Engelstalig

• Trump administration reverses course on Stonewall Pride flag

  Apr 14, 2026 Marc Dirix

  The rainbow flag will be allowed to return permanently and be displayed at the Stonewall Monument in New York. This follows a settlement reached by the administration of President Donald Trump in a prolonged legal dispute over the issue.

  In February, the rainbow flag was removed from the LGBTQ+ monument by the agency responsible for national parks, following a government order. According to the agency, only American flags were allowed to fly at national parks and monuments. The removal was particularly painful for the local LGBTQ+ community, as the monument commemorates the Stonewall riots, which laid the foundation for modern LGBTQ+ emancipation. The decision sparked strong criticism from historians, local politicians, LGBTQ+ activists and lawyers, who feared it would amount to an erasure of both the symbol and the history behind the monument.

  A legal complaint was immediately filed by the Gilbert Baker Foundation, Village Preservation and Equality NY. They argued that the removal of the rainbow flag was unconstitutional and that it should be permitted under existing government guidelines, which allow flags with historical significance. The organisations also stated that the decision specifically targeted the LGBTQ+ community.

  Faced with these arguments, the authorities had two options: either risk losing publicly in court or resolve the matter outside of the courtroom. The Trump administration chose the latter and reversed its decision, allowing the rainbow flag to be displayed once again at the Stonewall Monument. As part of the settlement, the government acknowledged that the rainbow flag does not violate existing guidelines, that this interpretation is legally enforceable and that it cannot arbitrarily change its position to ban the flag again.

  The National Park Service now has seven days to reinstall the rainbow flag beneath the American flag.

  "This is a complete victory for our clients and for the LGBTQ+ community," said attorney Alexander Kristofcak, one of the lawyers representing the three organisations behind the case. "The government has acknowledged what we argued from day one: the Pride flag belongs at Stonewall. The flag will be restored, and it will fly officially and permanently."

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• Hungarians vote for a change of course, but impact on LGBTIQ+ rights remains uncertain

  Apr 13, 2026 Marc Dirix

  Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar won the Hungarian elections on Sunday with his party Tisza, bringing an end to Viktor Orbán’s sixteen-year rule. The victory was widely celebrated in the capital, Budapest.

  In recent weeks, it had already become clear that Orbán’s party was trailing in the polls. On Sunday evening, Orbán quickly conceded defeat. With nearly 90 percent of the votes counted, Magyar secured two-thirds of the seats in parliament. If he manages to maintain this majority, Tisza will be able to reverse many of the decisions Orbán implemented in recent years.

  This could also affect the many restrictions placed on the rights of the LGBTIQ+ community. In recent years, this minority group has been repeatedly targeted by Orbán’s regime. In 2021, his government adopted a law banning the "promotion" of homosexuality and transgender identity. In practice, this means that references to LGBTI+ people are not allowed in places where minors are present. The law has drawn repeated criticism from the European Union.

  Budapest Pride was also targeted for years by the regime and was ultimately banned last year. Despite the ban, between 180,000 and 200,000 people took to the streets at the end of June, including delegations from more than thirty countries. Budapest mayor Gergely Karácsony, who granted a permit for the Pride despite the ban, was subsequently prosecuted and is expected to appear in court soon.

  Magyar’s victory was welcomed by several European leaders.
  "Congratulations to Péter Magyar and the Tisza party on their victory in the Hungarian parliamentary elections," Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot wrote on X. "A historic moment for Hungary and for Europe."
  "With record turnout, Hungarians voted for change. They chose a government that will restore the institutions on which democracy is built. They chose the rule of law."
  Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten praised "a new step for Hungary and the EU, with hope for the restoration of democracy, the rule of law and European cooperation." He described it as "a historic election victory."

   

  However, it remains uncertain whether the situation for Hungary’s LGBTIQ+ community will improve in the short term. "What Orbán built was not just political power, but a system," said LGBTIQ+ rights activist and Forbidden Colours chair Rémy Bonny. "One embedded in laws, institutions and funding structures designed to outlast any election.
  That system does not disappear overnight. In recent years, LGBTIQ+ people were turned into political targets: the "propaganda law," the ban on Pride, restrictions on adoption, the abolition of legal gender recognition and a constitution that enshrines discrimination.
  Dismantling this system must now be the priority."

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• Amsterdam mayor celebrates 25 years of same-sex marriage in the Netherlands

  Apr 1, 2026 Marc Dirix

  On Wednesday night, Amsterdam’s mayor married three same-sex couples. The nighttime ceremony marked exactly 25 years since former mayor Job Cohen officiated the first same-sex marriages. The Netherlands’ openly gay deputy prime minister, Rob Jetten, was also present at Amsterdam City Hall. He addressed the couples Rebecca and Sytske, Nico and Vital, and Eelke and Elton, wishing them a happy marriage.

