Puerto Rico

NBC News on May 14 brought forth the words and experiences of Justin Santiago, Puerto Rico's first trans man to change his name and gender on his birth certificate. Santiago speaks out against conversion therapy, which he suffered at 15 years old, after a bill that would ban the practice died in Puerto Rico's senate. Some senators have claimed that conversion therapy no longer takes place on the island. Miguél Vázquez-Rivera, a psychologist who has served LGBTQ people for years, disagrees.

Cameroon

Reuters confirmed on May 12 that the two transgender women on trial for "attempted homosexuality" in Cameroon have been fined and sentenced to five years in prison. The women were arrested in February for the clothes they wore in a restaurant. One of the women's lawyers, Alice Nkom, calls the result "a political decision" of Cameroon's central government, as a part of what Human Rights Watch called an "overall uptick of police action" against sexual minorities in the country. Nkom says she will appeal the verdict.

Abroad

Philadelphia Gay News reported May 12 on the Biden Administration's announcement in support of LGBTQI+ people across the world. The message is promising, but many countries have responded in opposition, with their governments reaffirming their anti-LGBTQ stances, doubling down on discriminatory laws, and either perpetrating or allowing greater violence against people based on their LGBTQ status. PGN's Mark Segal speaks about the "thorny" nature of changing cultural and religious attitudes on the subject, and puts the number of countries in which being gay is illegal at 71. Segal writes, "The simple sign of an American Embassy in one of those 71 countries flying a Rainbow flag to announce LGBT pride...shows people that we do not stand with their government's anti-LGBT policies."