Ana Brnabić on Monday became the world’s first openly lesbian head of state after Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić resigned.

Brnabić was the country’s prime minister from 2017-2024. She was most recently the president of the Serbian National Assembly.

Vučić resigned ahead of parliamentary elections that will take place on Oct. 25. Media reports indicate Vučić could become Serbia’s next prime minister if his Serbian Progressive Party can successfully form a new government. Brnabić until then will be the country’s acting president.

Former Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who became his country’s first openly gay head of government in 2017, praised Brnabić.

“Congratulations to Ana Brnabić on becoming the world’s first lesbian head of state (president of Serbia),” said Varadkar on social media. “She visited while in her previous office and is a friend of Ireland.”

Congratulations to Ana Brnabic on becoming the world's first lesbian head of state (President of Serbia). She visited while in her previous office and is a friend of Ireland. 12 countries have now had gay or lesbian head of state/government. So far, all in Europe – the… https://t.co/TBpmeeEs9I

— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) September 29, 2026

Former Icelandic Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir in 2009 became the world’s first openly lesbian head of government. Former San Marino Captain Regent Paolo Rondelli in 2022 became the world’s first openly gay head of state.

Andorran Prime Minister Xavier Espot Zamora, Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten, and Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs are openly gay. Former Luxembourgish Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, former French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, and former Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo are also gay.  

Varadkar was Ireland’s prime minister from 2017-2020 and again from 2022-2024.

Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers will be on assignment in Brazil through Oct. 6.

SÃO PAULO — 529 openly LGBTQ+ candidates are running for in the Brazilian election that will take place on Sunday.

VoteLGBT, an organization that seeks to increase LGBTQ+ representation in Brazilian politics, notes 109 of these candidates are either transgender or travesti. They include Congresswomen Erika Hilton and Duda Salabert, who made history in 2022 as the first travesti and first trans women respectively to win seats in the Brazilian Congress.

Hilton, a member of the leftist Socialism and Liberty Party, known by the acronym PSOL, is a former sex worker who was a member of the São Paulo Municipal Council before her election to Congress. She currently chairs the Chamber of Deputies’ Women’s Rights Commission.

The Chamber of Deputies is Congress’s lower house.

Salabert, who is also a member of PSOL, represents Minas Gerais state in the Chamber of Deputies. Both she and Hilton in 2025 sharply criticized the Trump-Vance administration after it listed their gender as “male” on American visas that would have allowed them to travel to the U.S.

Benny Briolly is a travesti woman and member of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s Workers’ Party who is running to represent Rio de Janeiro state in the Chamber of Deputies. Thabatta Pimenta is a trans woman of mixed ethnicity who is running to represent Rio Grande do Norte state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of the Green Party.

Nicolas is a trans masculine bisexual man from Pará state who is part of the Banca Transformer, a “collective candidature” for the Chamber of Deputies that VoteLGBT notes is “100 percent trans and lead by a trans masculine person.” Mãe Kaká Garcia is a gay travesti woman of African descent who is running to represent Mato Grosso state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of PSOL.

“My bid for Congress stems from my life story and the need to bring voices that have historically been marginalized into the political arena,” Garcia told the Los Angeles Blade.

“I am a Black travesti woman and a leader within the African-derived religious community, with a background in work, entrepreneurship, and community activism in Mato Grosso,” she added. “I am intimately familiar with the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, the Black population, women, and terreiro communities.”

Garcia added she is running because she believes “these spaces must also be occupied by people who live these realities.”

“I want issues such as combating violence against trans people, racism, religious intolerance, protections for women, LGBTQIA+ rights, and social policies to be treated as permanent public policies,” she said.

Associaçao Nacional de Travestis e Transexuais (National Association of Travestis and Transsexuals) President Bruna Benavides in a statement to the Blade praised all of the trans and travesti candidates.