  “Being present at a wedding is always an honour, and especially today,” Jetten said on social media afterwards. “Exactly 25 years ago today, same-sex couples were able to marry for the first time. Thanks to those pioneering couples, I realised as a 14-year-old that I belong, just like everyone else. To me, that equality remains, even after 25 years, the most important aspect of marriage: the recognition that love between two people simply exists.”

  Mayor Halsema also described the marriages as a special moment. On social media, she quoted her predecessor Cohen, who was also present and said 25 years ago: “Soon you will be able to say ‘we are married’, and that sounds much better than saying ‘we are in a registered partnership’.” According to Halsema, these were historic words.

  On 1 April 2001, the first same-sex marriages were held at the Stopera in Amsterdam by then-mayor Job Cohen. The Netherlands thus became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. At midnight, the amendment to Article 30 of the Civil Code came into force, stating that marriage can be entered into by two persons of different or the same sex. Three male couples and one female couple, selected following a call in the Gay Krant, got married. The ceremony made global headlines, with media outlets such as the BBC, CNN and Reuters present.

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• Requiring trans men to wear speedos is discriminatory

  Apr 1, 2026 Marc Dirix

  Requiring trans men to wear tight-fitting swimwear is discriminatory. This is stated in a ruling by the Disputes Chamber of the Flemish Institute for Human Rights, following a complaint filed by a trans man.

  The trans man wanted to go swimming at the Sportoase Montaignehof pool in Lanaken, but was not allowed to wear loose-fitting swimwear. Only tight-fitting swimwear is permitted there for hygiene reasons. However, he wanted to wear loose swimwear because otherwise it would be visible that he has not undergone gender-affirming surgery.

  The Disputes Chamber of the Flemish Institute for Human Rights follows this reasoning and rules that there is indirect discrimination based on gender identity and expression. The ban means that the complainant and other trans men in the same situation cannot use the pool without others being aware of their gender identity.

  The Chamber acknowledges that the pool pursues a legitimate aim with this ban, such as ensuring safety and hygiene, but finds that the operator has not demonstrated that there are no other effective measures, such as requiring swimmers to shower beforehand. Another argument raised by the pool was that loose swimwear retains more water, preventing it from being reused. However, according to the Chamber, there are swimwear fabrics that absorb very little water.

  The Disputes Chamber recommends that the pool take measures to allow the complainant to use the pool without others identifying him as a trans man, and to amend its regulations to allow loose-fitting swimwear.

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• Already 8,000 registrations for the Gay Games in Valencia

  Mar 18, 2026 Marc Dirix

  With only a few months to go, 8,000 athletes have already registered for the twelfth edition of the Gay Games in Valencia. The international sporting and cultural event, which takes place every four years and is based on participation, inclusion and personal achievement, will be held from 27 June to 4 July 2026.

  The 2026 edition will feature more than 30 sports disciplines, including water sports, athletics, badminton, basketball and fencing, as well as local sports such as colpbol and pilota valenciana.

  According to the organisers, participants can still register for many sports disciplines, except for swimming, weightlifting and tennis, where maximum capacity has already been reached.

  Only a handful of places remain in badminton, wrestling, the five and ten kilometre races, open water swimming, figure skating, softball and several other sports. In these disciplines, participation rates currently range between 70 and 80 percent.

  More information about the upcoming Gay Games can be found at
  https://www.gaygamesvalencia2026.com/en/

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• NGOs call on the IOC to stop genetic sex testing in sport

  Mar 17, 2026 Marc Dirix

  In a joint statement, Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA), ILGA World and Humans of Sport are calling on the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to stop sex testing for female athletes. The three organisations are also supported by seventy other organisations.

  According to several sources, the “Working Group on the protection of the female category” has recommended that the IOC introduce universal genetic sex testing for all female athletes and impose a complete ban on transgender and intersex athletes. According to the three organisations, this would roll back progress on gender equality and women’s sport by thirty years.

  “A policy of sex testing and a blanket ban would be a catastrophic erosion of women’s rights and safety,” said Andrea Florence, Executive Director of the Sport & Rights Alliance. “Gender policing and exclusion harm all women and girls and undermine the very dignity and fairness the IOC claims to uphold. Our concerns are compounded by the fact that the IOC also appears to be scaling back the safe sport infrastructure that is meant to protect women and girls.”

