The embattled Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) said it's planning sweeping changes to rebuild the organization more than four months after staff came forward with shocking allegations of racism and LGBT censorship, CBC.ca reported. The national museum in Winnipeg released a new framework that includes 40 strategies the organization says it will take to achieve five outcomes. The framework focuses largely on repairing damage to the LGBT community, tackling systemic racism and improving how harassment in the workplace is handled. New CEO Isha Khan—who started her job in August after then-CEO John Young resigned—said the CMHR has been working hard to challenge its "systems" and the way it operates.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern unveiled what she called an "incredibly diverse" cabinet that includes New Zealand's first openly gay deputy prime minister and a foreign minister with a Maori facial tattoo, france24.com reported. Ardern revamped her ministerial line-up in the wake of a landslide election victory, saying her second-term priorities were responding to COVID-19 and promoting economic recovery. She appointed Grant Robertson as deputy prime minister, making him the first openly gay person to hold the role.
The Delhi High Court transferred to another bench and adjourned to Nov. 19 a plea seeking legal recognition of same-sex marriage under the Hindu Marriage Act, Yahoo! News reported. The court was hearing a public suit seeking a declaration to the effect that since Section 5 of the Hindu Marriage Act of 1956 does not distinguish between gay and straight couples, the right of same-sex couples to marry should be recognized under the said act.
In Peru, the Constitutional Court (TC) rejected, by a four-to-three majority, the claim for protection filed by Oscar Ugarteche Galarza against the National Registry of Identification and Civil Status (Reniec) so that the civil marriage that he contracted with Mexican citizen Fidel Aroche Reyes is recognized, RPP.pe reported. Judges Augusto Ferrero, Manuel Miranda, Ernesto Blume and Jose Luis Sardon voted to reject the item; Marianella Ledesma, Carlos Ramos and Eloy Espinosa-Saldana supported said claim. Last year, the ombudsman's office sent a report to the Constitutional Court in which the state's obligation to recognize same-sex marriage was legally supported.
RuPaul's Drag Race U.K. has been renewed for a third season—even though season two was shut down in the middle of production, out.com noted. Both are set to be released in 2021. The second season of the series will feature 12 contestants, up from the debut season's 10 individuals, as well as RuPaul, Michelle Visage, Graham Norton and Alan Carr on the judging panel.
After about two months of competition, Drag Race Holland announced its first winner: Envy Peru, out.com noted. Having started the competition with 10 competitors, Peru was awarded with a crown by Fierce Drag Jewels, the title of first Dutch Drag Super Star, a 10-page spread in Dutch Cosmopolitan and a dress by designer Claes Iversen. During the season, Peru won four maxi challenges, more than any other performer this season.
A South China Morning Post article featured the Gay Games, which will take place in Hong Kong in 2022. The Hong Kong edition will host 36 sport events, including dragon boat racing, trail running and "vertical runs" up the ICC building. Registration for the event has been postponed to spring 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Hong Kong edition marks the first time the event will be held in Asia, with the nine-day spectacle of sports, culture and arts expected to attract 12,000 participants and 75,000 visitors to the city.
The annual National Prayer Breakfast in Taiwan was canceled this year, the first time in 20 years, following controversy over a recent social media post by President Tsai Ing-wen supporting the LGBT community, FocusTaiwan.tw noted. The event's preparatory committee said it canceled the event in order to prevent further disputes and misunderstandings between members. Themed "Love without borders," this year's breakfast prayer was supposed to take place at the Miracle Top Church's Mehas Complex Hall in Xindian District, New Taipei.
As the UK braced for another lockdown, TV production continued, but there were inevitable side effects for studio comedy and entertainment shows, which are having to shut out audiences once again, Deadline noted. Among the shows impacted was Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC One's blockbuster dance competition, as well as BBC One's The Graham Norton Show and Have I Got News For You.
Ninety-four-year-old Scottish actor/comedian/performer Stanley Baxter came out as gay in a new authorized biography and revealed that his wife let him bring home men for sex while they were married, out.com reported. Baxter told biographer Brian Beacom in The Real Stanley Baxter of the inner struggles with his sexuality that haunted him throughout his life, and the relationship he had with his wife of 46 years, Moira.
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova criticized Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic for "trying to divide" the world of tennis and "creating" a problem by forming a breakaway players association, tennis365.com reported. Djokovic, along with Vasek Pospisil and John Isner, announced on the eve of the 2020 US Open that they had left the ATP Player Council Board and launched the Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA). Although the PTPA got a lot of signatures early on, the likes of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray insisted that they would not be joining the association.
In Uganda, those at higher risk for contracting HIV are set to elect new representatives to the Global Funds grants managing board, the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM), 76Crimes.com reported. The elections are set for Nov. 13 in Kampala. Two people—a substantive member and an alternate—will be elected to represent the key populations for the next three years. Currently, Moses Kimbugwe and Sanyu Hajara Batte represent the key populations.
One of Taiwan's most renowned Filipino migrant-worker basketball leagues opened recently, attracting hundreds of people to a park in Taoyuan City's Chungli District. Focus Taiwan noted that approximately 400 people gathered at the park to witness the opening of the Chungli Basketball League (CBL) Commercial Winter League, which, now in its sixth season, had a member of the Filipino LGBT community—Steve Ian M. Isaga—take on the role of a team's muse for the first time.
YouTube beauty influencer James Charles revealed that he's on the cover of Vogue Portugal, according to out.com . He had teased the cover with a post on Halloween calling it "one of the most exciting announcements of my entire life." And while this should be cause for celebration all around, many have a distaste for Charles given his history. He was previously made to apologize for racist and offensive tweets while he was a face of Cover Girl, and in 2019 he lost millions of followers on YouTube after being called out and canceled by mentor and former friend Tati Westbrook in a video.
The Osmonds—A New Musical will tour the UK next summer, WhatsOnStage.com noted. Penned by Jay Osmond, the piece follows the iconic music making group from their star residency on The Andy Williams Show through the arrival of Donny and Marie. Tunes included in the stage show will include "Love Me For A Reason," "Crazy Horses," "Let Me In," "Puppy Love," "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool," "Paper Roses" and more.
The Great British Bake Off star Nadiya Hussain was unimpressed with Paul Hollywood's claim that rainbow bagels "represent the NHS [National Health Service]," PinkNews noted. "Is that what he called it?" she laughed while on Hits Radio Breakfast. "Why did he call it an NHS bagel?" Gay comedian/podcaster James Barr explained that Hollywood was probably trying to channel "COVID-19 pandemic vibes," but added "he must have known" about the rainbow's other symbolism.
