Latest news with #LGBTIQ+
WIRED
03-07-2025
- Politics
- WIRED
The Promise and Peril of Digital Security in the Age of Dictatorship
Jul 3, 2025 5:30 AM LGBTIQ+ organizations in El Salvador are using technology to protect themselves and create a record of the country's ongoing authoritarian escalations against their community. It's not without risks. Pride march on June 28 in San Salvador, El Salvador Photograph: Natalia Alberto Steven Rodríguez traveled more than 40 miles from his home in Santa Ana, in western El Salvador, to attend the Pride march in the capital on June 28. It is the second time he has attended. There, some 20,000 people gathered in a mix of celebration and protest for the rights of sexual diversity. But this year, joy was replaced by fear. 'Maybe it won't escalate, but there is a fear that what happened to the El Bosque cooperative will happen. But, from deep down I believe that, as people, we have the right to a dignified life. If it's not me, who else is going to defend my experiences,' says Rodríguez about his decision to attend in the midst of the authoritarian escalation that the country is experiencing. When Nayib Bukele assumed power in 2019, one of his first actions was to eliminate the Directorate of Sexual Diversity. In February 2024, during his participation in the Conservative Political Action Conference in the US, he made his position clear: 'We do not allow those ideologies in schools and colleges. I think it is also important that the curriculum does not include gender ideology and such things.' Rodríguez's main fear is that the march will serve as an excuse to criminalize its attendees. Earlier this year, on May 12, a hundred members of the El Bosque cooperative held a peaceful protest to avoid being evicted. This was repressed by the military police and ended with the arrest of community leader José Ángel Pérez and lawyer Alejandro Henríquez for public disorder. Both are serving provisional detention in a penal center. In the past four months, at least six human rights defenders have been arrested in the country for political reasons. On the afternoon of June 28, the march ended peacefully and, at least on the ground, no arrests were recorded. Training Day Rodríguez is part of a collective called Pedrina, which focuses on community articulation for LGBTIQ+ rights in the West. His approach to digital security began when members of the organization started receiving insults, threats, and hate messages on social networks. Rodríguez and his collective received digital security training from Amate, another LGBTIQ+ organization that advocates nationally. Since May, Amate has trained 60 people on issues including digital rights, risk analysis, extortion, phishing, outing, surveillance, and revenge porn. It also includes the implementation of tools such as the use of VPN and encrypted messaging platforms, such as Signal and Proton. 'Something that activists were telling us [that] is very common is that people take their Facebook photos and impersonate them on social networks, either to attack other collectives or to undermine personal aspects. So it's a very interesting experience. People are not aware of the exposure we have in the digital world,' says Fernando Paz, who is in charge of teaching these courses. For Rodríguez, these tools are a way of confronting a country that, with government support, is becoming increasingly violent towards those who represent diversity. 'At the university, we have had experiences of hate speech in classes. Professors have said that they share Bukele's thinking on gender ideology and that this has to disappear because it poisons the youth,' Rodríguez says. One way the government has used to hide violence against the LGBTIQ+ community is the lack of accounting of hate crimes committed in El Salvador. In recent years, the country's Attorney General's Office, also known as FGR, has used the categories 'murder due to social intolerance' and 'murder due to family intolerance' to count homicides that it cannot attribute to what it calls 'general crime' (mostly, according to the government's narrative, perpetrated by gangs). There is no clarity about what falls into these categories, which are not official, are not defined, and are only used publicly—not within administrative reports. Between 2023 and 2024, the FGR counted 182 of these cases. Hit Record In the face of statistical obscurity, the exercise of documenting and archiving hate crimes has been taken up by organizations. The Passionist Social Service, an anti-violence group, found that 154 LGBTIQ+ people have been detained during El Salvador's emergency regime, which began in March 2022 and has been extended 39 times to date. Following this, Nicola Chávez and her team saw the need to record cases of violence against members of the LGBTIQ+ population. 'We had always intended to start an observatory, but with the start of the exception regime everyone knows that police violence and military harassment have a disproportionate impact on the LGBT community. Obviously that hurts us, and I don't know who else they count on to be able to denounce,' Chávez says. To date, Chávez's team has registered 68 incidents of violence against LGBTIQ+ people, although they believe there could be more. One of the main challenges has been to create a centralized database of the information that each member had kept on their own. 'One of the big frustrations has always been that we don't have consistency when it comes to storing information,' Chávez says. 