This No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) news digest rounds up some of the week’s top LGBTI rights stories for the week ending 18 July:
High LGBTI suicide rate in Australia ‘unacceptable’, says commissioner
Gay Star News, 18 Jul 2019
The chair of the royal commission into the mental health system in Victoria has described the high rate of suicide for LGBTI people as ‘totally unacceptable’. Chairperson Penny Armytage condemned the high rates of suicide, especially in young people, to the commission on Wednesday (17 July).
Zambia president won’t budge on gay rights even for international aid
Gay Star News, 17 Jul 2019
The president of Zambia said he would not impose ‘gay rights’ on his citizens in exchange for international aid. Edgar Lungu made the comments during a visit to the State House by the outgoing Swedish ambassador to Zambia, Henrik Cederin.
Christian school to sue after it lost state benefits over anti-LGBTI stance
Gay Star News, 16 Jul 2019
A private Christian school in Maryland, Baltimore is suing the state after it was denied taxpayer money because of its anti-LGBTI stance. Administrators of a scholarship program to fund low-income kids’ education ruled in 2018 taxpayer money cannot go to the school, the Baltimore Sun reports.
Two men were asked intimate details about their sexual history, then had their applications rejected
Metro Weekly, 16 Jul 2019
The Australian Government spent 18 months trying to suppress the release of an interview with two gay asylum seekers who were asked intimate details about their sexual history.