Czech lawmakers approve more rights for same-sex couples, just not marriage

More: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/czech-lawmakers-approve-more-rights-same-sex-couples-just-not-marriage-2024-02-28

Ghana passes law criminalising identifying as LGBTQ+

The Parliament of Ghana passed a bill Wednesday that makes it illegal to identify as LGBTQ+ in Ghana. The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021 states that anyone who is found to be LGBTQ+ in the country could be imprisoned.

Ghana’s Parliament passed the bill by a unanimous vote following the completion of its third reading in parliament. Under this new law, anyone identifying as LGBTQ+ could face up to three year in prison, while anyone who forms or funds LGBTQ+ groups could face up to 5 years in prison.

The bill states that its intention is as follows:

The object of the Bill is to provide for proper human sexual rights and Ghanaian family values; proscribe LGBTQ+ and related activities; proscribe propaganda of, advocacy for or promotion of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and related activities; provide for the protection and support for children, persons who are victims or accused of LGBTTQQIAAP+ and related activities and other person; and related matters.

The bill was formed in response to Ghana’s first LGBTQ+ advocacy resource centre opening in Accra in January 2021. According to the bill, this event was “greeted with a plethora of criticism from a cross section of Ghanaians” and the centre was closed following public protests. At the time, the National House of Chiefs issues a statement regarding the centre, affirming that “nowhere does the Ghanaian culture subscribe to LGBTQI which is a taboo, inhuman and alien to our society.”

Member of Parliament Sam George, a strong supporter of the bill, spoke to reporters after the vote. He stated that their “cultural values are upheld and respected” by the bill. When asked whether there was opposition to the bill, George stated “We may have had one or two members express divisions, but that is their democratic right. We respect it but the overwhelming majority of both sides of the house have supported this bill.”

The bill will be forwarded to President Nana Akufo-Addo, who must assent the bill before it becomes law in Ghana.

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US Supreme Court declines to hear Missouri case excluding jurors based on religious beliefs

The US Supreme Court denied a petition to hear an appeal Tuesday concerning the exclusion of potential jurors based on the jurors’ religious beliefs in a Missouri sex discrimination case.

Jean Finney, a worker for Missouri’s Department of Corrections who is also lesbian, sued her employer alleging sexual discrimination and retaliation after Finney began dating the ex-wife of a male co-worker. Before trial, three prospective jurors were removed during the juror selection process after expressing their religious beliefs that homosexuality was a sin. In 2021 the jury found in her favor regarding the claims for sexual discrimination and a hostile work environment and awarded her $275,000 in damages. The Department of Corrections appealed the decision arguing that the exclusion of the three jurors amounted to a violation of the US Constitution’s Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause.

The appeals court affirmed the lower court decision and a writ of certiorari to have the case heard by the US Supreme Court was filed in August 2023. In the petition, the Department of Corrections argued that the jurors were excluded solely based on religious views without any demonstration of bias in direct violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Prospective jurors were asked if they went to a “religious organization growing up where it was taught that people who are homosexuals shouldn’t have the same rights as everyone else because it was a sin with what they did?” and if they were unable to “set aside their religious convictions” in fair treatment of the case. The petition further argued that the questions were improperly asked and that there was a split in authority on the issue of exclusion of jurors based on religious beliefs among the lower courts, a split that required the US Supreme Court to grant a hearing for the case.

While the court declined to hear the case, Justice Samuel Alito wrote in a statement respecting the denial of certiorari that the lower court’s reasoning was concerning. He further criticized the questioning of Finney’s counsel and expressed a willingness to hear a case on the issue with better facts in the future:

I agree that the Court of Appeals’ reasoning raises a very serious and important question that we should address in an appropriate case. The judiciary…must respect people’s fundamental rights, and among these are the right to the free exercise of religion and the right to the equal protection of the laws. When a court…finds that a person is ineligible to serve on a jury because of his or her religious beliefs, that decision implicates fundamental rights.

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Local Italian Court in Bolzano refers question regarding the non-recognition of third gender to Constitutional Court

Here’s the decision in Italian:

https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2024/02/14/24C00015/s1

Zimbabwe to ban LBGTQ+ higher education scholarships

Zimbabwean Vice President Constantino Chiwenga warned young people in the country on Thursday that the government will block all higher education scholarships from LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations.

In his statement, Chimwenga denounced LGBTQ+ organizations’ scholarships as “unlawful” and a move by “foreign interests” to recruit less privileged students into “lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual activities.” He went on to say that:

Our schools and institutions of higher learning will not entertain applicants, let alone enroll persons associated with such alien, anti-life, un-African and unchristian values which are being promoted and cultivated by, as well as practised in decadent societies with whom we share no moral or cultural affinities. Zimbabwe is a sovereign, African State with definite laws and values which typify it, cutting it apart from other mores.

Chiwenga advised young Zimbabweans who qualify for enrollment in higher education to approach government departments tasked to give grants and scholarship for support especially those with deserving cases, going on to say, “[t]hey should never be tempted to trade or sell their souls for such abominable and devilish offers.”

