Ga naar inhoud

Engelstalig

  • Europe bans conversion therapies

    Marc Dirix

    The European Parliament approved a ban on conversion therapy on Wednesday. The vote followed the ACT (Against Conversion Therapy) citizens’ initiative, which succeeded in gathering 1.2 million signatures. The initiative was also supported by more than 300 NGOs. Currently, conversion therapy, which aims to change a person’s sexual orientation, remains legal in three out of four European countries.

    Through such practices, faith healers, exorcists and pseudo-therapists attempt to change people’s sexual orientation or gender identity. However, these practices never lead to change and often cause severe psychological harm to victims, ranging from depression to suicide.

    The European Commission must now present binding legislation by May 18 that will apply to all member states and ban all forms of conversion therapy.

    Lees meer

  • Tim Cook steps down as Apple CEO

    Marc Dirix

    Apple CEO Tim Cook (65) will step down in September, the US technology company announced. The openly gay CEO will be succeeded by 51-year-old John Ternus.

    Cook joined Apple in 1998 and succeeded then-CEO Steve Jobs after his death in 2011. Under Cook’s leadership, several devices were launched, including the Apple Watch and AirPods, while services such as iCloud, Apple TV and Apple Music were further developed. The company saw its market value grow from $350 billion to $4 trillion, while revenue increased from $108 billion in 2011 to more than $416 billion in 2025.

    In Silicon Valley, it was an open secret that the Apple CEO was gay, but it wasn’t until 2014 that Tim Cook publicly confirmed it in a column published in Businessweek. “I’m proud to be gay, and I consider my homosexuality among the greatest gifts God has given me,” Cook wrote at the time.

    In the press release, Cook described leading Apple as “the greatest privilege of my life.” He will remain with Apple as executive chairman of the board. In that role, he will “continue to support the company in certain areas, including maintaining relationships with policymakers around the world.”

    Lees meer

  • Trump administration reverses course on Stonewall Pride flag

    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."

    Lees meer

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

    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."

    Lees meer

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

    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.

    Lees meer

  • Requiring trans men to wear speedos is discriminatory

    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.

    Lees meer

Laatste nieuws

Populairste