Executive orders, legal limbo and segregated prisons

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


Reports of anti-LGBT executive order

Word from unnamed White House officials suggests that Donald Trump’s new executive is planning to roll back Barack Obama’s workplace protections for LGBT federal workers. Such an order could allow federal contractors to fire LGBT workers, or descriminate against LGBT clients.

Iranian on gay cruise thrown into legal limbo

Meanwhile, a gay Iranian chemical engineer living in the United States was unexpectedly thrown into an immigration crisis due to Trump’s earlier executive order against immigrants from certain Muslim countries. Maysam Sodagari was on a gay cruise, and was concerned he would not be allowed back home, but eventually did get back through immigration because he has a green card.

Refugee exclusion hurts LGBT cause

While President Trump claimed that banning Muslims from the United States would protect LGBT people, gay refugees are some of the hardest hit. The Centre for American Progress and the Advocate both report on how Trump’s order could cut off hope for queer Syrians seeking refuge.

Thai prisons move towards segregation for LGBT inmates

The Thai prison system is experimenting with a system of segregated incarceration for LGBT inmates. Thousands of prisoners have volunteered for the separate quarters, reports Deutsche Welle, to avoid homophobic violence.

Niko Bell

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

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