Zimbabwe has passed laws criminalizing homosexuality. Under the Criminal Law Act, section 73 prohibits sexual relations between males. According to Amnesty International, Zimbabwe is one of 33 countries in Africa where homosexuality is criminalized, with Mauritania, Sudan, Northern Nigeria and Southern Somalia including the death penalty as punishment for homosexual acts.

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Saint Vincent and the Grenadines top court upholds gay sex ban

Saint Vincent and the Grenadine’s High Court upheld laws criminalizing gay sex on Friday, met with sadness and criticism from LGBTQ+ activists. The ruling was delivered by Justice Esco Henry, who found that the laws are “reasonably required” to protect public health and morality, particularly the country’s HIV rates.

In light of the country’s “limited resources,” Henry found that the provisions were “most likely the least drastic means to achieve” the goal of reducing HIV rates as much as possible. She also found that they do not infringe on the Constitution. Henry continued, “[T]o my mind, the thought of a public health crisis occasioned by an unstemmed deluge of new HIV cases, is a real and serious concern which reasonably justifies a public health response of the kind embedded in the challenged provisions.”

The ruling upheld sections 146 of the Criminal Code 1988, which prohibits anal intercourse with a sentence of up to 10 years. The ruling also upheld section 148 of the same code, criminalizing public or private same-sex indecent practices. The sections were challenged in a 2019 High Court case seeking constitutional redress of the colonial-era laws, brought by Javin Kevin Vinc Johnson and Sean Macleish. Both claimed they were forced to leave the country as they openly identified as gay. The challenge was unsuccessful, and their claims were rejected. The men were ordered to pay EC$7,500 (about £2,200) to the attorney general. 

A July 2023 Human Rights Watch report found that violence and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people in the country, although rarely prosecuted, encouraged a culture of intolerance towards queer people. It also noted that Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a signatory of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which prohibits LGBTQ+ discrimination, meaning the country’s continued commitment to these laws is contrary to its international obligations.

Five other English-speaking Caribbean nations also criminalize gay sex: Lucia; Dominica; Jamaica; Guyana and Grenada. Other Caribbean nations have recently repealed similar laws: Antigua and Barbuda (2022); Saint Kitts and Nevis (2022); Barbados (2022) and Trinidad and Tobago (2018).

There has been much international concern regarding the treatment LGBTQ+ people in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as well as in other Caribbean countries.

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Divided Greek government greenlights same-sex marriage with opposition votes

Read: https://www.euractiv.com/section/non-discrimination/news/divided-greek-government-greenlights-same-sex-marriage-with-opposition-votes/

Read more: Greek Orthodox Church asks for roll-call vote on same-sex marriage bill

21 of 46 Council of Europe member states (45.7%) now! 

_______________________________________________________________

The Greek Parliament voted on Thursday to legalize same-sex civil marriage. The legislation passed with a majority of 176 votes in favor out of 300 members of the Hellenic Parliament.

Key provisions of the approved legislation include the recognition of same-sex marriages, amending the civil code to allow marriage regardless of gender, establishing equal surname rights for children, and adapting labor, social insurance and civil service laws to extend benefits to same-sex spouses and parents. It also ensures protections against discrimination in various sectors including social protection, education, and access to goods and services. In addition, the legislation recognizes same-sex marriages and parental relationships established abroad, subject to certain conditions.

The bill, proposed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ center-right government, saw 76 votes against, two members voting “present,” and 46 abstentions. The bill garnered support from four left-wing parties, including the principal opposition, Syriza, while facing rejection from three small far-right parties and the Communist Party.

Before the bill’s passage, the Church of Greece articulated its concerns through a detailed letter to Parliament. The church criticized the shift towards gender-neutral parenting roles and contended that civil unions already provided sufficient rights for same-sex couples, questioning the necessity of same-sex marriage and parenting rights.

International celebration of the bill’s passage, however, was swift. The UN Human Rights Office wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “We welcome Parliament’s vote to open marriage to same-sex couples. It is a landmark win for human rights, & a big step forward towards #LGBTQ+ equality.” One supporter of the bill interviewed by the AFP stated, “It’s a historic day. We are so very happy with this result, we’ve been waiting for it for a very long time.”

Following Thursday’s vote, Greece is the 16th country in the 27-member European Union to legalize same-sex marriage.

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Russia media regulator begins investigation into language learning service Duolingo for alleged ‘LGBT propaganda’

Russia media regulator Roskomnadzor Friday began an investigation into the alleged spread of “LGBT propaganda” by the language learning application Duolingo, as reported by TASS, Russia’s state news agency.

Duolingo, an American-based language learning application established in 2011, has come under scrutiny following allegations of promoting “LGBT propaganda.” The request for investigation reportedly stemmed from objections raised by the Novosibirsk-based human rights group Radatel.

