The post “We just want to be free”: LGBTQ+ Afghans are struggling to survive under Taliban rule appeared first on GAY TIMES. Go to Source Author: Conor Clark
Read MoreMPs finally debated banning ‘conversion therapy’ for all LGBTQ+ people after a petition on the issue reached more than 145,000 signatures. The discussion, which took place on 13 June in Westminster Hall, lasted for around two and a half hours and saw representatives from a number of parties advocate for a full and comprehensive ban of the practice. Among them was Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North and former Leader of the Labour Party, who compared the current situation to “the grim days of Section 28”. “The proposal to not…
Read MoreThe post The UK government is sleepwalking on LGBTQ+ rights appeared first on GAY TIMES. Go to Source Author: Robbie de Santos
Read MoreThe petition calling for trans people to be protected in a ban on ‘conversion therapy’ in the UK is less than 14,000 signatures away from 150,000. It is now the fourth most-signed open petition on the government’s official website. It previously reached the 100,000 threshold required to be considered for parliamentary debate on 11 April. The person who launched the petition, Sammantha Harris, told GAY TIMES that it “was born out of a frustration with how the current government is treating LGBTQ+ people and especially trans people.” “I was expecting…
Read MoreOffshoring asylum claims to Rwanda will be especially harmful for LGBTQ+ people trying to reach the UK, activists and charities have warned. Male asylum seekers crossing the Channel on small boats will be sent to the country on a one-way flight by the British government under a trial scheme, Boris Johnson announced on 14 April. They will then be able to claim asylum in the UK from Rwanda, which is more than 4,000 miles away, as part of a £120 million deal. During a speech in Kent, the Prime Minister…
Read MoreThousands of people took to Downing Street on 10 April to protest the UK government’s decision to exclude trans people from a ban of so-called ‘conversion therapy’. “Trans rights are human rights” and “LGB with the T” were among the many phrases chanted by the crowd, which tripled in size in the space of around 30 minutes. GAY TIMES attended the demonstration, which was so big that the police had to redivert Whitehall’s traffic around it due it spilling onto the street. An array of LGBTQ+ activists and celebrities showed…
Read MoreThe UK government is reportedly “not budging” on its decision not to ban trans ‘conversion therapy’, despite widespread calls to do so. On 31 March, a leaked document seen by ITV News confirmed that the UK government was no longer planning to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ despite promising to do so since 2018. However, mere hours after the news broke, the government made a U-turn on its decision in the wake of public outcry at it – including from fellow Conservative politicians. Despite this, the renewed plans reportedly do not…
Read MoreBoris Johnson’s government is set to ban gay ‘conversion therapy’ after all, though his plans reportedly do not cover practices aimed at trans people. On 31 March, a leaked document seen by ITV News confirmed that the UK government was no longer planning to ban so-called ‘conversion therapy’ despite promising to do so since 2018. However, mere hours after the news broke, the government made a U-turn on its decision in the wake of public outcry because of it – including from fellow Conservative politicians. “The Prime Minister has changed…
Read MoreThe UK government is no longer planning to introduce a ban on so-called ‘conversion therapy’, a leaked document has revealed. Boris Johnson will reportedly link the decision to needing to focus on issues like the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, according to leaked documents seen by ITV News. ‘Conversion therapy’ is typically defined as any attempt at changing a person’s sexuality or gender identity, often involving techniques such as electroshock therapy or prayer. It has been widely condemned by health experts all over the world, with…
Read MoreBoris Johnson allegedly made a joke at the expense of the transgender community hours before the first-ever UK MP came out as trans. During a dinner for Conservative MPs on 29 March, the Prime Minister is believed to have mocked Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to get involved in a ‘debate’ being pushed by social commentators over whether or not a woman can have a penis. “Good evening ladies and gentleman – or as Keir Starmer would put it, people who are assigned female or male at birth,” Johnson reportedly…
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