#GERMANY: Parliament Passes Law Making Gender, Name Changes On Official Docs Easier

[world politics news]

German lawmakers on Friday approved legislation that will make it easier for transgender, intersex and nonbinary people to change their name and gender in official records.

The “self-determination law,” one of several social reforms that Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Left-leaning coalition government pledged when it took office in late 2021, is set to take effect on Nov. 1.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA: Online Protest Targets Gov't Corruption

[world politics news]

Abuse of public funds. Failing hospitals. Potholes in the streets of Kampala, the capital of Uganda.

These and other issues feature in an online protest campaign that is rattling government officials and others in this East African country where street protests are practically outlawed — and where corruption is widespread and often deadly.

The campaign has been trending on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter, as #UgandaParliamentExhibition. It relies on leaks of official documents and has been cast as an "exhibition" — in a sequence of postings — about controversial issues.

President Museveni, 79, Blames "foreigners and Western pro-gay activists" for criticism of the government, calling them "enemies of the people." Uganda has passed some of the most restrictive anti-gay laws in the world, drawing condemnation and causing homosexuals to literally flee for their lives. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GREECE: Parliament Set To Legalize Gay Marriage

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Greece’s parliament is to vote Thursday to legalize same-sex civil marriage in a first for an Orthodox Christian country and despite opposition from the the powerful Greek Church.

As lawmakers debated the bill for a second day, opinion polls suggest that most Greeks support the proposed reform by a narrow margin. The issue has failed to trigger deep divisions in a country more worried about the high cost of living.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LATVIA: Parliament Approves Gay Civil Unions

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Latvian lawmakers voted on Thursday to allow same-sex civil unions, providing same-sex couples with legal recognition for the first time. However, same-sex couples will still have fewer rights than married couples.

The legislation allows same-sex couples to register their partnership, giving them hospital visitation rights as well as tax and social security benefits, but not the right to adopt children or inheritance. It is due to take effect in mid-2024.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JAPAN: A Fourth Court Says Gays Should Have Marriage Rights

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TOKYO -- Japan's government is under renewed pressure to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples after a fourth court ruled that its failure to do so was at odds with the country's constitution.

The ruling by Fukuoka District Court in southern Japan late last week delivered a boost to the LGBTQ community in the only G7 member state yet to legally recognize same-sex unions. In a case brought by three same-sex couples against the state, the judge found the current lack of marriage equality presents Japan with an "unconstitutional situation."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: Ottawa School District Wants "Bubble" To Keep Parents From Protesting Near Schools

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Ottawa-Carleton District School Board trustee Nili Kaplan-Myrth has called for safety zones or "bubble zones" around schools to block future parental rights protests, one of which was scheduled for today, which she portrayed as being led by outsiders.

“There are anti-LGBTQ protesters, from the US, planning to show up outside Ottawa, Canada schools June 9th,” said Kaplan-Myrth in a Wednesday tweet.  “It puts students and staff and community at real risk.” 

A distict statement on its website said protecting rights of S2LGBTQIA+ students was a paramount concern of the district, which also portrayed parents protesting as dangerous bigots, led by those, "promoting inflammatory, transphobic, and hateful content against members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community." 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UGANDA: New Law Would Make Identifying As Gay A Crime

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New legislation being proposed in the parliament of Uganda would criminalize identifying as a homosexual or engaging in same sex relations.

Under the proposed law, anyone who engages in same-sex activity or who "holds out" as LGBTQ could face up to 10 years' imprisonment.

The speaker of the parliament says hearings will begin on the bill this week. Uganda has notoriously strict anti-homosexual laws, already.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GHANA: MP To Introduce Anti-Gay Legislation In March

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The bill on Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values is set to be laid before Parliament by the end of March this year.

This was revealed by a proponent and sponsor of the bill and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Prampram Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Sam Nartey George.

His revelation comes after the committee yesterday held a closed-door hearing with the State Attorney on his Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) raising some human rights challenges with the bill.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SINGAPORE: Laws Against Gay Sex Repealed

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Singapore’s Parliament has voted to repeal its colonial-era laws criminalizing sex between men while also endorsing a constitutional amendment that prevents court challenges to the heterosexual definition of marriage on Tuesday, November 28. The vote drops the number of countries that criminalize gay sex to 68.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Conservative MP Highlights Harrassment of Gays Working In Parliament

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Gay men working in parliament are the “most vulnerable” to harassment and abuse but are “absolutely terrified of coming forward” because of the taboo which remains around homosexuality, a senior Conservative MP has said.

