More than 400 people attended a global LGBTQI+-rights conference that took place in Mexico City, The Washington Blade reported. Jessica Stern, the special U.S. envoy for the promotion of LGBTQ and intersex rights; and Victor Madrigal-Borloz, the independent U.N. expert on LGBTQ and intersex issues, were among the speakers. The 2023 LGBTI Political Leaders Conference of the Americas and the Caribbean, which took place July 20-22, was the largest event that brings together out LGBTIQ+ leaders, public servants and allies, according to the Victory Institute. Past conferences have been held in Peru, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Colombia and virtually (the latter during the COVID-19 pandemic).
Vice News reported a story on how some LGBTQ+ asylum-seekers in Canada who are fleeing violence in Africa are sleeping on the streets. Dozens of asylum-seekers from some of Africa's strictest anti-LGBTQ countries have been sleeping on the sidewalks outside 129 Peter St., Toronto's shelter intake center, after being told that all shelters are currently full. This year, the city has gone through massive changes—including a historic number of residents finding themselves homeless; each week, hundreds of people line up at the food bank.
A new research review in The Lancet showed that people taking antiretroviral therapy to treat HIV who have low but detectable virus levels have almost zero risk of transmitting the virus to others, according to U.S. News & World Report. Researchers looked at eight studies of more than 7,700 couples in which one person was HIV-positive and the other was not. The studies were done in 25 countries and reviewed by teams from the Global Health Impact Group and the World Health Organization. The report is at https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(23)00877-2/fulltext.
In the UK, a lesbian couple who launched a legal fight over "discriminatory" fertility treatment rules claimed a victory, the BBC reported. Influencers Megan and Whitney Bacon-Evans, from Windsor, launched a judicial review over different requirements for same-sex couples seeking NHS fertility help. The couple later announced they had withdrawn their legal action, saying NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board would address the inequality. In May, when asked about the government's timescale for change, Parliamentary Secretary for Mental Health and Women's Health Strategy Maria Caulfield said, "We expect the removal of the additional financial burden faced by female same-sex couples when accessing IVF treatment to take effect during 2023."
The 1975's Matty Healy criticized Malaysia's anti-LGBTQ+ law that punishes homosexuality with up to 20 years in prison during a concert during the Good Vibes Festival in the capital of Kuala Lumpur, The Advocate noted. During the band's performance, Healy gave a profanity-filled speech to the crowd about the law—and kissed male bandmate Ross MacDonald. Festival organizers then cancelled the rest of the event. The band left the stage 30 minutes into their set, with Healy telling the crowd, "Alright… We just got banned from Kuala Lumpur—see you later." The band ended up being barred from Malaysia.
In a speech in Romania, Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban renewed an attack on the European Union for conducting what he called an "LGBTQ offensive," saying his nationalist government would protect the country's Christian roots, according to Reuters. Orban also said he hoped next year's European parliament elections would strengthen governments within the bloc that reject the "federalism" represented by Germany and France. In 2021, Orban passed a law banning the use of materials seen as promoting homosexuality and gender change at schools, citing the need to protect children.
A WorldCrunch profile focused on more LGBTQ+ people relocating to rural spots in Spain. According to the Andalusian Observatory against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, the main problems that plagued LGBTQ+ people in Spain's small towns are the constraints of heterosexuality and heteronormativity, societal control (gossip, denigrating nicknames, mockery, etc.), internalized LGBTQ+ phobia and self-esteem issues, among other things. Now, however, small towns are more accepting, with Pride events taking place. See https://worldcrunch.com/lgbtq-plus/queer-rural.
The BBC apologized after one of its journalists asked the Morocco women's national soccer team captain a potentially dangerous question about gay/lesbian players, PinkNews noted. The reporter asked captain Ghizlane Chebbak, "In Morocco, it's illegal to have a gay relationship. Do you have any gay players in your squad and what's life like for them in Morocco?" While Chebbak reacted with disbelief, the press conference moderator refuted the question, saying it was "political" in nature and reporters should "just stick to questions relating to [soccer]." In Morocco, homosexuality is punishable with a prison sentence between six months and three years as well as a fine.
The Miss Italy pageant announced that it will not allow trans women to enter—and, in protest, more than 100 trans men from the country have entered the pageant, according to Out. Miss Italy's current rules exclude trans women, and organizer Patrizia Mirigliani said that she is not going to update them to jump on the "glittery bandwagon of trans activism." Trans activist Federico Barbarossa—a trans man i who is using the "biologically born a woman" rule to enter the Miss Italy pageant—said he wanted to "trigger, through a joke, a reflection on the absurdity of some logics out of time and out of the world."
Vancouver's Pride Parade will take place Aug. 6, CBC noted. The 45th annual event will be the culmination of events that started June 24, per the Vancouver Pride Society website. The parade will feature more than 100 local community groups, non-profit organizations, businesses and more showcasing their support for the 2SLGBTQAI+ communities. Tarek Zeidan—executive director of the Lebanon-based LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Helem—is the 2023 Pride parade Grand Marshal. See https://www.vancouverpride.ca/festival.
Japanese singer Shinjiro Atae came out as gay while performing in Tokyo in front of 2,000 concertgoers, Out noted, citing The New York Times. Atae is best known for being a part of the J-pop group AAA, which disbanded in 2021. On Instagram, he posted, in part, "It has taken me a long time to be able to say I am gay. I could not even say it to myself. For years, I struggled to accept a part of myself...But now, after all I have been through, I finally have the courage to open up to you about something. I am a gay man. … I held this event because I wanted to tell as many of you as possible directly."
The Venice Film Festival revealed the lineup for its 80th edition, and its Official Competition featured works by five women filmmakers—including Ava DuVernay, who makes history as the first African American woman in selection, Deadline noted. The selected films and filmmakers are Priscilla (Sofia Coppola), Origin (Ava DuVernay), The Green Border (Agnieszka Holland), Woman Of (Malgorzata Szumowska, Michal Englert) and Holly (Fien Troch). The festival will run Aug. 30-Sept. 9.
Robson Green took to Instagram to break his silence over close friend and co-star Tom Brittney quitting the British ITV drama Grantchester, Chronicle Live noted. Green has been leading the show since its launch in 2014, with Brittney starring as Rev. Will Davenport for the last five; however, Brittney recently announced his departure. Green posted, "There are no goodbyes for best friends! The pain in parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again! I will miss you more than you can imagine, Tom."
