In the latest episode of The Frontline, exploring the complexities behind the rankings in the annual Rainbow Map, we are joined by guests Robert Attard from the Malta Gay Rights Movement, Simona Mursec from Ljubljana Pride Association in Slovenia and Sophie Schers from Transgender Network in The Netherlands. We’re also joined by Mehmet Akin from the ILGA-Europe team, who oversees the collection of data and rankings on the Rainbow Map and Index, and our Advocacy Director, Katrin Hugendubel, to talk about what we see happening now and in the future.
Listen to the podcast on your favourite platform.

 

For the fifth year running, ILGA-Europe are delighted to be partnering up with fintech company Revolut for their annual Pride campaign. Make a donation to ILGA-Europe on the Revolut app and get your very own rainbow payment card to #PayWithPride all year long. To unlock your rainbow card in the UK or EEA, customers simply need to make a minimum donation of £/€1 (T&Cs and delivery fees apply). To show their commitment to LGBTI equality, Revolut will match contributions made to ILGA-Europe. For every card ordered until the end of July 2023, Revolut will donate £1 to ILGA-Europe, up to a total of £10,000. To date Revolut customers have donated over €800,000 in support of our vital work for LGBTI people’s safety, equality and freedom across the European region. This is unrestricted funding, which we directly regrant to activist organisations, particularly in countries where LGBTI people are at risk.
Find out how to get your rainbow card.

On 9 June, the Parliament of Iceland passed a strong ban of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression conversion practices. The legislation was widely supported, with 53 voting ‘yes’, three abstaining, 0 "no" vote. Iceland joins France, Germany, Greece, Malta, and Spain in Europe banning conversion practices.
Read more.

Intersex Greece conducted the research ‘Hate speech against intersex people in Greece’ in 2022 with the support of ILGA-Europe. The research is now available in English as well. It is one of the few researches in the world that was continuously supervised by people who belong to the intersex spectrum themselves. 
Read more and download your own copy of the report.

 

ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association published the report of their public opinion poll on the attitudes of the Western Balkans’ general public towards LGBTIQ+ persons. Public attitudes towards LGBTIQ+ people were still predominantly negative in December 2022 – January 2023, when this survey was conducted. They have, however, shown improvement compared to 2015.
Read more.

On 14 June, Russia's lower house of parliament, the Duma, approved in the first reading a bill that seeks to ban legal gender recognition and transition-related interventions, while authorising non-consensual surgeries on intersex children. Until now, the bill has been fast-tracked. On 28 June, the window for feedback to the bill closed, and the date for the second and third readings are yet to be set. While the legislation has yet to become law, numerous civil registries across the country have already created obstacles for individuals seeking to change their documents, causing delays or outright refusals under various pretexts. The bill is a massive setback for trans and intersex people and for the LGBTI movement in Russia.
Read more.
Read the analysis and full timeline with updates in Russian.

Digital Freedom Fund recently opened another call for grant applications, continuing their support for strategic litigation to advance digital rights in Europe. Funding is not just for digital rights organisations, but also provides support to racial, social, feminist, queer, environmental, migrant rights and economic justice movements and organisations working on digital rights.
Read more and apply before 20 July.

The Equality Within Sport (EWS) Committee of ENGSO, the European Sports NGO, is conducting a survey to understand the situation of LGBTIQ+ women in sport across Europe. The results will serve as a basis for further education, awareness raising and change campaigns in European grassroots sport to promote visibility, equality, and inclusion in sport. Women athletes, coaches, sport coordinators, board members, referees, we appreciate your participation in the survey. It will take around 6 minutes to answer. It is anonymous and confidential.
Take the survey.

The European Health and Digital Executive Agency has published 12 calls for proposals under the 2023 EU4Health Work Programme. The topics include healthcare access, mental health, NCDs, cancer, Substances of Human Origin and medical devices. EU4Health, with a budget of €5.3 billion, is the fourth and largest of the EU health programmes.
Read more and apply for grants by 17 October.