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Kenya court overturns ban on lesbian love story

Celebrated film ‘Rafiki’ was groundbreaking in 2018, but was prohibited back home in Kenya

Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad proposes the creation of a government "gender re-assigment board" that would control a trans person's official gender identity. (Photo courtesy of Global Living Space)
Anti-trans officials and violence reverse progress for transgender Pakistanis
A 19-year-old woman talks with nurse Valeria Zafisoa at a traveling contraception clinic in eastern Madagascar run by the British nonprofit group MSI Reproductive Choices. That group lost $15 million in funding the last time Trump enforced the Mexico City policy. (Samantha Reinders photo courtesy of NPR)
Trump administration to block LGBTQIA+ and DEI-related foreign aid

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This site's activist journalists have laid the groundwork for Project Not Alone, which frees imprisoned victims of African homophobia. This illustration shows two gay men waiting for donations that will pay their fines and set them free.
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Map of 66 countries that criminalize homosexuality
Homosexuality is now illegal in 65 nations
21 varieties of traditional African homosexuality
Death penalty, ex-gay therapy, 100s of prisoners, the Commonwealth, more

Upbeat news

Kenya court overturns ban on lesbian love story
L’extérieur de la prison centrale de Yaoundé. (Photo par Andy Kopsa )
Cameroon: 5 men nearing end of prison sentence for homosexuality
Guadeloupean performer Admiral T is known for his homophobic lyrics.
Homophobic song by Guadeloupe artist Admiral T removed from streaming platforms
2025 LGBTQ rights update: Progress and backsliding in Latin America and Caribbean

Important work funded by our readers

Marriage was a gay man’s shield. Exposure forced him to start again
Word cloud showing the names (pseudonyms) of the 56 prisoners for whom Project Not Alone has won early release.
Readers’ donations have freed a total of 56 victims of African homophobia
Rainbow flag: St. Paul's Foundation for International Reconciliation needs your financial support for its work advancing LGBT rights. Click the image to donate.
To support LGBT rights, include St. Paul’s Foundation in your year-end giving
We freed four Muslim men imprisoned when their imam called them gay

Africa

Kenya court overturns ban on lesbian love story
A 19-year-old woman talks with nurse Valeria Zafisoa at a traveling contraception clinic in eastern Madagascar run by the British nonprofit group MSI Reproductive Choices. That group lost $15 million in funding the last time Trump enforced the Mexico City policy. (Samantha Reinders photo courtesy of NPR)
Trump administration to block LGBTQIA+ and DEI-related foreign aid
Kojo, who has survived two attacks after being approached on dating apps. (Carlotta Dotto photo courtesy of The Guardian)
Torture, blackmail, extortion: the dangers of queer online dating in Ghana
L’extérieur de la prison centrale de Yaoundé. (Photo par Andy Kopsa )
Cameroon: 5 men nearing end of prison sentence for homosexuality

Caribbean

Map of the 65 countries where sexual relations between people of the same sex are illegal. YELLOW countries have sodomy laws that are currently being challenged before local courts. Sri Lanka, in PINK, currently has a bill before its parliament to repeal its sodomy law. Indonesia, in ORANGE, has laws that criminalize homosexuality only in some subnational jurisdictions. All states in RED have nationwide sodomy laws and no known legislative efforts or court challenges to remove them.

LGBTQ rights update: 2025 tally and 2026 preview

Guadeloupean performer Admiral T is known for his homophobic lyrics.

Homophobic song by Guadeloupe artist Admiral T removed from streaming platforms

2025 LGBTQ rights update: Progress and backsliding in Latin America and Caribbean

Europe

Logo of ILGA, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association.
Russia makes it a crime to work with ILGA World on behalf of LGBTQ rights
U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
Trump regime takes its anti-transgender campaign global
Map of the 65 countries where sexual relations between people of the same sex are illegal. YELLOW countries have sodomy laws that are currently being challenged before local courts. Sri Lanka, in PINK, currently has a bill before its parliament to repeal its sodomy law. Indonesia, in ORANGE, has laws that criminalize homosexuality only in some subnational jurisdictions. All states in RED have nationwide sodomy laws and no known legislative efforts or court challenges to remove them.
LGBTQ rights update: 2025 tally and 2026 preview
Although Ukraine in general does not acknowledge same-sex marriages, a court recognized the marriage Tymur Levchuk and Zorian Kis, a Ukrainian diplomat stationed in Israel. Zoryan Kis, First Secretary of the Ukrainian Embassy in Israel, and his partner Tymur Levchuk. The couple had lived together since 2013 and were legally married in the United States in 2021.. (Photo courtesy of Teenergizer)
2025 LGBTQ rights update: Anti-trans hysteria mars Europe’s LGBTQ gains

