Emma Powys Maurice

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Malaysia pushes for Sharia law to be tougher on LGBT+ Muslims

Malaysia is pushing for Sharia law to be tougher against LGBT+ Muslims even as it makes a bid for a spot on the UN Human Rights Council.

On Tuesday (6 April) the Malaysian government announced plans to move forward with an amendment to the Sharia Courts Act that would allow heavier punishments to be imposed on the LGBT+ community.

The country’s strict Islamic laws already penalise any form of anal or oral sex with up to 20 years in prison and mandatory caning – but ministers want to push it further still.

Religious affairs minister Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad has strongly endorsed the amendment, initially tabled by his deputy, which would drastically increase the maximum sentencing limits Sharia Courts can impose against Sharia offences.

LGBT+ people are “violating the norms” of human behaviour, the minister declared as he defended the proposal.

“We cannot accept such practices. We just need to manage the issue with wisdom, inviting and educating them to return to the right path,” Free Malaysia Today reported him saying.

The government’s insistence on draconian anti-LGBT+ laws was slammed by the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG), a coalition of 14 women’s rights organisations in Malaysia.

Speaking to Malay Mail, the group reminded Malaysia’s government of its intention to join the UN’s Human Rights Council, a body that opposes everything the Sharia law amendment represents.

“It is ironic that these proposed discriminatory measures – a clear violation of human rights – coincide with the minister of foreign affairs, Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Hussein’s bid for Malaysia’s membership on the United Nations’ Human Rights Council,” they said.

“The government’s decision to move forward with a harsher sentence against Muslim LGBT+ persons would stand at odds with the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

“As such, JAG requests the cabinet of ministers to prevent the proposal from being tabled at the next parliamentary session and to refrain from persecution of the LGBT+ community.”

JAG said it is also concerned that religious affairs minister Zulkifli has openly endorsed government-run conversion therapy programmes by masking it as a softer approach.

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Country of Georgia gives trans woman legal recognition for the first time

The deeply conservative country of Georgia has legally recognised a trans woman’s gender identity for the first time ever.

On 25 March the Ministry of Justice of Georgia granted a trans woman’s request to change her legal gender status to female. Her birth certificate was also reissued by the authorities, setting a huge precedent for the country.

The historic milestone was first reported by Open Democracy and the Georgian women’s rights group WISG, which said the woman had submitted a medical certificate confirming she had undergone gender-affirming surgery.

WISG noted that, despite this groundbreaking case, Georgia still lacks adequate legislation for transgender people.

Trans people who don’t want to undergo bottom surgery or other invasive medical procedures are barred from having their gender recognised, and the huge costs of this surgery are not covered by the national health service.

In 2017, two transgender men filed a suit against the country at the European Court of Human Rights after authorities refused to change their gender status in official documents unless they underwent surgery.

The issue of legal gender recognition has been repeatedly raised in recent years amid a climate of intense homophobia and transphobia.

When the capital of Tbilisi attempted to host the country’s first Pride in 2019 the parade had to be cancelled after an anti-gay millionaire rallied homophobes to bring wooden clubs.

And last year a trans woman set herself on fire to highlight the injustices faced by her community. “I am a transgender woman, and I’m setting myself on fire because the Georgian state doesn’t care about me,” she shouted to bystanders.

Months earlier, WISG had issued a statement highlighting how trans women in Georgia are being impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The group urged the government: “Consider women engaged in sex work, especially transgender women, as a group of special needs and help them according to their needs, for most of them lack moral and financial support from their own families.

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Laverne Cox, Gabrielle Union rally for trans rights with hundreds of feminists in powerful letter

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Laverne Cox, Gabrielle Union and Halle Berry have joined hundreds of prominent feminists in taking a stand for trans women and girls.

More than 465 feminist leaders in business, entertainment, media, politics and social justice signed an open letter released by GLAAD in honour of the Transgender Day of Visibility on Wednesday (31 March).

The letter calls for an end to the ongoing discriminatory rhetoric and attacks against trans people, and serves as a proud statement of solidarity between cis and transgender women.

Signatories include A-list celebrities such as Regina King, Selena Gomez and Megan Rapinoe, as well as activists and women’s rights groups like Gloria Steinem, the Me Too Movement and Planned Parenthood.

Others who signed include Mj Rodriguez, Patricia Arquette, Judith Light, Cynthia Erivo, Anna Wintour, Chelsea Clinton, Sarah Paulson, Peppermint, Lena Dunham, Beanie Feldstein, Alison Brie, Bella Hadid, Lena Waithe, Wanda Sykes and Janelle Monáe.

