WHAT'S ON

NSW Legislative Assembly passes hate crime laws, boosting penalties for anti-LGBTIQ+ violence to 7 years. New offences target app luring and post-and-boast attacks.

The European Parliament has voted to support a ban on conversion therapy, following a citizen-led campaign that gathered over 1.2 million signatures. The move adds pressure on the European Commission to introduce binding legislation as human rights experts call for stronger protections against a practice still reported in several member states.

Mark Latham has been ordered to pay $100,000 to Alex Greenwich after a tribunal found he unlawfully vilified and sexually harassed him through explicit, homophobic comments. The ruling said the remarks incited hatred and caused harm. Latham will appeal, while Greenwich says it reinforces accountability for public figures.

Vandalism has challenged a venue built on queer visibility. Yet Come To Daddy refuses to be intimidated. Like many LGBTQIA+ spaces before it, the venue stands its ground — defiant, resilient and determined to be even gayer than before.

Doxy-PEP is starting to show up in conversations about sexual health — but what is it and should you be considering it? Doxy-PEP offers another layer of protection in your sexual health tool kit, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Here’s what you need to know.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood has introduced new blood donation rules that expand eligibility for gay and bisexual men, replacing long-standing restrictions with a more individualised risk assessment. The changes are being welcomed as a step toward equity while maintaining the safety of the blood supply.

Cory Bernardi, the former Liberal senator known for his outspoken opposition to anything queer, won a South Australian Upper House seat for One Nation. The victory marks a political comeback for Bernardi after a string of failed Christian conservative campaigns.

The NSW government has confirmed it will introduce new laws to create specific LGBTQIA+ hate crime offences and increase penalties, including jail terms of up to seven years for offenders who target victims because of their sexuality or gender.

The Trump administration has finalised a new US visa rule (finalised on 11 March 2026) that forces all applicants to disclose “biological sex at birth,” even where it conflicts with their passport or legal gender, and advocates say the change will put transgender and nonbinary people at greater risk of visa refusals, accusations of fraud and immigration enforcement.