'To make this database, I had to go from computer to computer, collecting information in emails and loose files.' Chávez, a doctoral student in American Studies and archivist, applied her knowledge to compile and organize the information. For her, it's crucial to secure the databases that contain sensitive information related to the victims' allegations under the emergency regime. One of the keys is to protect the data with multiple layers of security and to use encrypted platforms with automatic self-destruct functions, such as CryptPad. The authoritarian escalation in El Salvador has forced organizations to be more cautious with their public work. For this reason, Chávez requested that her organization not be mentioned for fear of reprisals following the recent approval of the Foreign Agents Law, which requires those receiving international funds to register as 'foreign agents.' If authorized, they would be subject to a 30 percent tax on all foreign funding, a measure that opponents of the legislation say seeks to economically stifle dissenting voices. El Salvador's political situation has forced them to contemplate several scenarios on how to safeguard information. The most critical implies that the government may consider the activities of their organization as a direct contravention of the law and raid their offices. Another concern is that, at the time of registration, they will be required to hand over the contents of the devices. 'The registry is designed as an all-powerful entity. There are minimum requirements to be able to register, but they have the power to demand whatever they want,' says Chávez. 'There are no limits in the regulations on what they can request. What worries us is that, as part of a routine process, they want to seize computers, hard disks, etc.' The passage of this law to control speech and information is not an isolated case. In November 2024, El Salvador's Congress passed laws establishing the creation of the State Cybersecurity Agency, whose powers include managing cyber threats and overseeing data protection compliance. 'The government of El Salvador has created an entire infrastructure to have not only social, but also digital control of the citizenry. With the creation of this agency, an oversight tool is enabled for issues related to information, the use of technology and our digital identity,' explains Joshi Leban, a specialist in advocacy and digital literacy. The records that Chávez is so keenly guarding also have a vision in which this hope for justice persists. 'At some point, perhaps this will become an international litigation, or it may be that this government ends and a process of oversight of what has happened begins. In that scenario, it will serve that the organizations have put these facts on record as documentation.' This story originally appeared on WIRED en Español and has been translated from Spanish.
ABC News
02-07-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Hong Kong has proposed limited legal recognition for same-sex couples
Hong Kong's government has proposed a new system to give same-sex couples a limited set of healthcare-related rights as long as their marriages are registered abroad. The government is seeking to comply with a landmark court ruling from September 2023 where the city's top judges ruled a framework for recognising same-sex couples' legal rights must be made within two years. The ruling did not grant full marriage rights to same-sex couples but was a partial victory for prominent pro-democracy and LGBTIQ+ activist Jimmy Sham, who fought a five-year legal battle for the recognition of same-sex marriages registered overseas. The new laws proposed on Wednesday would allow registration for same-sex adult couples to allow rights around medical decisions, provided consent is given. These would include rights for hospital visits, sharing medical information, organ donation and dealing with a person's remains. To be eligible, adult couples must have a valid overseas marriage, civil partnership or civil union, with at least one person a Hong Kong resident. Mr Sham said the proposal offered a minimal level of protection, especially the stipulation that couples needed to be married abroad. "I doubt it fully complies with what the judge required," Mr Sham said. Mr Sham said heterosexual couples were not required to register their marriages overseas to get the recognition locally and questioned why same-sex couples had to do so. He also suggested that the government allow same-sex couples to enjoy equal prison visiting rights as heterosexual couples. "I hope the government will listen to opinions from society and the community, and try to develop a solution that doesn't exceed society's acceptance level, while meeting the expectations of same-sex couples and avoiding legal challenges," Mr Sham said. Same-sex couples cannot get married or register for civil partnerships in Hong Kong, but authorities recognise same-sex marriages registered abroad for taxation, civil service benefits and issues like dependent visas. Jerome Yau, co-founder of Hong Kong Marriage Equality, said the government document was "very conservative" and "far from acceptable." "We believe that will create an obvious inequality in the sense of local same-sex couples who are not married overseas won't be eligible to register the relationships. I think that's unfair, and potentially that will lead to further litigation," he said. The government said its proposals were made after considering the city's actual situation, adding there are different views over the recognition of same sex partnerships and it would have to strike a balance to avoid dividing society. Lawmakers will discuss the issue on Thursday and there is yet to be a target date for the bill passing. Hong Kong reformed its legislation in 2021 so that only those loyal to Beijing can hold office, ousting pro-democracy lawmakers. Members of the pro-Beijing camp have spoken out against legal recognition of same-sex couples' rights, insisting Hong Kong society only tolerates marriage between a man and a woman. However last year, LGBTQI+ rights activists notched another legal victory with the top court affirming housing and inheritance rights for same-sex couples. The policy document released on Wednesday does not mention the topics addressed in the legal cases like rights related to housing, inheritance or taxes. Support for same-sex marriage in Hong Kong has grown over the past decade and hit 60 per cent in 2023, according to a survey conducted jointly by three universities. More than 30 countries around the world have legalised marriage equality since the Netherlands became the first to do so in 2001. In Asia, only a few places including Taiwan, Nepal and Thailand currently allow same-sex unions. China is not among them, nor does it have specific laws prohibiting discrimination against LGBTQ people. -ABC with wires
