Ali Condon

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Gay man to be deported to Uganda after refugee status rejected: ‘I’ve run out of options’

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A gay man has expressed his horror and hopelessness after learning that he will be deported back to Uganda after living in Canada for five years.

The 25-year-old man, who came to Canada in 2018 as an international student, and has since worked in Edmonton, Alberta as a nurse, ran out of options this year when his work visa expired and his application for refugee status was rejected.

Uganda has become one of the most dangerous countries for LGBTQ+ people this year, with the introduction of its harsh Anti-Homosexuality Act.

The act, which was signed into law in May, calls for the death penalty for certain same-sex activities, and has prompted a torrent of abuse against LGBTQ+ people in the country, from both citizens and police.

Several people hold up signs denouncing anti-LGBTQ+ legislation and persecution in Uganda during a protest
A gay man is set to be deported to Uganda after failing to obtain refugee status in Canada because he cannot definitively prove his sexual orientation. (Getty)

Despite the inherent danger that awaits him at home, the man, who remained anonymous when speaking to Canada’s Global News to protect his identity, has had his refugee application and all subsequent appeals rejected.

The man, who is identified by the news outlet as “Sue”, explained that his refugee application was rejected because they couldn’t prove his sexual orientation.

“I don’t know how to prove… How am I supposed to prove that I’m a gay man? I just told you I am a gay man,” he said.

Lawyer Michael Battista, who also spoke to the publication, said that Sue had done his best to verify his sexual identity, providing evidence of his participation in the LGBTQ+ community in Edmonton, and an affidavit from a well-known Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist to verify that he is gay. But so far, this hasn’t made a difference in Sue’s case.

“I have nowhere to go,” Sue said. “I’m stranded and even the place I thought would comfort me is forcing me out.

“It’s hard to explain the feeling, but right now I feel like I have nowhere to go.”

Sue admitted that he had presumed that in Canada he would be “comfortable” and “fine as I am”.

He continued: “The fact that I have to prove my sexuality beyond reasonable doubt is quite ridiculous to me.

“This whole thing is a horror. I feel like I’m in a nightmare and I really want to wake up, but I cannot. I’m just praying and hoping that the government can intervene.”

If nothing changes, Sue, who began his application process back in April 2022, will be deported on Tuesday (19 December).

Battista noted that he couldn’t understand why Canada hadn’t put a moratorium on the deportation, which he said could be done for people who would be returning to communities where they’d be put in danger.

“Given the deterioration of the human rights situation in [Uganda], it would be, I think, a very good policy move on the part of the government of Canada,” he said.

While he waits in limbo for the next few days, it’s hard for Sue not to think about what might await him in Uganda.

“My whole family abandoned me so even if I reach the airport, I don’t know where I’m going to stay. I don’t know where I’m going to go. I’ve run out of options.”

“There is a very high chance that I’ll be arrested and tortured, just for identifying as a gay man. This is really something very, very disheartening that a fellow human being can treat someone harshly.”

Sue has also written to Alberta MP Randy Boissoneault about his case, the office of whom told Global News that they were aware of his situation and working with immigration officials.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency) told the outlet that the “decision to remove someone from Canada is not taken lightly” and “all individuals who ae subject to removal have access to due process and procedural fairness.”

Their statement read: “Canada is monitoring the situation in Uganda and remains committed to offer refugee protection to those who need it, including individuals who have been persecuted on the basis of their sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, and sex characteristics.”

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill has sparked an enormous outcry from LGBTQ+ rights and human rights groups around the world, with the US going as far as to revise travel guidance to the country and imposing sanctions against Ugandan officials.

Still, the country has insisted that it won’t sway, and has accused the US of pushing “the LGBT agenda in Africa.”

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Record-breaking number of businesses showing real LGBTQ+ allyship, figures show

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New data shows a record-breaking number of businesses are displaying true LGBTQ+ allyship to their employees, proving they “aren’t buying” mounting anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation issued its Corporate Equality Index (CEI) this week, and determined that the workforce is “more allied than ever before.”

The CEI, launched by the HRC Foundation in 2002, is a survey that measures company policies and practices regarding LGBTQ+ equality. 

In its first year, 319 businesses participated to determine if their policies were up to scratch. This year, 1,384 companies took part in the review – and the results were overwhelmingly positive.

