New Law Allows Medical Workers To Refuse Treatment To LGBTQ People

On March 26th, Arkansas’s Governor, Asa Hutchinson (R), enacted Senate Bill 289 (Medical Ethics and Diversity Act,” into law.This legislation will allow doctors and medical professionals to refuse treatment that conflicts with their religious or moral beliefs. Opponents say this legislation will give providers an easy path to deny LGBTQ patients the medical treatment they need.

Argentinian Ex-Priest Disavows Decree Against Blessing Same-Sex Unions

On March 14th, the Vatican office that manages doctrine announced that the Catholic Church is not authorized to bless same-sex unions.

A former priest in Argentina, Andrés Gioeni, formally disavowed his Catholicism after the Vatican’s decree. In recent years, Gioeni became an LGBTQ activist lobbying for a more open Catholic Church. He has blessed same-sex unions in Argentina, where Pope Francis was born and initially became part of the Catholic Church.

Polish activists acquitted of blasphemy charges for LGBT Virgin Mary

Three Polish women who were accused of desecrating the Virgin Mary's image and “offending religious feelings” were recently acquitted in court.

United States House passes Equality Act to boost LGBTQ protections

On February 25th, the US House passed the Equality Act. The passing of this landmark act for LGBTQ rights (with a 224-206 vote) deters discrimination pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity in many circumstances and in several settings, including employment, housing, education, public accommodations, and merchantry.

Indian Gov Opposes Same-Sex Marriage in Court

As it sought dismissal of the petitions to recognize same-sex marriages within existing laws, the Centre told the Delhi High Court (HC) that marriage in India depends on “age-old customs, rituals, practices, cultural ethos and societal values.” In the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Section 377 that covers homosexuality, the Supreme Court only decriminalized “a particular human behavior,” but it did not legitimize the human conduct in question.

Malaysian Court Decrees Criminalization of Gay Sex is Unconstitutional

On February 25th, a gay Malaysian man won a breakthrough court battle against Salengor’s Islamic ban on sex “against the order of nature,” drawing the LGBTQ community one step closer to wider acceptance of gay rights in a predominantly Muslim country.

New Bill Forbids Sexuality Displays In Public Schools In Anti-LGBT Move

West Virginia Legislature introduced a controversial bill on February 10th, 2021, to remove essential teachings from public schools.

House Bill 2157 proposes eliminating any teachings of sexuality and forbids displays meant to promote understanding among all students related to such instructions in public schools. Although it doesn’t specify any particular group or sexuality in written form, it is widely known as an attempt to ban any mention of the LGBTQ+ community.

Five Sentenced to Death in Bangladesh for Killing Atheist Blogger

In February 2015, a renowned Bangladeshi-American blogger and published author, Avijit Roy, was gruesomely murdered in Dhaka at age 42. Roy was a notableadvocate of the free-thought movement, particularly in Bangladesh,

Roy was an American citizen of Bangladeshi provenance and a critic of religious extremism. He was publicly assaulted by machete-wielding assassins who butchered him to death as he and his wife were leaving a Dhaka book fair in February 2015. His wife, Rafida Ahmed, suffered head injuries and lost a finger.

Iran’s Use Of Electric Shocks On LGBT Children Is “Torture”

On Wednesday, February 10th, the United Nations released a report describing the heinous human rights violations in Iran. The report reveals appalling details of electric shock and other means of torture that the Islamic Republic of Iran uses against LGBT children while claiming their intent is to “cure” them.

Angola Decriminalizes Homosexuality!

Same-sex relations are finally legal in Angola as of February 10th. The changes were passed in January 2019 when Angola’s Parliament approved the amendments.