Latest news with #LGBTcommunity
National Post
5 days ago
- Politics
- National Post
U.S. Christian musician Sean Feucht show set for Alberta legislature grounds in Edmonton
A pro-Trump and Christian singer whose events on his east coast Canadian tour have had to be moved to alternate venues after being cancelled is slated to play at the Alberta legislature grounds in August. Article content U.S. musician Sean Feucht has faced protests and cancellations this week on the first leg of his cross-country tour which is slated to stop on Aug. 22 in Edmonton for a performance at the grounds' south bandshell. Article content Article content Article content A spokesperson for Alberta Infrastructure said in a statement tour organizers had submitted an incomplete event permit application for the event. Article content Article content 'We are taking steps to help organizers submit a complete application,' it reads, noting the event must comply with 'security protocols, public safety, and venue guidelines.' Article content The guidelines for use of the Alberta Legislature Grounds state applications must be submitted four weeks in advance, with applicants mandated to have at least $2 million in liability insurance, a security plan, and proof of permits and licences, among other requirements. Article content Feucht describes himself as a musician, missionary, author and activist, and has drawn opposition for his affinity for U.S. President Donald Trump and the Make America Great Again Movement as well as his views on abortion, gender, and the LGBT community. Article content Article content He was scheduled to play at the York Redoubt National Historic Site in Halifax last Wednesday but Parks Canada revoked the event's permit, citing 'evolving safety and security considerations' amid potential protests and following consultation with police. Article content The event later went ahead when a local farmer opened his field for the singer and his audience. Article content Since then, events in Charlottetown, Fredericton, Quebec City, Moncton, and Gatineau, Que. have been cancelled with organizers citing security concerns, permitting issues, or local codes of conduct. Article content On social media, Feucht said his shows went on after alternate venues were found. Article content 'Venues have now been replaced and these cities will hear from lawyers soon,' he posted late Thursday. Article content On Friday night, his event in Montreal went ahead amid protests and a smoke bomb being thrown on stage despite a warning from the city that the church he was performing at hadn't secured the proper permit. Article content He stated on social media that organizers had secured a permit that was later cancelled, and claimed to be bringing his experience to the attention of the U.S. president.
BBC News
5 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
LGBTQ+ people 'not feeling as safe' in Guernsey nightlife
A Guernsey charity is renting a private pub space for LGBTQ+ people because it says there are growing concerns over safety in the island's Guernsey is hosting the fortnightly events at Pingquay Bar for the LGBTQ+ community as a space to be their "authentic self" without judgement. Liberate chief executive Ellie Jones said a regular LGBTQ+ bar space was "really needed" due to the feeling around safety in the community having "really changed"."If you look at some of the negative rhetoric on social media sites around LGBT stuff, people aren't feeling as safe," she said. Ms Jones said it had been "empowering" to see people going to the events to "really enjoy" the space. Ms Jones said she had never intended to host regular nights for the island's LGBTQ+ community. 'Thinking they're weird' "The rhetoric around LGBT people and how safe they feel especially in the night time economy has really changed over the last couple of years.""Having that space where they know that they can come, they will be accepted, nobody's going to be looking at them funny or any of those sorts of things is really needed right now sadly, I wish it wasn't."Ms Jones added: "I think we almost took LGBT bars for granted, you know, that they exist just for a fun side of things, whereas now I think there is a need for it from that slightly more serious side of stuff," she said. She explained people going to the events knew they were going to be included without people thinking they were "weird or strange" and there would be "no violence, no negativity". Ms Jones added the event had attracted people from the LGBTQ+ community who she had not seen before. "You don't have to be LGBT but ,obviously, you need to be an accepting person, as we wouldn't accept anybody being rude or mean to people, they would be asked to leave, but we've never had that happen so we don't anticipate that ever happening either."
