by Elise

Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) decries Ireland’s denial of asylum for a Zimbabwean Lesbian and for several other LGBTQ+ refugees. The unnamed Lesbian was fleeing from her country and family, fearing violence from both. She is eligible to appeal the denial of her asylum. The judge based his decision on recommendation of an International Protection Officer to the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, claiming “lack of credibility” based on answers she gave to inappropriate questions to validate her sexuality, an authority MASI says Ireland does NOT have. In Zimbabwe, men engaging in homosexual activity can be sent to prison for up to ten years. For women homosexual activity is technically legal. However, society is largely hostile to all LGBTQ+ persons. Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagawa, is considering decriminalizing homosexuality.

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U.S. Rep. Greg Steube, R-Fla., introduced a bill to keep funding from state and local sports organizations that allow Transgender females, whom Steube misgenders as males, to participate in girls’ or women’s sports. Part of the bill’s language is “sex shall be recognized based solely on a person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” This has raised alarms that schoolgirls may have to undergo genital exams. The entire issue also raises the question of how Intersex people can participate in sports.