Polls opened on Easter Sunday for a vote on whether conservative Christian singer Fabricio Alvarado Munoz could capture Costa Rica's presidency—a result that would have marked a sharp turn from the current government's embrace of gay rights, Reuters reported. Best known for religious dance songs and ballads, the former TV journalist faced the center-left ruling party candidate Carlos Alvarado Quesada ( not related ) in a race fought over a court ruling ordering the country to allow same-sex marriage. However, voters gave a resounding no to the conservative, allowing Costa Rica's governing party to win an easy presidential victory, U.S. News & World Report added.
A gay man from Palm Springs, California, was shot while holding hands with his husband while the pair were on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, according to NewNowNext.com . Blea and husband Marc Lange were returning from a night out and walking toward the condo they were staying at, when a man yelled something at them. Blea then noticed the unnamed suspect, who had a tattoo on his face, pull out a gun. The couple believe they were targeted because they were gay and holding hands in public.
Pakistan's first transgender news anchor has been hired by a local Pakistani television station, according to a WomensMediaCenter.com item that cites Dawn. Mavia Malik—who has a bachelor's degree, which involved learning "the basics of journalism and civics"—interviewed at Kohenoor News three months ago and was hired the same day. She's since completed a training program at the station and anchored her first show.
In Ghana, a man whose partner was lynched by a crowd of anti-gay youths has been forced to go on the run and remain in hiding as the mob is now searching for him, NewNowNext.com noted. Kwaku Adepa Riche Dallas, 28, is in fear for his life, after a group of around 30 people stormed into the home of the man believed to be his partner, Osei John, 34, stripped him naked and lynched him because of their belief he was gay. They then turned up at Kwaku Adepa's home, but he had been tipped off, and was able to flee before his would-be killers could arrive. Consensual sex among same-sex adult men is still illegal in the country, punishable by years in prison.
In South Africa, a court heard that the lesbian couple who were tortured and killed last year were raped in front of each other, PinkNews reported. Spouses Joey van Niekerk, 32, and Anisha van Niekerk, 30—who had been married for three years—were murdered last year after being tortured, prosecutors have said. Before being killed, the victims were allegedly repeatedly raped and hanged in a container on a property belonging to one of the eight people accused.
Vigilantes have once again raided the private residences of people they suspect to be LGBTI in Indonesia—and this latest in a long list of raids happened in Indonesia's Aceh province., according to Gay Star News. Last year, Aceh became the first place in Indonesia to arrest and convict two men for homosexuality. The students were caned 82 times in a public square.
OUTBermuda, along with another plaintiff, Maryellen Jackson, have submitted an originating summons to the Supreme Court of Bermuda for that court to issue an order declaring that Section 53 of the Domestic Partnership Act 2017 and all other provisions in the act that deal with and give effect to that provision or have the effect of revoking same-sex marriage or making same-sex marriages void, actually contravene the Bermuda Constitution 1968, according to a press release. The trial in the related action is set to be heard by the Chief Justice in May.
Two men have been attacked in the Netherlands after arranging dates on Grindr, Gay Star News reported. The attacks happened in Dordrecht, in the western part of the country. Mayor Wouter Kolff tweeted to explain he had contacted the two victims of anti-gay violence. Kolff added local police are working to find the attackers.
Adobe Stock has partnered with photographer Bex Day to display the diversity, fluidity and beauty of the transgender community and to improve the inclusivity of stock images, The Independent reported. Day, who's currently based in Berlin, captured a variety of trans models from across the United Kingdom for the photography collection. The collection is part of Adobe Stock's project for the month, the "Fluid Self," which aims to explore the transformative nature of identity.
Martina Navratilova has told BBC Panorama that John McEnroe was paid at least "10 times more" than she was for their commentator roles at the Wimbledon tennis tournament, BBC.com noted. The former Wimbledon champion told Jane Corbin that she was shocked when the BBC revealed how much its stars earned. Navratilova said it's hard to compare salaries because different commentators work for different amounts of time, but she was "shocked" that the difference between her salary and McEnroe's, MarketWatch.com added. Britain's Equal Pay Scandal premiered on BBC One on March 19.
It turns out that, last year, Australia Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull posed for pictures with a gay-porn star, PinkNews noted. Justin Jedlica somehow made it into Parliament House during the Federal Budget party and got selfies with Turnbull, Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, Senate President Stephen Parry and lawmaker Christopher Pyne. Interestingly, Cher ended up apologizing for her recent selfie with Turnbull after fans objected to her posing with a politician who many see as a historical opponent to LGBT rights.
People under the age of 21 will not see the critically acclaimed gay coming-of-age film Love, Simon in Singapore, Gay Star News noted. Singapore's Media Development Authority ( MDA ) attached the highest classification—R21—on the film. Love, Simon—a U.S. film about a 17-year-old high schooler's coming-out experience—contains no full-frontal nudity, violence or sex scenes.
In Canada, a new play at Sage Theatre shows love can't be legislated, CBC.ca reported. Written by Natalie Meisner in conjunction with the Calgary Gay History Project and Third Street Theatre, Legislating Love tells the story of a fictional gay historian and her partner as she researches real-life Calgarian Everett Klippert—the last man jailed in Canada for being gay. Klippert was jailed ( throughout the 1960s, to 1971 ) for gross indecency; he died in 1996 at age 69.
Several soccer fans recently crashed a match at Geneva's Stade de Geneve to try and get a smooch from Portugal soccer icon Cristiano Ronaldo, Gay Star News noted. One kissed Ronaldo on the cheek and took a selfie, while another hugged and kissed his chest. The soccer superstar is often the target of anti-gay chants from fans at matches. It follows unproven reports that Ronaldo is dating Moroccan kickboxer Badh Hari after it was alleged the pair were "more than friends."
Dan Reynolds waved the Pride flag at an Imagine Dragons show during the Lollapalooza Brazil Festival at Sao Paulo's Interlagos Racetrack, NewNowNext.com noted. The singer-songwriter has made LGBT rights his cause in recent years: The new documentary Believer charts his journey from young Mormon missionary to rock star to LGBT ally and advocate. Last summer, Reynolds received The Trevor Project's 2017 Hero Award.
