On the March

Wake Up Where the Clouds Are Far Behind

After July's International AIDS Conference ended, dozens of African delegates remained in Melbourne to seek asylum, fleeing countries that face not only widespread and generalised HIV epidemics, but violent and systemic homophobia. Benjamin Riley interviewed one of those people, learning it's hard to feel safe when the one you love is left behind.  Read More

 

Argentina grants first refugee status to Russian gay, victim of President Putin's non tolerance policies

A young 28 year old became the first Russian gay to be given refugee status by Argentina, because of discrimination and violence at his home country. The positive reply to the year-long request was sponsored by Argentina's Federation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and trans, FALGBT. Read More

Tens of thousands march for gay rights in Taiwan

In carnival splendor participants in the 2014 Taiwan LGBT Pride Parade posed for selfies with onlookers, comfortable and extravert in their lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender skins.

The parade attracted tens of thousands of LGBT rights supporters from across the globe, who took to Taipei's streets for "A Walk in Queer Shoes", celebrating the diversity of LGBT groups. Read More

Thousands demonstrate in France to defend "traditional family values"

Protesters took to the streets in Paris and Bordeaux to demonstrate against medically assisted procreation techniques for lesbian couples and surrogacy. According to Ludovine de la Rochere, president of Manif Pour Tous that organised the demonstration, such techniques must be "fought at all costs.” Manif pour Tous fought against the adoption of same-sex marriage in France last year.  Read More

Serbia Gay Pride march returns after four years

Serbia's first Gay Pride march for four years has been held in the capital Belgrade, amid huge security, including special forces and armoured vehicles. Authorities had cancelled the event every year since marchers were attacked in 2010 - nine years after Gay Pride was first held in Belgrade.

Earlier in September a German LGBT rights speaker was treated in hospital after being beaten in Belgrade. In response to the attack, Interior Minister Nebojsa Stefanovic said: "We will not allow this kind of thing to remain unpunished."  Read More

Gay activists on front line of Hong Kong protests

Thousands of protesters sit peacefully on the streets of the Causeway Bay shopping district. The chants of 'Leung Chun-ying, ha toi [step down]' quieten down as gay singer Anthony Wong starts to perform.

Tommy Chen, spokesperson for LGBTI rights group Rainbow Action, says there can be no equality for LGBTI people without democracy: ‘The queer community actually understands this quite well, so that’s a reason the queer community in Hong Kong has been involved in the social movement for over 10 years,’ he said. The group is a member of one of the protest organizers Civil Human Rights Front, which Chen said had a 'disproportionately high' number of LGBTI volunteers and organizers. Read More

A multitude of celebrations

Two American 90-year-old women married after 7 decades together in a church of the town they moved to in 1947. Meanwhile a mass wedding in London saw 15 same-sex couples and 55 mixed-sex couples tie the knot across 6 ceremonies this weekend, part of Southbank’s Festival of Love programme, which celebrates the introduction of equal marriage earlier this year.

South Korea’s gay march forward

An estimated 10,000 participants attended the Queer Culture Festival with concerts, drag and dance performances, booths from different LGBT organizations, representatives from the American, German, and French embassies, and Christian protesters.

Protestors shouted slogans and carried signs that read, “Our youth are getting AIDS because of homosexuality,” and “Homosexuality is not genetic. It’s an acquired choice. Treatment is possible” Read More

Israel allows Jews to immigrate with same-sex spouses

The Government says it will allow Jews to immigrate to Israel with their non-Jewish same-sex spouses.  Israel does not permit gay couples to marry in the country, but recognizes same-sex marriages if they were performed legally abroad. Read More