Latest news with #LGBTQ-friendly
HKFP
19-05-2025
- General
- HKFP
IDAHOBIT: Amid waning room for advocacy, Hong Kong LGBTQ groups cherish rare chance to raise awareness
Parts of Causeway Bay were transformed into a sea of rainbows on Saturday as the city's LGBTQ community marked the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT). Organised by NGO Gay Harmony, the event featured eight other groups, including an LGBTQ-friendly church and a small media outlet that focuses on reporting LGBTQ-related issues. The groups took turns giving short speeches outside the Sogo department store, while volunteers distributed flyers to passersby, from young couples to families with kids. Around the corner, at a booth run by NGO Pride Lab, passersby were asked to rate on a scale of one to six how LGBTQ-friendly their environment is. Metres away, people responded to a prompt set by Quarks, an NGO supporting transgender rights, asking how they took care of themselves when facing discrimination. They wrote their responses on Post-It notes clipped onto a board at the booth. 'Music. Make meals. See friends,' one note read. Another note said: 'Trans rights are human rights. One day we shall prevail.' Rarity in today's Hong Kong Events like Saturday's IDAHOBIT activities have become increasingly rare in Hong Kong, where space for advocacy has narrowed in recent years. Since the protests and unrest in 2019, followed by the Beijing-imposed national security law, dozens of civil society groups have shut down under pressure. While LGBTQ groups have not been specifically targeted, activists say it has become harder to host large-scale events. Gay Harmony founder Francis Tang said groups have had to change their methods of outreach in recent years. The last year the city saw a pride parade – which Tang also organised – was in 2018, and the group behind it now holds indoor bazaars to mark the date instead. 'We're not able to make as much noise anymore,' he said in Cantonese. One of the aims of LGBTQ events is to raise public awareness about sexual and gender diversity, Tang said. However, he acknowledged, 'There is a big difference in the number of people we are able to reach nowadays.' Gay Harmony organises activities to mark IDAHOBIT every year, but they scaled down the event in 2020. This year was the first time they invited other groups to take part. 'So far so good,' he said, adding that the process of receiving approval from government departments to host the public event was smooth. 'There have been no complaints, and the feedback seems good. We hope we can do this again.' Whilst same-sex sexual activity was legalised in 1991, Hong Kong has no laws to protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination in employment, the provision of goods and services, or from hate speech. Same-sex marriage is not legally recognised, although a 2023 survey showed that 60 per cent of Hongkongers support it. Despite repeated government appeals, courts have granted same-sex couples who married – or who entered civil partnerships – abroad some recognition in terms of tax, spousal visas, and public housing. Visibility matters With AI-generated images of Jesus delivering marriage vows to Chinese-looking gay couples, the booth run by the LGBTQ-friendly Blessed Ministry Community Church (BMCC) was perhaps the most eye-catching one on Great George Street. Volunteers chatted up passersby, bringing them to their booth and walking them through an activity about the relationship between Christianity and gender and sexual identity. The activity involved asking whether they had any LGBTQ+ friends, and if they believed those who identified as LGBTQ+ deserved to be blessed by the church when they found love. Jensen Yiu, head of social ministry at BMCC, said the event was a good opportunity for LGBTQ groups to gain visibility and interact with a larger cross-section of the public. He said there was value in running booths on the streets and passing out flyers to passersby – something they would not be able to do during enclosed events like Pink Dot. 'People who go to those kinds of events are probably already pro-LGBTQ,' he said in Cantonese. 'But on the streets, we have different people and some tourists come over.' Breaking taboos Fran and Gu – who declined to give their full names – had just finished some shopping at Muji nearby when the booths lining the street caught their eye. They said they did not know this event was happening but wanted to check it out. Both said they were straight, but that they followed news about LGBTQ rights in Hong Kong. They also said they had friends who were gay or lesbian and whose families were not supportive when they came out. Fran said he thought events like this could dispel preconceived notions about the LGBTQ community and normalise different types of sexual and gender identities. 'People may find that what it means to be LGBTQ is different from what they thought,' he said in Cantonese. 'That can increase public acceptance and make these topics less taboo, removing their labels.' Gu said she was aware that Pride Month was coming up in June, but did not have plans to go to any activities. 'But I would stop by if I saw them,' Gu added. Volunteering with Pride Lab on Saturday was social worker Jacinta Yu, who was wearing rainbow earrings and a T-shirt that read in Chinese, ''No offence' is not an excuse.' Yu said she treasured the chance to talk to people and educate them on LGBTQ topics. 