A ruling by the Europe Union’s top court regarding same-sex marriage could have a major impact for queer couples across the EU, PinkNews noted. Concerning two Polish citizens who married in Germany, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has said that EU member states are obliged to recognize a union between two EU citizens that has “lawfully concluded in another member state” and where the couple in question have “exercised their freedom to move and reside.” However, the obligation to recognize does not require that a member state legalize same-sex marriage within its own laws.
In Bangladesh, Akhaura police, accompanied by members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, conducted a raid on the Ruti village residence of Mohammad Alamgir—secretary-general of the France-based human-rights organization JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)—with the intention of arresting him, Erasing 76 Crimes noted. Instead, they arrested one of his neighbors as Alamgir wasn’t home. According to Protect Lawyers, Alamgir has been the target of repeated threats and attacks for more than a year—aiming to silence him because of his activities and his commitment to fundamental rights.
At a conference organized by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) ahead of World AIDS Day, experts discussed regulatory delays and intellectual property barriers that threaten to restrict access to the HIV-prevention drug lenacapavir—particularly for marginalised communities who are most at risk, Indian Express noted. Few medical interventions demonstrate such remarkable efficacy. In clinical trials, lenacapavir has shown 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV among cisgender women and girls, and a 96% reduction in HIV risk within a gender-diverse group that includes cisgender men, transgender men, and non-binary individuals,” Doctors Without Borders Senior HIV/TB Advisor Dr. Antonio Flores, MSF, said.
A new government action plan, backed by millions of dollars, aims to bring England within reach of ending new HIV transmissions by 2030, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced on World AIDS Day, The Independent reported. The comprehensive strategy aims to re-engage individuals who have disengaged from HIV care and tackle the persistent stigma surrounding the virus. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer added: “I promised to end HIV transmissions in England by 2030 and we are making this a reality thanks to our action plan, with a groundbreaking new HIV prevention program, at-home tests made available through the NHS app and delivering opt-out testing in emergency departments.”
A 60-year-old man based in Berlin has become the seventh known person to achieve long-term HIV remission, because of ongoing cancer treatment for his leukemia, Newsweek noted. The patient had been diagnosed with HIV in 2009 and developed acute myeloid leukemia in 2015; he underwent a stem cell transplant to treat the cancer and went into HIV remission. The man stopped taking antiretroviral therapy three years after his transplant and has remained HIV-free for another three years since. Immunologist Christian Gaebler and his team hope that this case—and how differently it was achieved—can widen the possibilities for future HIV cures and increase the pool of prospective donors.
Grace Richardson—who was bullied at school for being lesbian—has said she has “achieved her dream” after being crowned Miss England, the BBC reported. I’ve ignored everything negative that they said to me and actually I’ve gone on to achieve my dreams,” she said, in part. Richardson is now the first openly gay Miss England after being crowned at the event in Wolverhampton; she will now represent England at Miss World 2026.
In Cameroon, 10 queer youths were arrested in Bafoussam as they were leaving a friend’s birthday party, Erasing 76 Crimes noted. A group of men identified only as “men in uniform” reportedly arrested the youths because of their clothing and appearance—and then demanded money in exchange for their release. After lengthy negotiations involving the human-rights group Transamical Cameroon, the youths were released upon payment of 50,000 Central African francs (about US $88).
In the world of men’s pro tennis, Swiss rising star Mika Brunold has become the second active player to come out as gay—and he did so in an emotional and candid Instagram post, Instinct noted. “I’m proud of who I am today,” he wrote, adding, “Being gay doesn’t just mean loving the same gender—it also means dealing with things most people never have to think about: the fear of not being accepted, the pressure to stay quiet [and] the feeling of being different. But I have grown.” Brunold’s announcement follows that of Brazilian player João Lucas Reis da Silva, who came out in December 2024.
In the midst of Pussy Riot’s creator Nadya Tolokonnikova’s live durational performance, POLICE STATE, at MCA Chicago, the Russian Ministry of Justice abruptly moved to designate Pussy Riot the collective as an extremist organization, per a press release. A lawsuit seeking to designate the organization as extremist has been filed with Moscow’s Tverskoy Court. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 15; previously specific members have been labeled foreign agents, criminals, terrorists or individuals added to international wanted lists. POLICE STATE ran Nov. 25-30 in Chicago.
Jodie Foster analyzed her 50+-year film career as she received an honorary award at the Marrakech Film Festival, per Deadline. “Seeing all these clips [of movies such as Taxi Driver and Silence of the Lambs], I thought to myself: I’ve been doing this job for quite a while now,” she said. “I’m still here, a little older, perhaps more wrinkled, but guided by the same love of telling stories, of bringing characters to life, of asking questions about our connections, our fragilities, our humanity.”
Jinkx Monsoon—the first and only drag queen to win RuPaul’s Drag Race twice—was recently seen on Broadway in Cole Escola’s hit play Oh, Mary!, which will be in London’s West End, according to London Theatre. In addition, Monsoon will play Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow at Soho Theatre Walthamstow in London during May 15-June 21, 2026. End of the Rainbow follows Garland in the final chapter of her life, and includes some of her most memorable songs.
