europe
Arrests as hundreds of homophobes storm gay film premiere
Hundreds of far-right homophobes swarmed a cinema in Georgia to protest the premiere of new gay romance film And Then We Danced. The Swedish-Georgian co-production is a coming-of-age story filmed in the former Soviet republic and billed as a “gay romance” between two young male Georgian ballet dancers. A handful of Georgian cinemas scheduled screenings …
Right-wing homophobes are furious at these Coca-Cola ads
A conservative politician in Hungary has called for a boycott of Coca-Cola after an ad campaign included images of same-sex couples hugging and kissing. The ads have slogans like “zero sugar, zero prejudice” and are cashing in on Budapest’s week-long Sziget Festival. This year the festival has the theme of “Love Revolution”. But the ads …
Poland LGBTIQ stars fight homophobia with epic Taylor Swift lip sync
Polish LGBTIQ celebrities, politicians and activists have united to call out homophobia in their country in a lip-sync to Taylor Swift’s “You Need To Calm Down”. The video’s creators, Polish husbands and activists Jakub and David, aimed to bring attention to the conservative government’s anti-gay rhetoric and also homophobic violence in the country. Polish husbands …
Aussie woman wins same-sex marriage recognition in Bulgaria
A same-sex couple has won their two-year legal battle to gain recognition of their marriage in a first for Bulgaria. Australian-born Cristina Palma met her French partner Mariama Dialo in Sydney 16 years ago. In 2016, the couple legally wed in France. The pair were initially permitted to live, work and travel in Bulgaria and …
The most – and least – LGBTIQ-friendly countries in Europe revealed
Malta has been named the most LGBTIQ-friendly travel destination in Europe for the fourth year in a row. Advocacy group ILGA-Europe produces the Rainbow Europe list annually, ranking 49 European countries based on how their laws and policies impact on the lives of LGBTIQ people. Categories include equality and non-discrimination, families, hate crime and hate …
Russia’s Ban On LGBTIQ Rallies Violates Human Rights, European Court Rules
The European Human Rights Court has ruled that Russia’s banning of LGBTIQ pride marches is a violation of the human right to free assembly. The country has long denied permits to and violently disrupted public demonstrations by LGBTIQ activists, and in 2013 signed into law its “gay propaganda” law, which prevents the “promotion” of “non-traditional …
Vandalised Rainbow Arch Replaced With Stunning New ‘Unbreakable’ Version
A new “unbreakable” rainbow celebrating the LGBTIQ community has been built in Poland after the previous version was destroyed by far-right groups. The dazzling rainbow display, lit up in a busy intersection in central Warsaw, bounces rainbow lights off of a curtain of water vapour and can’t be damaged. It was unveiled ahead of Warsaw’s …
Here’s Everything You Need To Know About The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest
The glitterfest is upon us, the wind machine is set to roar and flame pots are primed for ignition. Eurovision—a camp event that has been going longer than the venerable Brisbane Queens’ Ball—is the “World Cup of Pop Music”, a sports event for people that aren’t into sport. Blair Martin, Brisbane radio station 4ZZZ’s roving …
Slovenia legalises same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage has become officially legal in Slovenia, with the country becoming the first in Central Europe to do so. The law was originally passed ten months ago after a referendum rejected a draft of the bill that would also have granted same-sex couples adoption rights. The MP who introduced the bill, Matej Vatovec, said: …