BreakingNews.ie
28-06-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Dublin awash with colour as tens of thousands take part in Pride parade
Tens of thousands of people have taken to the streets of Dublin to mark this year's Pride parade. Organisers said there were more than 12,000 people marching in the annual parade. Advertisement Labour leader Ivana Bacik (third right) takes part in the Dublin Pride parade (Damien Eagers/PA) This year's event also celebrated a milestone 10 years of marriage equality. The capital's streets were filled with an array of colour, music and dance as the parade made its way to Merrion Square's Pride Village for speeches and entertainment. Among those taking part was Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Tánaiste Simon Harris, Labour leader Ivana Bacik, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy and Minister for Public Expenditure Jack Chambers. Thousands took part in the parade (Damien Eagers/PA) Citing the previous work of the Government to address gay rights and equality, Mr Martin told the crowd at Merrion Square that he is aware 'our work is far from done'. Advertisement Mr Martin was forced to raise his voice as a small number of protesters shouted for better trans rights and health care access during his speech. The Fianna Fáil leader said: 'LGBTIQ+ people in Ireland today still face a myriad of challenges, and the Government is committed to bolstering our efforts to address these challenges and delivering for our LGBTIQ+ citizens. 'There are global trends of increased harassment and persecution of LGBTIQ+ people across the world, which make many of our LGBTIQ+ citizens feel deeply concerned and unsafe. 'This is not the vision for Ireland that we are striving to build.' Advertisement Taoiseach Micheál Martin waves at members of the public during the Dublin Pride parade through the city centre (Damien Eagers/PA) Mr Martin continued: 'Our goal is to build a society in which LGBTIQ+ people can live safe, inclusive, healthy and fulfilling lives in an accepting and compassionate Ireland. 'The new LGBTIQ+ Inclusion Strategy will promote and respect the right of LGBTIQ+ people to live their lives safely, free of harassment and violence. 'It will advance health and wellbeing outcomes through improved investment and access to a range of health services. 'It will build on initiatives already undertaken within the business community and by employers so that LGBTIQ+ people are enabled to participate fully within the workplace. Advertisement 'This new strategy will seek to deliver a fairer and more inclusive Ireland, and Government departments and state agencies are determined to work together to that end.' People take part in the Dublin Pride parade through the city centre (Damien Eagers/PA) The grand marshal of Dublin Pride, Ruadhan O Criodain, who has long advocated for LGBT+ rights, told the crowd in Merrion Square: 'We all want better futures for the next generation of queer people, but without education or health care, trans people can't see those futures for ourselves. 'I know you won't let our community die for the want of a future. I know that each of you will stand with trans people, I know that you will stand up and fight back. 'I know that you won't give in to the transphobe you've seen take hold in the UK, because we are stronger than that. Advertisement 'The far right and the TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism) movement want to divide the LGBT community.' (Damien Eagers/PA) 'They want to isolate your trans siblings, because then it'll be easier to tear us all apart. 'If they come for us first, they will come for all of you next. But I won't let that happen to my community, and I know you'll promise me the same. 'There is no LGBT without the T.' (Damien Eagers/PA) Dublin Mayor Emma Blaine said: 'Today, we march through the heart of our capital, a city that celebrates diversity, embraces inclusion and champions equality. 'Pride is more than a parade. It's a powerful statement of love, of visibility and of resilience. 'It's a celebration of how far we have come and a reminder of the work still ahead. 'Dublin has a proud history of standing up for the rights of its citizens. 'We remember today, the trailblazers, the activists and the everyday people who fought and continue to fight for dignity, respect and justice.' People Before Profit-Solidarity TD and his child, Juniper, watch the Dublin Pride parade (Damien Eagers/PA) She added: 'To our LGBTQ+ young people, know that you are valued, you are seen, and you belong, this city stands with you. 'To all the allies here today, thank you for walking beside us, not just today, but every day.' The parade started at O'Connell Street at 12.30pm, and travelled along Eden Quay and Custom House Quay before crossing the Talbot Memorial Bridge, up Lombard Street and Westland Row before finishing at Merrion Square. The non-ticketed festival at the Pride Village included music, food stalls, acts and speeches on the main stage. In his last year as president, Michael D Higgins offered his warmest greetings ahead of the Pride parade. Dancers take part in the Dublin Pride parade (Damien Eagers/PA) He said: 'This annual celebration is a vital affirmation of the rights, dignity, and joy of our LGBT+ communities. 