fair and limit pre-trial detention. Then again, we’ve also heard reports this year of continued crackdowns on queer people for pro-LGBT expression on the internet. [See “Coalition demands release of Morocco LGBT activist after 100 days in prison” (November 2025)]

Morocco also intends to revise its penal code, and some campaigners have been pushing to delete its sodomy and extramarital sex provisions when that happens, but no progress was made this year. I think the likelihood Morocco actually deletes its sodomy law is very slim.

Meanwhile, in October, the UN Security Council backed Morocco’s plan to resolve the dispute over the Western Sahara/Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which would make it autonomous under Moroccan rule. The UN called on both sides to negotiate an actual settlement, but this seems like a big step toward eliminating an entire country from the map (which would decrease by one the number of states that criminalize homosexuality).

Tunisia: Multiple mass arrests of queer people were reported this year. [For example, “Tunisia steps up anti-LGBTI crackdown with wave of arrests” (February 2025), “Queer people suffer double punishment in Tunisian prisons” (June 2025),  “Tunisia and Malaysia arrest dozens of queer people in escalating crackdowns” (July 2025), and “More than 70 arrested in Tunisia’s anti-LGBT crackdown” (November 2025).]

Chad: The government launched a commission on reinstating the death penalty, which was abolished in 2020.

West Africa

Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger: These three states run by military juntas following coups over the past half-decade took steps to deepen their integration into the Alliance of Sahel States (yes, the ASS), which is something between a supranational organization and a proto-state in its own right. They all withdrew from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and they announced their intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court. The states are motivated in part by antipathy to France and the West, Islamic faith, and support for and from Russia, all of which is exemplified in their pursuit of anti-LGBT policies.

Mali criminalized gay sex and promoting homosexuality in 2024, and Burkina Faso followed up in 2025. Niger has promised to enact a similar law but has not done so yet. Notably, as former French colonies, none previously had a sodomy law on the books.

Burkina Faso is also considering reinstating the death penalty as it overhauls its penal code, which ought to be a worrying sign. The new code also includes a crime of “promotion of homosexual practices and similar acts.”

Niger held a national conference that voted to extend the junta’s rule by five years and also to oppose any effort to legalize same-sex marriage.

Worryingly, some other neighbors, Chad and Togo (which both criminalize gay sex) have publicly mused about joined the ASS and have even taken some steps to integrate with them.

Of course, if the ASS ever does replace these three to five states, it would at least reduce the number of criminalizing states on the chart.

Ghana: A draconian anti-LGBTQ bill modelled after Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act was reintroduced to parliament after a previous version lapsed without the president’s signature before the end of the term. This one is sponsored by a group of opposition MPs, but the government has said it intends to introduce its own version at some point. The current president has strongly suggested he will sign it.

Ghana also ratified the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The Trump administration used Ghana and Togo as places to deport asylum seekers, including at least one who was seeking asylum due to his sexual orientation.

The constitution review committee proposed an amendment to specifically bar the use of the death penalty. Ghana abolished the penalty in 2023 for ordinary crimes only, and the repeal was not retroactive, so those on death row still face execution.

Liberia: The government undertook a review of its laws for gender discriminatory effects – particularly around marriage, citizenship, rape, and children’s rights – but the review did not take sexual orientation or gender identity into account. I haven’t heard of further action being taken on this file.

The government intervened in the United Methodist Church over its support of same-sex marriage, including a senate investigation and even police detention. The local church has made clear its opposition to same-sex marriage.

A lawmaker was removed from a session of parliament after he disruptively attempted to introduce an anti-LGBT bill that would have imposed criminal penalties on same-sex marriage. Watch out for this to come back.

Nigeria: In a climate of regular violence against queer people, the governor of Kano state submitted a bill to the legislature to criminalize same-sex marriage. It’s already criminalized federally.

The senate was also considering a bill to expand the use of the death penalty.

Senegal: The government forced the UN and the Dutch embassy to cancel a planned film screening and discussion of LGBT issues. [Dozens of LGBTI Senegalese were arrested in police crackdowns as 2025 drew to a close.]

Cameroon: Erasing 76 Crimes reported on numerous cases of men being jailed for homosexuality. The government also accused the country’s most prominent human rights lawyer of money laundering and terrorism.

Gabon: A constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, passed in 2024, took effect in 2025.

Eastern Africa

Kenya: In August, the high court directed the government to protect transgender peoples’ rights, including recognition of their chosen gender and dignified treatment in government custody. The court ordered the government enact a specific Transgender Protection Rights Act or add amendments to that effect to the Intersex Persons Act.

Meanwhile, an MP vowed to bring forward a bill to criminalize LGBTQ advocacy, but he hasn’t done so yet. Parliament was also considering a bill to abolish the death penalty.

