Winds of Change

OHCHR: Threshold test on hate speech now available in 32 languages

A "practical and useful tool" in the fight against incitement to hatred and violence has been translated in 32 languages.

Pride in a time of COVID-19 should embrace a wider solidarity

The coronavirus outbreak has been a time of regression for LGBTQI rights. June's Pride celebrations are a chance to reassert solidarity in the face of oppression and harassment. The #ShapePRIDE2020 hashtag is an opportunity to amplify Pride's reach.

Poland: The European Commission intervenes on “LGBT-free” zones. This letter could be groundbreaking

The letter from the European Commission is a confirmation that the homophobic resolutions passed by local governments in Poland have legal consequences, violate the rights of their residents, and should conform to EU values. It also opens the way to EU funds being blocked – right now

Australia: SA led the way for many reforms, so why is 'gay panic' still a defence?

South Australia has a reputation as a progressive state based on several milestones in its political history. It was the first to grant parliamentary voting rights to women, in 1894. It was also first to decriminalise homosexuality, and was at the forefront of the push for Aboriginal land rights during the 1970s. But a legal loophole allowing murder charges to be downgraded has remained

Guyana: Mobilizing COVID-19 relief for transgender sex workers in Guyana and Suriname

Twinkle Paule, a transgender activist, migrated from Guyana to the United States of America two years ago. As the COVID-19 crisis deepened, she thought of her “sisters” back home and in neighbouring Suriname. For many of them, sex work is the only option for survival. She knew that the curfew would starve them of an income. And she was worried that some might wind up in trouble with the law if they felt forced to work at night.

International Sex Workers Day 2020: Plight of sex workers during coronavirus pandemic

Sex workers are adults who receive money or goods in exchange for consensual sexual services or erotic performances, either regularly or occasionally. Over a decade, the lives of sex workers have not been easy. To remember the struggle due to discrimination of sex workers and their inhumane living and working conditions, June 2 has been marked as International Sex Workers Day.

Thailand: “We cannot provide only HIV services while sex workers are hungry”: Thai community organization steps in

When the Thai government ordered the closure of entertainment venues in the country in March, it didn’t just signal an end to pulsating music and rounds of drinks shared with friends. It also signalled the start of difficult times for an estimated 145 000 sex workers living in Thailand.

China: Civil code defines, bans sexual harassment

Having spent more than 10 years providing legal services to people dealing with sexual harassment, lawyer Lyu Xiaoquan received some good news at the end of April-he learned that such harassment would be officially banned and a definition would be included in China's first civil code.

Hungary: Transvanilla Association representing two trans applicants turns to the Constitutional Court

The amendment to the Act on Civil Registration Procedure, which outlaws legal gender recognition in Hungary comes into effect after being signed by János Áder, President of Hungary. The Constitutional Court remains the last option in the country to stop the government’s amok run.

Creating CARE and Sustaining Well-Being: Reflections from Queer Organizing across South & Southeast Asia

A collaborative endeavor by Rima Athar, Liy Yusof and Sonaksha Iyengar–this publication illustrates conversations & reflections on building a framework for action on holistic well-being for activists