“For ANTRA, the strength of trans and travesti candidacies lies in what our representatives already demonstrate through their work in office — acting beyond the LGBTQIA+ agenda in areas such as education, health, labor, human rights, culture, the environment, public safety, and the fight against inequality,” she said. “The presence of trans people is already a reality, and democracy needs them in politics — not merely as representatives of an identity, but as agents capable of shaping initiatives that benefit society as a whole.”

“Politics will only be truly transformed when it incorporates the perspectives and experiences of those historically excluded from centers of power — people who have nonetheless envisioned a nation where everyone can be free and live with dignity and security,” she added.

The Blade also spoke with other openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual candidates.

Uédem Lima is a bisexual, Makuxi Indigenous man who is running to represent Roraima state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of the centrist Brazilian Democratic Movement.

“I am 23-years-old, a Makuxi Indigenous man, and bisexual,” he told the Blade. “I come from a reality where young people, Indigenous people, and LGBTQ+ individuals often still face difficulties in occupying spaces where decisions are made.”

“My candidacy is also a way to show that these spaces can — and must — be occupied by people who know these realities firsthand,” added Lima.

He told the Blade that education, health, climate justice, and Indigenous rights are among the top issues on which he will work in Congress if elected. Lima added his life in Roraima state, which borders Venezuela and Guyana in northern Brazil, and his identity will further shape his tenure.

“I know what it is like to grow up in Roraima, experience the shifts between the interior and the capital, and forge my path while carrying multiple identities,” he said. “I do not want to separate these parts of who I am. They are part of my story and also help explain why I chose to enter politics.”

Former Congressman Jean de Wyllys, who is the first openly gay man elected to the Brazilian Congress, resigned in 2019 and fled the country after he received death threats that he claimed came from supporters of then-President Jair Bolsonaro. De Wyllys at the time of his resignation represented Rio de Janeiro state and had just been elected for a third term.

De Wyllys has returned to Brazil and is running to represent São Paulo state in the Chamber of Deputies as a member of the Workers’ Party.

“My decision to return to present myself as a candidate is linked to the public responsibility with respect to this year’s elections, the most important for the future of Latin America in the last two decades,” he told the Blade. “Everyone knows that not just our region, but the whole world is a stage for a clash between two projects: one led by Donald Trump and his far-right (supporters) internationally that is neofascist, neocolonial, and neofeudalistic, and the other spearheaded by China that advocates for multipolarity, nations’ sovereignty, and global cooperation to overcome challenges, such as the climate crisis and possible pandemics.”  

“As someone who enjoys national popularity and international connections, and having served two highly productive terms regarding human rights and cultural diversity, I could not ignore the electorate’s calls to participate in this global contest — and not merely as an intellectual and artist,” added de Wyllys.

Mônica Benício is a Rio de Janeiro Municipal Councilwoman who is running for the Brazilian Senate as a PSOL member.

Her widow, Rio de Janeiro Municipal Councilwoman Marielle Franco, and her driver, Anderson Gomes, were murdered on March 14, 2018. One of the two former police officers later convicted lived in the same condominium complex in the city’s exclusive Barra da Tijuca neighborhood in which Bolsonaro lived at the time. (Bolsonaro was not president when the murders took place, and strongly denied media reports that suggested one of the suspects visited his home before Franco and Gomes were killed.)

Franco was also friends with De Wyllys and a political ally.

“After Marielle’s assassination, the LGBTQIAPN+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/transsexual/travesti/, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, nonbinary) community was one of the networks that embraced me and gave me the strength to carry on,” Benício told the Blade on Tuesday. “My Senate candidacy stems from this very commitment: to transform that affection and collective strength into a voice, protection, and rights within Congress.”

Benício stressed the LGBTQ+ and intersex community “needs to occupy more decision-making spaces.”

“I want to reach the Senate so that our rights, families, and lives are represented where laws are made,” she said.

Lula is running for a second consecutive term.

He defeated Bolsonaro in the second round of the 2022 presidential election.

