Sydney, Australia is building affordable housing for trans women, a building in England that has a rainbow canopy is set to be removed, and Amnesty International criticizes the arrest of a gay man in Qatar.
Affordable Housing For Trans Women To Be Built
Affordable housing dedicated to trans women is set to be built in Sydney, Australia.
According to Pink News, community housing provider and charity Common Equity NSW has partnered with All Nations Housing Co-op and the City of Sydney local council to create the first ever trans housing in an effort to provide a safe space to live for trans women seeking an affordable home.
In an interview with Pink News, Nick Sabel, the chief executive of Common Equity NSW, said the housing should create “a strong, viable and thriving housing co-op which delivers positive outcomes for trans women.”
He continued by saying that “co-op housing is more than just affordable housing, it empowers communities’ democratic control over their housing outcomes.”
Rainbow Canopy Colors To Be Removed From Building in England
Photo via Adobe.
A rainbow canopy in England will be re-painted following a failed battle with the Bristol City Council’s planning department.
According to the BBC, last year the colorful design was painted by Ken Aylmer. He said that he painted it rainbow colors because one of his daughters is "an advocate for all things queer" and his wife had recovered from cancer treatment.
Aylmer was told that the painted canopy had an "adverse impact" on the conservation area and is not allowed.
He proposed new colors that were "more subtle but kept the playfulness" but that too was denied without justification.
The city council said the canopy must be repainted to follow their commitment “to the preservation of the city’s historic assets.”
Amnesty International Criticizes Arrest of Gay Man In Qatar
Manuel Guerrero Aviña. Photo via @qatarfreemanuel, X (formerly Twitter).
Amnesty International spoke out on the arrest of Manuel Guerrero Aviña, a gay man who says that he was “trapped” by a fake Grindr account.
The Qatari police claim that Manuel was not arrested for his sexuality but instead for possession of methamphetamine.
“The arrest in question and subsequent investigation are related solely to the possession and distribution of illegal substances, with no involvement of other factors,” a Qatari official told The Guardian. They claim to have become aware of Aviña’s sexuality after his arrest.
Amnesty described Manuel’s experience as being “nothing short of horrific.”
Amnesty International has raised concerns about whether Aviña was targeted through a dating app and concerns regarding due process, The Guardian reported.
“He had no access to any documents relating to his case for more than two months following his arrest and only days before his first trial session, violating his right to a genuine opportunity to prepare and present his defense,” said Dana Ahmed, who is leading the case for Amnesty International.
Manuel was released to await trial in June. According to his brother, he faces a sentence of anything between six months to three years if found guilty.
