Openly LGBT+ News

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh asks how social media companies are balancing free speech with protecting LGBT+ people and other minorities from hateful speech that can incite real-world violence. He also hears about how LGBT+ Ugandans have been targeted by politicians ahead of today's presidential election and the year ahead for LGBT+ rights in Thailand.

On this week's Openly podcast, Rachel Savage hears what the election of two Democrat Senators in the U.S. state of Georgia means for president-elect Joe Biden's LGBT+ rights agenda. She also talks through the major LGBT+ legislative battles set to take place in 2021 and talks to Lithuania's only openly LGBT+ MP.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses the UK changing its rules for gay and bisexual men seeking to donate blood, and looks back at the issues facing the LGBT+ community over the course of 2020 in the US and Brazil

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh looks back at the issues facing LGBT+ communities around the world over the course of 2020. In this episode, we focus on Kenya and Thailand; and Thomson Reuters Foundation’s Jack Graham catches up with actor and film-maker Clea Duvall about her new LGBT+ Christmas movie.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh looks at the recent British High Court’s ruling on puberty blockers for transgender children; the Dutch government paying compensation for the forced sterilisation of trans people; and the life stories that shape World AIDS Day.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses a tour of the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, giving visitors a glimpse into the life of the country's transgender community; Drag Race star Courtney Act’s new play opens in London’s West End; and the life and work of travel writer and trans pioneer Jan Morris.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses the impact of bullying on LGBT+ kids in British schools, a court case in Canada involving a mother against her transgender child and a trans father from Britain trying to change his status to father on his Childs birth certificate.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses what a Joe Biden presidency means for the LGBT+ community, the Dutch government uncovering evidence of refugees posing as LGBT+ people in order to claim asylum and how Britain’s departure from the EU will affect same sex couples if they choose to divorce.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses the rainbow wave of LGBT+ candidates who have won in the US elections; Oscar-nominated actor Viggo Mortensen discusses playing a gay character in his directorial debut, "Falling"; and British lawmaker Chris Bryant talks about his new book "Glamour Boys", which explores the gay and bisexual MPs who were among the first to warn about the rise of fascism in the 1930s.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses how LGBT+ people are likely to vote in the upcoming US elections on November 3; how Poland’s LGBT+ community has been impacted by the Pope’s endorsement of same-sex civil unions; and the dairy farm in India that is offering a haven for the transgender community.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses how gay and bisexual men and transgender women are underfunded in the global fight against HIV and looks into a fierce debate in Italy over a proposed LGBT+ hate crime law. He also interviews musician Emily Estefan, alongside her superstar mother Gloria, about her struggle coming out as a lesbian.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh details rugby's world governing body banning trans women players from competing internationally; a record number of LGBT+ candidates on the ballot in this year's US election; and the European Court of Human Rights ruling in favour of Georgia's LGBT+ community in a long-standing case against abuse by the police.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh hears about a British court case that could determine whether young people questioning their gender should have access to puberty blockers without a court order; the fight for gay and bisexual men to donate blood in Britain; and the significance of a political party in India launching the country's first ever LGBT+ wing.

On this week’s Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh looks into the role of LGBT+ protestors calling for democracy in Belarus; a report by ILGA World about the criminalisation of trans people around the world; and Queer Britain, aiming to create the UK’s first LGBT+ museum.

On this week’s Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh looks into recent reforms to the Gender Recognition Act in England and Wales, TikTok apologising for censoring LGBT+ content and the most recent developments for the LGBT+ community in Poland.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh reports on calls made by businesses and universities for greater action on trans rights in the UK; the Oscars attempt to become more diverse; and an interview with writer Mohsin Zaidi on growing up gay and Muslim.

On this week's Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh hears about a violent blackmail scam targeting Nigerian lesbians online and why LGBT+ Americans have been hit harder by the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Hugo also attends the first joint German-Polish Pride as it marches between the towns of Slubice in Poland and Frankfurt an der Oder in Germany.

On this week’s Openly Podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh speaks to Robert Biedroń, a gay former presidential candidate in Poland, about attitudes towards homosexuality and the future of LGBT+ rights in the country. Then, questions around the increase in transgender suicide rates in Brazil and ‘Sam’, a new short film addressing sexuality and disability.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh looks into the reasons behind the rise of LGBT+ politicians being elected in the US; why conversion therapy continues to take place in Mexico; and the launch of India’s first National Council for Transgender Persons.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh reports on the tackling of hate speech on social media in the Middle East. Then, former congressman, Barney Frank speaks on the state of LGBT+ rights in the US under President Trump and Kehinde Bademosi on Pride Afrique, the first pan-African virtual pride event.