'Some passersby said they don't think homosexuality is right. I respect that they have different views,' Yu said. 'But I hope everyone respects each other and does not discriminate.' This year's IDAHOBIT comes ahead of the government's October deadline to enact a framework to recognise same-sex partnerships, according to a landmark Court of Final Appeal verdict in September 2023. Tang, of Gay Harmony, said he was not aware of the government holding any consultations to gather public opinion. He said the group had written a paper suggesting what a framework could look like, but had no channels to submit it to the authorities. 'Lobbying has become harder now,' he said. Original reporting on HKFP is backed by our monthly contributors. Almost 1,000 monthly donors make HKFP possible. Each contributes an average of HK$200/month to support our award-winning original reporting, keeping the city's only independent English-language outlet free-to-access for all. Three reasons to join us: 🔎 Transparent & efficient: As a non-profit, we are externally audited each year, publishing our income/outgoings annually, as the city's most transparent news outlet. 🔒 Accurate & accountable: Our reporting is governed by a comprehensive Ethics Code. We are 100% independent, and not answerable to any tycoon, mainland owners or shareholders. Check out our latest Annual Report, and help support press freedom.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge upholds Iowa restrictions on gender identity, sexual orientation teaching
Iowa schools cannot teach K-6 students about gender identity and sexual orientation, but young students can't be prohibited from engaging in voluntary activities related to the topics or shielded from materials directed at others, a Biden-appointed federal judge ruled on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher's split decision stems from a law Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed in 2023 that banned educators from broaching the topics of gender identity and sexual orientation with students through sixth grade. The law, part of a wave of efforts among GOP-dominated legislatures to curtail LGBTQ education and student activities, bans Iowa school districts from offering 'any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction relating to gender identity or sexual orientation to students in kindergarten through grade six.' Locher agreed with the state that mandatory instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity can be prohibited because it is not discriminatory to information about LGBTQ issues, but he struck down the references to 'programs' and 'promotion,' saying they were overly broad. Locher cited in his ruling that the law has prompted some school districts to remove visual representations of LGBTQ support, including pride flags and safe space stickers in high schools because younger students could see the symbols during community events; prohibit students from hanging signs on their lockers promoting LGBTQ-friendly groups because fifth and sixth graders could see them while passing through the hallways; and tell teachers in same-sex relationships not to mention their partners within earshot of students; among other concerns. 'Under this plain meaning interpretation, the restrictions on 'programs' and 'promotion'run into constitutional problems under the First Amendment,' he wrote. He also noted what he deemed the 'absurdity problem' of banning 'programs' related to gender identity, hypothetically offering it 'would mean the law bans 'girls' and 'boys' sports teams and any other classroom or extracurricular activity that recognizes and endorses gender identity.' In a March ruling, Locher blocked a separate component of the same Iowa law that prohibits school libraries from carrying books that depict sex acts. The state is challenging that decision. Reynolds's office and a spokesperson for Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird didn't immediately respond to The Hill's requests for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Judge upholds Iowa restrictions on gender identity, sexual orientation teaching
Iowa schools cannot teach K-6 students about gender identity and sexual orientation, but young students can't be prohibited from engaging in voluntary activities related to the topics or shielded from materials directed at others, a Biden-appointed federal judge ruled on Thursday. U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher's split decision stems from a law Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds (R) signed in 2023 that banned educators from broaching the topics of gender identity and sexual orientation with students through sixth grade. The law, part of a wave of efforts among GOP-dominated legislatures to curtail LGBTQ education and student activities, bans Iowa school districts from offering 'any program, curriculum, test, survey, questionnaire, promotion, or instruction relating to gender identity or sexual orientation to students in kindergarten through grade six.' Locher agreed with the state that mandatory instruction of sexual orientation or gender identity can be prohibited because it is not discriminatory to information about LGBTQ issues, but he struck down the references to 'programs' and 'promotion,' saying they were overly broad. Locher cited in his ruling that the law has prompted some school districts to remove visual representations of LGBTQ support, including pride flags and safe space stickers in high schools because younger students could see the symbols during community events; prohibit students from hanging signs on their lockers promoting LGBTQ-friendly groups because fifth and sixth graders could see them while passing through the hallways; and tell teachers in same-sex relationships not to mention their partners within earshot of students; among other concerns. 