LGBT rights

Members of Brazil's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community posing for a portrait inside a free residential shelter called CASA 1 or "House 1" in downtown São Paulo on May 16, 2017.

Brazil is accused of stripping away LGBT rights

Self-described “missionaries” are now approved to perform a widely discredited psychological treatment meant to make people heterosexual, angering Brazil's health and rights communities who pushed to ban it.

Brazil is accused of stripping away LGBT rights
A gay rights activist holds a placard during a rally supporting same-sex marriage, in Sydney, Australia, May 31, 2015.

Think young Australians will ignore a nonbinding mail-in vote on marriage equality? Think again.

Think young Australians will ignore a nonbinding mail-in vote on marriage equality? Think again.
Members of the LGBT community hold a placard with the picture of Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a protest outside the Russian embassy in Mexico City.

Russian foreign minister refuses to acknowledge ongoing harassment of Chechen LGBT community

Russian foreign minister refuses to acknowledge ongoing harassment of Chechen LGBT community
You Ya-ting, left, and Huang Mei-yu cast their stamps during their symbolic same-sex Buddhist wedding ceremony at a temple in Taoyuan county, northern Taiwan, on Aug. 11, 2012.

Many in Taiwan aim to make it the first Asian country with same-sex marriage

Many in Taiwan aim to make it the first Asian country with same-sex marriage
Former Army Captain Easton Branam.

Looking back on the legacy of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’

Looking back on the legacy of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
A transgender brothel in Istanbul's run-down Tarlabasi neighborhood.

Trans people are risking their lives in Istanbul

Forty-three transgender people have been killed in Turkey since 2008, the highest number in Europe, according to the group Transgender Europe. But most killings of LGBT members in Turkey go unreported.

Trans people are risking their lives in Istanbul
Marcelo Crivella, the new mayor of Rio de Janeiro, gestures to photographers after voting during the municipal elections on Oct. 30.

Rio just elected a very conservative mayor. Activists are worried about LGBT rights.

Rio de Janeiro is famous for its openness. Rights groups are afraid that evangelical right-winger Marcelo Crivella will change that.

Rio just elected a very conservative mayor. Activists are worried about LGBT rights.
Around 100 people were forced to return to Kampala after Ugandan police shut down this year's gay pride event.

Uganda gay rights activists try again to hold a pride event — again, police intervene

At Uganda's gay pride event on Saturday, held at a private location, police again intervened to shut down the festivities.

Uganda gay rights activists try again to hold a pride event — again, police intervene
An HB2 headline in the Raleigh News and Observer.

North Carolina's governor says 'basic etiquette' is behind the state's bathroom bill. Not so fast.

The Civilist host Steven Petrow is an expert on etiquette — and he can't find anything in etiquette rules that supports HB2.

North Carolina's governor says 'basic etiquette' is behind the state's bathroom bill. Not so fast.
US and LGBT pride flag

'Mr. Manners' has a new podcast. He wants to use it to make America kind again.

The Civilist is the newest podcast from PRI. Over the coming weeks, host Steven Petrow will look at how we can bring civility to discussions about politics, LGBT rights and more.

'Mr. Manners' has a new podcast. He wants to use it to make America kind again.
A group of British children wearing their school uniforms greet the Queen at a ceremonial opening near London

British schools may make their uniforms gender neutral

In the UK, it's the norm for school children to wear uniforms. In most schools, that means girls in skirts and boys in pants. If you don't fit into one of these traditional gender categories... too bad. But things may be starting to change.

British schools may make their uniforms gender neutral
Imam Muhammad Musri speaks at a news conference

Updated: Suspect in 'the worst mass shooting' in modern US history 'not a stable person'

Some 50 people were killed and another 53 wounded in a shooting and hostage situation at an Orlando nightclub. Officials have called it an act of terrorism.

Updated: Suspect in 'the worst mass shooting' in modern US history 'not a stable person'
Lights are projected onto the Trevi Fountain to make it look rainbow coloured to celebrate the civil unions bill in Rome May 11, 2016.

Italy, in an historic vote, has approved same-sex civil unions

The lower house of the Italian parliament has given the green light for civil unions for gay couples. One of those who is especially proud is Vladimir Luxuria, an Italian transgender politician.

Italy, in an historic vote, has approved same-sex civil unions
The World

Russian-style anti-gay legislation has inspired homophobic attacks in Kyrgyzstan

Lesbian, gay and transgender people are feeling the impact of a proposed law that prevents discussion of LGBT issues. The place is Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet republic that is closely allied with Russia. Kyrgyz gays say the legislation coincides with a wave of homophobia and hate crimes.

Russian-style anti-gay legislation has inspired homophobic attacks in Kyrgyzstan
Activists of the radical Islamist party Hefajat-e-Islam in Bangladesh demanding capital punishment for a group of bloggers in 2013.

Who just killed the man some called 'the Harvey Milk of Bangladesh'?

Men wielding machetes hacked to death the founder of the only LGBT magazine in Bangladesh on Monday.

Who just killed the man some called 'the Harvey Milk of Bangladesh'?