On this week’s, Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh reports on the widespread protests in Poland after the arrest of trans activist, Margot Szutowicz. Then, two victories in US trans court cases and why Barbados has omitted trans rights from workplace discrimination bill.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Rachel Savage looks into how the European Union is protecting LGBT+ rights in Poland. Then, Oscar Lopez reports on the first-ever conviction over the murder of a trans woman in El Salvador and a children’s hospital in the United States, apologises for performing surgeries on intersex infants.

In this week’s Openly podcast, we discuss how the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling on LGBT+ employment rights might help to provide fair housing for all. Also, how HIV/AIDS support organisations in Thailand are mobilising to combat the difficulties brought on by the coronavirus pandemic and Olympic hopeful, Michael Gunning, speaks on his experience coming out and swimming for Jamaica.

In this week’s Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh reports on Sudan scrapping the death penalty and flogging as punishments for gay sex. Also, he hears how Brazil’s Supreme Court is flying the flag for LGBT rights despite conservative opposition from Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro and why the United States is seeing more LGBT+ people elected into office than ever before.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Rachel Savage discusses fears of a possible rollback of LGBT+ rights in Poland after recent presidential elections. And Americas Correspondent Oscar Lopez reports on the beginnings of a conversion therapy ban in Mexico City and a battle in North America over using racial slurs in the popular board game ‘Scrabble’.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses why transgender people are angry and upset with ‘Harry Potter’ author J. K. Rowling, over her comments on trans rights. He also hears about Facebook being criticised for its policy on hate speech in the Middle East and a pageant for deaf, LGBT+ people in Thailand.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh reports from the streets of London, where veterans of the Gay Liberation Front marched to commemorate 50 years of activism and LGBT+ people gathered for a Black Trans Lives Matter protest. Then to the United States, for the second part of our series on being Black, LGBT+ and homeless.

On this week's Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh hears how Black, LGBT+ homeless youth have been disproportionately affected by the new coronavirus pandemic. The death of a transgender doctor in Mexico sparks fears of further violence against the community and the British Museum adds five LGBT+ objects to its permanent collection.

On this week's Openly podcast Rachel Savage hears from an LGBT+ lawyer about the significance of the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that workers can't be fired for their sexual orientation or gender identity. Britain has reportedly dropped plans to make legal gender recognition easier. We hear from long-time advocate Christine Burns about what this could mean for transgender people in the UK. And it's been a busy week for LGBT+ news in mainland Europe too, with Switzerland taking a step towards legalising same-sex marriage, the Netherlands investigating "conversion therapy" and Poland's president railing against "LGBT ideology".

On this week's Openly podcast Imara Jones, a black transgender journalist from New York City, talks about the protests against racism around the world, the struggles of black trans women, and why she thinks there needs to be be fewer police at Pride. https://www.instagram.com/imara_jones_/?hl=en Reality TV star Zeke Smith shares how he felt, as a trans man, about J. K. Rowlings tweets on trans issues. https://www.instagram.com/zekerchief/?hl=en And Freddy McConnell, a trans man with a very personal journey to fatherhood, discusses his new podcast Pride & Joy, which examines the lives of LGBT+ families. https://www.instagram.com/freddy.mcconnell/?hl=en

On this week's Openly podcast, we ask how companies are supporting Pride when physical marches aren't taking place. Activist Ash Kotak looks back at the life of writer and AIDS agitator Larry Kramer. And we hear how LGBT+ charities are managing during the coronavirus pandemic.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh looks at how a new law in Hungary that will ban trans people from changing their ID documents has sparked widespread concern; how Albania is taking a step forward towards banning gay conversion therapy; and gay marriage becomes legal in Costa Rica.

On this week's Openly podcast we ask whether Latin America is slipping backwards when it comes to LGBT+ rights; what's happening to the group of gay and trans detainees who were arrested a month ago in Uganda; and what are the current rules around the world for men who have gay sex when it comes to donating blood?

