Page 299
-
Winnie the Pooh banned from Polish playground over ‘dubious sexuality’
TUSZYN, Poland — Authorities in the Polish town of Tuszyn have blocked a plan to have famed children’s character Winnie the Pooh used as the public face of a local playground because the bear is of “dubious sexuality” and “inappropriately dressed” for children because he is “half naked”.
-
Gambia leader approves harsh anti-gay law that includes lifetime prison sentences
DAKAR, Senegal — The president of Gambia has signed a bill into law that calls for life imprisonment for some homosexual acts, the latest African country to codify harsh penalties for the gay community.
-
Uganda’s new anti-gay bill could be debated in parliament before Christmas
KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan lawmakers have drafted a new anti-gay bill that could be introduced for debate in the country’s parliament before Christmas, a parliamentarian said Thursday. The new bill is in “advanced stages” and will focus on punishing the promotion of homosexuality, said Ugandan lawmaker Latif Ssebaggala, a strong supporter of anti-gay legislation.
-
Online community supporting Russian LGBT teens charged with ‘gay propaganda’
This week, Russian authorities dealt what may be the greatest blow to LGBT rights advocates since Vladimir Putin signed into law the infamous ban on “gay propaganda in the vicinity of minors.”
-
Ireland’s ‘gay’ bull Benjy saved from slaughterhouse
DUBLIN — He faced execution for failure to perform. But Benjy, the gay bull of Ireland, has been saved following a worldwide appeal backed by “The Simpsons” co-creator Sam Simon. Ireland’s Animal Rights Action Network said Tuesday that Simon is paying for Benjy’s transportation to an animal sanctuary in England.
-
Nicolas Sarkozy: France’s same-sex marriage law should be scrapped
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, who has embarked on a political comeback and is expected to run again for president in 2017, said Saturday that France’s marriage equality law should be scrapped.
-
Botswana LGBT rights group wins legal recognition in landmark case
GABORONE, Botswana — A judge in Botswana on Friday overturned a government ban on a gay rights lobbying group, saying refusal to recognize the group was “under the mistaken belief that the applicants intended to engage in homosexual practices.”
-
Court in Saudi Arabia sentences gay man to 3 years in jail for ‘immoral acts’
MANAMA, Bahrain — A court in eastern Saudi Arabia has sentenced a gay man to three years in prison for engaging in “immoral acts” after authorities found “offensive” pictures on his phone and social media posts where he sought to meet other men for sex.
-
Prison sentence reduced for leader of Russian anti-gay vigilante group
MOSCOW — The leader of the Russian anti-gay vigilante group “Occupy Pedophilia” who is alleged to have lured LGBT youth into abusive encounters through fake social media profiles, and who is serving five years in prison on unrelated charges, has had his sentence reduced.
-
Transgender Malaysians victorious over religious law banning cross-dressing
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — Three Malaysian transgender Muslims on Friday won a landmark court ruling against a religious law banning them from cross-dressing in what activists called a victory for human rights in a conservative Southeast Asian nation.