Germany and France are joining the EU Commission's infringement proceedings against Hungary over its anti-LGBTQ+ law, according to NBC News. The European Commission referred Hungary to the Court of Justice of the EU in mid-2022 over the law banning the use of materials seen as promoting LGBTQ+ issues in schools. Many pro-LGBTQ+ organizations criticized the law; however, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government claimed it was protecting children.
A French politician became the first female minister to come out as part of the LGBTQ+ community in the country after revealing her sexuality in an interview, PinkNews noted. Talking with Forbes, Democratic Movement politician and youngest serving minister Sarah El Hairy—the state secretary for youth at the Ministry of National Education—revealed that she is queer and is currently dating someone. She previously called out bias against LGBTQ+ groups in France, saying that promoting LGBTQ+ rights is a "daily fight."
In New York, activists gathered in front of Uganda House, the permanent mission of Uganda to the United Nations, to stand in solidarity with LGBTQ+ Ugandans and condemn the East African country's parliament for passing a law that makes even identifying as LGBTQ+ illegal, Gay City News reported. Among the speakers was Transgender Equality Uganda founder Beyonce Karungi, who talked about the dangers facing Black trans women in Uganda. President Yoweri Museveni has not yet signed the bill, but he has been outspoken about his opposition to LGBTQ+ rights.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said there is no difference between same-sex and opposite-sex marriage, and that Japan should properly acknowledge any relationship between two people in love, The Asahi Shimbun reported. There is only "marriage," Emanuel said in a speech on April 10 at a meeting held by Naigai Josei Chosa Kai (Research Institute of Japan) in Tokyo, reflecting his previous thoughts regarding marriage equality. In Japan, a nonpartisan group of lawmakers is considering submitting a bill to the Diet to promote "understanding" of LGBT+ people; however, opposition within the Liberal Democratic Party (which is actually conservative) remains strong, and passage of the bill is not in sight.
The Rwandan government recognized same-sex relationships in a newly launched book for adolescents and young people who are under 24 entitled Amahitamo Yanjye (My Choice), The Washington Blade noted. The Comprehensive Sexuality Education Toolkit, in the country's Kinyarwanda language, seeks to curb teenage pregnancies while recognizing and promoting education about various sexual orientations. To recognize the existence of same-sex relationships, the kit uses the "Genderbread Person" tool to educate young people. The book is a product of Plan International Rwanda, in collaboration with Rwanda's ministry of health and Rwanda Biomedical Center.
Out non-binary Australian actor Hugh Sheridan recently told the Herald Sun about a date-rape drug incident that they experienced, Instinct Magazine noted. Sheridan revealed that they were drugged with a date-rape medication by a couple (man and woman) they knew, and was thereafter left incapacitated for eight hours at a strange apartment. They were able to escape the property, leaving with "no phone, no wallet, no shoes," and went to their sister's home in Randwick.
In the latest development regarding gay Russian TikTok figures who were arrested, one was facing deportation, Out noted. Gela Gogishvili and boyfriend Haoyang Xu reportedly have been facing increasing pressure from Russian authorities. Gogishvili posted a YouTube video saying that police had stopped his boyfriend supposedly to ask to see his passport and registration documents; however, when they tried to show the passport to the officers at a restaurant, they instead escorted the couple back to the police station. Russia's LGBTQ+ "propaganda" law bans LGBTQ+ people from promoting any kind of positive or neutral message about being queer in any form of media.
Antonio Moreno—also known as the former Spanish gay-porn actor Hector de Silva—is running for mayor in the Spanish village of Carcelen, according to Out. "I take my past as a porn actor normally because my family, who supported me, knew about it and I have always told them about it," Moreno said in a statement from Spanish news outlet Sur. "It is a stage in my life that I don't regret because I learned a lot." Now a livestock farmer who lives with his partner, Moreno said the town "needs to improve in many things because it is very neglected. We have a very high IBI property tax and there is less and less population because there is no work to attract families with children." The mayoral contest will be May 28.
Three couples are taking the Lithuanian state to court over the issue of same-sex partnerships and marriages, The Baltic Times reported. In the cases, the couples want the registration of a civil partnership, entry of a marriage concluded abroad into the civil register, and recognition and registration of a same-sex marriage in the country. In 2019, the Constitutional Court held that Lithuania had to grant a residence permit to a foreign man who had married a Lithuanian of the same sex in another country, even though Lithuania does not allow same-sex marriages.