The Brazilian Supreme Court last year sentenced Bolsonaro — who repeatedly targeted LGBTQ+ Brazilians and other groups while in office — to more than 27 years in prison for his role in an attempted coup that saw thousands of his supporters storm the Congress, presidential palace, and the Supreme Court itself on Jan. 8, 2023. Bolsonaro is currently serving his sentence at his home in Brasília, the country’s capital, because of his poor health.

Lula main challenger in this year’s presidential election is Bolsonaro’s son, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro.

A second round will take place on Oct. 25 if no candidate receives at least 50 percent of the vote.

Last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed and vetoed a slew of bills into state law. Among them were seven pertaining to California’s LGBTQ community. Newsom signed six while vetoing one. His actions drew applause and scorn from advocacy groups in the state. 

The 6 Signed Bills:

Assembly Bill 1775 allows transgender veterans, who were banned from service last year by the Trump-Vance administration, to access housing assistance, use California’s discharge upgrade assistance program, and get support for gaining employment. 

Assembly Bill 1930 strengthens privacy protections for healthcare patients and providers by creating clear guidelines for California agencies, individuals, and corporations to respond to out-of-state subpoena requests relating to abortion or gender-affirming care. This includes a requirement to contact the California Attorney General at least 7 days prior to responding to the subpoena or providing federal documents. This should add additional protection to those residing in California from investigations in states where abortion or gender-affirming care has more restrictions. 

Senate Bill 934 targets conversion therapy in California and increases the amount of time a patient has to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit against a provider for attempting to change the patient’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill takes aim at the widely debunked practice that treats queerness as a mental disorder that could be cured through psychotherapeutic methods. Conversion therapy has been illegal in California since 2012; however, a recent Supreme Court decision threw the ban into question, prompting lawmakers to write this new bill that legally defines it as medical malpractice. 

Senate Bill 1023 expands access to PrEP, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, a medication that protects people from contracting HIV. The bill requires insurers to cover the drug through the medical benefit and the pharmacy benefit pathways, allowing for more providers to give patients PrEP. 

Senate Bill 1114 strengthens privacy protections for voluntary self-identification data about sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill limits when California government agencies can share this data and bars it from being disclosed outside of the state government, with few exceptions. 

Senate Bill 1328 expands support for LGBTQ students and staff in California colleges. The bill requires any institution of higher education to designate an employee at any campus, satellite campus, branch campus, or outreach center to support the needs of LGBTQ individuals. 

Equality California, the largest statewide LGBTQ civil rights group in the country, commended the Governor for his support of legislation that protects and supports the queer community amid escalating threats, attacks, and rollbacks from the federal government. 

Executive Director Tony Hoang said in a written statement, “California is once again demonstrating that when LGBTQ+ people are targeted, our state will respond with action,” adding, “We are grateful to Governor Newsom for signing these measures.”

The Vetoed Bill:

Assembly Bill 2164 would have banned California from extraditing anyone residing in California for providing abortions or gender-affirming care in another state. Governor Newsom vetoed this bill despite agreeing with its principles, claiming in a written statement that “extradition is an exclusively executive function” and that he did not want to limit the “executive authority of an incoming Governor.” 

This bill was created in response to Louisiana’s attempt to extradite a California physician for allegedly sending abortion pills in the mail to a Louisiana woman. Governor Newsom responded forcefully to the extradition request, publicly denying it and stating, “We will not allow extremist politicians from other states to reach into California and try to punish doctors based on allegations that they provided reproductive health care services.” 

In a written statement responding to the veto, Lizzy Hinkley, the legal director of the bill’s lead sponsor, Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, criticized Newsom, stating, “[the] outgoing Governor’s principled stance is cold comfort to Californians living and working in the real world post-Dobbs. A high-brow, academic justification for refusing to codify legal protections only reveals an ignorance for the lived reality of patients and providers – and does nothing to help them.” 

