by Elise
Legalizing civil partnerships is closer to reality in Poland, thanks to a draft law published on Oct. 25. Many who helped the pro-European coalition government come to power are calling for faster human rights progress. The draft law will give same-sex couples inheritance and medical information rights regarding their partners. Let’s hope the draft becomes law. If parliament passes civil partnerships, it will be up to openly homophobic President Andrzej Duda to sign it.
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Until recently, the Ivory Coast was a haven for LGBTQ+ people in Africa, a continent where many countries are openly anti-Queer. But over 45 Gay men and Trans people were threatened and attacked during September and October in the city of Abidjan, where LGBTQ+ often socialized openly. Ivorian LGBTQ+ rights group Gromo has been documenting the threats and attacks. Attackers have been encouraged online by groups and individuals, including influencer Makille Camoso. A homophobic banner was unfurled and cheered at a soccer event. The deputy of communication for the country, Mamadou Touré, said that the Ivory Coast is dedicated to keeping all its citizens safe but that there were no plans to legalize same-sex marriage. Homosexuality is neither legal nor illegal in the multicultural nation but an unnamed lawmaker has declared he will introduce a bill to “counter the expansion of homosexuality” in this time near their presidential election. Many LGBTQ+ people are either not coming out to socialize in Abidjan or are doing so only at night. While some younger Gay and Trans youth want to openly protest the violence and oppression, some elders want silence, hoping the storm will pass.
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After Trans woman artist and dancer Jin Xing announced that her application to stage, direct and star in her adaptation of the classic play Sunrise was rejected in Guangzhou, China, because of personal bias, online support for her was seen in the 140,000 “likes” on her post. Officials claim there were procedural errors in her application, but Chinese society continues to marginalize non-heteronormative people, especially under President Xi Jinping. He is trying to buttress his authority by building up the patriarchal authoritarianism harking back to the reign of Mao Zedong. Even though homosexuality was decriminalized in 1997 and is no longer listed as a mental illness, LGBTQ+ representation is stifled. Government scrutiny of defiance is usual, so it is brave of Jin Xing to be so public in her stance. Cultural repression is common in China to maintain an idealized narrative of history and identity and, therefore, artistic expression is often stifled. Sound familiar, USA voters for Trump?
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Lesbian writer Sylvia Townsend Warner was honored in Dorchester, Dorset, England, by a statue—the first ever memorializing a non-royalty woman in the town. Warner, a poet and writer, lived openly with her partner, poet Valentine Ackland. Even though people in same-sex relations were severely stigmatized at the time, the openness of their partnership helped light the way for the future.