Issue #14 Monday, 20 March 2023
Dear Subscriber,
Welcome to the 14th issue of the LGBT Great News Digest, a short briefing on the 5 LGBTQ+ news stories you need to know about right now. Firstly, here is a quick update for you:
This Week: Exploring DE&I Lens Investment Strategies - J oin us for a high-impact panel discussion with some of the leading voices on ESG investing to explore intersectional and LGBTQ+ lens investment strategies. Supported by Artemis Fund Managers, Barings, Fidelity International, and sponsored by Core Leadership Member HSBC Asset Management. Register Here.
Launching March 30th: The 2023 Financial Services Standards - The 2023 LGBT Great Standards will proudly recognise financial services organisations for their completion of the iiBT framework, their work to create empowering environments for LGBTQ+ talent and those contributing towards improving social sustainability.
The LGBT Great Team |
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| 5 LGBTQ+ News Stories from Around the World |
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| 1. Ugandan bill criminalises individuals for identifying as LGBTQ+ |
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On 9 March 2023, Asuman Basalirwa, a member of the Ugandan parliament, introduced the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which criminalises any person for identifying as LGBTQ+ with a punishment of up to 10 years in prison. It also makes the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ a punishable crime with up to 5 years of jail time. _____ Our view: Another chilling aspect of the bill includes imprisonment of landlords with LGBTQ+ tenants. With LGBTQ+ folks already disproportionately likely to experience homelesseness, this bill stands to dramatically increase the risk for LGBTQ+ people and is anticipated to also come with intrusive identity ‘checks’ for LGBTQ+ tenants. |
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| 2. Tennessee bans gender-affirming healthcare for minors |
| On 2 March 2023, Tennessee Governor, Bill Lee, signed a law that bans all forms of gender-affirming care for transgender people under the age of 18. The law, which goes into effect on 1 July 2023, will remove the right of families to make critical healthcare decisions for their transgender children. Those already receiving gender-affirming healthcare will lose access to such care after 31 March 2024. _____ Our View: This legislative session has seen Tennessee become the fourth US State to prohibit gender-affirming healthcare for individuals under 18, joining Utah, South Dakota, and Mississippi which have also implemented similar bans.
This represents yet another devastating blow to the LGBTQ+ community, especially to transgender youth who will be denied access to critical gender-affirming care.
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| 3. Bill introduced in Ukraine to legalise same-sex marriage |
| On 7 March 2023, Ukrainian member of parliament Inna Sovsun, introduced legislation which aims to make same-sex unions legal. Sovsun claimed that 56% of Ukrainians currently support same-sex unions, in a series of tweets following her submission of the bill. _____ Our View: On 2 August 2022,Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would urge the Ukrainian government to legalise same-sex marriage after the war ends, which was followed by Ukrainian lawmakers unanimously approving a media regulation bill in December 2022 that prohibits hate speech and incitement based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
These actions represent a strong commitment toward progress in LGBTQ+ equality, and catalyse the possibility of legalising same-sex unions in the eastern European nation in the near future.
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| 4. Indian government opposes same-sex marriage |
| On 12 March 2023, the Indian government stated in a filing to the Supreme Court that it opposes recognising same-sex marriages and urged the court to reject any challenges made to include LGBTQ+ couples in the legal marital framework. "Living together as partners and having sexual relationship by same sex individuals ... is not comparable with the Indian family unit concept of a husband, a wife and children," the Ministry of Law argued. _____ Our View: While India has seen multiple advances in LGBTQ+ rights such as the Transgender Protection Act in 2019 and the scrapping of 377A in 2018 which consequently decriminalised homosexuality, the sentiment expressed by the government threatens progress toward achieving LGBTQ+ equality.
The Supreme Court has said a 5-judge bench will hear final arguments over legalising same-sex marriage on 18 April 2023. LGBT Great hopes that the Supreme Court grants legal rights for LGBTQ+ marriage.
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| 5. Italian Prime Minister demands Milan stop registering same-sex couple’s children |
| On 13 March 2023, Giuseppe Sala, the mayor of Milan, confirmed that he had received instructions from the Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for Milanese councils to stop registering children of same-sex couples. Sala said that he would follow the order but keep fighting for the improvement for the adoption rights for same-sex couples. ______ Our View: GiorgiaMeloni has, time and time again, conveyed anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment through her public statements around a vehement ‘no to gender ideology’, ‘no to LGBT ideology’ and other such rhetoric. Her party also blocked a bill which would have made violence against LGBTQ+ folks and disabled people a hate crime.
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Disclaimer The information contained in this newsletter is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by LGBT Great and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability with respect to the newsletter or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in the newsletter for any purpose. All the quotations in the news are presented as originally published. LGBT Great does not necessarily share the views of the quoted authors and is not responsible for the accuracy of the information or quality of the analysis provided by them. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. |
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