A court in Japan approved marriage equality, an Australian footballer announced his engagement, and public clinics in England will stop prescribing puberty blockers.
Japanese Court Approves Marriage Equality
The Sapporo High Court in Japan ruled that the country’s ban on marriage equality is unconstitutional.
According to Al Jazeera, the court held that not allowing same-sex couples to marry violates their fundamental right to have a family.
“The court decisions today mark a significant step towards achieving marriage equality in Japan. The ruling in Sapporo, the first High Court decision on same-sex marriage in the country, emphatically shows the trend towards acceptance of same-sex marriage in Japan,” said Boram Jang, an East Asia researcher with Amnesty International.
Japan remains the only member of the G7 nations to exclude same-sex couples from the right to legally marry and receive benefits.
Footballer Announces Engagement With Pitch Proposal
Photo via joshua.cavallo, Instagram.
Josh Cavallo, an Australian footballer who gained notoriety in 2021 for being the only out gay top-flight player in the world at the time, proposed to his partner Leighton Morrell on the pitch of Adelaide United’s home ground.
“You have provided a safe space in football, one that I never in my dreams thought could ever be possible, and encouraged me to live every day of my life authentically. It felt right to share this special moment on the pitch, where it all started,” Cavallo wrote on Instagram.
According to The Guardian, Cavallo is an outspoken advocate for the LGBTQ community and has publicly addressed the homophobic abuse he has experienced while living his truth.
Public Clinics in England To Stop Prescribing Puberty Blockers
Photo via Adobe.
Transgender children in England will no longer be routinely prescribed puberty blockers, which pause the physical changes of puberty, at public gender identity clinics.
According to the BBC, this decision came after a review found there was "not enough evidence" they are safe or effective.
“We have always been clear that children's safety and wellbeing is paramount, so we welcome this landmark decision by the [National Health Service]. Ending the routine prescription of puberty blockers will help ensure that care is based on evidence, expert clinical opinion and is in the best interests of the child," said Health Minister Maria Caulfield.
The new policy will not allow the blockers to be prescribed routinely, but they can be used in a research trial or individual clinicians can apply to have the drugs funded for patients on a case-by-case basis.
Less than 100 young people are currently on puberty blockers by the NHS in England.
"Many people said the policy didn't go far enough in terms of still allowing potential access through research, and others saying clearly they disagreed fundamentally and that these should be routinely available to everyone who believes they need it,” said John Stewart, the national director of specialized commissioning at NHS England.