Asia

Pakistani Senator Mushtaq Ahmad proposes the creation of a government "gender re-assigment board" that would control a trans person's official gender identity. (Photo courtesy of Global Living Space)
Anti-trans officials and violence reverse progress for transgender Pakistanis
U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
Trump regime takes its anti-transgender campaign global
An anti-LGBT briefing at an Indonesian air base in December 2024. (Photo courtesy of New Mandala and the Indonesian Air Force)
Indonesia’s two homophobias
Graphic from the Azerbaijan LGBTQ organization Qiy Vaar states, "Get Out of Our Lives"
Azerbaijan police detain over 100 in queer nightclub raid

Middle East/North Africa

Spotlight on Mauritania, where LGBT people hide their identities for fear of stigma
LGBTQ rights advocacy is only possible in secret in Libya. (Photo courtesy of Kuchu Times / Zoonar.com)
Spotlight on Libya, where the LGBTQ community hides in the shadows
Map of the 65 countries where sexual relations between people of the same sex are illegal. YELLOW countries have sodomy laws that are currently being challenged before local courts. Sri Lanka, in PINK, currently has a bill before its parliament to repeal its sodomy law. Indonesia, in ORANGE, has laws that criminalize homosexuality only in some subnational jurisdictions. All states in RED have nationwide sodomy laws and no known legislative efforts or court challenges to remove them.
LGBTQ rights update: 2025 tally and 2026 preview
Iran, captained by Alireza Jahanbakhsh (pictured), is scheduled to face Egypt in what's set to be a pride match in Seattle at the FIFA World Cup. (Etsuo Hara photo courtesy of ABC / Getty)
Iran and Egypt protest World Cup match scheduled amid Pride celebrations

Americas

A 19-year-old woman talks with nurse Valeria Zafisoa at a traveling contraception clinic in eastern Madagascar run by the British nonprofit group MSI Reproductive Choices. That group lost $15 million in funding the last time Trump enforced the Mexico City policy. (Samantha Reinders photo courtesy of NPR)

Trump administration to block LGBTQIA+ and DEI-related foreign aid

Trump expands Mexico City policy to “end woke foreign aid” 

U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C.
Trump regime takes its anti-transgender campaign global
Map of the 65 countries where sexual relations between people of the same sex are illegal. YELLOW countries have sodomy laws that are currently being challenged before local courts. Sri Lanka, in PINK, currently has a bill before its parliament to repeal its sodomy law. Indonesia, in ORANGE, has laws that criminalize homosexuality only in some subnational jurisdictions. All states in RED have nationwide sodomy laws and no known legislative efforts or court challenges to remove them.
LGBTQ rights update: 2025 tally and 2026 preview
Governmental leaders of North America, clockwise from top left: Mark Carney, prime minister of Canada; Claudia Scheinbaum, president of Mexico; Donald Trump, president of the United States; and Jens-Frederik Nielsen, prime minister of Greenland. (Photos courtesy of Canada, Wikipedia, Reuters and PBS)
2025 LGBTQ rights global update: In North America, one nation raged alone

Oceania

Map of the 65 countries where sexual relations between people of the same sex are illegal. YELLOW countries have sodomy laws that are currently being challenged before local courts. Sri Lanka, in PINK, currently has a bill before its parliament to repeal its sodomy law. Indonesia, in ORANGE, has laws that criminalize homosexuality only in some subnational jurisdictions. All states in RED have nationwide sodomy laws and no known legislative efforts or court challenges to remove them.

LGBTQ rights update: 2025 tally and 2026 preview

2025 LGBTQ rights update: Mixed results in Oceania

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Outright launches important reports on LGBTQ rights in every country