The results of Argentina's Aug. 13 primary elections revealed a political landscape that combines significant advances in LGBTQI+ rights with the expansion of the far-right in that country, The Washington Blade noted.The results showed that ultra-right-wing candidate Javier Milei won the most votes (almost 7 million). However, Reina Ibanez—who became the first transgender woman presidential candidate in Argentina's history—won enough votes to stay in the race. Also, activist Esteban Paulon won enough votes in his race to become a congressman to advance to the general elections on Oct. 22.
Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil, India's first openly gay prince, told Sky News that his parents tried to make him have brain surgery to change his sexuality. Gohil said he felt humiliated when his mother and father sought medical help to "convert" him after he told them he was gay. A Sky News investigation revealed doctors in India are still offering LGBTQ+ conversion therapy, despite the practice being seen as "medical misconduct" by the nation's regulators.
United Nations human-rights experts criticized the Taliban over its treatment of LGBTQI+ people and other groups in Afghanistan, The Los Angeles Blade noted. A statement that Victor Madrigal-Borloz, the independent U.N. expert on LGBTQI+ issues, and others signed said, in part, "Two years ago, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan. Since then, the policies they have imposed on the Afghan population have resulted in a continuous, systematic and shocking rescinding of a multitude of human rights. … The hardest hit are women and girls, ethnic, religious and other minorities, people with disabilities, displaced persons, LGBTQ+ persons, human rights defenders and other civil society actors, journalists, artists, educators and former government and security officials."
Organizers behind Gay Games 11 Hong Kong 2023 (GGHK)—the first Gay Games to be held in Asia—shared some updates, via a press release. GGHK has secured Queen Elizabeth Stadium (QES) as the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies, gala concerts, and the martial arts and dodgeball sporting competitions.Other confirmed venues include MacPherson Stadium, Jockey Club HKCFA Football Training Centre, HKC Dragon Boat Association Training Centre, Sha Tin Rowing Centre, HKU Stanley Ho Sports Centre, Victoria Recreation Club, KGV School, Kowloon Junior School and SoHo House. GGHK has confirmed AIA Vitality Park as the venue for the Festival Village. GGHK also unveiled its official mascot and medal designs; the mascot's name is Sunny the Lion. The Games will take place Nov 3-11 in Hong Kong and Guadalajara, Mexico.
In Uganda—which has one of the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the world—police arrested four people in Buikwe for "acts of homosexuality" at a massage parlor, The Advocate noted. "The police operation was carried out following a tip-off by a female informant to the area security that acts of homosexuality were being carried out at the massage parlor," police spokeswoman Hellen Butoto told Agence France-Presse. (Two of those arrested were women.) Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act, passed in May, has been condemned by world leaders, including President Joe Biden, and human-rights organizations.
Northern Ireland Humanists urged the Executive Office to make sure its equality work means equality for everyone in Northern Ireland, including the non-religious, religious minorities and LGBTQ+ people, according to Humanists UK. In response to a consultation on its draft Equality Scheme, Northern Ireland Humanists highlighted that the draft scheme does not adequately address equality and good relations between all of Northern Ireland's communities.
The leader of Lebanon's powerful Hezbollah movement stepped up his attacks against the region's long-marginalized LGBTQ+ community, France24 reported. Among other things, Hassan Nasrallah said gay people, "even if they do it once ... are to be killed." In his latest comments, Nasrallah said, "In Lebanon, this danger started with some educational institutions, and NGOs," which he accused of "promoting" same-sex relations to children—and he called on the ministry of education to intervene. Many Western governments consider Hezbollah to be a "terrorist" organization.
The World Athletics Championships, marking the event's 40th anniversary started Aug. 19 in Budapest, Hungary—and there are at least eight LGBTQ+ athletes competing, per Outsports. They include U.S. sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, who has dominated the women's 100-meter competition this year and who won gold here—two years after being removed from the Olympics due to testing positive for THC. Some of the other competitors include Venezuelan triple-jumper Yulimar Rojas, Spanish race-walker Marc Tur, U.S. 1,500-meter runner Nikki Hiltz and Dutch relayer Ramsey Angela.
