Fridae

Malaysian Islamic-purity enforcing police are making it increasingly difficult for transgender men and women to live a life without fear of arrest and harassment in a country where Islam is the official religion.

Thai authorities are raising awareness about HIV and encourage testing among gay men and transgender people by embarking on new and novel campaigns that include bare-chested male models in a glitzy ballroom dancing to house music while dozens of young gay men get their blood tested.

Oogachaga has announced that from 1 October 2014, they will be starting a new hotline service called “WOW” which stands for “Women on Wednesdays”, specifically for female members of the LGBT community.

Quezon City Council in the National Capital Region of the Philippines has approved an ordinance banning discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals.

Indian contestant Sushant Divgikar who made it to the Top 10 list of the Mr Gay World 2014 contest hopes that his participation in the reality show “Bigg Boss 8″ will change public  perceptions about the LGBT community in India.

Asia was one of two continents from where countries abstained, supported and opposed a recent United Nations Human Rights Council to address violence and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

A former South African Constitutional Court judge who was in Taiwan recently to receive the country’s top Tang Prize for rule of law said Taiwan could become a leader in openness if it were to the first in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

Indonesian parliament might pass a law allowing the country’s utra-conservative Aceh province to punish same-sex relations with 100 lashes of the cane.

Taiwan is getting ready to host its first International Queer Film Festival which organizers say is an endeavor to showcase LGBT themes to the Taiwanese people as well as highlight awareness about issues the community faces.

The Thai LGBT community encounters great social stigma and limited job opportunities despite the country’s tourism authority actively promoting Thailand as a gay-friendly tourist destination, says a recent international report.