A major transformation is underway in Romancelandia. Once upon a time, romance novels from major U.S. publishers featured only heterosexual couples. Today, the five biggest publishers regularly release same-sex love stories. From May 2022 to May 2023, sales of LGBTQ+ romance grew by 40%, with the next biggest jump in this period occurring for general… Continue reading What’s behind the astonishing rise in LGBTQ+ romance literature?
In light of racially disproportionate stop and search practices, the case of Child Q and other accusations of misconduct, police in England and Wales are under pressure to address racism in their ranks. But their plan to do this through changes such as mandatory anti-racism training for all officers refuses to accept that the service itself is institutionally… Continue reading The UK police won’t acknowledge institutional racism in their race action plan
The newly passed Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda has made a country that was already dangerous for LGBTQ+ people truly treacherous. The new law includes the death penalty for the so-called offence of “aggravated homosexuality”, defined as same-sex relations involving someone who is HIV positive or under the age of 18. Many countries around the world are moving towards… Continue reading LGBTQ+ people are facing increasing persecution globally, but refugee status is still extremely hard to get
Skin colour should be no more socially relevant than webbed feet or earwax production Over a third of people who are not white have experienced racial assault and 77% of black people have been racially abused in the UK. Every single human descends from ancestors with black coloured skin. Skin colour is just one of… Continue reading Skin colour is as arbitrary as melanin production
Two women on the frontlines of the debate over women’s right to choose on Thursday (April 13) said that they will continue to prescribe and ship mifepristone and misoprostol, the abortion medicine at the center of the latest reproductive rights legal battle in America. Dutch physician Rebecca Gomperts, founder of ‘Women on Waves’ and the… Continue reading ‘US women should not be intimidated’ – Dutch doctor will keep providing abortion pills to Americans
Tokyo’s 30th annual Rainbow Pride parade took place on Sunday (April 21) with participants calling for more rights as well as marriage equality for LGBTQ+ people in Japan. The issue of marriage equality is especially contentious in Japan, as it is the only Group of Seven (G7) nation without legal protection for same-sex unions. Campaigners on… Continue reading Video: Tokyo Pride participants call for LGBTQ+ rights and marriage equality
On the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a student asked: Why does racism still exist against Black people, Indigenous people and people of colour when we have national and international mechanisms built upon notions of human dignity, equal rights and freedom? National and international human rights mechanisms do not seem to provide reliable solutions… Continue reading Overcoming racism depends on respect for every person’s dignity
In early 2021, a Ghanaian migrant known as Faruku died in the northern Mexican city of Tijuana, near the Mexico-United States border, of an apparent stroke. This was after being turned away from a hospital and later being asked to pay for an ambulance before it would assist him. A report from Refugees International notes… Continue reading In Mexico, erasing Black History fuels anti-Black racism