Uganda: The World Bank has ended its suspension of lending to Uganda, which was imposed in 2023 after the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. The Bank now claims it has put in place mitigation measures to ensure its funds won’t be used to discriminate, which, frankly doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Erasing 76 Crimes filed multiple reports on attacks and human rights violations against queer Ugandans during 2025

Tanzania: The government has announced it is moving forward with toughening existing criminal laws banning same-sex intercourse to further ban same-sex relationships and marriages, but I haven’t actually seen legislation come forward yet.

Rwanda: Parliament passed a new health care law that specifically excludes same-sex couples from accessing surrogacy and assisted reproduction.

Mauritius: The UK and Mauritius finalized and published a treaty on the handover of the British Indian Ocean Territory, with the UK maintaining sovereignty over the military base on Diego Garcia. While the treaty hasn’t yet been ratified, once it does the BIOT will cease to exist as a separate jurisdiction where same-sex marriage is legal – unless the UK recreates it in some form to cover Diego Garcia only.

Comoros: Joined the Biological Weapons Convention.

Eritrea: Ratified the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Southern Africa

Botswana: A lesbian couple filed a constitutional challenge seeking the right to marry, saying the current ban violates various sections of the constitution guaranteeing the right to equality. The high court struck down Botswana’s sodomy law in 2019, in part after finding that the constitutional prohibition on sex discrimination included sexual orientation discrimination, a decision that was upheld by the court of appeal in 2021.

Namibia: We’re still waiting on a ruling from the supreme court on the government’s appeal of 2024’s lower court decision decriminalizing sodomy.

The former president officially vetoed a bill that aimed to criminalize same-sex marriage and LGBT advocacy before leaving office (he signed a different bill late in 2024 that banned same-sex marriage, however). His successor – the country’s first female president – says she’ll fight for equality for everyone but has avoided saying anything about LGBT people. Meanwhile, Equal Namibia was seeking couples who want to challenge the country’s ban on same-sex marriage.

South Africa: The government continued to work on a unified marriage act which will combine several marriage laws for different religious communities and the same-sex Civil Union Act into a single law. It has not yet cleared parliament.

Eswatini: The leading LGBT advocacy group Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities went back to court to challenge the government’s decision to deny them a company registration. The supreme court had ordered the government to reconsider their application back in 2023, but the minister’s decision remained the same.

Malawi: The Minister of Justice said the country is committed to abolishing the death penalty, having already completed public consultations, but no bill has been brought forward yet.

Zambia: The constitutional court dismissed a challenge to the country’s sodomy laws, ruling that the court lacked jurisdiction as the challenge needed to be filed before the country’s high court first. The Zambia Civil Liberties Union says they will refile the case.

Zimbabwe: In July, the government launched a legal reform process to recognize the rights of intersex people. We’ll see what comes of this.

The ruling party’s national conference also vowed to intensify and enforce laws banning homosexuality in late 2024, though no new legislation has been put forward.

0

Malaysia’s LGBTQ Community Lives In Fear As Raids Drive Them Underground

Read more at South China Morning Post.

In Chow Kit, a crowded district of Kuala Lumpur forever caught between progress and prejudice, Amy* moves quietly through narrow alleys – a transgender outreach worker tending to lives the city prefers not to see.

Her evenings begin with small rituals: a backpack filled with condoms, test kits and pamphlets; a quick text to let her friends know that she is safe.

Then, when she steps out, much of her work happens in passing conversations – careful not to draw too much attention.

“The girls know they’re high-risk,” Amy said of the transgender sex workers she visits. “They want to stay healthy. But also … they just want to live.”

Yet even basic healthcare work can feel dangerous when you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. And furtiveness comes naturally if your very existence can be construed as a crime. Some of the women worry about being seen entering clinics for fear of who might recognise them.

“When people are scared to be seen, they stop showing up,” Amy told This Week in Asia. “Fear doesn’t just affect our lives; it affects public health.”

Malaysia does not legally recognise LGBTQ identities. Same-sex relations are federally banned under colonial-era anti-sodomy legislation, while parallel Islamic laws in Muslim-majority states prohibit cross-dressing and “posing” as another gender.

Such laws are often used not to intimidate as much as to prosecute. Over the years, Amy has watched how enforcement ebbs and flows – and how it always seemingly comes back stronger.

Few know that cycle better than Erina*, 55, a transwoman who spent decades performing in Kuala Lumpur’s drag circuit. She remembers when the scene was small but defiant, when glitter and high heels meant joy instead of danger.

“There was a time when we could perform without constantly looking over our shoulders,” she said. “It wasn’t easy, but there was space. That space has shrunk.”

