Pride parades celebrate historic victory
Pride parades around the world were reportedly bigger and brighter than ever this week in celebration of the US Supreme Court’s ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide. The celebrations were only marred by a few incidents, such as when a woman was knocked unconcious by a drone in Seattle, a New York Jewish group hired Mexican labourers to protest for them, or Lady Gaga tried to celebrate Pride but accidentally celebrated the Chicago Mariachi Festival.
Mozambique decriminalizes gay sex
Mozambique has decriminalized gay sex by instituting a new penal code to replace old Portuguese colonial laws. The old law theoretically punished “vices against nature” with up to three years hard labour, but Mozambique has never actually used the law since independence in 1975. Activists say the change has symbolic importance in a country still struggling with gay social inclusion.
America wrestles with same-sex marriage ruling
In the days following the US Supreme Court’s ruling that all US states must recognize same-sex marriage, some state governments are struggling to find loopholes. Texas’ attorney general quickly put the state into confusion by issuing a non-binding opinion that state officials were not obligated to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples if it violated their religious beliefs. Meanwhile, Supreme Court watchers raised their eyebrows on the release of the the four dissenting justices’ blisteringly anti-court opinion.
Italy recognizes marriage between cis man, trans woman
The Milan Court of Appeal has recognized a marriage, held in 2011 in Argentina, between a trans woman and a cis man. Although Italy does not recognize same-sex marriage, the court decided that the marriage was in conformity with “the heterosexual paradigm” and “gives rise to exactly the same legal rights and outcomes as any other marriage.”
Turkey cracks down on Pride parade
Turkish police officers descended on the capital Istanbul’s gay Pride parade with water cannons and tear gas June 28, after cancelling the parade only hours before. Authorities cited a conflict with the holy month of Ramadan as the reason for the cancellation.
Read Daily Xtra’s coverage here.
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