“Trans women and girls have been an integral part of the fight for gender liberation. We uphold that truth and denounce the ongoing anti-transgender rhetoric and efforts we witness in various industries,”

“We acknowledge with clarity and strength that transgender women are women and that transgender girls are girls. And we believe that honouring the diversity of women’s experiences is a strength, not a detriment to the feminist cause.

“All of us deserve the same access, freedoms, and opportunities. We deserveequal access to education, employment, healthcare, housing, recreation, and public accommodations. And we must respect each person’s right to bodily autonomy and self-determination.”

The signatories highlight the “wave of bigoted governmental policies and legislation” launched this year in the form of bills banning trans healthcare and inclusion in sports. They draw parallels with past efforts to legislate cis women’s healthcare, warning: “We refuse to let youth endure that now.”

The letter calls on others to fight against these “unnecessary and unethical barriers” placed on trans women and girls by lawmakers, as well as “those who co-opt the feminist label in the name of division and hatred”.

“Our feminism must be unapologetically expansive so that we can leave the door open for future generations,” they state conclusively. You can read their letter here in full.

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Half of Generation Z and Millennials think the gender binary is outdated, study reveals

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Half of Generation Z thinks that traditional gender roles and labels related to the gender binary are outdated, according to a refreshing new study.

As issues of gender equality continue to challenge societal norms and influence public opinion, US-based ad agency Bigeye sought to understand consumers’ perception of gendered products and advertising.ADVERTISING

For the 2021 Gender Study the agency polled 2,000 adults from a range of ages, incomes, locations, and gender identities. Questions included the kinds of clothing they wear to their opinion on gender-neutral children’s toys and education.

They found that 50 per cent of Generation Z-ers are pushing back against the gender binary, and that sentiment is even higher among Millennials at 56 percent.

More than half (51 per cent) of all respondents agreed that, in a decade, we will associate gender with stereotypical personality traits, products, and occupations much less than we do today.

“While the majority of Americans are cisgender, a significant percentage of younger generations believe the notion of identity is fluid and decidedly non-traditional,” said Adrian Tennant, VP of Insights at Bigeye and the leader of the research team.

“This study provides a snapshot of the broad, generational spectrum of opinions and beliefs held toward gender identity and expression within the media we consume daily through TV, ads and online platforms.

“While the majority of older generations remain skeptical of advertising’s ability to change perceptions of traditional gender roles, Gen X and younger are leading the charge and challenging brands to portray more diverse audiences and expressions.”

It seems women are more likely to embrace gender-neutrality than men, as nearly three-quarters of cis female parents encourage gender-neutral play for their children (73 percent), a figure significantly higher than cis male parents (59 per cent).

And fifth of female respondents believe that none of the consumer product categories benefit at all from being gendered.

“Toiletries are constantly gendered and it is completely unnecessary. They should be labeled with the qualities of the product and the fragrance, if any. No mention of male or female is needed,” one Gen Y respondent wrote.

In another positive finding, LGBT+ participants were more likely to have faith in the next generation, with 82 per cent of queer millennials and 88 per cent of queer Boomers believing that Gen Z is better educated about non-binaryand transgender identities.

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How the world’s first gay rugby club saved lives, smashed stereotypes and changed the sport forever

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When Israel Folau’s homophobia sent ripples through the world of rugby, he had no way of knowing his bigotry would inspire a bigger story.

Folau’s claims that “hell awaits” gay people saw him sacked by Rugby Australia in disgrace. Undeterred by the backlash, he simply doubled down on his beliefs by claiming the devil is to blame for trans kids and bushfires are “God’s judgment” for same-sex marriage.×ADVERTISING

Halfway around the world, the journalist and amateur player Eammon Ashton-Atkinson was listening to Folau’s words – and he knew LGBT+ childrenwould be listening too.SPONSORED CONTENTPandemic or Not, Don’t Skip These 3 Health ChecksBy Sutter Health

“My first thought was, f**k you,” he said. “My second was, ‘What if there’s a gay kid that looks up to him? What if they see this? What if this gives more fodder to the bullies?’”

On the heels of this came his third thought: “I have to tell the Steelers’ story.”

Two years later Eammon’s done just that with a new documentary about the King’s Cross Steelers – the world’s first gay rugby club.

