Canadian conservatives are divided over an anti-trans policy that Alberta Premier Danielle Smith handed down in her province, The Guardian reported. The policy includes a ban on hormonal treatment, puberty blockers and gender-confirmation surgery for children 15 and younger—making the regulation the most restrictive regarding gender confirmation in the country. Doug Ford—the Conservative premier of Ontario, and one of the most influential politicians in Canada—said his government won't follow Smith's policies. "No," he told reporters. "We have a lot here, and we're leaving everything alone." Smith's announcement prompted widespread criticism, both from the Alberta Medical Association and the Canadian Pediatric Society.
In Australia, a police officer was charged with the murder of TV personality Jesse Baird and his partner, Luke Davies, Out noted, citing Deadline. Constable Beau Lamarre-Condon turned himself in to Sydney police, and has been charged with two counts of murder. Bloodied items belonging to Baird and Davies were found in a trash bin, and a white van (allegedly hired by Lamarre-Condon) was found in Newcastle, Australia. Baird's and Davies' bodies were found in the same surfboard bags that police allege the killer used to carry the bodies from Baird's Sydney home, the AP noted; they were located at a property near Bungonia, a town about 125 miles from Sydney. Multiple media reports contend that Lamarre-Condon was a celebrity blogger before becoming a police officer—and was a former partner of Baird.
A new study in Finland, attracting attention among anti-trans activists, is being used to claim that gender-affirming care "is not life=saving," The Los Angeles Blade noted. However, leading researchers such as Dr. Meredithe McNamara from the Yale University School of Medicine and epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, argue that the study's methodology fails to support this conclusion. They point out mistakes, such as the study controlling for the variable it aims to measure and relying on outdated data from a time before "gender dysphoria" was even recognized as a diagnosis. The new study examines Finnish health data from 1996 to 2022, analyzing the connection between gender-affirming care and suicide; many studies have demonstrated that gender-affirming care significantly reduces the risk of suicide.
Justine Triet's LGBTQ+ film Anatomy of a Fall won Best Film and Best Director at the 49th edition of the French Cesar awards, per Deadline. Triet is only the second women to clinch the Best Director prize in the near 50-year history of the Cesars—after Tonie Marshall for Venus Beauty in 1976. Anatomy of a Fall also won Best Actress for Sandra Huller (who also co-headlines another Oscar-nominated film, The Zone of Interest), Original Screenplay for Triet and Arthur Harari, Editing for Laurent Senechal and Supporting Actor for Swann Arlaud. Christopher Nolan also put in an appearance to receive an Honorary Cesar alongside French director Agnes Jaoui, best known internationally for her 2001 hit The Taste of Others.
India's government announced a landmark equal-opportunity policy for transgender people, The Washington Blade reported. The policy will ban the disclosure of a trans person's gender identity without their consent, as the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules 2020 requires. The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry says the Equal Opportunity Policy for Transgender Persons will encourage the fair treatment of trans people and create workplaces free from discrimination and harassment.
The lower house of the Czech parliament rejected a bid to allow same-sex marriage in the country—instead passing a compromise bill that expands the rights of same-sex couples in registered partnerships and allow them to adopt each other's biological stepchildren, The Los Angeles Blade noted. The bill heads to the senate, where some senators have vowed to continue fighting for full equality. Czechia has allowed same-sex couples to form registered partnerships since 2006, but these accorded limited rights compared to marriage.
El Salvador Minister of Education Jose Mauricio Pineda has claimed, "We have removed gender ideology from schools," according to El Pais. In (supposedly) doing so, Pineda conformed to what was stated by President Nayib Bukele. In March 2020, the president revealed in a rare interview with Puerto Rican rapper Residente that he is against marriage equality and abortion.
The BBC largely defended a red-carpet interview that one of its correspondents, Colin Paterson, conducted with Andrew Scott that caused the actor to walk away, The Hollywood Reporter noted. During that BAFTAs interview, Paterson continuously pressed Scott, a member of the LGBTQ+ community, about Barry Keoghan's nudity in the film Saltburn. In part, the BBC stated, "Our question to Andrew Scott was meant to be a light hearted reflection of the discussion around the scene and was not intended to cause offense. Saltburn writer and director Emerald Fennell and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, whose song 'Murder on the Dancefloor' was used in the sequence, were also asked about the scene." However, the network added, "We do, however, accept that the specific question asked to Andrew Scott was misjudged. After speaking with Andrew on the carpet, our reporter acknowledged on air that his questioning may have gone too far and that he was sorry if this was the case."
