In a controversial move, singer Elton John openly dedicated a two-hour Beijing concert "to the spirit and talent of [artist/political activist] Ai Weiwei," as he told the audience, the L.A. Times noted. The crowd reacted with audible gasps. Ai—who has used his art to comment on human-rights issues—attended the show, and even met John before the concert.
In Rome, a 15-year-old openly gay teen committed suicide after allegedly suffering repeated anti-gay bullying at school and online, according to LGBTQ Nation. The boy, identified only as "Andrea S.," hanged himself at his family home. Italy is seen as having one of the worst records for LGBT rights in Europe, and has no protections for sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace or in public accommodations.
A BBC documentary follows the life of Jackie Green, 19, who has made history once again by becoming the first transgender Miss England finalist, the Daily Mail reported. At 16, Green made history by becoming the youngest person in the world to undergo gender-reassignment surgery. Green—whose parents let her become female after she attempted suicide seven times—said on a television show, "I would have had the surgery at five years old if I could. After the surgery it felt like starting life for the first time." The documentary is called Transexual Teen, Beauty Queen.
In Australia, a lesbian stabbed her girlfriend 17 times, according to NTNews.com .au. Police said a 21-year-old woman armed herself with two small kitchen knives before breaking into her girlfriend's bedroom in Alice Springs. The victim, who survived the attack, suffered a "significant" lower arm injury but none of her wounds needed surgery. The suspect is being charged with unlawful entry and intent to cause harm, among other offenses.
Upon news the Ugandan Parliament is considering a bill that proposes jail terms for gay individuals, the Human Rights Campaign has called on U.S. faith leaders to reach out to their influential friends and colleagues in Uganda to urge them to condemn the measure, according to a press release. "American faith leaders know that calling for the death penalty—or even calling for imprisonment of—an entire community is not in line with Christian values," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "American Christian faith leaders with ties to Uganda, like Rick Warren and T.D. Jakes, must reach out to their influential Ugandan friends to ensure that the human rights of Ugandans are not put up to a vote."
In France, former first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has come out in support of the government's bill legalizing gay marriage and adoptions—despite the fact that her husband, ex-president Nicholas Sarkozy, opposes the measure, according to GlobalPost.com . Bruni-Sarkozy told Vogue, "I have a lot of friends—women and men—who are in this situation and I see nothing unstable or perverse in families with [gay] parents." France's parliament is expected to consider the bill in January.
In India, hundreds of gay-rights activists marched through New Delhi Nov. 25 to demand that they be allowed to lead their lives with dignity, Boston.com noted. Dozens of demonstrators carried a 50-foot-long, rainbow-colored banner and demanded that the government expand anti-discrimination laws to schools, workplaces, and public and private spaces. Three years ago, the court decriminalized gay sex, which until then had been punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
A United Nations committee overseeing human-rights issues approved a draft resolution that, for the first time, acknowledges the need to protect individuals from executions on the basis of their gender identity, Advocate.com reported. The Third Committee of the General Assembly passed the resolution by a vote of 108-1, with 65 abstentions and 18 absences; Iran was the only country to oppose the resolution.
A new report the European Commission conducted sheds light on attitudes about discrimination against LGBT people, according to Gay Star News. The study found that 46 percent of respondents across the European Union think gay people face discrimination, while another 46 percent think they rarely or never do. Similarly, 45 percent think transgender people face discrimination while 42 percent disagree. Overall, no significant change was measured since 2009, despite some countries reporting less perceived discrimination.
LGBT-rights advocate Maurice Tomlinson plans to challenge Trinidad and Tobago's entry ban on gays in an international court, Gay Star News reported. Tomilnson, a Jamaican national and legal advisor for the NGO AIDS-Free World, has been invited to give two presentations during the month of December. However, Trinidad's Immigration Act denies entry to LGBT individuals, people with mental health issues and those with physical disabilities.
In Vietnam, hundreds of people gathered in Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate sexual diversity, Gay Star News reported. Vietnamese LGBT rights group ICS (Information, Connecting and Sharing) organized the event, which had the theme "Open Your Heart—Embrace Diversity." The three-hour event featured activities like games, singing and performances, and culminated with a mass dance to Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" and Psy's "Gangnam Style."
