Pakistani censorship, Indian anticipation and sad straights

Your Daily Package of newsy and naughty bits from around the world


Chinese gay kiss leads to blank newspaper in Pakistan

The New York Time’s local publisher in Pakistan censored a photo of a kiss on the cheek by a Chinese gay couple, leading to a startlingly blank front page. The New York Times says it had no part in the decision.

Read more at the Washington Post.

India awaits supreme court ruling

LGBT people in India are hoping the courts will flip flop one more time on gay rights. A high court legalized homosexual activity in 2009, knocking down a colonial era sodomy law. In 2013, the supreme court reversed the decision, sending Indian gay people back into the closet. On Tuesday, the court will once again rule on the legality of gay sex, prompting vigils by LGBT groups awaiting the decision.

Read more at The Guardian.

UK heterosexuals lose bid for civil unions

A British straight couple has lost its bid to get a civil union, an institution that was set up specially for gay couples as an alternative to marriage. Now that marriage is open to gay couples, the two say that straight people should be able to access civil unions as well. The couple, who say they object to marriage as a “patriarchal institution” say they will appeal.

Read more at The Guardian.

Anglicans trending towards support for gay couples

According to a UK poll, a plurality of Anglicans now say they support same-sex marriage. The Anglican church is in the midst of a schism over gay relationships, with more conservative African branches battling with liberal American Episcopalians.

Read more at the BBC.

Italian “family day” protests flop

Organizers hoped for half a million people at anti-gay marriage protests in Rome, but had to settle for less than a tenth of that number, according to local journalists. Italy is the last major Western European country without any status for gay couples, but is considering recognizing civil unions.

 

Read more at The Local.

Niko Bell

Niko Bell is a writer, editor and translator from Vancouver. He writes about sexual health, science, food and language.

Read More About:
Power, News, Blog, The Daily Package

Keep Reading

The new generation of gay Conservative sellouts

OPINION: Melissa Lantsman’s and Eric Duncan’s refusals to call out their party’s transphobia is a betrayal of the LGBTQ2S+ community

Over 300 anti-LGBTQ2S+ bills have been introduced this year. This doesn’t mean we should panic

OPINION: While it’s important to watch out for threats, not all threats are created equally. Some of these bills will die a natural death

Xtra’s top LGBTQ2S+ stories of the year

The best and brightest—even most bewildering—stories from a back catalogue brimming with insight

Elon Musk and Texas attorney general Ken Paxton are suing Media Matters. Here’s why queer and trans people should care

OPINION: When politicians and the rich leverage the power of the state to quell dissent, we all lose