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) was awarded the LGBT Charter Foundation Award, which recognizes the organization's commitment to becoming an LGBTQ+-inclusive group, the organization's website noted. The LGBT Charter Mark Program is run by LGBT Youth Scotland. The group also stated, "As part of LGBT History Month throughout February, HES will continue to highlight how [LGBTQ+] histories are part of our cultural heritage, from Anne Lister's 1828 tour of Scotland to Harry Whyte, the Scot who challenged Stalin."
Queer French fashion designer Claude Montana has died at age 76 in Paris, per Us Magazine. He was revered throughout the late 1970s, '80s and '90s—having been cited as the designer responsible for shoulder pads and flared pants. Montana was considered a pioneer in avant-garde design and was peers with Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier. He became a leading force in leather following his first fashion show in 1976 and founded his own namesake fashion house, The House of Montana, in 1979. Montana had been married to model Wallis Franken during 1993-96, although it was considered a union of convenience, other media outlets have noted.
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association has opened registration for its 2024 Global Convention, slated to take place Oct. 23-26 in Osaka, Japan, per a press release. This marks the first time IGLTA has held its premier educational and networking event in Asia, and it is planned to coincide with Osaka Pride (tentatively scheduled for Oct. 26-27) to amplify the local LGBTQ+ connections. "Osaka aims to be a sustainable destination where everyone is able to travel and enjoy the city with peace of mind. As the first tourism office in Japan to engage in LGBTQ+ tourism, we are honored that IGLTA has chosen Osaka to host their global convention in Asia for the first time and are proud that Osaka is recognized for its efforts," said Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau President Hiroshi Mizohata.
The video game Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth has much more queer representation that the previous games in the series, according to The Gamer. There are several queer couples to find throughout the world—many with their own stories you can learn about through overheard dialogue. With LGBTQ+ characters included in Final Fantasy 16 as well, it seems that Japan-based entertainment conglomerate Square Enix is actively working on representing queer identities in its games.
It seems that a seventh season of the British historical series Downton Abbey may be happening, per Collider. A listing on Production Weekly—a resource for professionals working in the film and television industries that informs them of upcoming projects—noted that "DOWNTON ABBEY 07" was in the works. Also, Highclere Castle social-media accounts stated, "If you have to keep a secret, you must keep it secret that you have a secret to keep," accompanied by hashtags that included Downton Abbey, filming, behind the scenes, and various other production-related jargon. Highclere Castle served as the home on Downton Abbey.
Gay British acting icon Sir Ian McKellen is reportedly single again after the end of a relationship with a younger actor, per Queerty. According to the Daily Mail, McKellen met Oscar Conlon-Morrey, 30, in late 2022. The two men were cast to play mother and son in the seasonal pantomime Mother Goose, which ended last April; the production toured the UK and McKellen took on the role of the pantomime dame. McKellen is about to make his debut in London as Falstaff in Player Kings—a reworking of Shakespeare's Henry IV parts 1 and 2.
Interim United States women's national team coach Twila Kilgore stated that her squad faces "no easy games anymore" after a stunning 2-0 loss to rival Mexico on Feb. 26, ESPN noted. "It just shows how far the game is coming and there's no easy games anymore," Kilgore said after the USWNT's first defeat to Mexico since 2010. Since Kilgore took over as interim coach after the World Cup, the USWNT was undefeated through eight games until the defeat to Mexico.
And speaking of soccer, the defending FIFA World Cup champion and top-ranked national team in the world Argentina will play two June games in in the United States prior to their participation in CONMEBOL Copa America 2024, per a press release. The Asociacion del Futbol Argentino (AFA) and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) announced that the South American side will take on continental rival Ecuador on Sunday, June 9 at Chicago's Soldier Field. On Friday, June 14, Argentina will take on Guatemala at FedExField in the greater D.C. metro area. See Ticketmaster (Chicago) and SeatGeek.com (D.C.) for passes.
