Almost a million Americans came out on Facebook last year
In honour of last week’s Coming Out Day, Facebook has revealed that more people than ever came out as gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender on its site. The company defines “coming out” as updating one’s profile to express a same-gender attraction, being in a same-sex relationship or specifying a custom gender. Over the past year, […]
Kenyan president: Gay rights will take time in Africa
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta says that while gay people should not have to face violence it will take time for most Africans to accept LGBT rights. Kenyatta addressed the contentious issue in an interview on CNN’s Fareed Zakaria GPS programme. When asked by Zakaria why the country persecutes “people for something that they have ultimately […]
Indian high court says being LGBT is a fundamental right
In a ruling relating to a transgender youth held captive by his family, the Delhi High Court has affirmed the right of individuals to be LGBT. The ruling earlier this month concerned the case of Shivani Bhat, a 19-year-old trans man studying in the US, who claimed that his parents had forced him to stay […]
US gov report calls for end to “conversion therapy” for minors
In a damning report, America’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has condemned attempts to “cure” gay or transgender teens. In the document, titled Ending Conversion Therapy: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth, the SAMHSA said that, “conversion therapy is not an appropriate therapeutic approach based on the evidence.” It also called for “alternative […]