Thousands of people took to the streets in Bangkok, Thailand, on June 1, 2024, decked out in colorful makeup, brandishing rainbow flags and cheering their support for pride. But something was different this year. The crowd of activists was waiting with bated breath for an announcement over a quarter-century in the making that could change their lives: same-sex marriage would finally be legalized in their country. It would take four more months, until the end of September, when Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn gave his assent and made it official.
Russian police raid LGBTQ bars in Moscow following anti-LGBTQ ruling
Iraqi TikToker murdered in Baghdad amid rising LGBTQ+ targeted violence
A personal perspective on same-sex marriage, abortion in Northern Ireland
Four months into my semester and amidst major political turbulence over the ever-looming Brexit deadline, journalist Lyra McKee was killed by paramilitary gunfire in the city of Derry. McKee, a young, gay, female reporter, wrote extensively about the country’s restrictive laws regarding abortion and same-sex marriage. Citizens on either side of the conflict erupted into debate, eventually culminating in the British Parliament’s July decision to legalize both same-sex marriage and abortion.
Young boy stands against anti-LGBTQ protesters in Mexico
BY SARAH LOFSTROM '19
This past week, over ten thousand people took to the streets in Guadalajara, Mexico to protest legislation that would allow for same sex marriage in Mexico. The legislation proposed by President Enrique Peña Nieto on May 17, Mexico’s National Day Against Homophobia, would allow for same-sex marriages across all thirty-one states of Mexico, as it is currently only allowed in ten states.