'It is a time, too, to remember with gratitude the courage of those who paved the way for progress when marching was not safe, who gave voice to truths that were long silenced, and who set the foundations for the inclusive Ireland that we continue to strive towards today. 'In recent years, great strides have been made in advancing the rights and recognition of LGBT+ people in Ireland. 'In celebrating Pride this year, we are also marking the 10th anniversary of the Marriage Equality referendum, a moment that spoke of the kind of Ireland we aspire to be: inclusive, generous, an Ireland that is unafraid to affirm the equal worth of all of our citizens. Crowds were able to watch the parade before heading into the Pride Village for music, food stalls, acts and speeches (Damien Eagers/PA) 'Yet, we must also acknowledge that the journey is not complete. 'A truly inclusive society is one where all can live authentically and creatively, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression, where all can participate fully, and where all voices are not only heard but valued, in all their richness and diversity. 'Pride remains a vital expression of that vision in challenging us to deepen our commitment to human rights, to solidarity, and to the kind of republic that cherishes all of its people equally. 'In a time when hard-won rights are being questioned in many parts of the world, such vigilance and unity are more vital than ever.' There were road closures in the city centre.
The National
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Scotland's events in support of Pride go well beyond marches
On June 17, 1995, organisers expected only 500 people to turn up for the march along Princes Street, through the Old Town, up the Mound, where it finished in the Meadows with a festival. Now, three decades on, the events in support of the LGBT+ community in Pride Month go well beyond marches. Festival Fortnight is one of the annual pride events celebrated in Scotland. The two-week festival takes place all over the country and aims to encourage LGBT+ people to play sports, as well as try new things and be more active. Founded in 2010, Festival Fortnight's organiser LEAP Sports Scotland (Leadership, Equality and Active Participation) works to achieve greater inclusion for the LGBT+ community within sports. READ MORE: Thunderstorms and floods set to hit parts of Scotland as warning issued 'The original idea was just having some sort of concentrated time over Pride month to really bring the LGBTIQ+ sports community together, but also to give an opportunity to more mainstream sports to really open their doors and engage with the community,' explains Munro Stevenson, LEAP participation and engagement manager. 'When I say mainstream sport, I mean more sort of traditional sports clubs that are maybe a bit wider in scope, who maybe don't have as many LGBTIQ+ members, but the festival gives them a great opportunity to have pride-themed events or pride-themed open sessions to really welcome the LGBTIQ+ community into their spaces.' Festival Fortnight is running for the 11th year, with last year's events seeing a total of 2000 attendees at more than 100 events all over Scotland. This year's lineup has more than 120 events scheduled. The festival is open to all members of the LGBT+ community as well as its allies. It's designed so that age and experience or skill levels are not limiting factors to anyone, since inclusion is one of the main goals of the festival. Stevenson says: 'A lot of people just don't think sport is for them. Whereas initiatives like this and specific sort of LGBTQ+ inclusive spaces can really show them they can be themselves in a positive environment, and what we find is that it's a real great way of getting people back into sport and physically active.' Festival Fortnight offers a variety of activities, ranging from beginner classes, to sports-themed quizzes, mini leagues, sport swaps, film screenings and panels. 'I think it's really important to have these events in more rural communities, just, you know, particularly when the LGBTQ+ community aren't as visible as maybe they are in Glasgow and Edinburgh,' adds Stevenson. 'It's always great to see that kind of queer joy when people are, you know, climbing up hills up in the Highlands or engaging in their local communities, and I think these communities are really vibrant as well. So, it's just great to see them out there having a great time.' Festival Fortnight aims to remove many of the barriers preventing queer people from participating in sports, as well as increasing their visibility with sports and bringing attention to wider equality and human rights issues in sport. READ MORE: BBC officially axes documentary on Gaza doctors over 'impartiality' concerns Stevenson continues: 'You could find a really nice, lovely community group right on your doorstep that ends up being friends and people you can engage with and meet on a regular basis as well. 'I think it does a lot of awareness raising as well. So people can learn a lot about specific LGBTQ+ issues in sport.' Dundee Deuces, an LGBT+ tennis and pickleball club, was launched last year during Festival Fortnight and has grown to almost 70 members. Wesley Rennison, the club's welfare officer, says: 'It gives people a space where they can come and relax and enjoy. Be themselves and be social and not need to be on, constantly thinking, is it okay to be me in this space? They know as soon as they arrive, it's OK to be themselves in that space.' Rennison adds: 'That means that some of the exhausting defences that we have almost every day in our lives, we can just relax and not be tired out by those. 