Tag: discrimination

The health ministry ordered hotels, inns and love hotels not to refuse guests “on grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity." Japan’s Ministry of Health is ordering hotels to stop discriminating against LGBT guests. A January 31 directive reinforces existing anti-discrimination laws, reminding hotel owners not to refuse admission “on grounds of their sexual orientation or gender identity and take proper care of them.” Making same-sex couples sleep in double beds was cited as an example of discriminatory behavior. The order also...

With the Winter Olympics around the corner, the global spotlight is on Korea. In just a few days, hundreds of athletes will descend on Pyeongchang, South Korea, for the 2018 Winter Olympics, including a number of gay and lesbian Olympians. But what’s the state of LGBT equality in South Korea? Historically, the country’s conservative government and large Christian population has meant slow progress: In 2013, a Pew Research poll indicated almost 60% of Koreans believed society shouldn’t accept homosexuality. There have never been...

A religious freedom bill passed this week would allow government workers to deny services to LGBT citizens. On Monday, Puerto Rico’s Senate voted in favor of a “religious freedom” bill that would allow government employees to discriminate against LGBT people. While lawmakers have authored such measures across the U.S., the vote came while 35% of Puerto Ricans still do not have power or running water in the wake of Hurricane Maria. (Reports that FEMA was planning to withdraw aid this week...

Last week, we shared the news with you that a historic court ruling in Costa Rica could bring gay marriage to 20 different nations. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights decided in favor of marriage equality while ruling over a petition from two years ago. Cosa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis told one source: “The Western Hemisphere is rejoicing over the ruling in a marriage equality case out of Costa Rica. Not only is the ruling binding for the Central American country,...

What did you do during this past Martin Luther King, Jr. Day? Did you have a Sunday-Funday Part Two? Did you get mad at your WAZE app for not redirecting you around that parade on the way to your destination? Did you use the time off from work to catch up on some shopping, sleeping, gym-time, cleaning? For five days, I had friends visiting me in sunny Florida for the long holiday weekend. On Monday, we did some shopping, eating,...

"You would never ask an environmental group to have a climate denier as their leader. It’s the same thing here." A student group at the University of Iowa insists it has the right to reject LGBT members, even though the college’s anti-bias policy clearly forbids it. Marcus Miller, a student at UI-Iowa City, complained to administrators last February when he was rejected as vice-president of the campus group Business Leaders in Christ after disclosing he was gay. In November, the UI...

A landmark court ruling has ordered 16 new countries to make same-sex marriage legal. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights reached a decision today on a marriage equality petition submitted two years ago by Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis. 20 countries agreed to follow the court’s rulings when they signed the American Convention on Human Rights, including 16 which have not yet legalised same-sex marriage. These countries are Barbados, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti,...

Over ten thousand UK LGBTI young people were made homeless this year Over ten thousand LGBTI young people were made homeless in the UK this year, new Liberal Democrat figures show. The UK centrist political party say the extent of the ‘national scandal’ UK homeless youth face is now clear. Freedom of information requests from 234 councils across the country shows 45,000 18-24 year-olds came forward to local authorities in past year. Figures from Albert Kennedy Trust show that of young homeless people...

The only White House reporter from an LGBT news organization, as well as a prominent African-American White House correspondent, did not receive invitations this year. In late November 2017, reports began circulating online holding that at least two journalists who cover the White House for news outlets that focus on the LGBT and African-American communities were not invited to the upcoming White House Christmas party, even though they had been in attendance during previous years. Chris Johnson, White House reporter for...

A decision in favour of the baker could lead to widespread discrimination A gay couple’s landmark wedding cake case will appear before the US Supreme Court today (December 5). The legal battle began back in 2012 when baker Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, refused to make David Mullins and Charlie Craig a cake for their wedding. Phillips claimed making the cake went against his Christian beliefs and said it was his “standard business practice not to provide cakes for same-sex...

LGBTQ awareness is at its peak in Hong Kong after the area had its ninth annual Pride parade. More than 10,000 people gathered to walk the streets and cry out for the termination of discrimination and the increase of legal rights and protections for LGBTQ people. This includes several supporters from countries like the USA, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and more. The theme for this year’s parade was “Turn the Tide, Walk With Pride – Discrimination Says Goodbye.” That mentality was carried...

A new lawsuit file against Tesla, claims LGBT discrimination. This is the second in two days, with the first one being over racial harassment. In the past it has been found guilty of sexism. In the new lawsuit, an assembly line worker, Jorge Ferro claims he was taunted and threatened for being gay. Ferro claims he was fired for reporting the issues, and that an HR employee took his badge away and insinuated being gay was a handicap. Telsa has issued a...

Col. Leland Bohannon was on the verge of being promoted to a one-star general but it seems that those plans are now on the backburner. Bohannon has been suspended from command and orders came down to prohibit him from being promoted. The reason? Last May the colonel declined to sign a certificate of spouse appreciation for a retiring master sergeant’s same-sex spouse. To do so, he would have to go against his religious beliefs. Now, it looks like not doing so may...

Hong Kong is getting ever closer to gaining more rights for LGBTQ people thanks to a gay man who’s challenging anti-gay laws in the region. In Hong Kong law, specifically in the Crimes Ordinance section, there are rules about homosexual buggery, gross indecency by man and the conduct of procuring young person to resort to, or be on premise or vessel, for intercourse, prostitution, buggery or homosexual act. Yeung Chu-wing, a 24-year-old volunteer for the LGBTQ rights group Rainbow Action, is...