Category: News

May 15
Pink Shirt Day’s Roots Must Stay Visible 

Pink Shirt Day is now widely recognised as a national call to stand against bullying, but for Shaun Robinson, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand, it is crucial that people do not lose sight of where that kaupapa began.  As Aotearoa prepares to mark Pink Shirt Day 2026 on Friday 15 May, Robinson says the […]

May 14
EU Conversion Therapy Ban Campaign Falls Short Despite 1.2 Million Signatures

A campaign calling for a European Union-wide ban on so-called conversion therapy has fallen short, despite a petition signed by more than 1.2 million people and support from the European Parliament. On Wednesday, the European Commission responded to the European Citizens’ Initiative by saying that, after it “had analysed the legal possibilities”, it could only […]

May 14
Activists Mobilise Against Anti-LGBTQ+ “Family Values” Conference in Ghana

Activists are beginning to mobilise against a major upcoming anti-LGBTQ+ “family values” conference set to take place in Ghana, with campaigners pressuring the host hotel and highlighting what they describe as foreign influence behind the event. The 4th African Inter-Parliamentary Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values has now been confirmed for 3 to 6 June […]

May 14
Prosecutors Allege Homophobic Motive in Fatal German Roommate Stabbing

A man in Germany was allegedly murdered by his temporary roommate after moving into a shared home following a breakup. The 44-year-old victim had reportedly moved in with the 35-year-old defendant while waiting for his own property to become available. According to reports, the landlord made a room available in a shared home where the […]

May 14
Russian Woman Sentenced to Forced Labour Over Over Gay K-Pop Fan-Fiction

A woman in Russia has been sentenced to 18 months of forced labour after admitting she wrote gay fan-fiction about K-Pop group Stray Kids. Alexandra Kuzyk, a 36-year-old photographer and stylist, was found guilty of the “illegal production and distribution of pornographic materials” after publishing fan-fiction depicting same-sex romance. According to KP-Yekaterinburg, the case began […]

May 13
Spain Overtakes Malta as Europe’s LGBTQ+ Rights Leader

Malta is no longer Europe’s top-ranked country for LGBTQ+ rights, with Spain taking the number one spot in ILGA-Europe’s 2026 Rainbow Map. The 18th annual Rainbow Map ranks 49 European countries based on laws and policies affecting LGBTI communities. Spain’s rise to the top follows the introduction of new legal protections, a new independent equal […]

May 12
Pics | Eagle Bar Delivers Another Classic K Road Night Out

Check out our photos from another huge Saturday night at Auckland’s Eagle Bar, taken by Peter Jennings on 9 May, with the K Road favourite once again doing what it does best: bringing together a great mix of locals, regulars and out-of-towners for drinks, laughs and a seriously good night out. Tucked into the heart […]

May 12
Pics | URGE GRUNT Celebrates Leather, Gear & Liberation

URGE GRUNT took over Phoenix Auckland on Saturday 9 May, inviting partygoers to unleash their inner fetish and celebrate the darker, sweatier side of queer nightlife. More than just a dance party, GRUNT delivered a sensorial night of leather, gear, uniforms, sports kit and unapologetic self-expression, creating a space where gay culture could feel raw, […]