'If just for that two-hour session playing tennis or playing pickleball, or if people don't want to play, they come along and they just sit and chat.' Festival Fortnight doesn't just offer sporting activities, as Stevenson explains: 'We have film screenings and panels, for example. Pride football club ran a film screening. 'We also have the Glasgow Raptors, our inclusive rugby club – they're running a drag show next Friday night. So, you know, that's maybe a bit adjacent, but it's a rugby team putting on a drag show.' 'Obviously sports are very good for people's mental health as well as physical health,' Rennison adds. 'But actually, for me, it's about bringing people together in a space where they feel safe and secure. 'What we found is actually that the sport is almost incidental. Not completely incidental, but it's that they're being together, it's a sense of belonging.' The first pride march in Scotland took place nine years before the Marriage and Civil Partnership Act was passed and carried the feeling of pride paired with politics. Since then, Pride has grown throughout the country and is celebrated in many Scottish towns and cities, and in 2021, Scotland became the first country in the world to embed LGBT+ education into the curriculum. Festival Fortnight started on June 14 and will run until June 30, with events running all over the country. Three decades on, marches continue across Scotland, too.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Global Stock Exchanges Ring the Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality in Landmark Series Leading into Pride Month
For approved photos from Amsterdam, London and Toronto: click here WASHINGTON, May 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In the lead-up to Pride Month in June, nearly 15 stock exchanges around the world made history in May by participating in a first-of-its-kind international series of 'Ringing the Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality' events. Held between May 13 and May 23 in advance of Pride Month celebrations around the world, these ceremonies were aligned with the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), and served as a bold and unified call for renewed focus on LGBTIQ+ economic inclusion and empowerment. The bell ringings, organized by the Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative in partnership with United Nations agencies, Koppa: The LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab (Koppa), and a growing coalition of LGBTIQ+ advocates and corporate partners, took place in major financial centers worldwide. Events were hosted by stock exchanges in Toronto, London, Australia, and Mexico — with nine Euronext exchanges also joining from Amsterdam to Paris. Exchange bell ringings will continue to occur through the month of Pride, including in Brazil. 'This was more than symbolic,' said Fabrice Houdart, co-founder of Koppa. 'These global bell ringings marked a collective stand for dignity, equality, and the fundamental economic rights of LGBTIQ+ people. As Pride Month begins, these events are a powerful reminder that the private sector has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead.' A Global Signal for Inclusive Economies Amid a growing wave of federal government efforts to roll back corporate support for diversity and inclusion, the bell ringings highlighted the business community's resilience — and its determination to stand firm in its values, in the face of continued pressure to abandon long-held business practices of inclusion The events drew attention to alarming statistics: same-sex relationships are still criminalized in 66 countries, and more than half the world's economies lack workplace protections for LGBTIQ+ people. Discrimination continues to limit access to jobs, capital, and leadership, with the World Bank noting that sexual and gender minorities are significantly overrepresented among the world's poorest populations. For more background, read the remarks UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk delivered on May 16, 2025 to observe the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. Elevating Visibility, Accountability, and Action The bell-ringing events also amplified the relevance of the UN Standards of Conduct for Business, which more than 400 companies have signed since 2017 to guide inclusive practices. Advocates emphasized the need to move from pledges to practice. 'True leadership is showing up — consistently, globally, and unapologetically,' said Houdart. 'We're calling on companies to bring LGBTIQ+ inclusion into every layer of their operations — not just during Pride Month, but year-round.' The initiative also underscored the persistent lack of LGBTIQ+ representation in corporate leadership. Fewer than 1% of board seats globally are held by openly LGBTIQ+ individuals, and only three openly LGBTIQ+ CEOs currently lead Fortune 500 companies. Yet studies show diverse leadership delivers stronger business outcomes and more inclusive workplace culture. By ringing the bell, exchanges, investors, and business leaders across continents sent a resounding message: visibility must lead to structural change — and the time to act is now. About KOPPA Koppa's mission is to unleash global LGBTI+ economic power through knowledge, financing, and connection, changing systems to create a more equitable future. We focus on innovation and bring the power of our broad networks, our understanding of the ecosystem, and hands-on experience in expanding economic opportunities for LGBTI+ people. For more information visit, For more information on the 2025 Ring the Bell for LGBTIQ+ Equality events, visit the Sustainable Stock Exchanges (SSE) Initiative site: Contact:Ben Finzel, ben@ Zeke Stokes, zeke@