Former immigration minister Caroline Nokes said women receive “all the column inches in the press” before “this ‘and also’ [approach] when it comes to the young gay men’.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GHANA: Parliament Will Pass Bill To Criminize Gay Marriage & Gay Rights By 2024 Election

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Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin has given the clearest indication that the House will pass the controversial Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill before the 2024 election.

Bagbin gave the assurance in a media engagement on Friday, October 28, 2022. “Sexual Rights and Human Values bill that is being handled by the Committee, definitely we will pass it before the next election.We will pass it,” he said.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: Proposed Law Would Double Fines For "LGBT Propaganda "

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Russia is considering doubling fines for exposing children to what it calls "LGBT propaganda" and making any event or act seen as promoting homosexuality an administrative offence, the text of proposed new legislation made public on Wednesday showed.

Russia's existing "gay propaganda" law, passed in 2013, bans any person or entity from promoting homosexual relationships to children, though lawmakers argued in July the law should be extended to include adults as well.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SINGAPORE: Gay Sex Ban To Be Lifted, But No Gay Marriage Yet

[world politics news]

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced this past week that the country will repeal a colonial-era law criminalizing gay sex, though he maintained that the government will continue to “uphold” marriage as being between a man and a woman. 

Inherited from the British colonial era, section 377A of Singapore’s penal code penalizes sex between men with up to two years in jail.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#RUSSIA: Duma Considers Further Restrictions On Support For Gay Rights

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Russia’s parliament is moving to tighten already stringent restrictions on the discussion of LGBTQ rights and relationships.

A draft bill calling for the broadening of a 2013 ban on the “promotion of non-traditional sexual relations” to minors, widely referred to as the “gay propaganda” bill, was announced on the website of the parliament, or Duma.  The draft bill introduced this week is proposing a ban on public discussions of LGBTQ relationships in a positive light, and queer content in cinemas.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#LITHUANIA: Parliament Considers Same-Sex Partnership Bill

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Lithuania's parliament has voted to accept a draft bill legalizing same-sex civil partnerships for further debate, after voting down a similar bill in May 2021.

Seventy lawmakers voted in favor and 52 against accepting the measure for discussion, with several opponents raising questions about whether legalizing same-sex partnerships would go against Catholic teachings.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Labour Party's Opposition Equalities Minister Calls Criticism Of Trans Athlete "Lazy Transphobia"

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A Labour Party Member of Parliament has provoked a furious controversy after claiming criticism of swimmer Lia Thomas is "lazy transphobia".

Lia became the first transgender woman to win an NCAA Division I title.

She originally competed in the male division before racing against women after she transitioned.

Rival Reka Gyorgy complained to the athletics association about its decision to let Lia race against "biological women", and this complaint has been shared by a number of athletes and experts.

But Labour's Opposition Equalities Minister Charlotte Nichols leapt to the swimmer's defense and congratulated her on her achievement.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CHILE: Parliament Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

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Chile has approved a landmark law allowing same-sex marriage in the historically Catholic country.

The legislation, overwhelmingly approved by parliament on Tuesday, also enables gay couples to adopt children.

The bill was supported by President Sebastián Piñera, who has to sign it into law. But it has been criticized by members of his conservative coalition.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SCOTLAND: New Gov't Guidance Allows Four-Year-Olds To Choose Their Gender At School

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Children as young as four will be able to change their gender at school without their parents’ consent under guidance introduced in Scotland.

Any pupil who decides they want to switch gender must be supported and listened to in school following the Scottish Government advice.

The guidance applies in primary schools, where the youngest children are only four or five, because "recognition and development of gender identity can occur at a young age."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Ruling Party Says It Opts Out Of EU "Social Revolution"

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The European Union is plotting a cultural revolution to destroy traditional families and the continent’s Christian heritage, according to Poland’s most powerful politician.

Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the nationalist ruling Law & Justice party, is an architect of Poland’s crackdown on gay rights over the last half decade. 

His government has been repeatedly sued by the EU’s executive for eroding the rule of law and may soon face disciplinary action after towns and regions across Poland declared themselves “free of LGBTQ ideology.”

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HUNGARY: New Law Prevents "Promotion Of Homosexuality" To Children

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Hungary’s parliament passed legislation on Tuesday that bans the dissemination of content in schools deemed to promote homosexuality and gender change, amid strong criticism from human rights groups and opposition parties.

Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who faces an election next year, has grown increasingly vocal on social policy, railing against LGBT people and immigrants in his self-styled illiberal regime.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.