Merely weeks after a similar case we reported on, a federal judge has dismissed another defamation suit based on unsupported use of the “P-word.” This case involved the rap star Drake’s ongoing verbal battle with fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar. In the Judge’s ruling, she concluded, “‘Not Like Us’ is replete with profanity, trash-talking, threats of […]
Will Michigan Declare Trans Visibility “Obscene”?
Michigan state Rep. Josh Schriver (R) introduced a bill, the Anticorruption of Public Morals Act, that proposes banning pornography and depictions of transgender people, real or imagined, under very broad terms. This pushes criminal penalties, heavy fines, possible sexual-offence charges. Critics argue that the bill is unconstitutional and say it conflates trans existence with obscenity […]
China Erases Gay Marriages
The Hong Kong legislature, packed with pro-Beijing loyalists, voted 71-14 to reject a modest bill recognizing same-sex partnerships that had already been registered abroad. This vote defies a ruling by Hong Kong’s highest court that the government should recognize such unions. In a similar move, gay marriages in Western-produced films are now being converted by […]
Virtual panel explores sexual expression in games
If you’re interested in sexual representations within gaming platforms then you’ll want to check out this juicy event: “Sex, Money, and Censorship: Battles Over the Deplatforming of Sexual Expression in Games”, a panel discussion with researchers, advocates, and designers. The panel is sponsored by the Canadian Game Studies Association and co-hosted by the Institute for Research […]
China cracks down on gay fiction as “obscene”
Dozens of young Chinese women writing manga-style fiction about androgynous gay male characters have been arrested, fined, and in some cases imprisoned for obscenity, on the grounds that homosexuality is a “sexual perversion.” Once relatively tolerant of low-key gay sex when their concern was to limit the birth-rate, Chinese authorities have become increasingly hostile to […]
This ain’t no parade
Although Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government banned Pride gatherings in his country recently, around 100,000 people showed up to March on the 28th in a significant “fuck you!” showing of fierce resistance and solidarity. The amendment to Hungary’s constitution that led to the Pride ban was motivated by “child protection” according to the government. More […]
Supreme court upholds mandatory ID for porn websites
In a 6-3 ruling written by Justice Clarence Thomas (Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton), the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a Texas law requiring cumbersome age verification mechanisms to enter sexually explicit websites, effectively jettisoning the 2004 precedent of Ashcroft v. ACLU. Critics have expressed concern that the real purpose of the Texas law is to […]
Did you know that Harvey Milk joined the navy during the Korean War?
To celebrate Pride month this June the generous and oh-so-tactful American Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has indicated that the renaming of the navy ship Harvey Milk is imminent, and perhaps others, in the vein of anti-DEI efforts being led by the current administration. The timing of these actions is uncouth to say the least. […]
Russia’s continued anti-queer campaign
Russia is continuing its affront on queer rights and freedoms by cracking down on “LGBTQ propaganda”. Book publishers are important conduits of queerness as archival and educational tools, and they are under attack in Russia. Below we are linking you to two stories where you can find more context on this developing story. READ THE […]
A slippery slope for sex and censorship
In this rather astonishing story an Australian female author was charged with child pornography for having written a fictional novel about an 18-year old woman’s relationship with a man who has fantasized about her since she was a toddler. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to possessing, disseminating, and producing child abuse material. The case […]