Articles Culture Future Sound Asia Good Vibes Festival LGBTQ Rights LGBTQ+ ally Malaysia Matty Healy Music News The 1975

Malaysian music festival orders The 1975 to pay $2.6 million fine over same-sex kiss

The organisers of Good Vibes Festival have demanded The 1975 to pay a multi-million dollar fine following their controversial performance. Back in July, the British band performed at the popular festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  During their set, Healy caused a stir among attendees and government officials after he slammed the country’s anti-LGBTQ+ laws.  “I made a mistake. When we were booking shows, I wasn’t looking into it. I don’t see the f***ing point, right? I do not see the point of inviting The 1975 to a country and then…

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Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws Articles LGBTQ+ News Life Malaysia News Pride Videos

Malaysia bans Swatch’s Pride watches, punishable by up to 3 years in jail

Malaysia has banned Swatch watches celebrating the LGBTQ+ community under the guise that they may be harmful to morality and public interest. “(Swatch products) are subject to the Prohibition Order because they are publications that harm or may harm morality, public interest, and the interest of the state by promoting, supporting, and normalising the LGBTQ+ movement which is not accepted by the general public in Malaysia,” the Home Ministry said on 10 August. Any LGBTQ+ references on Swatch boxes, wrappers, accessories or other items will also be seized by authorities.…

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Articles Conversion Therapy Government LGBTQ+ LGBTQ+ News Life Malaysia News

Malaysian government funding LGBTQ+ ‘conversion therapy’ centres, report finds

A new report has revealed government officials in Malaysia have allowed so-called ‘conversion therapy’ as a means to “rehabilitate” LGBTQ+ people. The findings by Human Rights Watch and Justice For Sisters found that the Malaysian government funds state-sanctioned ‘conversion therapy’ retreats called “mukhayyam”. The aim is to change or suppress participants’ sexualities. Since June 2021, 1,733 people have been subjected to programs of this nature. Thilaga Sulathireh, the co-founder of Justice for Sisters, stated: “The programs, while framed as compassionate, internalise societal and structural discrimination and foment self-hatred among LGBTQ and…

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anti-gay Anti-LGBTQ discrimination Articles Conversion Therapy LGBTQ+ News Life Malaysia News

Malaysia launches ‘conversion therapy’ app to help gay people “abandon homosexual behaviour”

Malaysia’s government has launched a ‘conversion therapy’ app which it said would help LGBTQ+ people “return to nature”. The app, which is called Hijrah Diri Homoseksualiti, was announced on 9 March by JAKIM, the country’s Department of Islamic Development. “Hijrah Diri is an application of JAKIM’s initiative with Yayasan Ihtimam Malaysia to help the LGBT community return to nature,” the federal government agency wrote on Twitter. “Currently only available in the Google Play Store.” JAKIM provided more details of Hijrah Diri Homoseksualiti in a follow up tweet, stating that it…

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Anti-LGBTQ discrimination Articles LGBTQ+ News Life Malaysia News Trans

Trans and gender non-confirming people on brink of being banned from Malaysia’s mosques

Senior officials in Malaysia are considering a ban on transgender and gender non-conforming people entering mosques. The move would mirror a similar ban that was implemented in the country’s northern state of Perlis in June 2021. According to local news outlet Free Malaysia Today, the deputy minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Ahmad Marzuk Shaary, praised the action taken by Perlis. He is reported to have said the ban protects the sanctity of mosques, as well as preventing confusion within the Muslim community. On 24 September, Shaary told reporters: “I…

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