Caleb Kaufman is a California Local News Fellow placed with the Los Angeles Blade. The California Local News Fellowship is a state-funded initiative to support and strengthen local news reporting. Learn more about it at fellowships.journalism.berkeley.edu/cafellows.

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the educational arm of the national LGBTQ+ advocacy organization Human Rights Campaign, has released a report showing LGBTQ+ public school students are more likely to face bullying, harassment, and “other barriers” in states that have less overall supportive LGBTQ+ laws and policies.

The report is based on the HRC Foundation’s National Educator Survey of School Climate and Bullying, which was released on Sept. 17.

“The report finds that harassment, bullying, and other barriers to LGBTQ+ inclusion are more prevalent in states with limiting policies, where educators report widespread restrictions on LGBTQ+ resources, visible expressions of support, and assistance for transgender students,” a statement released by HRC says.

“As just one example,” the statement adds, “while 59 percent of educators in states with limiting policies report restrictions on supporting their transgender students, just 6 percent to 8 percent of educators in states with supportive policies report the same, underscoring the impact of these policies on school climate, student well-being, and the stakes of the upcoming midterm elections for LGBTQ+ youth and inclusive classrooms.”

The report says the survey consisted of responses by 826 educators in 42 states who worked as teachers, principals, counselors, administrators, and others who worked in support services. All worked at schools with students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade, most being public schools and a smaller number being charter schools, the report says.

It says the survey was conducted between April 15 and May 21, 2026, and included a survey questionnaire with about 55 questions covering a wide range of LGBTQ+ related school issues.

According to the report, its classification of LGBTQ+ supportive and non-LGBTQ+ supportive states is based on a detailed analysis of the LGBTQ+ related laws and policies of all 50 states, D.C., and U.S. territories conducted by the Movement Advancement Project, or MAP, which describes itself as an “independent, nonprofit thinktank.”  

The report includes a chart consisting of 51 boxes representing the 50 states and D.C., with 32 plus D.C. colored as blue and said to have overall LGBTQ+ supportive policies. The 17 boxes colored in red are said to have overall non-LGBTQ+ supportive policies and laws, Each of the boxes has the initial of a state or D.C. printed inside it.

In addition to D.C., the chart shows Maryland, Virginia, New York, California, and Massachusetts as among the supportive states. Florida, Texas, West Virginia, and Ohio are among the states shown to be non-LGBTQ+ supportive.  

The HRC statement includes these “key” findings from the survey:

• In states with restrictive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies, 59 percent of educators report restrictions on supporting transgender students, compared to just 6-8 percent of educators in states with supportive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies.
• In states with restrictive policies, nearly 50 percent of educators reported restrictions on LGBTQ+ books or resources, compared to just 7 percent of educators in states with supportive policies.
• Roughly 32 percent of educators in states with restrictive policies reported anti-LGBTQ+ harassment was a moderate or serious problem, compared with 11 percent of educators in states with supportive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies.
• In states with restrictive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies, 29 percent of educators were very worried about anti-LGBTQ+ harassment, compared to 15 percent in states with supportive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies.
• In states with restrictive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies, 36 percent of educators witnessed anti-LGBTQ+ student bullying, compared to 27 percent in states with supportive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies.
• In states with supportive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies, 75 percent of educators reported no restrictions on LGBTQ+-supportive displays, highlighting a substantially more supportive school environment than in states with restrictive policies.
• Educators in states with restrictive LGBTQ+ inclusion policies also reported significant harassment of students based on appearance (57 percent), race or ethnicity (43 percent), sexual orientation (42 percent), and gender identity or expression (39 percent). (No direct comparison figure from supportive-policy states is provided in the data above.)

“Every young person deserves to feel safe and supportive at school, but this report makes clear that fore too many LGBTQ+ students, especially transgender youth, are being failed by policies designed to exclude them,” said HRC President Kelley Robinson in the HRC statement.

