UK: Homophobic attacks up by a third in London

Reports of homophobic crimes have surged by nearly a third in London in the past year, according to data from the Metropolitan police. The data comes from the force’s latest annual crime figures – which allow types of reports to be broken down by borough and by crime type.

It shows that 1,667 homophobic offences took place in the 12 months to July 2015 – up from 1,289 in the 12 months to July 2014. The shocking data – an increase of 29.3% year-on-year – may be partly down to better recording of hate crimes, though it does signify a worrying trend.

Racist, anti-Semitic and Islamophobic attacks all also saw a rise – though the number of homophobic incidents recorded was nearly double those of Islamophobic crimes, and three times the number of anti-Semitic crimes.  Read More via PinkNews 

Malaysia: Battered and bruised, award-winning transgender activist fears assault complaint may be ignored

Despite having won recognition for her work, transgender activist Nisha Ayub expressed fears today that the police would not take her seriously after she lodged a report over being slashed and beaten up in a purported hate crime last week.

Nisha, who is part of Justice for Sisters (JFS) that had assisted three Muslim transwomen to mount a court challenge against a Negri Sembilan anti-crossdressing law, said she has seen previous cases of violence against transwomen not being taken seriously.

“Most transgender women [do] not make any report when they are attacked or whatever cases [sic]. They feel that nothing will be done because of our identity,” added the transwoman, who was awarded “Hero of the Year” at the Asia LGBT Milestone Awards and received an award for “Extraordinary Activism” by international watchdog Human Rights Watch.  Read More via The Malay Mail Online

Iraq: ISIS throws 9 homosexuals from tall building in Mosul

According to a local source in Nineveh province, ISIS organization threw nine civilians from a tall building on charges of homosexuality in the city of Mosul. The source, who asked anonymity, added: “ISIS militants rounded up a number of citizens in the city to see the implementation of the judgment of the so-called Shariah judge.”

In June 4, 2015 ISIS threw three civilians from the top of an insurance company building located in Dawasa area in the city of Mosul on charges of sodomy. Read More via Iraqi News

Australia: Anti same-sex marriage group warns of 'Dad-less' kids risk

An Australian anti same-sex marriage group has marked Father's Day by releasing a video warning of the dangers of children growing up without Dads. The Marriage Alliance commercial uses American statistics to back its claims that children without fathers are more likely to drop out of school, run away from home, be involved in crime and end up in prison.

Spokeswoman Sophie York said same-sex couples were deliberately denying children their fundamental right to have a male and female role model. While the video did not mention divorce, death and other circumstances that might result in a child growing up without a father, Marriage Alliance said in its statement it did acknowledge those factors.

"But deliberately putting a child into fatherless parental arrangement as occurs with a same-sex relationship or a legalised same-sex marriage means putting that child at extreme risk," it said. "It legitimises an increase in fatherless kids." Read More via Sydney Morning Herald

Europe: Parliament strongly condemns Azerbaijan’s suppression LGBTI people

The European Parliament adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in Azerbaijan, in which it denounces the intimidation and repression of LGBTI people, as well as those defending their rights. The overall human rights situation in Azerbaijan has deteriorated continuously over the last few years, with many independent journalists and civil society leaders now imprisoned without appropriate access to healthcare. Those not imprisoned, are often subjected to intimidation and harassment. Independent LGBTI activists had to flee the country for fear of persecution.

Ulrike Lunacek MEP, Co-President of the Intergroup on LGBTIRights, reacted: “Over the last year, at least 3 LGBTI persons were killed with trans-/homophobic motives, which is unfortunately no wonder in a context where inflammatory speech against LGBTI people comes from the highest levels, including politicians.”

Tanja Fajon MEP and Kati Piri MEP, Vice-President and Member of the Intergroup on LGBTI Rights, continued: “We call on the High Representative, the Commission and the Council to address this at the highest possible level, including through the human rights dialogue and a stop of the negotiations on the Strategic Partnership Agreement with Azerbaijan if things do not improve.”   Read More via European Parliament Intergroup on LGBT Rights

Malaysia: Love is not terrorism, Najib

What possible connection can there be between a woman who loves another woman and the brutal extremist armed group that calls itself Islamic State (also known as Isis)?

Well, according to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, they both pose direct threats to the “moderation” that his vision of Islam advances. At an international seminar in Bangi, local media reports say, Najib asserted that extremist armed groups and sexual and gender minorities both pose a threat to Malaysian society.

"Groups like the Islamic State and lesbians, gay, bisexuals, and transgenders (LGBT) both target the younger generation,” he said, “and seem successful in influencing certain groups in society.”

Dr Teh Yik Koon, a Malaysian scholar who has extensively researched the situation of transgender people in Malaysia, told Human Rights Watch, “People rely on the government to tell them what’s right and wrong—especially when it comes to [what is perceived as] a religious question.” This is not the first time Najib has attempted to scapegoat LGBT people. Read More via Human Rights Watch

Ghana: Presidential candidate, if elected, will kill gay people by firing squad

Ghanaian politician George Boateng has vowed to unseat President John Mahama in the National Democratic Congress party’s presidential primaries in November. And in doing so, has already started making pronouncements about what he will deliver if he is elected.