Acclaimed Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodovar has enlisted Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal to star in his "answer to Brokeback Mountain," Strange Way of Life—and Pascal opened up about how he came to join the project, Out noted. Pascal told Insider that Almodovar has long been one of his favorite writer-directors, and so it was an easy decision when asked if he wanted to work with him. He also was very happy to get an opportunity to work with Hawke. Strange Way of Life (which has been acquired by MUBI for Italy and Latin American territories, according to Variety) will officially debut at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
Three people were arrested in connection with anti-gay and discriminatory chants made during the Premier League soccer match between Wolves and Chelsea, ESPN reported. Both teams and the league condemned the chants directed at Chelsea supporters during the game that the Wolves won 1-0. West Midlands Police said three men—aged 32, 24 and 21—were arrested on suspicion of a "public order offense [that] caused harassment, alarm or distress and also of using threatening words or behavior to stir up sexual orientation hatred."
Australian MP Moira Deeming received a nine-month suspension over her involvement in Posie Parker's anti-trans rally—narrowly avoided being expelled from the Victorian Liberal Party, PinkNews noted. Liberal Party members convinced Victorian Liberal leader John Pesutto—who had promised to have Deeming expelled—to instead suspend the MP. Deeming will also be stripped of the position of upper house whip and the $20,000 pay rise that accompanies it.
LGBTQ+ Australian award-winning comedian Hannah Gadsby's third Netflix comedy special, Hannah Gadsby: Something Special, will premiere globally on May 9, per a press release. This time around, the comedian talks about their wedding, traumatic encounters with a bunny and much more. The special was filmed at the Sydney Opera House last fall, and it follows Nanette and Douglas.
Prestige ran a piece on Diesel creative director Glenn Martens, who, among other things, talked about sexual liberation and sustainability. In part, the out Belgian said, "This season, the democratic component was all about sex positivity. In April, 300,000 condoms will be given away for free at Diesel stores around the world." In addition, Martens wants to make even the most intricately experimental pieces from his runways as affordable as possible "because there's an audience around the world that's asking for it right now."
The International LGBTQ+ Travel Association will hold its 40th Anniversary Global Convention Oct. 4-7 in Puerto Rico and is now accepting applications for speakers for this event, per a press release. Notable past speakers include Jennifer Brown, DEI expert and founder/CEO of Jennifer Brown Consulting (JBC); Fabrice Houdart, human rights officer at the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); and Matthew Pritchard, head of industry and travel of Southeast U.S. at Google. See www.igltaconvention.org/ .
At the UK's Palace Theater, unruly patrons wouldn't stop singing along with the musical The Bodyguard, Deadline noted, citing Sky News. Police were called to the theater, resulting in the show being stopped 10 minutes before the end. Some audience members were reportedly "singing over the lead during the final song." Two people were removed from the venue, Greater Manchester Police said, and charges were being decided.
The BBC objected to a new label describing it as "government-funded media" on its main Twitter account. The corporation has contacted the social media giant over the designation on the @BBC account to resolve the issue "as soon as possible." When BBC News highlighted to Twitter CEO Elon Musk that the corporation was license fee-funded, Musk—who said he believed the BBC to be one of the "least biased" outlets—responded in an email, "Is the Twitter label accurate?" While the @BBC account, which has 2.2 million followers, has been given the label, much larger accounts associated with the BBC's news and sport output are not currently being described in the same way.
Irish Oscar winner Martin McDonagh (Banshees of Inisherin; Three Billboards Outside Epping, Missouri) complained of theaters refusing to perform his work because he would not agree to changes in the language, per Deadline. His 2003 play The Pillowman, about a writer imprisoned by a totalitarian state, is set for revival in June on London's West End stage.
British star Orlando Bloom went to Ukraine to meet President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the Carnival Row actor hailed the strength of the president's people during Vladimir Putin's invasion as "awe-inspiring," per The Daily Mail. In his role as a goodwill ambassador for the UN children's organization UNICEF, the actor spent three days in the country and visited Kyiv, Irpin and Demydiv.
Mexican actor Polo Morin, a staunch defender of LGBTQ+ rights, has been engaging in a war of words with actor-turned-ultra-conservative activist Edwardo Verastegui—an alleged former boyfriend of Ricky Martin, according to Queerty. Verastegui has linked pedophilia with homosexuality, and Morin responded on Twitter, "If that was YOUR case when you 'were' homosexual, it only remains in that: YOUR CRIMINAL PERSONAL experience. It does not make it a generality. Hopefully one day you will find the peace that you say you have found so you no longer have to keep trying to 'condemn' others."