Article 5 of the Federal Law “On the Protection of Children from Information Harmful to Their Health and Development” categorizes the promotion of non-traditional sexual relations as detrimental to children’s health and development. Redatel cited concerns with specific sentences on the Duolingo app, such as “Ben and Peter love each other. They are gay,” and “Clara met her wife Maria at a lesbian bar.”  The group said this has created a dilemma for parents, who they claim struggle to explain the content in a manner that does not harm the psyche of elementary school children. However, the media regulator denied having received such complaints.

This investigation is another example of the hostile environment LGBTQ+ people face in Russia. The LGBTQ+ community in Russia has to contend with significant legal and societal challenges, including restrictions on advocacy, recognition, and marriage rights, which are further exacerbated by governmental measures.

In 2022, the Russian State Duma passed a bill that expanded the existing legislation concerning LGBTQ material. This bill amended the 2013 law, widely known as “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors,” to encompass individuals of all age groups. Part 1 of Article 6.21 of the amended legislation which addresses “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations,” imposes hefty fines on offenders.

In addition, the Russia Supreme Court in December 2023 declared the “international LGBT movement” an extremist organization, effectively banning LGBTQ+ activities within the country. This decision was met with condemnation from numerous human rights organizations, which called for its reversal. Moreover, in 2020, the Russian Constitution was amended to explicitly state that marriage in Russia is legally recognized only between a man and a woman, as outlined in Article 1 of its Family Code. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ordered Russia to legalize same-sex unions. Russia responded that it is at early stage of societal development, rendering them unprepared to implement such measures.

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Austria: VIMÖ Verein Intergeschlechtlicher Menschen Österreich celebrates 10th anniversary

		VIMÖ Verein Intergeschlechtlicher Menschen Österreich
		February 11 at 4:17 PM
11. Mai 2024: 10 Jahre VIMÖ – Geburtstagsveranstaltung Vor 10 Jahren hat sich VIMÖ gegründet und das möchten wir natürlich feiern! In den vergangenen 10 Jahren haben wir durch unseren Aktivismus viel geschafft und verändert! Unsere wichtigste Forderung, der Schutz vor gesundheitlich nicht notwendigen Eingriffen und somit unser Menschenrecht auf Selbstbestimmung über unsere Körper, ist aber immer noch nicht in Österreich umgesetzt. In diesem Sinne wird unsere Geburtstagsveranstaltung am 11.05.2023 auch eine Veranstaltung, die diesen Missstand thematisiert, Kinderrechte in den Vordergrund rückt und an die Politik umso mehr appelliert ihren Versprechen nachzukommen. Mehr Infos und Programm folgen! Wir freuen uns über zahlreiches Kommen :-). https://vimoe.at/2024/01/01/11-mai-2024-10-jahre-vimoe-geburtstagsveranstaltung/

Tennessee city must pay $500K in settlement with ACLU over drag ban

A Tennessee city settled with the ACLU on Wednesday, agreeing to pay $500,000 for the harm caused by its anti-drag ordinance and policy. The city of Murfreesboro agreed to repeal the ordinance, which was designed to ban drag performances on public property, and end the policy that denied all special event permit requests from the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Tennessee Equality Project (TEP).

The city implemented its ban in June, claiming that drag performances during TEP’s Pride event in 2022 resulted in the “illegal sexualization of kids.” The ACLU, along with the ACLU of Tennessee, Ballard Spahr, and Burr & Forman, filed suit in federal court last October, alleging the ordinance and policy violated the US Constitution’s First Amendment right to free speech and expression. The lawsuit also alleged the ordinance was unconstitutionally broad and vague, and that it discriminated against the LGBTQ+ community and therefore violated the Fourteenth Amendment.

A federal judge temporarily blocked the city from enforcing the ordinance in October, and the city responded by amending the ordinance to no longer include “homosexuality” as prohibited “sexual conduct.” The plaintiffs, however, stated that the amendment was not enough. In response, the plaintiffs said, “[W]e will continue to challenge the remaining portions of this anti-LGBTQ+ ordinance until it is permanently defeated, and all residents of Murfreesboro know that their government officials have no right to censor LGBTQ+ people and our expression.”

The parties are now filing a dismissal of the case due to Wednesday’s settlement, bringing the lawsuit to a close. “We celebrate the resolution of this case because it has guaranteed the rollback of a discriminatory policy and affirmed our right to host BoroPride,” said TEP Executive Director Chris Sanders. “Now we can turn our attention to preparing for the 2024 BoroPride festival and defending the rights of LGBTQ+ Tennesseans at the state legislature.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign, Tennessee has enacted more anti-LGBTQ+ laws than any other state in the country since 2015, making the state “increasingly hostile and unlivable for LGBTQ+ Tennesseans.” The state has seen several challenges to LGBTQ+ rights in the past year,  including a law that protects public school employees’ choice to not use a student’s preferred pronouns. In September, a federal judge prohibited Blount County from banning drag performances at a pride festival, and a federal appeals court upheld a state law banning gender-affirming care for minors the same month. The ACLU is currently tracking twenty-nine anti-LGBTQ+ bills in Tennessee for this legislative session.

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