Amelia Hansford

In a win for diversity, Mexico has finally begun allowing its citizens to legally identify as their true selves after issuing the country’s first non-binary passport. Foreign minister Marcelo Ebrared confirmed on Wednesday (17 May) that the Mexican government had issued the first passport with a non-binary gender marker, calling it a “great leap” for freedom of expression. On International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) no less, Mexican activist Ociel Baena received their passport during a ceremony held by government officials, including transgender federal lawmaker Salma Luévano. “We endorse our support for sexual diversity,” the foreign minister wrote […]

Schools in Wales and Scotland are implementing respective and inclusive guidance to help support LGBTQ+ students. Both regions of the UK recently announced separate schemes that would support transgender and queer students by training faculty members on how to handle LGBTQ+ issues. Reports reveal that 60 per cent of Scotland’s secondary schools have adopted LGBTQ+ Youth Scotland’s inclusivity scheme as of Monday (24 April). The LGBT Charter aims to provide a number of resources, including awareness training and policy reviews, to help improve the treatment of LGBTQ+ youth in local schools. So far, 212 of 357 secondary schools in Scotland have […]

A politician in France has become the first female minister to come out as gay in the country after revealing her sexuality in an interview. Democratic Movement politician and youngest serving minister Sarah El Haïry revealed that she is queer and is currently dating someone. The 33-year-old state secretary for youth at the Ministry of National Education casually mentioned her partner while discussing whether she uses Twitter. In the interview with Forbes, she responded to the question by saying that she only ever reads Twitter when it affects her family or her girlfriend. The casual mention of her partner cemented El […]

US Vice President Kamala Harris has spoken out in support of LGBTQ+ people in Africa, following the introduction of a devastating new law in Uganda that bans queer identities entirely. The 49th vice president of the US made her stance clear on Monday (27 March) during a press conference in Ghana.  Standing alongside Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, Harris said she felt “very strongly” about supporting the development of LGBTQ+ rights in Africa. “I will also say that this is an issue that we consider and I consider to be a human rights issue and that will not change,” she continued. […]

So-called “conversion therapy” has “no place in a human rights-based society”, according to the EU commissioner for human rights. Bosnian EU official Dunja Mijatović wrote in a Thursday (16 February) report that the controversial practice is “dangerous” and should end. Conversion therapy is an abusive attempt to change an LGBTQ+ person’s sexuality or gender identity through psychological manipulation, often carried out by religious or medical institutions and often following pressure from family members.  Not only does the practice not work, but it can also leave behind immense trauma and mental health issues for those subjected to it. “These interventions continue […]