The CEI reports that a record-breaking 95 per cent of businesses reviewed have non-discrimination protections in place specifically regarding gender identity. That’s an exceptional jump from 2002’s five per cent.

A man in an office with a laptop looking stressed
A record-breaking number of businesses are displaying true LGBTQ+ allyship to their employees. (Getty Images/PinkNews)

Equally as promising is the 94 per cent of businesses that offer transgender-inclusive health insurance coverage to employees, compared to 0 per cent in 2002.

Noting that these exceptional figures come at a time when the LGBTQ+ community is under attack by people “hoping to eradicate our identity and push us back in the closet”, HRC President Kelley Robinson said that it looks like “businesses aren’t buying it.”

“The future workforce is more out and allied than ever before in our nation’s history, and this year’s CEI shows a business community looking for ways to further support LGBTQ+ workers and their families,” she added.

This year’s review also found that 70 per cent of CEI-rated businesses have guidelines and supportive policies and guidance in place to pro-actively support employees going through a gender transition, as well as their managers and colleagues.

And 63 per cent of the businesses have policies that ensure a safe and affirming environment for transgender and non-binary employees, including trans-inclusive or all-gender restrooms, gender-neutral dress codes, and how an employee’s information, such as name and pronouns, is displayed.

Of the businesses reviewed by the HRC Foundation this year, an impressive 545 companies scored a perfect 100 and will be honored with HRC’s Equality 100 Award as Leaders in LGBTQ+ Workplace Inclusion.

Companies that took part in the CEI rating range from Fortune magazine’s 500 largest publicly traded businesses, American Lawyer magazine’s top 200 revenue-grossing law firms (AmLaw 200), and hundreds of publicly and privately held mid- to large-sized businesses.

Among the companies that earned a perfect score were household names like Apple Inc., AMC Entertainment, Dominos Pizza Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Google Inc., Mars Inc.,  Paramount, Pfizer Inc., Visa, and Warner Music Group – to name but a few.

Commenting on this year’s optimistic findings, Rashawn Hawkins, the HRC’s Senior Director of Workplace Equality, said: “For well over two decades, businesses have played an important role in furthering LGBTQ+ equality by centering employee needs and voices when it comes to workplace inclusion. 

“While there is much more work to be done, year-over-year growth in CEI participation is evidence of a business community that recognizes the responsibility and value in upholding equity and inclusion.”

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Majority of non-binary youth now avoid joining sports teams, study finds

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A new study has determined that a vast majority of non-binary youths in Canada now avoid joining sports teams over discrimination fears.

The study, conducted by Trans Connect and Simon Fraser University, surveyed queer, non-binary, and transgender youth ranging from ages 14 to 26.

It determined that only 11 per cent of non-binary youth in Canada currently take part in an organised team sport.

“The experiences of non-binary youth in organized team sports in Canada have been drastically understudied,” said researcher Martha Gumprich. 

A new study has determined that a vast majority of non-binary youths in Canada now avoid joining sports teams over discrimination fears. (Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

“Our report found that many youths avoid team sports due to abuse and discrimination but there are some solutions that would make sport more inclusive for non-binary participants and benefit everyone.”

Two-thirds of non-binary youths surveyed said that their reasoning for not joining an organised sports team boiled down to rules that would force them to play on a binary-gendered (men’s or women’s) team.

Meanwhile, four out of five non-binary youths said that they had avoided joining an organised team sport because of the layout of changing rooms or locker rooms.

Half of those surveyed said that they had avoided organised sports teams because of the teammates and coaches. Similarly, half opted not to take part because of discriminatory comments they had witnessed.

Half opted not to take part because of discriminatory comments they had witnessed. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Finally, one in six non-binary youths avoided organised sport because they had witnessed someone being physically harassed because of their gender.

Compared to their US neighbours, Canada hasn’t been too strict with restricting trans or non-binary people from their chosen sport – though there is plenty of grey area for athletes and teams to navigate.

A star player on Canada’s Women’s World Cup 2023 team was a non-binary athlete.

Footballer Quinn has also made history as the first out trans, non-binary athlete to win an Olympic medal, after taking home the gold for Canada at the Tokyo Games. 

Meanwhile, in the US, 23 states have passed laws that restrict transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming athletes’ participation in organised sports – particularly school sports – in the past three years alone.

