In Egypt, authorities are accused of using dating apps and social media to track down and arrest queer folks in their latest attempt to "clean the streets," Out.com noted. Human Rights Watch interviewed 15 people who say they were arrested, detained, and tortured by Egyptian police and National Security Agency officers because they are LGBTQ+, and some said the authorities used Grindr, Facebook and WhatsApp to catch them.
A report showed that at least 13 United Nations member-states still criminalize transgender people, while others use morality and indecency laws to crack down on the trans community, Openly News reported. Nigeria, Oman and Lebanon are among the nations with explicit anti-trans laws, according to the latest Trans Legal Mapping Report, by LGBT+-rights group ILGA World. The research details trans legislation and policies in 143 U.N. member-states and 19 other jurisdictions.
Japanese fashion designer Kenzo Takada died Oct. 4 in France at age 81 from COVID-19 complications, Page Six reported. "For half a century, Mr. Takada has been an emblematic personality in the fashion industry—always infusing creativity and color into the world. Today, his optimism, zest for life and generosity continue to be pillars of our Maison. He will be greatly missed and always remembered," a post on his official Instagram account read. Takada decided to settle in Paris after meeting partner Xavier de Castella, who died in 1990, and never left, The Guardian noted. He retired from fashion in 1999 to concentrate on producing artistic designs.
Canada has reintroduced a bill that will criminalize LGBT conversion therapy, Reuters reported. Federal Minister of Justice David Lametti said the new bill will include five amendments to Canada's Criminal Code to include offenses such as causing a minor to undergo conversion therapy, causing any person to undergo the therapy against their will and profiting off from the practice. The bill was previously introduced in the House of Commons in March.
Northern Ireland native Anna Montgomery is just 20 years old, but she's already been attacked twice in public for being trans, Out.com noted. The latest attack came while she was on a date with her boyfriend at a pub in Belfast on Sept. 26, which left her beaten and bloody. The attack left Montomery shocked and saddened. "I just don't understand how someone could treat any person like the way I was treated," she said. "It's just so sad it's the year 2020 and I am a trans woman getting assaulted for just being me!" Police Service Northern Ireland is treating the incident as a hate crime and is actively investigating.
Nobel Prize-winning writer Olga Tokarczuk declined an honorary citizenship from the region of Poland where she lives because she would have had to share the honor with a Roman Catholic bishop who has made hostile comments about the LGBTQ+ community, the Associated Press noted. Tokarczuk tweeted that while she appreciated being considered, she "sadly" couldn't accept Lower Silesia's honorary citizenship—adding that receiving it at the same time as Bishop Ignacy Dec would highlight the "painful rift" in Poland over LGBTQ+ rights.
Out British actor Rupert Everett ( My Best Friend's Wedding; Another Country ) recently told The Times Magazine that the transgender movement has "completely overshadowed" the campaign for gay rights, Yahoo! News noted. Everett said he feels like "the wrong type of queen" and that the gay community has "completely lost our profile." He cited Russia's banning of gay marriage and said "nobody was up in arms about anything." Everett once said he believed coming out harmed his Hollywood career.
Grindr—one of the world's largest dating and social networking apps for queer people—fixed a security vulnerability that allowed anyone to hijack and take control of any user's account using only their email address, TechCrumch.com noted. Security expert Troy Hunt tested and confirmed the vulnerability with help from a test account set up by Scott Helme, and shared his findings with TechCrunch.
In Britain, a genderfluid engineer who was called "it" by her colleagues at Jaguar Land Rover has been awarded 180,000 pounds in damages in a landmark discrimination case. On Oct. 2, a judge awarded Rose Taylor the amount in compensation after the court heard how her Jaguar colleagues abused and harassed her in 2017 after she came out as genderfluid at work.
The Latin Grammys announced its latest nominations, with J Balvin and Bad Bunny topping the list—but a few queer names made the list, Out.com noted. Having come out earlier this year, Pablo Alboran is up for Record of the Year for his track "Cuando Estes Aqui." Alboran is joined in this year's nominations by Ricky Martin, who is up for two awards with his quarantine-released Pausa. And drag performer Pabllo Vittar received a nod for Best Portuguese Language Song, for "Amarelo ( Sample: Sujeito de Sorte - Belchior )." The Latin Grammys will air live on Univision on Thursday, Nov. 19.
Australian actor Hugh Jackman's wife recently discussed his sexuality, Today.com noted. Appearing on the Australian TV show Anh's Brush with Fame, Deborra-Lee Furness—who's been married to The Wolverine actor since 1996—said she has had it with the rumors that he is gay. "I see these magazines. They're so mean-spirited. So mean-spirited. I hope people don't buy these magazines and realize it's all made up," she said.
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow—the Brit who made headlines earlier this year when he married his daughter's ex-boyfriend, Scott Hutchinson, who's 30 years his junior—has welcomed a child with his now-husband, Queerty noted. Drewitt-Barlow first made headlines in 1999 when he and this then-partner, Tony Drewitt-Barlow, became "Britain's First Gay Dads." The couple sued and won the right to be named as co-parents to twins born to a surrogate. In all, Tony and Barrie had five children together.
Jeremy Joseph, owner of the iconic British nightclub G-A-Y, launched a legal challenge against Boris Johnson's 10pm curfew, insisting it "makes absolutely no sense," PinkNews reported. Joseph, who is represented by barristers at Kings Chambers, said in a statement: "The 10 [p.m.] curfew which has now been in place for the last two weeks and has been detrimental to the hospitality sector, including G-A-Y, makes absolutely no sense. It does the opposite of protecting people by pushing them onto the street at the same time. They are going from being safe inside venues with staggered closing times to unsafe on overcrowded streets and overloaded public transport."