The contraction feels literal now. Venues where she once worked have closed. Others stopped booking drag performers, terrified of raids. The most recent ones, on November 28 and 29, still ripple through the LGBTQ community. Police and religious officers stormed two men-only spas in Chow Kit and Penang, detaining hundreds.

It was the largest crackdown on queer spaces since a Halloween-themed party raid in 2022, activists say.

‘Shells of people’

Police later released the men who were rounded up in Kuala Lumpur, saying they had found no evidence of exploitation, coercion or “abnormal sexual activity”. Muslim detainees remained under investigation by Islamic authorities, however.

In Penang, the spa owner was fined 8,000 ringgit (US$1,960) after pleading guilty to owning obscene material and exposing others to HIV. Several other men were charged with offences ranging from gross indecency to possessing pornography.

For the community, the raids came as a shock. “People are now more afraid to go out,” Erina said. “Honestly, we’re not asking for special treatment … we’re asking to live without fear.”

Community groups rallied in support of the detainees. Members of Jejaka – a network supporting gay and bisexual men in Malaysia – gathered outside the police station in Kuala Lumpur where the men were being held, joined by volunteers, lawyers and family members calling for their release. They also pooled resources to provide legal aid, food and temporary housing.

In a statement, the group condemned the raids, arguing that the law used to justify them was “a relic of colonial morality” wielded to “target, stigmatise and endanger LGBTQ communities”.

“People are hiding,” said Pang Khee Teik, co-founder of LGBTQ organisation Seksualiti Merdeka (Sexuality Independence). Discriminatory laws had reduced members of the community to “shells” of people who “are navigating life with constant vigilance”, he said.

“It’s very sad to see that this is what we have done to our fellow Malaysians in the name of protecting ‘morality’.”

Amir*, a gay man in his twenties, remembers the brief sense of liberation he felt dancing in a club before what he called “the infamous raid”.

“It felt empowering,” he told This Week in Asia. “For a moment, I forgot I was in Malaysia. That’s how free it felt.”

Now, such gatherings are invite-only, with locations shared selectively through personal networks, often at the last minute. Amir says he has stopped going after the raids.

“This is Malaysia,” he said. “Hatred towards the LGBTQ community isn’t just normalised, it’s encouraged.”

Upholding morality

Authorities insist enforcement actions are necessary to uphold public morality. Days after the raids, members of the Malay nationalist group Pekida gathered outside one spa, plastering stickers and planting banners describing the venues as “immoral”.

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail later said Malaysia might “revisit” certain provisions of its Penal Code, but only in ways consistent with “religious and moral values”.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has ruled out legal recognition of LGBTQ rights during his tenure.

Advocates say the result of the crackdown has been a deepening atmosphere of fear. In June, police raided what NGOs said was an HIV awareness event in Kelantan, calling it a “gay sex party”. Authorities have also cracked down on cultural symbols, seizing rainbow-themed Swatch watches and banning books deemed to “promote” LGBTQ lifestyles.

Through it all, Amy keeps walking her route through Chow Kit, never knowing when the next knock on a clinic door might provoke suspicion, or when a familiar face might vanish for weeks.

*Name changed to protect interviewee’s identity

0

Legalizing same-sex marriage is still unpopular in South Korea. But does it need to be popular?

Read more at the Korea Herald.

South Korea made a quiet but meaningful policy change in October. For the first time, the national census now allows same-sex couples living together to identify each other as “spouse” in official records.

While this adjustment does not confer any legal rights, it marks a symbolic step in recognizing LGBTQ+ households in the state’s demographic data.

But as same-sex couples slowly appear in national statistics, legal marriage still remains out of reach. And public support for it is not growing. In fact, it is recently shrinking.

Two major opinion surveys in 2025 have confirmed the trend. In a Hankook Research poll, 31 percent of South Koreans said they supported the legalization of same-sex marriage, down from 36 percent in 2021. In a separate survey by Gallup Korea, 34 percent backed legalization while 58 percent opposed it, a reversal that returns the numbers to where they stood nearly a decade ago.

Although many advocates have long assumed that rising visibility and generational change would drive progress, the latest data presents a different picture. The Korea Herald consulted two advocates who argue that it may be time to ask a different question: Does same-sex marriage need broad public support to move forward, or can the law lead the way?

Public may seem unsure until ‘law decides for them’

Yi Ho-rim, executive director of Marriage for All Korea, a leading local LGBTQ+ advocacy group, sees this moment as a reminder that legal change is not always a popularity contest. “The support for legalization has declined somewhat, but that doesn’t mean the conversation is stagnant,” Yi said.

“In fact, we see the current moment as a result of political polarization, not public apathy.”

Yi links the decline to the broader social climate. “Far-right mobilization earlier this year, combined with heightened political tension and increased online radicalization among young men, likely influenced the shift,” she noted. “When public discourse is overwhelmed by noise and fear, minority issues like same-sex marriage naturally become sidelined.”

