Category: Openly

Articles LGBTQ+ News Life News Openly Pride US USA

Why has Pride caused an uproar in the United States?

admin, , , ,

Pride Month takes place globally every June but preparations for this year’s celebrations in the United States have been overshadowed by a series of controversies at a time of fierce debate about LGBTQ+ rights in the country. Here’s what you need to know: What has been happening? Dozens of brands have been criticised by conservative Americans for supporting LGBTQ+ Pride, including The North Face, Build-A-Bear, Southwest Airlines, Kohl’s and Adidas. In May, retailer Target removed some of its Pride Collection of more than 2,000 products from all U.S. stores. It…

Read More
Articles EU European Union LGBTQ+ News Life News Openly Uganda

EU lawmakers condemn Uganda’s anti-LGBTQ+ law

admin, , , ,

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola condemned Uganda’s adoption of an anti-LGBTQ+ law that includes the death penalty for “serial offenders” and “aggravated homosexuality”. Metsola said the law was deeply worrying and undermined human rights in Uganda. “This parliament has repeatedly reaffirmed that people should be allowed to live how they wish to live, be who they wish to be, and love as they wish to love,” she told the opening of the parliamentary assembly on Wednesday. Same-sex relations were already illegal in Uganda, as in more than 30 African countries,…

Read More
Arinze Ifeakandu Articles LGBTQ+ News Life News Nigeria Openly

Author Arinze Ifeakandu shines a light on gay Nigerian lives

admin, , , ,

Nigerian author Arinze Ifeakandu has often dreamed of a society where gay people do not have to hide their love or live in fear of homophobic hate. But LGBTQ+ people are pushing back against repression through creativity and community, said Ifeakandu, whose debut book “God’s Children are Little Broken Things” won the prestigious Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize for literature this month. “I always believe in the agency of people,” said Ifeakandu, 28, whose book follows nine stories of LGBTQ+ men in Nigeria. “And when you push people, (they will…

Read More
Articles EU LGBTQ+ News Life Marriage News Openly Romania Same-sex marriage

Europe rights court tells Romania to recognise same-sex couples

admin, , , ,

Romania must legalise same-sex civil unions, Europe’s top rights court ruled on Tuesday, in a victory for LGBTQ+ campaigners in the socially conservative southeastern European country. Twenty-one same-sex couples took Romania to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), arguing the lack of legal recognition of their relationships “deprived them of their dignity as spouses”. In a ruling on Tuesday, the ECHR found the country had violated Article 8 of the European Convention, which protects the right to respect for family life, by not giving LGBTQ+ couples any means of…

Read More
Articles India LGBTQ+ News Life Marriage News Openly Same-sex marriage

Recognise our love, says Indian couple in same-sex marriage case

admin, , , ,

Even after their wedding, Indian gay couple Supriyo Chakraborty and Abhay Dang hesitated to use the word “husband” to refer to each other – conscious that their country does not recognise same-sex marriage. “If anyone asks us if we’re married, I take two to three seconds pause to decide, shall I say yes or no?” Chakraborty told Openly during an interview in the couple’s home in the southern city of Hyderabad. “Because legally we are not.” The pair, who met on a dating app and have lived together for over…

Read More
Albania Articles Lesbian LGBTQ+ News Life News Openly

Albanian lesbian couple vow ‘fight to the end’ for parental rights

admin, , , ,

A lesbian couple from Albania who are fighting to be recognised as joint parents of their twin daughters say they will take their case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) if the country’s top courts rule against them. Alba Ahmetaj and Edlira Mara cannot both be registered as parents of the two-year-old girls under Albanian law, and they are refusing to state that Mara – the biological parent – is a single mother. “We are not treated like every citizen, we are second-class citizens,” Ahmetaj, 43, who works…

Read More
Articles Culture eurovision LGBTQ+ News Liverpool Music News Openly

‘Eurovision is the ultimate safe space for queer self-expression’

admin, , , ,

Growing up, I wouldn’t have classed myself as a big Eurovision fan. I’ve never been to a Eurovision party, tuned in for the semi-finals or listened to any of the acts before the main event. But within 48 hours of my arrival this week in Liverpool – home of Eurovision 2023 – I was a convert, yet another LGBTQ+ person who loves Eurovision. How did this happen? Was I simply star struck after bumping into Finland’s Käärijä – the bookies’ choice to win this year – backstage at the EuroVillage?…

Read More
Articles Europe ILGA-Europe LGBTQ+ News Life News Openly Trans

Trans rights gain ground despite rising European rhetoric

admin, , , ,

Europeans are moving ever closer to embracing equal rights for all despite a rise in anti-transgender rhetoric by many of their politicians, two studies found on Thursday. According to the annual ILGA-Europe Rainbow Map and Index, the countries to record the greatest gains on trans rights are those that had introduced self-identification laws for trans people. This removes the need for a lengthy medical consultation and diagnosis, and also lowers the cost of transition. Adoption of self-ID laws came after many politicians had turned trans rights into the latest battleground…

Read More
Articles HIV HIV/AIDS India LGBTQ+ News Life News Openly PrEP

Indian LGBTQ+ groups push to widen access to HIV prevention drug PrEP

admin, , , ,

Every morning, Neharika Ravalkar takes a pill that stops her joining the millions of Indians who are HIV-positive. As a trans woman, Ravalkar is among the groups at highest risk of HIV. But she is among a lucky minority taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication as cost, lack of awareness and stigma all hamper access in the South Asian nation. “PrEP is like a bodyguard for me,” said Ravalkar, who primarily scrapes a living from begging in Pune, western India “I’ve been helping people in my community to take it and…

Read More
Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws Articles EU European Union Hungary LGBTQ+ News Life News Openly

Will EU show of strength against Hungary deter anti-LGBTQ+ laws?

admin, , , ,

With 15 nations now backing a European Commission lawsuit over Hungary’s anti-LGBTQ+ law, rights campaigners hope the case will serve as a powerful deterrent against similar legislation in other EU countries. The infringement proceedings – joined this month by France and Germany – target a law passed in 2021 banning the use of materials seen as promoting homosexuality and gender change in schools. Touted by the conservative government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán as protecting children, the law caused a storm of international criticism, with European Commission President Ursula von…

Read More
Copyright © All Right Reserved Online Shop by Acme Themes
FREE SHIPPING Worldwide On All Orders! #QUEERKSRead our Shipping & Delivery FAQs for details.
+ +