  After the 1996 Olympic Games, the IOC voted to discontinue universal sex testing because it was scientifically and ethically unjustifiable. The tests proved to be an inaccurate way of determining both sex and athletic advantage and caused significant harm to affected athletes. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, UN Women, the World Medical Association, the American Medical Association and most recently a group of independent UN experts have long condemned sex testing and medically unnecessary interventions as discriminatory, unethical and harmful.

  “Requiring women and girls to undergo genetic screening just to participate in sport would revive a practice that, even if it is a one-time test, violates women’s and girls’ privacy, exposes them to extreme public scrutiny and humiliation, and opens the door to medically unnecessary interventions,” said Dr Payoshni Mitra, Executive Director of Humans of Sport. “People often forget that child athletes compete at the Olympic Games and international competitions. This policy would create major safeguarding risks by requiring young women’s and children’s bodies to be investigated and their intimate medical information disclosed.”

  “Banning transgender and intersex athletes in the name of ‘fairness’ ignores the fact that these athletes are among the most stigmatised groups in sport,” the organisations said. “They disproportionately face barriers to participation, widespread harassment and abuse, and other disadvantages. There is no evidence that policing women’s and children’s bodies improves fairness or gender equality in sport.”

  “Sport should be a place of belonging,” said Julia Ehrt, Executive Director of ILGA World. “We urge the IOC to prioritise safety over politics and not allow a policy that actively puts all women at risk. Invasive policing of women’s bodies should concern everyone because it reinforces harmful stereotypes and exposes all women and LGBTI athletes to further harassment and scrutiny.”

  If implemented, the new policy would represent a complete reversal of the IOC’s own 2021 Framework on Fairness, Inclusion and Non-Discrimination. This widely respected document was developed following extensive research and consultation with more than 250 athletes and experts and recognised the need for evidence-based, sport-specific and human rights-respecting eligibility rules.

  The Sport & Rights Alliance, ILGA World, Humans of Sport and the undersigned organisations call on the IOC to immediately reverse these plans for sex testing and bans based on chromosome status, and to fulfil its commitments under the Olympic Charter, which states that every individual must have “access to the practice of sport, without discrimination of any kind in respect of internationally recognised human rights.”

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• Transgender people must receive a hospital room according to their gender identity

  Mar 13, 2026 Marc Dirix

  Transgender people who are admitted to hospital should be assigned a room that corresponds to their gender identity, even if this does not match the sex stated on their identity card. This is stated in an opinion issued by the National Council of the Order of Physicians.

  Currently, when someone is admitted to hospital and has to share a room, they usually do so with someone of the same sex. However, this is often not the case for transgender patients. That is why the Order of Physicians was asked to provide guidance.

  According to the opinion, which was prepared with the support of Unia, the institution responsible for promoting equal opportunities, the patient’s gender identity and comfort should take precedence over possible administrative considerations. By taking gender identity into account, the Order primarily wants hospitals to take more initiatives that promote the wellbeing and dignity of patients.

  “The values of the profession advocate respect for the privacy, intimacy and identity of all patients (cultural, sexual, religious, philosophical, etc.),” the Order states. Therefore, a balance must be found between the organisational constraints and quality requirements of hospitals on the one hand and the specific needs of each individual on the other.

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• Fifteen years in prison for the three perpetrators who killed David Polfliet

  Mar 12, 2026 Marc Dirix

  K.B. (22), L.N. (21) and R.P. (22), the three men who in 2021 lured David Polfliet to a park in Beveren via Grindr and stabbed him several times, causing his death, have been sentenced to fifteen years in prison. The three defendants had to answer for their actions as so-called “paedophile hunters” before the Court of Assizes.

  On 5 March 2021, the three young men, who were still minors at the time, lured 42-year-old David Polfliet to a park in Beveren. They did so through the dating app Grindr. During the investigation, the three admitted that they had been luring men to the park as so-called paedophile hunters in order to “teach them a lesson”.

  In Polfliet’s case the situation escalated and a fight broke out, during which Polfliet received a stab wound to his leg that proved fatal. The entire altercation was filmed and no emergency services were called after the stabbing. The three young men eventually turned themselves in, spent several months in prison and were later referred to the Court of Assizes to answer for Polfliet’s death. The public prosecutor had requested prison sentences ranging from 23 to 25 years.

  The jury and judges took into account the fact that the three defendants have managed to get their lives back on track since their release under conditions two and a half years ago. Other mitigating circumstances were also considered, such as difficult childhoods and their young age at the time of the events.

