The Privy Council in London will decide the future of LGBTQ rights in Trinidad, two LGBTQ women will most likely face torture at the hand of the Taliban, and seniors in Argentina are uncertain of their future in the country.
Privy Council to Decide Future of LGBTQ Rights in Trinidad
The Privy Council in London is set to rule on the fate of LGBTQ rights in Trinidad and Tobago, following a shocking reversal by the country’s supreme court that recriminalized consensual same-sex relations.
According to The Guardian, LGBTQ activist Jason Jones, who originally won the 2018 case that struck down colonial-era laws, vows to fight on. “Parliament is hiding its homophobic bigotry behind an archaic clause that serves no useful purpose in a modern democratic country,” he said, referencing the controversial “savings clause.”
The ruling has devastated the community, with Pride TT cofounder Kennedy Maraj calling it “a betrayal by the justice system.”
The decision could set a precedent across former British colonies still grappling with outdated anti-LGBTQ legislation.
LGBTQ Women Face Torture After Taliban Arrest
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Two LGBTQ women, Maryam Ravish, 19, and Maeve Alcina Pieescu, 23, are in “grave danger” after being arrested by Taliban authorities while trying to flee Afghanistan.
According to Pink News, the pair were en route to Iran with Maryam’s girlfriend, Parwen Hussaini, who escaped.
The Peter Tatchell Foundation, working with Afghan LGBTQ+ network Roshaniya, says the women were detained after Taliban agents found LGBTQ content on their phones. “Maeve and Maryam were beaten by the Taliban. They are expected to be tortured … or possibly executed,” said Roshaniya CEO Nemat Sadat.
Hussaini added, “Maeve and Maryam are being held in Taliban captivity, and they have been beaten and battered very badly.”
Advocates are pleading for international intervention to save the women.
Seniors in Argentina Face Fear and Uncertainty
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LGBTQ seniors in Argentina are facing deepening uncertainty as President Javier Milei’s economic reforms take a toll on the country’s most vulnerable. Since Milei took office in December 2023, his administration’s austerity measures have hit retirees hard — especially LGBTQ elders, who often lack traditional family support and state protection.
“Since Milei’s arrival in government, which began with a brutal devaluation, I am more careful in my spending than I was before,” said 79-year-old sociologist and lesbian activist Mercedes Caracciolo.
According to the Washington Blade, with over seven million pensioners now “scratching the poverty line,” economic instability and the rollback of LGBTQ-specific programs have left many older queer Argentinians isolated and anxious.
“There is no more sense of security and stability in old age,” said psychologist Graciela Balestra, president of Puerta Abierta a la Diversidad, the country’s first LGBTQ senior home. “People say, ‘I’m afraid they’ll kill me’ or ‘I’m afraid to show myself.’”
Activists say the government’s rhetoric has empowered conservative voices and increased fear across marginalized communities. Yet, Balestra remains committed to resistance. “We continue working, as always,” she said. “But now, we’re talking again about fear, about coming out — conversations we thought we’d moved beyond.”