Debuting at the Glasgow Film Festival this week, Steelers follows the iconic London club as it challenges conventional perceptions around sexuality, gender and masculinity in sport, just by existing.

When the Steelers first formed in 1995 there was nothing else like them on the rugby landscape. It was the peak of the AIDS crisis and few straight teams would even agree to meet them on the pitch. Some ignored the invitation, believing it was an April Fool’s joke.

“They were trailblazers,” Eammon said. “They were going into the depths of Essex, playing against these straight clubs, many of whose players might never have met an openly gay man, let alone an openly gay sportsman.

“By being there, playing rugby, it showed people that not only can gay men be good sports players, but they’re just like you and I. It really did a world of good smashing stereotypes.”

But it did far more than that. For players who’d endured a lifetime of exclusion from team sports, the Steelers gave a much-needed sense of belonging, a safe place to be themselves free of judgement. Eammon was one of them.

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“When I was growing up, sport in general was always this hyper-masculine environment,” he said. “For whatever reason, the kids at school worked out that I was gay before I even knew it. That meant I was the butt of the jokes in every sports class or rugby match.

“They played up to all the stereotypes, that gay people have limp wrists and can’t throw a ball, so I was never really given the opportunity to succeed or to practice or to belong in a sporting environment.”

The bullying grew so bad that by the time he reached his senior year he was skipping every sports class. “By the end I absolutely hated it, passionately hated it you could say. And that was a real shame,” he said.

Those scars will never go away, but Eammon found something of an antidote with the Steelers, a team that gave him a space to fail and learn and improve, and gradually fall in love with sports again.

His experience is echoed by so many of his teammates, who speak candidly about their struggles with mental health and the salvation they’ve found with the club. For some – Eammon included – the Steelers has quite literally been a lifesaver.

“I got to the point where I wrote a goodbye note. That’s how low my depression had got,” he revealed. “And that was all a result of people’s words. They do have impact.”

Nearly three decades after it began the Steelers is a thriving, joyful celebration of masculinity in all its forms. And it’s no longer alone: there are now 80 gay and inclusive rugby clubs around the world, not to mention a bona fide gay rugby league.

But Israel Folau’s comments serve as an inescapable reminder of the homophobia that remains.

This painful truth underscores the whole documentary, which nonetheless manages to be a heartwarming success story, one Eammon hopes will serve as a vital counterpoint to the bigotry.

“Sportsmen and sportswomen, they’re like the modern day gladiators: they are role models in our society,” he said. “What they say and do matters because people do look up to them.

“I think the fact that that there aren’t many openly gay players in any league of professional sport for men just shows that we still do have a long way to go. And I hope that my film is one step towards where we need to be as a society.”

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Mississippi officially bans trans athletes from competing as their correct gender

Mississippi’s Republican governor has signed a discriminatory bill to ban transgender athletes from competing on sports teams that match their gender.

“I will sign our bill to protect young girls from being forced to compete with biological males for athletic opportunities,” he tweeted last week.

“It’s crazy we have to address it, but the Biden EO [executive order] forced the issue. Adults? That’s on them. But the push for kids to adopt transgenderism is just wrong.”

Despite Reeves’ claims, legislators pushing the bill gave no evidence of any transgender athletes competing in Mississippi schools or universities.

Legal advocates have previously noted that such bills aren’t actually being requested by constituents, but are driven by national far-right organisations “attempting to sow fear and hate” against the transgender community.

Chase Strangio, ACLU deputy director for transgender justice, said the Mississippi bill “is very vague and seemingly unenforceable” and isn’t really about sport at all.

“Unfortunately, there is already rampant discrimination against trans youth in Mississippi, which means people are already driven out of sport,” he told AP.

“Governor Reeves’ statement makes clear that this isn’t about sports at all, this is about attacking trans youth and stopping kids from being trans — a dangerous project with deadly consequences.”

Commenting on Twitter, Strangio went on to question the governor’s priorities in signing the bill as the state’s capital city enters its fourth week of a water crisis.

The bill is set to become law on 1 July, making Mississippi the first state to enact such a ban this year.

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Many others are expected to follow in its footsteps thanks to a Republican-led “legislative boom” that has seen at least 25 states introduce over 60 bills targeting trans children.

In total, more anti-trans bills were introduced in the first three months of 2021 than any other year so far.

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Republicans launch Equality Act rival that would ‘undermine’ LGBT+ rights in the name of religious freedom

Republicans are launching a rival to the Equality Act which will allow them to discriminate against LGBT+ people on the basis of religious freedom.

