LGBTQ+ rights & well-being

Vatican City

The Vatican says transgender people can be baptized

The Vatican, which leads the Catholic Church, has said that transgender people and people in same-sex relationships can be baptized and serve as witnesses at weddings, and trans people can also be godparents as well.

Running in street with LGBTQ Pride flag

Taiwan holds Asia’s largest-ever Pride event

Over 176,000 people attended Taiwan’s 21st annual Pride march in the capital city of Taipei, making it the world’s largest Asian LGBTQ+ Pride event in history. The event celebrated two recent LGBTQ+ rights victories in the country: the legalization of gay adoption and the recognition of Taiwanese same-sex spouses who were married in foreign countries.

Hong Kong skyline at sunset

Hong Kong courts rule in same-sex couples’ favor

Hong Kong’s Court of Appeals ruled in favor of two same-sex couples in separate cases involving their rights to own and rent public housing. While same-sex marriage is not legal in the city, the rulings follow other decisions that have firmly established same-sex couples’ rights to equal treatment under the law.

Ithaca New York

Ithaca, New York declares itself a safe haven for trans people

The city’s Common Council unanimously approved a bill to emphasize existing anti-discrimination laws and protect access to gender-affirming care.
It also said the city would not work with out-of-state law enforcement officials looking to punish those who traveled to New York to receive legal healthcare.

Young person with pride flag draped across back

Michigan bans conversion therapy for minors

The law prohibits state-licensed providers from engaging in the psychologically-damaging practice. Michigan is now the 22nd state in the United States to ban such “therapy.”