In Russia, Moscow Pride has been banned for the 10th consecutive year, PinkNews reported. Pride parades are not technically illegal in Russia; however, the country's "gay propaganda" law makes it an offense to promote "non-traditional sexual relationships" to minors—which has been used to clamp down on all LGBT activism. Activist Nikolay Alexeyev was undeterred, saying, "We will nonetheless hold some kind of action on May 30, even if the venue is not yet decided."
Switzerland's highest court has struck down a 2014 ruling allowing both partners in a gay relationship to be registered as the parents of their child, Gay Star News reported. Last year, an administrative court in the canton of St. Gallen ruled that both men could be entered into the register as the boy's parents. The Swiss Federal Supreme Court have, however, denied the men, who relied on a Californian surrogate to conceive and carry the child.
The Church of Scotland has moved a step closer to allowing people in same-sex marriages to be appointed as ministers, Stv.tv reported. The Kirk's General Assembly in Edinburgh voted to send the issue to presbyteries for more discussions, deferring a final decision on the issue for at least another year. The move follows a historic vote that saw the Church vote in favor of allowing people in same-sex civil partnerships ( not marriages ) to be called as ministers and deacons.
In Ireland, voters backed same-sex marriage by a landslide in a referendum, marking a dramatic social shift in the traditionally Catholic country, Reuters reported. Even before final votes were tallied, ministers predicted Ireland had become the first country to adopt same-sex marriage via a popular vote—by a margin of approximately two to one, just two decades after it decriminalized homosexuality. ( The official results were announced May 23: 1,201,607 voted in favor of the referendum, while 734,300 voted against it. ) Health Minister Leo Varadkar, who revealed he is gay in January, said the referendum resembled a "social revolution."
Two judges in Argentina decided that a soccer coach who raped a 6-year-old boy shouldn't be held entirely responsible because the child had already been traumatized by previous alleged abuse—and because he supposedly showed "homosexual tendencies," according to The Daily Beast. The ruling—sealed when it came down last year but was leaked to the press—has caused an uproar. It has also revealed a pair of judges with a long record of reducing sentences for sexual and gender-based crimes, including justifying a pastor's rape of two teenage girls because they belonged to a lower economic class.
A cabinet minister in the Australian government has said he expects parliament to legalize same-sex marriage by the end of the year, as debate on a marriage-equality bill is brought forward next month, Gay Star News reported. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull told ABC Radio, "I'm confident the matter will be dealt with in the course of this year and of course, we obviously need a bill. There is a change in sentiment all the time." Green party Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has a private member's bill to legalize same-sex marriage before parliament.
In Britain, a gay teen told a jury that came out on the same day he was sexually assualted by a taxi driver, Gay Star News reported. Speaking in Bristol Crown Court, the teen ( who said he was kicked out of his home after coming out ) said the taxi driver who drove him to emergency accomodation forced him to carry a sex act out on him. The driver, 62-year-old Daviid Whitorow, denies the charge.
In Austria, Sweden prevailed in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, Stuff.co.nz noted. Sweden's song, Heroes, sung by Mans Zelmerlow, topped the Eurovision leaderboard. Last year's winner, bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst, was the show's backstage host, presenting from the area where the national delegations are seated inside Vienna's Stadthalle. ( Last year, Zelmerlow said that homosexuality is "abnormal" and that gay couples shouldn't raise children, NewNowNext.com reported. He eventually went on a damage-control tour and headlined Sweden's biggest LGBT event, the QX Gaygala. )
On May 17, the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Korea and the embassies of 10 European countries in South Korea declared their support for LGBT rights in celebration of IDAHO, the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, The Huffington Post reported. The countries that participated in supporting LGBT rights in Korea were Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Norway, Spain, Slovenia, Sweden and Great Britain, as well as the EU Delegation stationed in South Korea. On June 13, the EU office and the embassies of 10 countries in Korea will operate their own booths at the Korea Queer Culture Festival in Seoul. The U.S., French and German embassies had booths last year.
A gay fairy-tale romance is the latest story amongst Pop'n'Olly's educational videos for young children, a press release stated. The UK YouTube channel, created by presenter Olly Pike, is a free resource that provides educational establishments with media involving LGBT themes. Pop'n'Olly's newest video, Prince Henry, depicts a romance between a young prince and his servant, Thomas. The video goes on to teach how all humans are equal regardless of our differences.
A mother has had her gay son's matrimonial ad published in an Indian newspaper after three leading dailies refused—the first such advert published in a country where homosexuality is illegal, Al-Jazeera reported. Padma Iyer placed the advert for her 36-year-old activist son, Harish, in the matrimonial pages of Mid-Day newspaper, the largest selling tabloid in India's financial and entertainment capital, Mumbai. The ad read, "Seeking 25-40, Well-placed, Animal-Loving, Vegetarian GROOM for my SON ( 36, 5'11" ) who works with an NGO, Caste No Bar ( Though IYER Preferred )."
One of Egypt's leading young actresses gave an interview in which she calls for the rights of sexual minorities in her homeland to be respected, Gay Star News reported. During the talk, Mona Hala asked why it is necessary that the government includes her gender on her identity cards. At another point, she said, "Homosexuality has existed since ancient times. Many people throughout history have been like that, so who are we to judge them? Alexander the Great, who built Alexandria, was homosexual. Is that a reason to destroy Alexandria or to change its name?"