This can have serious repercussions on gender non-conforming youth, who are excluded – voluntarily or not – from team sports that help to build, not just a players’ athletic abilities, but their social skills, team-building abilities, and leadership and problem-solving skills.

Canadian footballer Quinn wears a red and black uniform as they chase a football along the field at the 2023 Women's World Cup
Quinn is using their platform and football talent to help the next generation of footballers. (Getty)

Alongside their findings, TransConnect and Simon Fraser University researchers offer a number of possible solutions to these concerns that would encourage non-binary athletes to participate in sports again.

Those solutions include: allowing non-binary participants to choose the gendered team they’d like to play on, offering co-ed team options or dividing teams by competitiveness, creating gender-neutral changing areas with single stalls, and offering better education on diverse genders and sexualities.

“Participation in physical activities, particularly activities with the sociality of team sports, is a key part of preventative health measures,” said Simon Fraser University’s health sciences assistant professor Travis Salway.

“Non-binary youth deserve the same opportunity to participate in team sports as everyone else.”

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Queer teens twice as likely to experience binge eating disorder, research finds

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Queer teens are twice as likely to experience binge eating disorders compared to their straight peers, a new study has found.

Binge-eating disorder (BED) is, according to the study, the most common type of eating disorder in the US, affecting up to 16.6 million Americans. 

The disorder can act as a precursor for serious physical and mental health problems like cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure or cholesterol, arthritis, depression, or anxiety, if not treated.

Sad teenager
Binge-eating disorder (BED) is, according to the study, the most common type of eating disorder in the US, affecting up to 16.6 million Americans. (Getty Images)

Based on data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, a large-scale 2020 study that recorded 10,000 adolescents aged 10-14, researchers were able to determine that teens from low-income households, teens of Native American descent, and teens who identify as queer were most likely to be associated with BED.

The study from the University of California at San Francisco points to stressors like bullying, discrimination, and internalised homophobia as the cause of heightened disordered eating and lowered self-esteem among gay, lesbian, and bisexual teens.

Lead study author Dr Jason Nagata writes: “Adolescents who identify as gay and bisexual face external and internal stressors, such as stigma, bullying, discrimination, and internalized homophobia, which all compound to an increased risk for disordered eating.

“This study found that adolescent males who identified as gay or bisexual had 12.5 times the odds of binge eating compared to their heterosexual counterparts. 

“Similarly, adolescent girls who identified as lesbian or bisexual had twice the odds of binge eating and purging compared to their heterosexual counterparts.

“Given the emerging research that supports this association, future studies should explore the prevention, early identification, and management strategies of binge-eating behaviors for gay or bisexual adolescents.”

Sad teenage girl.
Stressors like bullying, discrimination, and internalised homophobia as the cause of heightened disordered eating. (Getty Images)

He continues: “Binge eating can result in psychological effects like depression and anxiety, and long-term physical health problems, including diabetes and heart disease.

“Given the higher risk of eating disorders in LGBTQ+ youth, it is important that health care providers foster a welcoming environment to youth of all sexual orientations and genders.”

The study also determined that, although disordered eating behaviours are often thought to primarily affect women and girls, data proves that male adolescents are more likely to display binge eating behaviours than their female counterparts.

“In male adults and adolescents, body dissatisfaction is often tied to a drive for muscularity and larger size as opposed to thinness,” the study reads.

 “Over half of young men who report weight gain and bulking goals report eating more to achieve this goal, which leads to the consumption of larger volumes of food.”

It adds that men are more likely than their female counterparts to engage in “cheat meals” the practice of briefly indulging in prohibited foods before returning to a strict diet.

Cheat meals, the study says, are linked to over-eating, loss of control while eating, and binge-eating behaviours.

It determines: “The findings from our analysis further illustrate the prevalence of binge-eating behaviors in adolescent males and serve as a call for more studies focusing on eating disorders in this population, particularly on the relationship between muscularity-oriented eating goals and binge eating.”

Dr Nagata concluded that any teenagers experiencing eating disorder symptoms should immediately “seek professional help.”

“Eating disorders are best supported by an interdisciplinary team, including a mental health, medical, and nutrition provider.”  