The “Fairness for All” Act was reintroduced by Utah Congressman Chris Stewart on Sunday (28 February), days after the Equality Act was passed by the House of Representatives, as a way to “harmonise religious freedom and LGBT+ rights”.

Like the Equality Act it would outlaw LGBT+ discrimination in employment, housing, jury selection, credit and federally assisted programs – except, of course, when that discrimination is based on religious beliefs.

“It is hard to really love our neighbours when we are fighting with them over whose rights are more important,” Stewart complained. “This country can accommodate both civil liberties for LGBT individuals and religious freedom.

“We have wasted enough time, energy, and money fighting over who deserves which legal protections. It is time to define the federal protections for our LGBT and religious friends and neighbours.”

The Fairness for All Act promises to build on LGBT+ protections in federal, state and local law while simultaneously preserving the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which enshrines the First Amendment right of religious freedom.

This means small business owners and faith-based charities, such as shelters and foster care agencies, would be free to refuse LGBT+ people if they feel their existence runs “contrary to their conscience and beliefs”.

The bill also protects the tax-exempt status of religious organisations, colleges and universities, allowing them to “uphold their religious standards” without losing funding.

According to a press release it is “the largest expansion of religious freedom and LGBT civil rights under federal law in a generation” – and Stewart somehow insists this is not a contradiction.

“There’s room to do both,” he told 2News. “Some people say, ‘You’ve got to do one, or you can do the other, but you can’t do both,’ and that’s just not true.”

The Fairness for All Act already has 20 Republican co-sponsors and the support of the Mormon Church, the Seventh-day Adventist Church and multiple other faith advocacy groups.

But the Human Rights Campaign called the legislation “deeply dangerous”, warning that it would create “substandard protections” for LGBT+ people.

“The ‘Fairness for All’ Act is anything but fair, and it certainly does not serve all of us,” the advocacy group said when the bill was first tabled in 2019.

“It is an affront to existing civil rights protections that protect people on the basis of race, sex, and religion and creates new, substandard protections for LGBTQ people with massive loopholes and carve-outs, and upends critical federal programs that serve children in need.

“This legislation is deeply dangerous for many reasons,” it continued, “mainly because it would erode protections that already exist for people based on race, sex and religion, rolling back protections that have been on the books for decades.

“It would expand the number of places and situations in which lawful discrimination could occur.”

Even if it doesn’t pass, the bill could influence revisions of the Equality Act, which needs to gain Republican support in order to overcome a potential Senate filibuster.

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Biden administration withdraws White House support for trans school sports ban case

The Biden administration has withdrawn government support for a federal lawsuit seeking to ban transgender athletes from participating in girls’ high school sports.

The lawsuit in Connecticut was filed by several cis runners who argue they’ve been deprived of wins, state titles and athletic opportunities by being forced to compete against two trans sprinters.

The Trump administration inserted itself into the case last year when then-Attorney General William Barr signed a statement of interest, arguing the state’s policy runs against Title IX, the federal law that allows girls equal educational opportunities.

But Biden’s government has now retracted this statement and pulled all support from the anti-trans plaintiffs. “The government has reconsidered the matter,” said Connecticut US Attorney John Durham said on Tuesday (February 23).

Attorneys for the plaintiffs declined to comment.

The Justice Department’s withdrawal came ahead of a Friday hearing in the case over the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

The news was celebrated by Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who firmly told the AP: “Transgender girls are girls and every woman and girl deserves protection against discrimination. Period.”

Biden had previously signalled he would oversee a reversal of the Trump administration’s anti-trans policies, saying he would “flat out change the law”when he took office.

He made good on this promise in January when he repealed Trump’s trans military ban, and the latest move in Connecticut will be seen as a continuation of these progressive efforts.

Unfortunately this won’t be the end of the matter, as advocates fear a string of anti-trans bills in at least 20 states represents a “coordinated attack”against the American transgender community.

Supporters of such bills argue that transgender girls are naturally stronger, faster and bigger than their cis counterparts.

However, it has been widely noted that any athlete – male or female, transgender or cisgender – can have competitive advantages for multiple reasons besides hormones such as testosterone, including body size, access to training, and more.

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In actual fact there is no sound body of scientific evidence proving that trans athletes’ physiological characteristics provide them with an “unfair advantage” in sports.

“These bills are not addressing any real problem, and they’re not being requested by constituents,” said the Human Rights Campaign. “Rather, this effort is being driven by national far-right organisations attempting to sow fear and hate.”