Malay Mail
23-07-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
Study: Negative online messaging driving mental health crisis for Malaysia's LGBT+
KUALA LUMPUR, July 23 — A new study has found that frequent exposure to negative online messages is driving up depression, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts among LGBT+ individuals in Malaysia. The study, titled 'Exposure to negative LGBT-related media messages as a social determinant of mental health inequities for LGBT+ people in Malaysia,' said such messages often aim to indoctrinate the public with harmful ideology and ingrain anti-LGBT+ sentiments, particularly among those with limited or misinformed understanding of these issues. From those surveyed, over three in four respondents reported seeing negative LGBT-related messages on social media 'often' or 'very often' over the past 12 months. Regarding the nature of these messages, over 80 per cent of participants said the content depicted LGBT+ people as criminals or mentally disordered. Furthermore, 71.7 per cent reported messages suggesting this group needed to be 'treated' or advocating for increased legal punishment against them. Impact on mental health The study provides new insights into the mental health ramifications of such media exposure, identifying a path that involves negative expectations of societal rejection and police harassment. 'Our mediation analyses showed that negative LGBT-related messages on newspapers, TV, and social media (respectively can trigger fear in the anticipation of societal rejection, police harassment, and being labelled as mentally ill, all of which contribute to heightened risks of depression, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), and suicidal ideation,' the study read. It also found that this was consistent even after adjusting for various demographic factors. However, the study did not detect a significant relationship between negative media exposure and actual suicide attempts. Sources of negative messaging Politicians and religious leaders were identified as the two most common sources of negative LGBT-related messages, cited by 87.1 per cent and 84.1 per cent of participants, respectively. University lecturers and academic researchers were also noted as sources by a quarter of study participants (24.6 per cent). The study comprised a sample of 757 participants aged 18 to 61 with varying sexual orientations and gender identities. The findings come amid ongoing concerns about public discourse surrounding the LGBT+ community. Most recently, a coalition of civil society groups urged Kelantan police to revise a statement regarding a raid on what was initially described as a 'gay sex party' but was later clarified to be a health outreach event. Media reports following the raid led to harmful and stigmatising remarks that intensified fear among LGBTQ individuals seeking health services.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Minister vows to speed up redress payments for LGBT veterans
A minister has promised to speed up efforts to give financial redress to LGBT veterans who faced mistreatment in the armed forces. The £75 million redress scheme was set up in December, offering payments of up to £70,000 to veterans to 'acknowledge the historic wrongs they experienced in the armed forces'. LGBT people in the military were abused, assaulted and dishonourably discharged without pay, and went on to suffer lifelong consequences after their sexuality was discovered in the pre-2000 era. Al Carns, the veterans minister, has promised to increase the number of staff processing applications by five, effectively doubling the size of the team, after MPs highlighted delays that veterans were facing in a Westminster Hall debate. He also pledged a new automated payments scheme would be rolled out, after telling MPs that problems with the system were a 'key reason' for delays. Mr Carns also said the independent panel overseeing the financial redress scheme would double its sittings to two per week to speed up review cases which need to be assessed. The veterans minister said: 'We deeply regret the treatment of LGBT serving personnel between 1967 and 2000 which was wholly unacceptable. 'We have been prioritising payments to the elderly and those with serious health conditions to ensure they receive support as quickly as possible. 'We're taking decisive action to ensure LGBT veterans receive the recognition they deserve by increasing staff resources, implementing an automated payment system, and doubling panel reviews. 'This scheme acknowledges the sacrifices of those who faced discrimination while serving. I urge all affected veterans to apply through the portal as we remain fully committed to implementing Lord Etherton's recommendations, and righting these historic wrongs, as part of our Government's commitment to renew the nation's contract with those who have served.' Fighting With Pride, a charity which advocates for the former personnel, said only 84 veterans out of 1,300 who have applied for the financial payment have been paid so far. At the Westminster Hall debate, Mr Carns elaborated on the number of applications the Government had received. He told MPs the Government had 'received many applications for the scheme' as of July 7 – 944 of which were submitted online and 162 received as hard-copy applications. Mr Carns added: 'The first payments were made just 15 weeks after the scheme's official launch and I am pleased to report that we have now paid over £4.2 million in total in the redress scheme. 'There were payments to 84 applicants for the dismissed or discharged payment, with each applicant receiving over £50,000. Additionally, we have made £82,000 in impact payments to 11 applicants, ranging from £1,000 to £2,000. I see the scheme speeding up considerably in the not-so-distant future.'
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The Independent
09-06-2025
- The Independent
Mom's heartbreak as hairstylist daughter who mysteriously vanished found dead two months later
A heartbroken mom has posted an emotional tribute after her daughter was found dead, two months after she mysteriously disappeared. Jax Gratton, 34, had been working as a hairstylist in Denver when she went missing on April 15. Her friends and family had appealed for her whereabouts in online appeals for weeks, with her mom fearing her daughter, who was transgender, may have been killed. On Friday, her mom Cherilynne Gratton-Camis confirmed the news that her body had been found. Police are now investigating the death as 'suspicious'. 'With a broken heart, I share the news that our beloved Jax Gratton has been found — and she is no longer with us,' she wrote on Facebook. 'There are no words strong enough for the grief we are feeling. The light she carried, the love she gave so freely, and the joy she brought into our lives have been taken from this world far too soon.' In the post about her daughter, Gratton-Camis also paid tribute to the support from the LGBT+ community. 'This has opened my eyes in ways I can't ignore. It's not just about Jax — it's about all of you in the LGBTQIA+ community who face the world every day with courage, just wanting to live, love, and exist safely and equally. That should never be a fight. And yet it is,' the mother added. Gratton had vanished after leaving her apartment and telling her flatmate she would be back in three hours. She never returned. On Saturday, Lakewood Police Department said they were 'investigating a suspicious death' after 'someone discovered a dead body in an alleyway' in west Denver, Colorado, early Friday evening. 'The body was in advanced stages of decomposition and could not be positively identified. It does appear to be the body of an adult,' Lakewood PD stated. An autopsy with the Jefferson County Coroner's Office was due to be held Sunday to conduct an official identification and to determine the cause of death. Gratton-Camis confirmed to Denver7 that it was her daughter's body that was found by Lakewood PD, adding that she was identified by her tattoos. The 34-year-old was wearing the same clothes she left in, which the grief-stricken mother said brought her comfort as she suspected her daughter had died the same night of her disappearance. "That is comforting to me,' her mother told Denver7. 'She was gone the same night she left her house. She didn't spend 6-7 weeks in horrible situations.' Speaking to People magazine, the mother revealed that despite having difficult periods with drug and alcohol abuse, her daughter was doing well at the time of her disappearance. 'She operated a successful business,' says Gratton-Camis. 'She has friends that she has been friends with since middle school.' Her mother also shared that Gratton had donated her time as a stylist to homeless people in the area and adored her family.
