Fridae

Singapore's anti-gay sex law, section 377A, was challenged today in the nation's High Court by human rights lawyer M. Ravi.

Allegations of police brutality at the Sydney Mardi Gras parade last weekend have been reported as a video of a teen being handcuffed and thrown to the ground by a policeman after the parade has gone viral and from a second man who has come forward.

A lesbian couple, who held the first same-sex wedding at Tokyo Disney Resort, has made headlines around the world after they tweeted photographs of their celebrations last Friday.

Tan Eng Hong's civil appeal challenging the Constitutionality of statute 377A of Singapore's Penal Code will be heard in the High Court on Wednesday, Mar 6.

Malaysia-based AirAsia is an official sponsor of the Sydney Mardi Gras for the first time which is also a first for any mainstream Asia-based company.

Ging Cristobal, Project Coordinator for the Asia Program of IGLHRC, has called the initiative a "major breakthrough" as police officers in major provinces all over the Philippines will undergo training that will include a LGBT community dialogue, and gender and sexuality workshops with human rights regional officers.

The court this week that it was unconstitutional for Austria to allow unmarried straight couples to adopt and not extend the same rights to same-sex couples.

Fridae obtained the following statement from the Attorney General's Chambers on Feb 14, 2013.

Arguing that section 377A is constitutional, the Attorney-General argues that the law applies to all men, not just self-identified gay men, who have sex with other men; the law “reflects public morality”; and "because there is a scientifically-established difference between the public health risks associated with sex between men and sex between women."

LGBT Capital and Financial Partners have announced the launch of LGBT Wealth, the first wealth management operation focused on the LGBT community in Asia.