Conde Nast Traveler ran an article on the seven most LGBTQ+-friendly honeymoon destinations in the world. The spots include Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; New Orleans; Oahu, Hawaii; Malta; Provincetown, Massachusetts; and Montreal. (Regarding Malta, the article stated, "It's the sparkling beaches, rich history, mix of Mediterranean-rim cuisine and culture, and more than 300 days of sunshine a year that keep romantically inclined travelers returning.") However, there are only 34 countries where same-sex marriage is legal.
Elton John and Kevin Spacey recently had dinner together—a month after the singer's crucial testimony in Spacey's sexual-assault trial that resulted in the two-time Oscar winner being acquitted, TMZ noted. The pals dined out at La Petite Maison in France, along with John's husband, David Furnish, the couples' kids and a few other friends. They were serenaded by a group called The Snugglers, who posted a clip of the friends' night out on the town.
Kanchi Wichmann's UK LGBTQ+ film Break My Fall Redux—starring Kat Redstone, Sophie Anderson, Collin Clay Chace and Kai Brandon Ly—will be out on Amazon UK, Amazon USA and PeccadilloPOD.com on Sept. 8, per a press release. The release noted that in the film, "lovers Liza and Sally experience three turbulent days that will change their lives forever. As they hover between trying to fix their passionate, but troubled relationship and chasing success with their band, Blanket, emotions finally boil over during a chaotic night at an illegal rave, from which there's no going back. Featuring music from top independent UK talent, this is the definitive director's cut of Kanchi Wichmann's searing portrait of a tempestuous love affair, and an ode to the vibrant, thriving 24-hour party scene of East London's underground music pubs, queer clubs and cabaret bars."
Pascale Cecile Veronique Ferrier—a dual citizen of Canada and France—was sentenced to 262 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sending threatening letters containing homemade ricin (a toxin made from castor beans) in September 2020 to then-President Donald J. Trump at the White House, and to eight Texas State law-enforcement officials, per a Department of Justice release. Ferrier pled guilty on Jan. 25 to prohibitions with respect to biological weapons in two separate criminal cases.
Lebanon's education minister, Abbas Al-Halabi, has banned the playing of Snakes and Ladders from summer schools because the game's colors are similar to that of a Pride flag, according to PinkNews. Same-sex activity between men is illegal in the Middle Eastern country, with punishment of up to a year in prison, while LGBTQ+ people are often subjected to discrimination and violence. The move comes amid Lebanon's crackdown against the LGBTQ+ community, including the Minister of Culture Wissam Murtada recently banning the Barbie movie, which features trans actress Hari Nef.
Soccer's world governing body, FIFA, started proceedings against the president of the Spanish football federation (RFEF), Luis Rubiales, after video showed him placing an unwanted kiss on a star player of Spain's winning Women's World Cup team, CNN noted. FUTPRO—the union representing Spain's women soccer players—has called for Rubiales to be punished for kissing Jennifer Hermoso on the lips following the team's World Cup victory, as it vowed to fight back against "machismo and sexism."
Strictly Come Dancing star John Whaite talked about falling in love with dance partner Johannes Radebe, PinkNews noted, citing Whaite's interview with The Times. Whaite—the winner of The Great British Bake Off winner and 2021 Strictly runner-up—found a silver lining after his romantic entanglement with Radebe spelled trouble for his 15-year relationship with partner Paul Atkins. Whaite admitted that after being "physically pressed against another man for 10 hours a day" while rehearsing with Radebe, he started "falling in love" as the twosome became the first all-male couple in Strictly history. Whaite (who has a new autobiography, Dancing on Eggshells) said he and Radebe now keep their contact to a minimum, out of respect for his relationship with Atkins.
Peter John Higgs—a prominent curator of Greek antiquities who was employed at the British Museum for three decades—was identified by the Times of London and the Daily Telegraph as the person allegedly responsible for missing, stolen and damaged items from the museum's collection, ARTnews noted. The majority of the missing, stolen, and damaged items were small pieces of "gold jewelry and gems of semi-precious stones and glass dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century" that were kept primarily for academic and research purposes.
Data from Barlovento Comunicacion showed that an average of 5.6 million people in Spain watched that country win the Women's World Cup, per Deadline. That was the largest TV audience ever for a women's soccer match in Spain. Also, in the UK, the match was watched by a peak of 14.4 million people across the BBC and ITV.