Strongman has stripped “trans woman” Jammie Booker—who has never spoken of her gender identity—of her World’s Strongest Woman title, according to PinkNews. Booker was crowned the winner of the Official Strongman Games World Championships 2025 in Arlington, Texas, topping former world champion Andrea Thompson of Great Britain. However, Strongman Corporation stated on Facebook that Booker had been stripped of her title after “being informed” that “an athlete who is biologically male and who now identifies as female competed in the Women’s Open category.” Many reports have found that trans women do not have any advantages over any other women, when competing in elite sport.
In the UK, Black drag queen Guillotina said they were racially abused by a group of young people they believe to be Cambridge University students, per PinkNews. She alleged that a group of student-age individuals called them a “n****r” while at a McDonald’s restaurant. “He and his friends started laughing as they did this, all while deliberately avoiding eye contact and denying me the chance to confront them,” they wrote in an Instagram post. Guillotina said on Instagram that they tried to speak to a security guard outside the fast-food spot, but no one assisted them; they have since filed a police report.
Queer soccer players, coaches, match officials and fans are being urged to check out the Football v Homophobia Awards, Outsports noted. The most recent winner was South Africa’s African Pride Games project, founded by Phuti Lekoloane—the only player in the history of professional men’s soccer on the continent to come out publicly as gay. The nominations window is open for the seventh annual edition of the only event of its kind anywhere in the world that celebrates LGBTQ+-related feats in soccer.
Contaminated waters have become problematic as communities across Southeast Asia and the Caribbean struggle to tackle health issues caused by toxic rivers and rainwater, Reuters noted in a newsletter. For example, after the Category 5 Hurricane Melissa slammed into Jamaica on Oct. 28, the resulting stagnant, contaminated water has become a breeding ground for leptospirosis, officials said. Leptospirosis is spread through water or soil contaminated by the urine of infected animals, such as rodents; the disease’s initial symptoms could be mistaken for the flu but it can result in kidney failure, liver damage, meningitis and severe internal bleeding.
Out British It’s a Sin writer Russell T Davies advised that “the fight is not over” when it comes to eradicating HIV, the BBC noted. Davies said that misinformation made him “despair,” adding that people must not “blunder into the future without looking back at the past.” He added, “I was 18 in 1981, so I kind of witnessed and stood back from and was horrified by the epidemic that ensued.” His warnings come as UNAIDS warned the global response to HIV had suffered its most significant setback in decades due to cuts in global funding.
The newest RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner said she will be celebrating by spending some of the prize money on a trip for her and the show’s runner-up, the BBC noted. Bones snagged the top prize, and revealed to BBC Newsbeat that she and fellow finalist Elle, who’s from west Belfast, promised each other that if either of them won they would take the other on a vacation. Originally from Stalybridge, Greater Manchester, Bones entered the world of drag seven years ago and is now a fixture in London’s Soho scene.
World of Wonder announced the renewal of Drag Race España: All Stars for a second season, per a press release. The inaugural season saw season two contestant Drag Sethlas take home the crown and be inducted into the Drag Race España Hall of Fame. Drag Race España has also been confirmed for a sixth season, with season five currently airing every Sunday on WOW Presents Plus in the United States.
Bjork celebrated her 60th birthday by detailing how proceeds from a previous single have helped bring lawsuits against the Icelandic State, NME noted. In 2023, Björk teamed with artists Rosalía and Sega Bodega on the track “Oral”; all proceeds from the song were donated to support the legal fight against foreign-owned salmon farming in Iceland. In a new Instagram post, Björk outlined details of four cases in which proceeds from the song went to help others in their continuing legal fights.
Stage/screen star and LGBTQ+ ally Megan Hilty will offer a solo concert at the UK’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane on May 24, 2026, per Playbill. In a statement Hilty said, “London! If you haven’t been able to cross the pond and catch Death Becomes Her on Broadway yet, don’t worry, I’ll bring a little bit of Death Becomes Her with me when I perform at the iconic Theatre Royal Drury Lane on May 24th.” Hilty, who played Ivy Lynn in NBC’s musical drama Smash, is currently starring as Madeline Ashton in Broadway’s Death Becomes Her; that run will end Jan. 11.
Martha Stewart officially opened her first standalone retail stores under her own brand name anywhere in the world—and she chose Dubai for her debut, per MSN. Stewart was in Dubai for the grand-opening celebrations at Mall of the Emirates, following earlier soft launches at Mirdif City Centre and Dubai Hills Mall. Stewart is now part of Marquee Brands, the parent company that owns her brand and orchestrated the Middle East expansion. Los Javis—the couple behind HBO Max’s Veneno, the hit series that brought the life of Spanish trans icon Cristina Ortiz to the masses—have reportedly split after 13 years together, according to Instinct. Power couple Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo co-founded Suma Content, a production company, and have appeared on projects such as Drag Race España, where they were judges. According to El País, the split is amicable; Ambrossi and Calvo will continue to work together on their current and future creative projects.