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Equality Act Passes House In 224-206 Vote

The US House of Representatives has voted to pass the Equality Act, a landmark civil rights bill prohibiting discrimination against LGBT+ people in all 50 states.

The House voted 224-206 on Thursday (25 February) to pass the sweeping legislation, which substantially expands the existing 1964 Civil Rights Act to include specific protections for sexual orientation and gender identity.ADVERTISING

Its passage represents an enormous step forward for LGBT+ rights in America as it finally addresses the “patchwork” state coverage that leaves countless queer people vulnerable to discrimination.

Representative Ritchie Torres, the first LGBT+ Black and Afro Latino member of congress, said he felt “the weight of history” on his shoulders as he voted to claim what discrimination denies: equal protection under law.

“My younger self could’ve never imagined standing on the floor of the house as a member of congress voting for legislation that, if enacted, will make me equal in the eyes of the law,” he said.

“We are here to uphold the abiding truth of the American experiment – that we are all created equal, and that none of us should be evicted, fired or denied accommodations and services simply because of who we are and whom we love.

“We are equal by nature, and we ought to be equal by law.”

The Equality Act builds on the Supreme Court’s historic ruling in Bostock v Clayton County, which included LGBT+ people under sex-based employment protections.

The difference is that the Equality Act cements this by explicitly enshrining sexual orientation and gender identity protections in law, rather than looping them under the umbrella of “sex”.

It also goes far beyond employment: it would cover housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, credit, and the jury system, among other areas.

“The Equality Act is vital to ensuring the promise of a level playing field for all Americans,” said Jason Wu, executive director of GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders.

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“[It] is a critical step toward ensuring that LGBTQ people – and all people – can protect their families and contribute to their communities and workplaces. It also ensures the fairness and dignity all Americans need and deserve.”

This has unfortunately brought it into conflict with religious conservatives, who fear it could spell an end to businesses refusing to serve LGBT+ customers on the basis of “religious freedom”.

“Just as [a business] would not be able to turn away somebody for any other prohibited reason in the law, they would not be able to do that for LGBT+ people either. And we think that’s a really important principle to maintain,” said Ian Thompson, a senior legislative representative at the ACLU.

Because of this the legislation has long lingered in congress, with Republicans standing in the way of the measure and its predecessor bills for more than two decades.

The most recent hurdle came in 2019 when it was stalled by the senate after the Trump administration labelled it a “poison pill” that would “undermine parental and conscience rights”.

But Joe Biden championed the Equality Act throughout his presidential campaign, saying it was “essential” to reducing economic barriers and ensuring consistent protection for the LGBT+ community.

The legislation remains highly controversial and its fate in the senate is still unclear, as Democrats and Republicans are evenly divided.

Even if all 50 Democratic and Democratic-caucusing Independents in the Senate voted in favour of the Equality Act, it would still need the backing of at least 10 Republicans to clear the upper chamber’s traditional 60-vote threshold for final passage.

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800 footballers make heartfelt vow to support and ‘fight for’ LGBT+ players still in closet

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Over 800 German footballers have pledged their support to any teammates who may be struggling with their sexuality and afraid to come out while playing.

To date no male footballer has ever come out while actively playing in any of the German professional leagues, a troubling reflection of the homophobia engrained in the sport.×ADVERTISING

This week, hundreds of players decided that needs to change.

“No one should be forced into coming out. That is a personal decision for each individual to make,” the players write in the German football magazine 11Freunde. “However, we want anyone who decides to come out to know they have our full support and solidarity.”

The campaign was signed by the entire squads of multiple Bundesliga clubs, including Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, Hoffenheim, Schalke, Werder Bremen and Freiburg.

In their message the footballers promise to stand up against any bigotry levied against an LGBT+ player should they choose to come out.

“We say to all who struggle with the decision of coming out: we will support and encourage you, and if necessary, fight against any hostilities you may face,” they vow. “Because you are doing what is right and we are on your side.”

Only two male pro players have ever come out in Germany. The first one, Heinz Bonn, who played in the Bundesliga between 1970 and 1973, was outed posthumously.

Former Stuttgart and Aston Villa star Thomas Hitzlsperger, who came out as gay after ending his active career, tweeted that the campaign was “another step in the right direction”.

“I can understand anybody who would prefer not to face up to it,” commentedUnion Berlin striker Max Kruse after the campaign launch. “But if one of my teammates came out, I’d protect him from the idiots out there.”

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