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Vivek Ramaswamy describes being transgender as a ‘mental health disorder’

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US presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has caused uproar among the public after describing being transgender as a “mental health disorder.”

The comment, which came during Wednesday night’s (27 September) second GOP debate, completely disregards official guidance from all major medical and mental health associations.

As transphobic rhetoric continues to sweep across the United States, it was likely that the topic of LGBTQ+ rights was going to crop up at some point during the presidential election run, but those tuned into the debate were disgusted to hear the Republican candidate’s views.

Candidates were asked their opinions on the contentious parental rights debate, which has seen a growing number of school districts debate whether to introduce policies that would inform parents if a student goes by a gender identity that doesn’t match the gender on their birth certificate.

When it came Ramaswamy’s turn to speak, he said: “Transgenderism, especially in kids, is a mental health disorder… It is not compassionate to affirm a kid’s confusion. That is not compassion, that is cruelty.”

This comment directly contradicts guidance from the American Psychiatric Association which says diverse gender expressions “are not indications of a mental disorder.”

The Republican candidate also made baseless claims that a lack of a parental notification policy in schools would increase the risk of suicide among young people. 

LGBTQ+ advocacy groups have warned that introducing parental notification policies would be more likely to put young people at risk, particularly if their parents are not supportive of their wishes to transition.

Ramaswamy then claimed to have spoken with two young women who said they regretted undergoing gender-affirming surgeries and promised the “ban genital mutilation and chemical castration.”

In fact, it is incredibly rare for gender-affirming surgeries, when made available to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, to result in feelings of regret.

According to a 2021 review of 27 studies involving almost 8,000 teenagers and adults across Europe, the US, and Canada who had gender-affirming surgeries found that an average of just one per cent expressed regret.

Those tuned in to the debate were devastated to see baseless anti-trans rhetoric being spread on such a public platform and took to X (formerly Twitter) to condemn Ramaswamy and other candidates who expressed similar beliefs.

“We will stand up for trans people every day,” commented one viewer. “Absolutely disgusting to hear Vivek Ramaswamy call it a mental health disorder.”

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Tennessee & Kentucky bans on gender-affirming care for minors upheld by appeals court

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Both Tennessee and Kentucky have been given the go-ahead by a federal appeals court to outlaw gender-affirming care for minors.

Earlier in 2023, both states passed legislation to restrict a number of rights for transgender youth, including access to gender-affirming care.

Both were challenged in court by the families of transgender children in each state and the American Civil Liberties Union, who had argued that bans on gender-affirming care discriminated on the basis of sex.

Trial court judges initially blocked both the Tennessee and Kentucky ban, but the 6th Circuit court ruled in July that Tennessee’s ban would be permitted to take effect while it considered the state’s appeal.

A protestor holds up a card reading "protect trans youth"
Bans on gender-affirming care have been upheld in both states. (Getty Images)

On Thursday (28 September), the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to honour both states’ appeals, allowing the restrictive bans to go ahead, Reuters reports.

In both states, these bans will prohibit medical providers from treating transgender minors with gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers, hormones and, in rare cases, surgery.

Gender-affirming care for minors has been backed by all major medical associations, including the American Medical Association (AMA) which reaffirmed this summer that they “unequivocally support the health and welfare of people who identify as LGBTQ+, which includes trans and gender diverse people seeking and undergoing gender-affirming care.”

Such treatment can often be life-saving for people suffering from gender dysphoria, and young people will be put at serious risk by having their access blocked.

Despite the overwhelming evidence in favour of gender-affirming care for minors, Chief Judge Jeffrey Sutton wrote in his ruling: “This is a relatively new diagnosis with ever-shifting approaches to care over the last decade or two.

“Under these circumstances, it is difficult for anyone to be sure about predicting the long-term consequences of abandoning age limits of any sort for these treatments.”

A crowd of people, many of whom are young, hold up signs in support of the LGBTQ+ community and trans youth as they protest the passing of SB 150 at the Kentucky state capitol
A crowd of people, many of whom are young, gather to protest the passing of SB 150 on 29 March 2023 at the Kentucky state capitol. (Getty)

Judge Sutton was joined by Judge Amul Thapar in his vote to allow the bans to go ahead.

In opposition was Judge Helene White, who had argued that neither Tennessee nor Kentucky should pass “constitutional muster” or “intrude on the well-established province of parents to make medical decisions for their minor children.”

