Activists in Ukraine hosted a Pride event, protests erupted in Canada over LGBTQ education, and LGBTQ-inclusive provisions were added to Seychelles' penal code.
Activists in Ukraine Host Annual Pride Event
Over 60 people participated in a Pride event in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The event featured a 13-car parade to promote human rights and call for international support for Kharkiv's defense.
According to the Washington Blade, the city, near the Russian border, has been a target of Russian attacks since February 2022.
The march included several LGBTQ soldiers, highlighting the community’s presence in the Ukrainian army.
“We need to show visibility that there are LGBTQ+ people in the army,” said Vlad, an LGBTQ soldier.
Kharkiv Pride also urged lawmakers to pass bills for same-sex partnerships and tougher hate crime laws, while calling for modern air defense systems to protect the city.
Protests Erupt Across Canada Over LGBTQ Education
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Dueling protests over LGBTQ-inclusive sex education were held across Canada, coinciding with upcoming provincial elections.
Anti-LGBTQ groups, such as Hands Off Our Kids and 1 Million March 4 Children, led the protests in cities like Toronto, Vancouver, and Ottawa, according to the Washington Blade. Despite claims that millions would participate, most anti-sex education rallies had fewer than 100 attendees, and were outnumbered by pro-LGBTQ demonstrators.
This comes ahead of Alberta’s plans to introduce legislation requiring parental consent for name/pronoun changes and limiting trans students' access to sports and bathrooms. In Saskatchewan and New Brunswick, upcoming elections focus on conservative policies requiring schools to inform parents about students' gender identity, while British Columbia debates keeping its pro-inclusion curriculum.
Penal Code To Include LGBTQ-Inclusive Provisions
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Lawmakers in Seychelles passed a bill that added an LGBTQ-inclusive hate crime provision to the country’s penal code.
The National Assembly approved the bill with an 18-8 vote. It includes protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV/AIDS status, among other factors. Convictions under this law could result in fines or up to two years in prison for a first offense, and up to three years for subsequent offenses.
Attorney General Frank Ally emphasized that the law targets hate speech intended to incite hatred through threatening or abusive behavior, according to The Washington Blade.
Human Dignity Trust, a London-based NGO, provided legal assistance in drafting the hate crime provisions.
“The changes to the penal code will provide new and meaningful protections for people targeted simply because of who they are, and encourages marginalized communities to report crimes,” said Human Dignity Trust Chief Executive Téa Braun.
This legislation marks a significant step for LGBTQ rights in Seychelles, which decriminalized consensual same-sex relations in 2016.
South Africa remains the only other African country with similar protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in its hate crime laws.