  The verdict also restores the honour of David Polfliet. The ruling concluded with words from the jury addressed to the victim’s relatives. “We came to know David Polfliet as a pleasant and warm man. We thought about him during our deliberations,” the presiding judge said.

  His family reacted with relief now that the three perpetrators have been convicted. “We are extremely happy that it is over,” David Polfliet’s brother and sister told VRT NWS.

  The family says it is “satisfied” with the jury’s verdict. “We can accept it. For us, all three have been equally responsible from the start.”

  What matters most to them is that David Polfliet’s name has been restored, after an image of him as a paedophile had been suggested at the beginning of the trial.

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• Mike (52) elected new Mister Leather Belgium

  Mar 12, 2026 Marc Dirix

  Last Saturday, 52-year-old Mike was elected the new Mister Leather Belgium 2026 at Beyond Darklands. He succeeds Mister Leather Belgium 2025 Frederick. Over the coming year, the new Mister Leather mainly wants to focus on bringing together the different leather communities from both parts of the country.

  This year, three candidates took part in the Mister Leather contest at Beyond Darklands. During the competition it quickly became clear that the battle for the title would be between 22-year-old Damon and the eventual winner Mike.

  During the recording of the Touristico Gaylive Podcast at Beyond Darklands, Mike explained that he wants to focus over the next year on bringing together the leather community in Flanders and Wallonia. According to Mike, the shared passion for leather plays an important role, regardless of the language spoken by kinksters or their background.

  His vision on diversity developed through his work in Brussels and his polyamorous relationship with a Walloon man and a proud man of colour. Through these experiences he noticed that some men are still not fully accepted in the leather scene because of their language or skin colour.

  The full interview with Mike can be heard next week in the latest episode of the Touristico Gaylive Podcast.

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• Turkish court bans LGBTI youth organisation

  Dec 19, 2025 Marc Dirix

  A court in Turkey has ordered the closure of the LGBTI youth organisation Genç LGBTİ Plus Derneği. According to the court, the organisation distributed images that could encourage young people to become lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans, and that allegedly violate public morality and the Turkish Constitution. ILGA Europe has expressed concern about the closure and sees it as an escalation of the repression faced by LGBTI organisations in Turkey.

  The five illustrations, created by LGBTI artists during online Pride activities, were shared by the youth organisation on its social media channels. During an extensive audit carried out across several LGBTI organisations, these images were found on the social media accounts of Genç LGBTİ.

  ILGA Europe questions the court ruling and at the same time raises the alarm about the clear escalation of ongoing repressive tactics. The organisation notes that in recent years Turkey has seen a continuous deterioration in respect for freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. LGBTI people and organisations are disproportionately affected. This includes repeated bans on Pride events, mass arrests of LGBTI activists and journalists, the targeting of artistic and journalistic expression, and regulatory and administrative measures that expose LGBTI people to increased risks. In addition, LGBTI organisations are increasingly subjected to far reaching government audits.

  These audits, officially presented as routine oversight, go in practice far beyond the usual accountability requirements for civil society organisations. Excessive documentation is demanded, lawful expression and visibility are scrutinised, and organisations are placed under constant surveillance. This unequal treatment creates a climate in which LGBTI organisations are treated as inherently suspect, which runs counter to the principle of equality before the law.

  “The closure of Genç LGBTI cannot therefore be seen as an isolated judicial decision”, ILGA Europe stated. “It represents a clear escalation within an already established pattern of repression. The combination of discriminatory audits, broad interpretations of obscenity provisions and administrative pressure shows how existing laws are being used to achieve effects similar to so called anti propaganda legislation, even without the adoption of new laws. This approach sends a chilling message to all LGBTI organisations in Turkey. Compliance with existing regulations offers no protection, and past lawful activities can be retrospectively criminalised. If left unchallenged, the dismantling of civil society organisations through administrative and judicial means risks becoming normalised, further shrinking civic space and undermining democratic safeguards.”

  ILGA Europe calls on the Turkish government to immediately end discriminatory audits of LGBTI organisations, to stop using morality and obscenity laws to suppress LGBTI expression and association, to ensure fair and independent appeal proceedings in the Genç LGBTI case, and to guarantee equal and non discriminatory treatment of all civil society organisations. At the same time, ILGA Europe also urges European institutions, international partners, civil society organisations and human rights defenders to explicitly address the discriminatory use of audits in dialogue with Turkey, to treat the closure of Genç LGBTI as a structural rule of law and freedom of association issue, and to ensure that relations between the European Union and Turkey include clear human rights conditions protecting civil society from discriminatory administrative practices.

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