In Australia, a retail worker-turned-Greens politician credited catchy ads on gay hookup app Grindr for his stunning victory in Brisbane, The Daily Mail noted. Stephen Bates defeated Liberal-National Party incumbent Trevor Evans in the inner-city seat with 53.5 percent of the vote. Bates, 29, rallied the gay vote with slogans such as "The best parliaments are hung," "Put Stephen Bates on top this election" and "Spice up Canberra with a third." He told Pedestrian, "I'm gay myself and I know Grindr itself plays a huge role in the queer community, if it's for relationships or just meeting other people who are like you and knowing that [there are] other people like you out there."
In England, the first openly gay mayor of Sandwell (near Birmingham) has plans to make his community a better place for LGBTQ+ people, PinkNews reported. Jones is the youngest and first openly gay man elected to the role, and his partner is the first gay man to serve as mayor's consort. History was also made as councilor Jackie Taylor was appointed the first Black woman to be deputy mayor of Sandwell.
Billie Jean King was awarded the Legion of Honour, France's highest civilian award, as she celebrated the anniversary of her historic French Open victory, PinkNews noted, citing the AP. The tennis icon received the award—from French President Emmanuel Macron during a short ceremony at the Elysee Palace—in recognition of her contributions to women's sports, gender equality and the rights of LGBTQ+ people in sports. Macron described how King had not only "revolutionized international sport" in the years since her win at the French Open in 1972 but also "equality between women and men and the rights of minorities worldwide."
The Australian media company ABC; information technology services and consulting business Capgemini; and community support agency Advance Diversity Services were among those receiving honors at the 2022 Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards that were held recently in Sydney, according to Pink Advocate. Capgemini was named Employer of the Year for the first time, while management consulting company Oliver Wyman received the award for Small Employer of the Year. New South Wales peak organization the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agencies was named Service Provider of the Year; other top honors went to companies including Dentons, Deutsche Bank, IBM, Woolworths, Coles, the University of New South Wales and Deloitte.
Kuwait summoned a top U.S. diplomat over tweets from the American embassy expressing support for LGBT rights, according to NBC News. "All human beings should be treated with respect and dignity and should be able to live without fear no matter who they are or whom they love," the tweet read, quoting U.S. President Joe Biden. In the hours after the post went up, Kuwait's Ministry of Foreign Affairs rejected the sentiments shared in the tweet, saying it had summoned U.S. Charges d'Affaires James Holtsnider and given him a memorandum disavowing the post. In Kuwait, same-sex sexual activity between men is criminalized, with sentences including a maximum penalty of seven years' imprisonment.
A lesbian couple was reunited by an Indian court ruling after forcefully being kept apart by parents, PinkNews reported. The Kerala High Court ruled that Fathima Noora and Adhila Nassrin can live together after Nassrin filed a habeas corpus plea. The couple's parents refused to allow them to live together; so they both took refuge at Vanaja Collective, an LGBTQ+ shelter in Kozhikode that aims to "identify, create, and establish a space for marginalized communities."
Irish diplomats went to the Castro area in San Francisco to mark the opening of a new exhibit exploring the history and influence of the LGBTQ Irish diaspora, according to The Bay Area Reporter. The traveling exhibit, "Out In The World," shows the importance of, and sheds light on, the untold history of Ireland's queer diaspora and queer Irish people's impact on the world. The exhibit, at the GLBT Historical Society Museum in San Francisco's LGBTQ Castro District, explores six themes of the diaspora: exclusion, community, love, defiance, solidarity and return.
The United Kingdom's first national LGBTQ+ museum recently opened in London's King's Cross neighborhood—almost exactly 50 years after England's first Gay Pride march took place just a few miles away, NBC News reported. Queer Britain is the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes work by co-founder and director Joseph Galliano (the former editor of the U.K.'s Gay Times magazine) and his team to bring the museum and its charity to life. See queerbritain.org .uk/ .
After toy and entertainment company Mattel recently announced that it is releasing a special-edition Barbie doll of Laverne Cox, Brazilian right-wing congressman Otoni De Paula made transphobic comments about the development, per Out Magazine. "It's a huge absurdity. Mattel—the company behind the making of Barbie dolls, which have been a part of the history of our children—is now releasing a Barbie with a penis," the congressman said in his message (translated from its original Portuguese), which was posted to his Instagram. De Paula then submitted a request to hold an open debate about the doll—and it was accepted. Many have pointed out that Barbie dolls, Ken dolls and all other variations of the toy have never contained sex organs in their designs.
