Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed he will ask Ukraine's government to look into legalizing same-sex marriage after the war with Russia ends, PinkNews reported. Ukraine's constitution defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Last month, a petition calling for the legalization of marriage equality in Ukraine gained more than 28,000 signatures, passing the 25,000-person threshold required for it to be considered by the president.
French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne announced the creation of a new position of ambassador for LGBTQ+ rights in efforts to fight discrimination across the world, according to France24. Borne said an ambassador will be named by the end of the year and will notably be in charge of pushing for universal decriminalization of homosexuality and trans identity. She also announced the creation of a 3-million-euro ($3.05-million) fund to finance 10 new LGBT+ centers, in addition to the 35 already existing in France.
UK drag-queen shows are also dealing with protests from far-right groups, CNN reported. In footage shared online, anti-vaxxer Michael Chaves is seen yelling at parents—some of whom are carrying infants—arriving for Drag Queen Story Hour UK, an event at which books promoting compassion and inclusion are read to children. Chaves went on to falsely accuse Sab Samuel—performing that day as drag queen Aida H Dee—of being a pedophile. Recent angry confrontations around events involving drag queens in the United Kingdom follow a precedent from the United States, where right-wing extremist groups ambush similar events and conservative politicians have pledged to criminalize adults taking children to drag shows.
World Triathlon, the sport's international governing body, will continue to allow trans women to compete—but under stricter rules, per PinkNews. Among other things, the new policy states, "To compete in the female category in an elite or age-group triathlon competition, a transgender athlete must demonstrate that the concentration of testosterone in the athlete's serum has been less than 2.5 nmol/L continuously for a period of at least 24 months." In allowing trans women to compete, World Triathlon has broken away from other governing bodies like swimming's FINA, which effectively banned trans women from competing earlier this year.
The Singapore government asked foreign businesses to be careful about advocating LGBTQ issues in the city-state that could be "socially divisive," East Mojo noted. Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said this while reacting to comments made on the local LGBTQ community by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi during a visit to the country. Emphasizing that "LGBT issues are matters for Singaporeans to discuss and come to a consensus on how to move forward," the ministry said these choices were only for "Singaporeans to decide."
A gay man who was beaten in Amsterdam in July is angry about the lack of police resources there, NL Times reported. Recently, resident Aaron Endre was pulled off his bicycle and beaten while his attackers shouted gay slurs at him. However, a guard at nearby nightspot Chin Chin Club (and who may have aided the attackers in escaping) told authorities Endre suffered a biking accident. Police denied that officers and detectives neglected Endre. Still, more than two weeks after he filed a two-page statement at a police station regarding the violent crime, Endre said he still had not been contacted by a police investigator. (The police confirmed to NL Times that several people attacked the victim while biking.)
Allison Bailey has lost her lawsuit against Stonewall but has won her employment tribunal case against Garden Court Chambers, PinkNews related. Bailey—a lesbian barrister and co-founder of the anti-trans lobby group LGB Alliance—sued LGBTQ+ rights charity Stonewall and Garden Court Chambers, of which she is a member. The so-called "gender critical feminist" claimed"Garden Court took action" against her by launching an investigation and withholding work from her over her anti-trans social-media posts and her involvement with LGB Alliance.
The Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games took place July 29-Aug. 8—and the Scottish athletes chose badminton star Kirsty Gilmour, now playing her fourth Games, and para athlete Micky Yule to carry their flag, The Federal noted. Gilmour (who came out in November 2021) told local media, "For me personally, I am also the first openly gay athlete to carry the flag for Scotland—a huge honor for me and for everyone in the LGBTQ community." The event is an international multi-sport event for members of the Commonwealth of Nations—a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire.
On a different note, approximately 80 boats participated in Amsterdam's world-famous Canal Parade on Aug. 6, representing LGBTQ organizations, gay restaurants and cafes and other companies that support the struggles of the LGBTQ community, NL Times noted. Interestingly, the police, national government and municipality of Amsterdam also had boats in the parade. For the 25th edition of the event, each boat was slated to display a message inspired by the theme "My Gender, My Pride."
Australian pro rugby player Toby Rudolf recently talked about sexual fluidity and his personal dating history, including who he has kissed, per Out Magazine. During a recent interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks player said, "Sexuality is very fluid. I've been out and kissed many gay men, kissed many straight women, and kissed many gay women." He added, "I'm not a one-stop shop. Love is love, and I love to share it with everyone. That's probably why I love going to all the gay bars in Sydney as well." The National Rugby League player then specified that while he is "open to both, genders" he is, in fact, "only attracted to one of them."
Rugby star Gareth Thomas' former partner filed a lawsuit accusing him of "deceptively transmitting HIV" to him when they were together, PinkNews noted, citing The Sunday Times. Thomas, 48, is a gay sporting icon who came out in 2009, and is seen as a pioneer of HIV/ AIDS activism. He is being sued in Britain's High Court by his ex-partner Ian Baum, 59, who has accused him of hiding his status and "failing to take reasonable care" not to pass on the virus. Baum is reportedly seeking a six-figure sum in damages for serious physical and psychological injury, including alcohol dependence, depression, and loss of life expectancy—but Thomas' lawyers are reportedly planning to use handwritten notes from Baum, dated January 2016, as evidence..
A gay man in Australia received the shock of his life recently when he stumbled upon his homophobic father on Grindr, Out Magazine noted. The man, who only identified himself by his first name of Jacob, told Australian radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O about the entire ordeal. In identifying his father, Jacob couldn't help but notice that the man's photo background looked eerily familiar to that of his parents' house, and it was then he realized that the profile could belong to that of his father, who previously disowned him for being gay. After talking with the person behind the account, Jacob's his suspicions were confirmed when he asked for a face pic and received an image of his father.
The UK show Strictly Come Dancing is featuring another set of same-sex partners for its landmark 20th season, per Out Magazine. Richie Anderson, best known for playing soccer for the Coombs Wood F.C. and being a morning presenter on BBC Radio 2, has joined the series' season-20 cast and will partner with a male professional dancer. He's following in the footsteps of season 18 stars Nicola Adams and Katya Jones, as well as season 19 runners-up John Whaite and Johannes Rabede.
Spice Girl Geri Halliwell was criticized after being seen hugging Conservative MP Nadine Dorries at the Euro 2022 final between England and Germany, PinkNews noted. The singer is featured in a selfie posted on Twitter by the Tory lawmaker. Dorries was criticized during her time as minister for mental health for refusing to participate in cross-party talks on issues facing the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. More recently, the MP has taken aim at trans participation in sporting events.