Commenting on the ruling, the ACLU of Tennessee said: “This is a devastating result for transgender youth and their families in Tennessee and across the region.”

“Denying transgender youth equality before the law and needlessly withholding the necessary medical care their families and their doctors know is right for them has caused and will continue to cause serious harm. “

Meanwhile, the ACLU of Kentucky said in a separate statement: “Today’s decision is heartbreaking for trans youth across the state. It ignores evidence from medical experts & the trial court who agree that this care is necessary, effective, appropriate, & banning it undermines parents’ right to direct the upbringing of their children.”

“No one should have to decide between their health care and their home.”

Both ACLU chapters pledged to take further action in defence of their clients and the rights of all transgender people in their respective states.

Listen to this story

3 min

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UK Official: Being LGBTQ Is Not Grounds For Asylum

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EuroNews reports:

Suella Braverman questioned the United Nations Refugee Convention in a speech in Washington, arguing that “simply being gay, or a woman” should not be by itself grounds for international protection. The British government has made the fight against illegal immigration a priority.

With a general election due next year, which the opposition party Labour is widely tipped to win, the ruling Conservatives’ stance against asylum seekers is becoming increasingly hardline. Speaking at the American Enterprise Institute, the UK home secretary questioned the role of the 1951 Geneva Convention, which defines refugee status.

In 12 countries around the world, people can be put to death for having a same-sex relationship, while in 66 states private, consensual same-sex sexual activity is criminalised, according to the Human Dignity Trust.

Read the full article.

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Florida LGBTQ+ ‘safe places’ program under threat from Republican lawmakers

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A number of Republican lawmakers in central Florida have warned against the state’s LGBTQ+ Safe Place Initiative and said they are considering “all legislative, legal and executive options available” to prevent it from going ahead.

The city-sponsored program, which is in operation in the town of Mount Dora, gives local business owners the option to display rainbow decals in their windows to inform members of the LGBTQ+ community who feel threatened that they are a ‘safe place’.

“The mission of the Safe Place Initiative is to provide the community with easily accessible safety information and safe places throughout the city they can turn to if they are the victims of an anti-LGBTQ+ or other hate crimes,” reads an explainer of the program on the official City of Mount Dora website.

Mount Dora city council approved the Safe Place Initiative this August, following in the footsteps of other neighbourhoods throughout Orlando and across the US.

A photo of a Pride parade showing flags with rainbow colours being held
A ‘safe places’ initiative in Orlando could be under threat by Republican lawmakers. (Stock photo via Getty)

Other Safe Place Initiatives have been sponsored by the Orlando Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, and Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.

That’s why it might have taken some residents by surprise when four Republican lawmakers wrote in a letter to Mount Dora officials that they were concerned about the initiative.

According to AP News, lawmakers expressed fears that the optional program might put central Florida “in the crosshairs of potentially detrimental and absolutely unnecessary economic harm.”

The letter reportedly cited recent boycotts of brands like Bud Light and Target as a result of their efforts to support and promote LGBTQ+ inclusion and diversity.

Bud Light came under fire from right-wing consumers after transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney uploaded just one social media post sponsored by the beer brand.

Outraged responses ranged from beer boycotts to smashing displays in public to musician Kid Rock filming himself shooting cans of the beer.

Bud Light Boycott
Bud Light faced heavy backlash over Dylan Mulvaney’s post. (Natalie Behring/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, US retail giant Target took a sales hit this summer after unveiling its LGBTQ+ Pride-themed collection.

Not only did the brand report a slump in profits but it was forced to remove or hide their displays for the “safety and wellbeing” of their staff members when protests turned violent.

As reports of anti-LGBTQ+ attacks in Orlando – including the devastating vandalism of an LGBTQ+ centre’s murals just last week – increase, this is a time when the city needs safe spaces most.

Reacting to the letter to Mount Dora officials, Democratic Floridian lawmaker Anna Eskamani described it as “the weirdest letter I’ve ever read.”

Sharing a copy of the letter to social media in a post seen by AP News, she wrote: “Let LGBTQ+ (people) exist and stop politicizing everything!

“So much manufactured panic from the right. Meanwhile, families can’t even afford to live in Florida. Focus on that instead.”