The annual Taiwan LGBT Pride will be held this year under the theme of celebrating sexual diversity, its organizers said, without confirming whether it will be a physical or virtual event, Focus Taiwan noted. Now in its 20th year, the parade is aimed at encouraging people to embrace their sexual identity, according to the Taiwan Rainbow Civil Action Association (TWRCAA), which will host the event Oct. 29.
Actor Kevin Spacey will "voluntarily" appear in a UK court on four counts of sexual assault following questions over whether he would need to be extradited from the United States, Deadline noted. "I very much appreciate the [Crown Prosecution Service's] statement in which they carefully reminded the media and the public that I am entitled to a fair trial, and innocent until proven otherwise," read a statement Spacey provided to Good Morning America. Spacey was artistic director of London's Old Vic Theatre during 2003-15. In November 2017, the company said it received 20 allegations of inappropriate behavior against the star after an investigation.
U.S. conservatives strongly criticized new gun-control measures proposed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and expressed concern about similar tight restrictions coming to the United States, with one member of Congress warning of a "dystopian future," Newsweek noted. Trudeau introduced new legislation that would put a national freeze on the ownership of handguns if it passes the Canadian parliament later this year. The country already has bans on more than 1,500 types of "assault-style" firearms. The move came after the deadly elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that left 19 children and two teachers dead.
Superstars from both sides of the Atlantic joined forces on June 4 in London to put on a Platinum Party at the Palace as part of the celebrations to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 70th anniversary on the throne, Deadline noted. Diana Ross, Nile Rodgers, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alicia Keys joined British artists like Queen (with Adam Lambert), Duran Duran, Sir Rod Stewart, Craig David and Sir Elton John for the concert held in front of Buckingham Palace, the Queen's official London home.
The founder of the notorious anti-trans pressure group Transgender Trend was among those awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen's birthday honors, according to PinkNews. Stephanie Davies-Arai is the founder of the group, which claims there is no "evidence that children really are trans" and that "gender-identity ideology" is harming children. Transgender Trend said she had been honored for "services to children." Prime Minister Boris Johnson said of the award recipients, "I pay tribute to all of this year's winners. Their stories of courage and compassion are an inspiration to us all."
Trans actor, model and director Hunter Schafer (who co-stars on HBO's Euphoria) went live on her Instagram account to call out a nightclub in Dusseldorf, Germany, that wouldn't let her assistant in because she was trans, Out Magazine noted. "Said my friend could not come in because she's trans," Schafer is seen saying at the beginning of the video. "Don't come to Silq—it's not safe for transgender people, if you're in Dusseldorf, Germany." Silq quickly responded, posting a picture of a heart in the colors of the Trans Pride flag on its Instagram account, along with an apology to Schafer.
Iconic French actress Catherine Deneuve will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 79th Venice Film Festival that will run Aug. 31—Sept. 10 on the Lido, Deadline noted. The Oscar nominee for 1992's Indochine said, "It is a joy to receive this prestigious award at the Venice Festival, which I love and have known for a long time—since Belle de Jour, by Luis Bunuel, received the Golden Lion in its day."
Out gay Olympic gold medal-winning diver Tom Daley is releasing a collection of Pride-themed T-shirts, hoodies, tank tops and sweatshirts via his Made With Love fashion label, Out Magazine noted. Daley said in a statement, "100 percent of all profits of this Pride collection go to Rainbow Railroad. I'm grateful to live in a country where I don't have to fear for my life. But that's not the same for our LGBTQI+ family around the world who face violence and oppression simply because of who they are."
The UK edition of Married at First Sight will finally feature the show's first-ever lesbian couple, per Out Magazine. In 2021, the series made history by showcasing its first-ever gay couple, Matt and Daniel. In the past, mainstream dating competitions like Love Island have faced backlash in the United Kingdom for not featuring LGBTQ+ cast members on the show.
Burger King Austria released a new Pride ad showing its new Pride Whoppers, which come with "same-sex" buns for the first time ever, Out Magazine stated. When people go to Burger King, at least in Austria, they can get a Whopper with either two top or bottom buns. The Pride Whoppers come "with two matching buns for equal love and equal rights," according to a post.