'Under this plain meaning interpretation, the restrictions on 'programs' and 'promotion'run into constitutional problems under the First Amendment,' he wrote. He also noted what he deemed the 'absurdity problem' of banning 'programs' related to gender identity, hypothetically offering it 'would mean the law bans 'girls' and 'boys' sports teams and any other classroom or extracurricular activity that recognizes and endorses gender identity.' In a March ruling, Locher blocked a separate component of the same Iowa law that prohibits school libraries from carrying books that depict sex acts. The state is challenging that decision. Reynolds's office and a spokesperson for Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird didn't immediately respond to The Hill's requests for comment.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Washington's highest court upholds ban on high-capacity magazine sales
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Washington's highest court has once again maintained the state's ban on large-capacity magazine sales. With an opinion issued on Thursday, seven of nine Washington Supreme Court justices upheld Senate Bill 5078 — which . The measure prohibits buying, selling, importing and distributing magazines with more than 10 rounds of ammunition. 'Excommunicated': WA Archdiocese pushes back against mandatory reporting law, DOJ investigating More than a year after the bill's passage, former Washington Attorney General and current Gov. Bob Ferguson for continuing to sell the high-capacity magazines. The saga continued last spring, when Cowlitz County Superior Judge Gary Bashor and issued an injunction to pause its enforcement. In response, Ferguson filed a motion to halt the ruling. Washington Supreme Court Commissioner Michael Johnston later granted the temporary stay, therefore keeping the ban in place while officials debated its validity. Another attempt to challenge the ban's enforcement, this time from Gator's Custom Guns, was in July 2024. Although opponents of SB 5078 have claimed it violates the right to bear arms, the recent opinion argued that Washingtonians can still legally own firearms — and large-capacity magazines aren't necessary for self-defense. LGBTQ-friendly Portland bar closes after fundraising attempts '…Some firearms may require a magazine to function as intended, but there are no firearms that require an LCM to function,' the majority opinion reads. 'This is unlike ammunition, which is an integral component of a firearm because ammunition is necessary for a firearm to function as intended: a lack of ammunition would render the firearm a paperweight —or, at best, a scarcely effective bludgeoning tool — and it no longer serves its function for the core purpose of self-defense.' Justices Sheryl Gordon McCloud and G. Helen Whitener were the only two justices to dissent from this opinion, stating that it violates the Second Amendment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
LGBTQ-friendly Portland bar closes after fundraising attempts
PORTLAND, Ore. () — An LGBTQ-friendly spot in Northeast Portland has had its last call. Misfits Bar + Lounge confirmed the shutdown on Thursday afternoon. It originally opened about two and a half years ago, in the former Eastside Bar + Grill space on 2530 NE 82nd Ave. Mother's Day brunch, Doggie Dash among Portland weekend events For the past several months, the new venture has been transparent about its struggles to keep its doors open. In a post announcing temporary closure due to repairs on Apr. 23, owners announced business had been 'extremely low.' About a week later, they noted the drag performance they were promoting could likely be their last. 'The sad thing for me, especially in this political climate, is that Misfits was the place for 'queer' 'trans' and 'non-binary' folks,' Misfits co-owner David Elderton added in the . 'Love or hate the name, they resonated with it (as many of us do — such as a gay man on the neurodiverse spectrum like myself or those from other communities and backgrounds). But I just hate to see another dedicated space, such as ours, close.' Since the bar's opening, it has hosted inclusive events like 'RuPaul's Drag Race' viewing parties, trans burlesque shows and open mic nights for amateur comics. And the venue's signature event, Drag Out The Hot Ones, is in need of a new home if the closure remains. According to Elderton's announcement, Misfits has the potential to re-open with a new business partner. 'Time Wise + Financially, I Cannot Do This Alone. If Someone Were To Come Forward, I'd Welcome It. And If Not, The Space Will Remain Closed As Misfits,' the co-owner wrote. Multnomah County overpaid more than $78K for recruiting services, report finds The bar previously launched a fundraiser to prevent the shutdown. But the campaign wasn't enough to keep the business going. Sissy Bar, a fellow LGBTQ+-friendly space in Portland, closed in October. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