Yi has argued that laws can reshape public perception. “In Taiwan, support for same-sex marriage was limited before legalization in 2019. But once the law passed, social attitudes evolved quickly. That pattern is not unique to Taiwan. We’ve seen similar changes in many countries.”

This pattern is not just anecdotal. Yi points to a notable case in South Korea’s own polling history. “There’s no way to prove causality,” she said, “but it’s hard to see it as a coincidence that Gallup Korea’s support numbers jumped by 10 percentage points between 2013 and 2014, exactly when countries like New Zealand, France and several US states made headlines by legalizing same-sex marriage.”

Park Dae-seung, a political philosopher at Seoul National University and director of the Institute for Inequality and Citizenship in Seoul, agrees. “Constitutional democracies are designed to protect minority rights, even when those rights are unpopular,” Park said.

“Laws that affirm dignity and equality are rarely embraced by a majority at first. But they send a powerful social signal. They tell people what is ‘normal’. In other words, it’s the law that decides for them what’s acceptable.”

“Korean politicians routinely cite ‘lack of public consensus’ as a reason to delay bills like the Life Partnership Act or Marriage Equality Act, both of which remain stalled in the National Assembly for years,” he added. “But it’s an excuse.”

While younger South Koreans have historically been more supportive of LGBTQ+ rights, the generational divide is showing unexpected shifts. The latest Gallup Korea poll revealed that support for same-sex marriage among people in their 20s dropped by 15 percentage points between 2023 and 2025. At the same time, support among those over 70 nearly doubled, from 10 percent to 19 percent.

Yi sees this as a sign that older generations are not immovable. “These are people who still get most of their information from legacy media. When the 2024 Supreme Court ruling recognized same-sex cohabiting partners as eligible for health insurance benefits, it was widely reported. That may have helped normalize the issue.”

Groups like the Coalition Against Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriage, backed by conservative Christian organizations, have actively resisted even symbolic shifts. In October, the group filed a criminal complaint against government officials who authorized same-sex partner recognition in the 2025 census. They claimed it violated the law by creating “false public records” and warned of a wider moral collapse.

Yi has contended that public discomfort should not be used to delay basic rights. “Many of these objections rely on the idea that LGBTQ+ people do not value love, care or long-term commitment,” she said.

“But that is only because most people have never met a same-sex couple in their daily lives. We are still largely invisible, and the numbers show it. In the 2025 Hankook Research survey, people who personally know an LGBTQ+ person were nearly twice as likely to support same-sex marriage. Visibility alone makes a real difference.”

0

Pro basketball team embraces homophobia, rejects the Pride rainbow

Read more at Outsports.

If you are an LGBTQ fan of the New Zealand Breakers of Australia’s National Basketball League, your favorite team won’t be wearing a Pride rainbow in 2026.

The NBL holds a Pride Round annually to celebrate the diversity of LGBTQ basketball fans worldwide, but the Breakers decided as a team to forgo wearing any Pride symbols, rainbows or colors this season that could be construed as supporting the gay community.

“In line with the league’s voluntary participation policy to wear the patch, the players discussed the matter as a team,” a team source said. “Some players raised religious and cultural concerns about wearing the insignia.”

The NBL’s Pride Round is from January 21 to February 1, 2026. The Breakers appear to be the only team that decided to skip honoring LGBTQ fans; the resulting uproar has spilled over to social media platforms like Instagram.

Many people have shared their disappointment with the players on the team in the comments section of any post involving the Breakers.

“Long-term member, won’t be anymore. Disgusted at the team, not supporting inclusion. Should all be ashamed,” someone wrote.

Another fan resounded the sentiment: “Been with the Breakers through thick and thin, but you’ve lost me on this one.”

It’s refreshing to see people stand with LGBTQ fans during a Pride controversy, as a handful of homophobes are often quick to complain anytime a pro sports franchise celebrates Pride.

Statistical analysis suggests that Australia is very supportive of gay people, with a study in 2023 reporting that seven percent more people in Australia support gay couples having children than an average of the rest of the world.

What makes the Breakers’ boycott of Pride even more disappointing is the fact that the team will be playing against the only openly gay player in the NBL during the Pride Round.

Isaac Humphries plays for the Adelaide 36ers, and he will face the Breakers in January during what could have been their Pride Night. Humphries went viral in 2022 when he came out in front of his teammates and talked about the difficulties of his journey.

Keeping the gay away from the Breakers certainly hasn’t given the team any sort of ability to win games this season. They are currently ninth in the NBL standings as of this writing. May their lack of support continue to deliver bad mojo for the rest of the year and beyond!

0

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