Speaking on Kasapa radio, he said it was time to ‘eradicate’ homosexuality from Ghana: ‘There is too much indiscipline in Ghana, under my presidency when a corrupt person, gay or lesbian are arrested the law will make it possible for the courts to sentence the offender to death by firing squad.'

Gay sex is currently illegal in Ghana, punishable by up to three years in jail if it is consensual. There is uncertainty over whether female homosexuality is illegal. Violence against LGBTI people is widespread but highly under-reported and not prosecuted. Read More via Gay Star News

Italy: Researcher suggests that homophobia is a 'disease to be cured'

Society has come a long way since homosexuality was classified as a mental illness. Now, a controversial study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine suggests that it may be homophobia — not homosexuality itself — that has elements of a psychiatric disorder.

“After discussing for centuries if homosexuality is to be considered a disease, for the first time we demonstrated that the real disease to be cured is homophobia, associated with potentially severe psychopathologies,” senior author Dr. Emmanuele Jannini, a professor of endocrinology and medical sexology at the University of Rome Tor Vergata, said in the press release.

Jannini and his team surveyed university students to measure their levels of homophobia, defence mechanisms, attachment styles, and psychopathologic symptoms. There’s “a remarkable association between dysfunctional aspects of personality and homophobic attitude,” concluding that psychoticism and immature defence mechanisms can predict to a certain extent whether people are homophobic. (Things like depressive symptoms, meanwhile, were more closely linked to the absence of homophobia.)  Read More via Business Insider

ISIL attacks on sexual minorities on UN meeting agenda

The UN Security Council will hold a meeting to discuss Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) attacks on sexual minorities in what will be the first ever council meeting focused on gay rights.  

The United States ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power told reporters that the informal meeting will highlight "ISIL and its systematic targeting of LGBT persons who find themselves in ISIL-controlled territory."   

The US and Chile will host the meeting which will be open to all member-states interested in the plight of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people persecuted by the armed group: "This will be a historic meeting. It will be the first Security Council meeting on LGBT rights," Power said. Read More

Israel: Thousands rally in Israel to protest attack during Pride march

Across Israel, thousands of people took to the streets to protest a week of violence. Yishai Schlissel, an Orthodox Jew who was previously convicted of stabbing three people at a Jerusalem pride parade in 2005, was recently released from prison after serving 10 years for the previous attack. After his release, Schlissel returned to his hometown where he began distributing handwritten pamphlets 'all Jews faithful to God' to risk 'beatings and imprisonment' for the sake of preventing the parade. At this month's parade he stabbed 6 people, killing a teenage girl.

Thousands attended a previously scheduled rally in Tel Aviv's Meir Park meant to commemorate an attack six years ago on a LGBT youth community center that left two dead and wounded 15 others. Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai and former Israeli president Shimon Peres attended the rally.

"I cannot believe we have reached such an abyss," Peres said in his speech. "I took before this stage six years ago, mere days after the murders at Barnoar. I am finding it difficult to believe that we are standing on that same stage, once again before the same phenomenon. We have gathered this evening for a war of independence – Israel's independence from insanity and insane people. This is not a disagreement between right and left. This is a profound clash between those with a conscience and those who lack a conscience."   Read More

US: From South Carolina to North Dakota, churches cut ties with Boy Scouts

With the Boy Scouts of America having lifted its blanket ban on openly gay adult leaders, some churches that sponsor scout troops are cutting ties with the organization — even though the BSA’s new policy does not require any church-affiliated troop to accept gay leadership.

The First Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Carolina sent a letter to parents last week announcing it would no longer sponsor a scout troop, ending a nearly 50-year relationship. The letter, from church member and scout leader Buddy Lever, noted that homosexuality goes against the church’s beliefs, and that staying with the BSA might eventually force  to accept gay leaders.

Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic bishop of North Dakota has ordered churches in his diocese to end any affiliation with the BSA: “I cannot permit our Catholic institutions to accept and participate directly or indirectly in any organization which has policies and methods which contradict the authoritative moral teachings of the Catholic Church.” Churches within the diocese sponsor 8 Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs, and they will now look for alternatives. Read More

South Korea: This man’s story explains the emergence of South Korea’s anti-LGBT movement

Jonah Lee, a round-faced 63-year-old with a swoop of graying hair, once spent his days running gay bars and drag clubs in Korea and Japan in the ’70s and ’80s. His flagship, Hot Love, was a hit in both Seoul and Tokyo. Today, Lee is known for something else entirely. He claims, through a ministry he started in the Korean capital in 1994, to have counseled more than 1,200 people seeking to “escape homosexuality.”

Lee’s story — from gay entertainment pioneer to the leading spokesperson for Korea’s ex-gay movement — was made possible by the trajectory of many of South Korea’s Christian churches, which have grown exponentially since Lee first became a Christian almost 40 years ago. Today, many of Korea’s most important Christian leaders have come to preach homosexuality as an existential threat. These churches believe their movement is doing more than just saving people from sin; they believe they are saving the nation itself.

Lee’s path to ex-gay leader is a story in miniature of how homosexuality rapidly went from an almost invisible issue in South Korea to one that is now bringing tens of thousands of shouting protesters to the streets. Read More