Emma Powys Maurice

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Mexico football team issues desperate plea to fans: Stop your homophobic chants

Mexico’s national football team has begged fans to stop the homophobic chanting that’s led to FIFA banning spectators from two World Cup qualifier matches. FIFA slapped the sanctions on the Mexican soccer federation (FMF) last month after several matches were marred by fans chanting “p**o”, a homophobic slur that’s plagued Mexican football for years. “If we don’t have a chance to participate in the World Cup, that’s going to be awful for everybody – for us, the federation, for the players and for the fans and supporters as well,” Torrado told The Tennessean. “So we need them to continue supporting us, but in a good […]

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Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus reeling after horrific Pride crash that killed one of their own

The leader of the Fort Lauderdale Gay Men’s Chorus has spoken of their shock and grief after one of their members killed another in a horrific crash at a Florida Pride. James “Jim” Fahy, 75, was killed and two others were injured when a pickup truck driven by a fellow chorister suddenly accelerated and rammed into spectators at Pride parade in Wilton Manors, Florida on 19 June. Speaking to Local 10 News on Tuesday (29 June), chorus director and founder Dr Gary Keating recalled the horrifying moment when tragedy struck. “The truck took off, it knocked me down, I saw it go across the […]

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Russia’s anti-homophobia campaign defiantly launches on anniversary of Putin crackdown

The first-ever Russian anti-homophobia campaign has bravely launched on the anniversary of a constitutional amendment that formally banned same-sex marriage in Russia. The unflinching campaign is led by the Russian LGBT Network, which released a heartrending film depicting the love and struggle of two queer men through interpretive dance. Simply titled “We Will Become Better,” the video was released in defiance of Russia’s notorious “gay propaganda” law, which criminalises any positive depiction of LGBT+ identities. “This campaign is a precedent for Russia’s social advertising industry. It’s the first-ever project created by an LGBT+ organisation and a marketing agency,” said Alla Chikinda of the Yekaterinburg Resource […]

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High Court rejects bid to force trans women into men’s prisons in landmark ruling

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The High Court has rejected claims that housing trans women who’ve committed sexual or violent offences against women in female prison facilities is discriminatory to cis women. A judicial review against the government was launched last year to determine whether the Ministry of Justice’s policy on the care and management of trans prisoners discriminates against cis women. The High Court returned its judgement on Friday (2 July), stating that the policies “do not involve an unjustified or disproportionate intrusion with the [Human Rights Act] Convention rights of women prisoners”. The landmark case was brought by an unnamed cis female inmate at HMP Downview, who said she […]

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Ohio governor signs bill allowing doctors to refuse care to LGBT+ people

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The governor of Ohio has signed a bill that allows doctors to refuse medical care to LGBT+ patients if they have an objection based on “moral” grounds. The provision was buried in a 700-page document of last-minute amendments to the state’s two-year budget bill, which governor Mike DeWine approved last Wednesday (30 June). t allows any medical provider – from doctors and nurses to researchers, lab techs and insurance companies – “the freedom to decline to perform, participate in, or pay for any health care service which violates the practitioner’s, institution’s, or payer’s conscience as informed by the moral, ethical, […]

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Hungarian Jewish groups take defiant stand against cruel anti-LGBT+ law

Jewish groups in Hungary have taken a stand against their country’s vile anti-LGBT+ “propaganda” law, warning that “no one should be labeled impure”. The wide-reaching legislation passed by Hungary’s government this month, ostensibly to combat child sex abuse, defines any positive depiction of LGBT+ gender identity and sexuality as “gay propaganda”. t forbids the depiction or discussion of these topics in schools, as well as any form of LGBT+ representation in advertising or media that could be seen by under-18s. The legislation immediately set alarm bells ringing for Hungary’s Jewish community, who know all too well what it means for a minority […]

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British and American embassies in homophobic UAE boldly fly Pride flags

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British and American embassies in the United Arab Emirates raised the LGBT+ Pride flag in a historic regional first. On Monday (28 June) the two embassies tweeted their support for LGBT+ rights as they raised the Pride flag alongside their national flags at their Abu Dhabi residence in the UAE. t marked the first time any diplomatic mission has flown a Pride flag in the religiously conservative Arab Gulf, where homosexuality is punishable with prison time, chemical castration, public flogging, or even death. “On the anniversary of Stonewall, a milestone in the American civil rights movement, the US Mission shows its support for […]

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Thousands rally for Warsaw Pride in defiant protest of Poland’s rising tide of homophobia

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Thousands rallied in Warsaw for the largest Pride parade in central Europe, taking a defiant stand against the rising tide of homophobia in Poland. Marchers gathered amid a sea of rainbow flags for the Warsaw equality parade on Saturday (19 June), with the city’s mayor Rafal Trzaskowski marching at the head in a prominent sign of support. Postponed for two years due to COVID, the event marked the 20th anniversary since Warsaw’s first ever Pride – yet the celebrations were tinged with fear for the future in the heavily Catholic, largely conservativenation. “The day of the parade is always a bittersweet […]

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‘Sesame Street’ celebrates Pride month with adorable special episode introducing two gay dads

Sesame Street is celebrating Pride month with an adorable special episode introducing its first ever same-sex couple. The milestone episode, titled “Family Day,” debuted on HBO Max and YouTube on Thursday (17 June) and sees characters welcome their family members to the famous street. Among them are Frank and Dave, the brother of Nina, who works as a bike store owner on the street, and their daughter, Mia. The iconic kids’ show has discussed LGBT+ families in the past, but Yahooreports this is first time it’s ever featured a same-sex couple (not counting Bert and Ernie, of course). Cast member Alan Muraoka, who helped create […]

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Thugs pull down city’s jubilant Pride flags and leave an ugly Confederate flag in their place

CRinimals in Louisville, Colorado, have repeatedly torn down the city’s display of Pride flags, leaving a Confederate flag in its place. On 1 June a group of volunteers pitched in to plant dozens of rainbow flags at a busy intersection in celebration of Pride Month. Within a week they’d all been stolen, not once but twice – and on one occasion a Confederate flag was left at the scene as a stark message. “I mean, it’s certainly disappointing,” Louisville mayor Ashley Stolzmann told 9News. “But sometimes when you see something like this negative happen, it kind of reminds you why you need […]

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