The Tokyo High Court has ruled that Japan’s ongoing ban on same-sex marriage is constitutional, rejecting legal arguments from plaintiffs who claimed the prohibition violated their rights to equality and family life. Handed down on 28 November, the ruling is the final in a series of six high-profile challenges brought between 2019 and 2021. It […]
Senegalese authorities have arrested 15 people after discovering their involvement in an LGBTQIA+ WhatsApp group, marking the latest in a series of crackdowns on queer communities in the West African nation. The arrests stemmed from a theft investigation in late November, which began when a 63-year-old Koranic teacher reported to police that two of his […]
Western Australia is on the verge of passing long-awaited reforms to its surrogacy laws, in a move hailed as a major victory for LGBTQIA+ equality and inclusive family rights. After months of heated parliamentary debate, the Upper House completed its detailed review of the Assisted Reproductive Technology and Surrogacy Bill 2025, voting 22 to 12 […]
Former U.S. President Joe Biden will be awarded the Chris Abele Impact Award this Friday at the 41st International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference, recognising his decades-long advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights — and what many consider the most inclusive presidential administration in U.S. history. The annual event, hosted by the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, will gather more than […]
In a heartfelt and spiritually rooted sermon, Pastor Phillippa Phaneuf of North Chili United Methodist Church in Rochester, New York, came out as a trans woman, telling her congregation: “The best way to put this is that I’m not becoming a woman, I’m giving up pretending to be a man.” Phaneuf used the final ten […]
Girlguiding UK has announced it will no longer accept trans girls or young women into any of its youth programmes, citing legal changes and recent interpretations of the Equality Act 2010. The decision, revealed on 2 December 2025, affects all levels of the organisation, including Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, and Rangers, and marks a significant reversal […]
Malaysian authorities have arrested 203 men, including 24 foreigners, in a raid on a Kuala Lumpur gym suspected of operating as a gay sex-on-premises venue. The operation took place on Friday night at a men-only gym located on Jalan Raja Laut. Reports state that those detained include doctors, teachers, students, law enforcement officers, and 17 […]
What if STI testing didn’t start with a swab — but with a conversation? That’s one of the quieter revolutions behind Test’n’Treat, New Zealand’s first peer-led sexual health clinic. While headlines have focused on the clinic’s speed (test today, get treated today), there’s another story unfolding in the rooms at Body Positive’s Auckland offices — […]