A photography teacher at a school in Helsingborg, Sweden has learned the hard way why you shouldn’t hurl antigay slurs at students. “When I found out what the photographer said, I felt that this required immediate action,” the principal told media. “He did not respect our values and offended a student. As an adult, you must think about what you say to students.” Read More
Teen's Suicide Highlights Struggle of LGBT Colombians
Two photos — one haunting, the other simply poignant — published separately last weekend by two Spanish-language news groups tell the story of Colombian society's urgent need to reconcile its religiously conservative culture with acceptance and respect for its LGBT men, women, and children.
The first photo is of a handsome young Colombian who committed suicide recently, after his teachers and school administrators allegedly harassed him because he was gay. The second shows his mother, Alba Reyes, with solemn eyes narrowed to a point of focus that only mothers of lost children know. Read More
Inclusive sex education is vital – and British schools aren’t delivering it
Why isn’t there a mandatory requirement to teach children about sexual health and diversity, including LGBT, in the same way as other curriculum subjects?
One in three gay men diagnosed with HIV in 2012 were in their teens or early 20s, yet more than three-quarters of gay and bisexual young people receive no information at school about same-sex relationships or gay safer sex. These failings border on child neglect, and have prompted a coalition of LGBTI, sexual health and HIV campaigners to petition British leaders for change. Read More
Brazil schoolboys wear skirts to support trans classmate
A group of boys at São Cristóvão do Colégio Pedro II high school in Rio de Janeiro wore skirts to class after a transgender student was fined for breaking the school's dress code. Seventeen-year-old Maria Munez, born Mario Munez, recently came out as transgender by wearing a skirt to school but was fined for not wearing trousers. Read More
This Is Pakistan’s First Anti-Homophobia Children’s Book, And It Is Beautiful
Earlier this year, Toronto-based Pakistani blogger and artist Eiynah ‘Nicemangos’ wrote a blog post titled “My Chacha Is Gay”.
The post was shared over 10,000 times in two days and hundreds of readers suggested that Eiynah start a crowdfunding campaign to publish it as a book. She met her crowdfunding goal quickly, and “My Chacha Is Gay” has since been released in print.
“My Chacha Is Gay” is about a little boy named Ahmed, his gay uncle, their family, and Pakistani and Muslim society as a whole. Read more
Kazakhstan: Media are ‘brainwashing’ children with gay ‘propaganda’
Mayor Akim Tasmagambetov of Kazakhstan's capital city has accused the international media of “promoting” homosexuality, and “brainwashing” children. “It has not just become a political norm in a range of developed countries, but the perception of the society has been distorted to such an extent that the US state of California approved a compulsory course on historical accomplishments of representatives of sexual minorities. I think you see for yourself how the topic is promoted in the international media.” Read More
Countries That Criminalize Homosexuality Don't Just Hurt Adults
Youth leader Abongwa Victor delivers an impassioned plea for Cameroonian youths: Over and over the LGBT youth of Cameroon have been subjected to “corrective” rape, torture, and abuse in detention cells, extended stay in custody before being charged, refusal of family visits, denial of counsel — just because of who they are. Read more
Youth in Chile support same-sex marriage and adoption
A poll undertaken by Chile’s National Youth Institute (INJUV) has found that 70% of young people in the traditionally conservative country said that they supported same-sex marriage, and most approved of adoption for same-sex couples too. Read More
90% of China young people accept gays
An overwhelming majority of Chinese young people are fine with gay people, according to a recent survey conducted by internet giant Baidu, the Chinese version of Google and Wikipedia, and asked 7,000 internets users born in the 1990s their views on love, friendship, consumption, family and employment. Read More
Josh Hutcherson Wants To Help Low-Income LGBTs, One Computer At A Time
In partnership with Straight But Not Narrow, The Trevor Project, and human I-T the Hunger Games star's “Power On” campaign provides LGBT teens with refurbished laptops, smartphones, and tablets to bring them better access to resources. Read More
40 LGBTQ-Friendly Picture Books for Ages 0-5
Adults can debate endlessly about when it’s appropriate to “expose” children to “sensitive” topics like sex and sexuality, gender expression and diversity, non-conventional methods of conception and so on, but kids don’t live in isolated bubbles — they’re right here in our complex, messy world with us. Read More
Archie Comics Is Promoting 'The Occult And Homosexuality' With Recent Story line"
Right Wing Watch stated, "These kids grew up watching their parents laugh at 'Will & Grace,' which changed people’s opinions, and now the kids don’t have a problem with it.” The group isn't the first to express its disapproval of Archie Comics and the Kevin Keller character specifically. In 2012, One Million Moms threatened Toys 'R' Us with a boycott because the toy chain is carried the controversial Archie Comics issue in which Keller tied the knot in a same-sex wedding.
The comic made news this summer when Archie was killed protecting his gay friend. Jon Goldwater, Archie Comics publisher: "We wanted to do something that was impactful that would really resonate with the world and bring home just how important Archie is to everyone. That’s how we came up with the storyline of saving Kevin. He could have saved Betty. He could have saved Veronica. We get that, but metaphorically, by saving Kevin, a new Riverdale is born.” More