This week’s podcast is a Latin America special. Brazil’s Supreme Court ruled that a 12-month abstinence period for gay and bisexual men to donate blood was unconstitutional. Gender-based lockdowns are causing problems for transgender people across the region and a fifth of LGBT+ Colombians have gone through so-called “conversion therapy”

On this week's Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh hears how the 'dancing boys' of Afghanistan, who suffered sexual abuse as children, are faring as adults. U.S. state lawmaker are pushing for LGBT+ coronavirus victims to be counted and a transgender woman set herself on fire in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

On this week’s Openly podcast, Rachel Savage hears about intersex people having to deal with past medical traumas during lockdowns and the struggles of transgender sex workers in Latin America. And an interview with Sebastian Wood and Monty Keates, the young gay couple flying the flag for LGBT+ people in Britain’s first TikTok house.

It's Lesbian Visibility Week and DIVA magazine publisher Linda Riley talks about being discriminated against by other parents for being a lesbian mother. Idaho is being sued for anti-transgender laws. And Hugo Greenhalgh hears from a priest who counselled people dying of AIDS in the 1980s and 1990s about how that crisis compares to the coronavirus pandemic.

In this week's Openly podcast, trans people face having their gender reassignment surgeries deemed non-essential and delayed as the coronoavirus crisis put pressure on global healthcare systems; will the US lift its ban on trans in the military; and an LGBT+ group suing one of Ukraine's leading religious figures.

On this week’s Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh hears about the United States easing its restrictions on gay and bisexual men donating blood due to shortages caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Hungary has proposed an anti-trans law and the situation has worsened for LGBT+ people in Uganda

In this week's Openly podcast, Singapore's High Court rejects petitions from three gay men who challenged the law banning gay sex; how older LGBT+ people are more vulnerable than their heterosexual peers during the coronavirus crisis; and India’s trans sex workers facing starvation under strict lockdown measures.

This week's Openly podcast was recorded remotely, as Hugo Greenhalgh looks at how LGBT+ communities around the world have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. He hears how LGBT+ people in the Middle East are trapped with abusive families and the challenges facing LGBT+ charities in the UK. And Cormac O'Brien talks to RuPaul's Drag Race superstar Alaska about drag queens going digital.

In Russia, HIV+ migrants can be deported and many fear getting tested due to homophobia. Hugo Greenhalgh also discusses the LGBT+ candidates winning big in the U.S. elections and Facebook adverts with misleading information on HIV prevention drug PrEP

In this week's Openly podcast, Americas correspondent Oscar Lopez on how several US states are set to join New Zealand in banning the "gay panic" legal defence; Thomson Reuters Foundation general reporter Matt Lavietes reveals how almost 400,000 trans voters could be unable to vote in the November US presidential elections; and Abigail Saguy, professor of sociology at the University of California Los Angeles, tells us why fat is not just a feminist issue, but also an LGBT+ one.

On this week's Openly podcast, Rachel Savage hears how the 47 Nigerian men on trial accused of public same-sex affection have already been judged as guilty by society. She also discusses conversion therapy bans and Bollywood's first gay rom com.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh asks who decides when a child changes gender? He also looks into diversity training for Ugandan police and LGBT+ history at the Tower of London

In this week's Openly podcast, we look at how US companies are fighting back against a raft of anti-LGBT bills proposed in the US; what TV presenter Philip Schofield's decision to come out means for children of same-sex parents; and why gay and bisexual men still find it difficult to donate blood.

On this week's Openly podcast Rachel Savage looks at rising hate crime in Europe and why the number 24 is associated with being gay in Brazil. Hugo Greenhalgh interviews former actor and politician Lord Michael Cashman about being part of the first gay kiss on mainstream British TV.

On this week's Openly podcast, Hugo Greenhalgh discusses why France is lagging behind when it comes to LGBT+ characters on TV and the U.S. state laws that would ban medical care for transgender children. He also meets a British war veteran who has finally regained his medals after being kicked out of the Navy for his sexuality almost 30 years ago.

On this week's Openly podcast, Rachel Savage discusses Mexican football's problem with homophobia, a call by U.S. Democrats to release transgender migrants from immigration detention, and Ukraine's LGBT+ war veterans.

In this week's Openly podcast, the row in Brazil over the recent Christmas comedy special that depicted a "gay Jesus" has reached the courts; the age at which young people can access medical help and puberty blockers has been lowered in Brazil; and LGBT+ refugees are under attack in camps in Kenya.

On this week's Openly podcast Hugo Greenhalgh looks at transgender issues from around the world - the trans Germans demanding compensation for sterilisation, northern India's first trans school, and a "two-spirit" doctor in Canada who treats trans teenagers.