“We know that when students feel seen, supported, and affirmed, they are more likely too thrive, but when schools become places of exclusion or hostility, young people pay the price through lower engagement, missed opportunities to learn, and poorer mental and physical health,” Robinson said.

The HRC statement notes that the survey findings come at a time when a growing number of states have passed laws targeting LGBTQ+ students and the school officials and teachers who support them. It says that for the first time, the survey found that “educators themselves are also experiencing anti-LGBTQ+ harassment, highlighting the growing impact of these policies on school staff as well as students.”

The full survey findings and report can be accessed here:

The Department of Education rolled back a Biden-era Title IX interpretation on Monday that secured sex-based discrimination protections for students on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Title IX was established in 1972 as landmark civil rights law. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receives funding from the federal government.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon spoke about the revision of the policy, claiming the decision would explicitly help “women and girls.”

“Thanks to today’s action, the published Title IX regulations faithfully reflect court orders and congressional intent — reducing confusion for parents, students, and educational institutions. We will continue to relentlessly champion equal opportunity for all Americans and hold accountable any school or college that violates the rights, privacy, or athletic opportunities of our women and girls,” McMahon said via press release.

Prior to her work under the Trump-Vance administration, McMahon was a World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment executive before resigning to pursue a career in politics. She was appointed to the Connecticut State Board of Education by then-Gov. Jodi Rell in January 2009, but resigned from her role shortly afterward to run what ultimately became two failed campaigns for Connecticut’s U.S. Senate seat in 2010 and 2012.

A “fact sheet” provided by the Department of Education also called the inclusive sexual assault and gender identity protections expanded under the Biden-Harris unlawful, saying, “This change is necessary to provide clarity in the Code of Federal Regulations so that institutions, administrations, students, and families can see the rules that are actually in force and to help eliminate public confusion about the Biden administration’s unlawful attempt to stretch Title IX’s legal protections to cover ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity.’”

This is not the first time this policy has faced judicial hurdles. While Biden was still in office, the plan was struck down in multiple courts in Republican states.

Opponents of the move say it will harm transgender athletes and weaken protections for sexual assault victims.

“Sexual harassment and assault continue to be pervasive in schools and, to the fullest extent possible, we should be working to enforce the laws that protect student survivors of sexual violence. Yet, Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the Trump administration have decided to ignore what survivors need, instead weaponizing Title IX to attack trans students,” said Shiwali Patel, senior director of education justice at the National Women’s Law Center.

This is a return to a first Trump term policy after Biden issued an executive order to attempt to curb discrimination for all — especially those with different sexual orientations and gender identities — that had been given a pass during Trump’s first term. Much of Title IX’s policy has a narrow vision of what sex protections look like that often and enthusiastically leave gender-diverse and non-heterosexual people out.

In March 2021, President Joe Biden signed Executive Order 14021, “Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free From Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity,” to attempt to undo some of the flagrantly anti-LGBTQ+ policy the Trump-Pence administration had set forth relating to Title IX protections for LGBTQ+ students and sexual assault survivors.

The secretary focused this “win” for the administration as one more step toward restricting transgender students from competing in women’s sports, but the 2020 rule, completed under former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, didn’t explicitly ban trans students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity. It did limit the types of sexual harassment and assault complaints that schools had to investigate and required live hearings so male students could respond to accusations.

McMahon didn’t discuss those aspects in her statement or in requests for comment. The 2020 rule drew praise from conservatives and intense opposition from advocates who said it downplayed sexual abuse and left victims unprotected.

In a statement, U.S. Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.), who chairs the House Education Committee, said, “Returning to the 2020 regulations restores longstanding protections for women and girls that the Biden-Harris administration attempted to dismantle and realigns Title IX policy with court precedents.”

LGBTQ+ activists have called this decision a direct attack on LGBTQ+ safety — particularly for trans students who continue to face a barrage of legislative, executive, and judicial attacks in recent years from the Trump-Vance administration.

Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the world, released a statement following the DoE’s announcement.

“Title IX is, quite simply, about protecting students and ensuring that they are safe from abuse, harassment, and discrimination while they pursue their education. But Donald Trump and his cronies aren’t interested in any of that,” Robinson said. “Donald Trump’s Department of Education has completely lost sight of that mission. Instead of enforcing protections for students, they’re rescinding them. They don’t care if sexual harassment and assault go unaddressed. And they’re happy to strip funding away from school districts and states that are actually trying to keep students safe.

“We know who will be hurt: women, girls, and others who are vulnerable to sexual harassment, assault and abuse — including LGBTQ+ students. The fact that they’re dropping this rule into place abruptly, without a comment period, denying families, educators, loved ones, and the students themselves a say in how they should be treated, shows how little they care about the safety of our students.

“This is a monstrous injustice, and it drives home how essential it is that we take action at the polls this November to start bringing some accountability to an administration that has turned its back on the very students Title IX was written to protect,” she added.

The Los Angeles Blade reached out to the DoE for comment and questions on whether Title IX protections still included LGBTQ+ students, but did not receive an answer.

We could be in for a bumpy ride – weather-wise – this season. It started Thursday with a storm in Yucca Valley and 29 Palms with heavy rain and hail that also sparked a few dry lightning fires in the Coachella Valley. I was in the middle of it in Joshua Tree — loving every minute of the rain, the thunder, and lightning. That tends to be an anomaly for those of us who spend the majority of our time in the desert.

The real concern is the super El Niño winter we’re about to experience. It’s happening as we speak, with two hurricanes off the coast of Mexico that are expected to bring us higher humidity, a chance of rain next week, and coastal flooding. And that’s just the beginning, according to Patrick Evans, chief meteorologist at Newschannel 3.

We count on the typical dry weather of the Coachella Valley as tourists start to flock back for “season”. The way we roll is with outdoor concerts and music festivals, sporting events, mixers, and of course, Palm Springs Pride itself. So when the forecast starts to increase the odds of rainy days, we get a little nervous. We’ll all be watching the forecasts just a little more carefully and making last-minute adjustments to plans, whereas in most years we barely give it a second thought.

Maybe Palm Springs will have snow again like on January 31st, 1979. We recorded 1.5 inches that day, and it shut down the city, according to reports from The Desert Sun, which covered it extensively. A good friend of mine was here for that storm and has the newspaper clippings to prove it.

Whether that weather was an El Niño event, we may never know. But suffice it to say, we’ll be paying a little closer attention to Patrick’s forecasts this winter.

Brad Fuhr, your K-Gay Desert Guide

Here’s what’s ahead in sunny Palm Springs!

Debby Holiday‘s Tribute to Tina Turner

Simply the Best: A Tribute to Tina Turner & Friends brings Debby Holiday to the Purple Room Supper Club Friday & Saturday, September 25 & 26 (Dinner at 6 pm, Show at 8 pm). A 17‑time Billboard Top 20 artist, Debby delivers passion and powerhouse vocals while honoring Tina Turner and other legendary divas. Debby’s three‑decade career includes touring with Rod Stewart, KISS and Joe Walsh, plus appearances on David Letterman, The View and Rosie O’Donnell. More info

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Que Calor Pool Party

The Que Calor Pool Party at Arrive Hotel is an end‑of‑summer celebration on Saturday, September 26 from 4–8 pm. The event transforms the poolside into a lively oasis with music, food, and drinks, creating a fun afternoon of splashing, dancing, and unwinding. Produced by SOS Entertainers, the party also supports the Palm Springs Animal Shelter, adding heart to the festivities. Guests can enjoy general admission or reserve one of eight VIP cabanas. More info

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Perez Art District — 4th Friday Art Walk

The Perez Art District: 4th Friday Art Walk happens Friday, September 25 from 11 am–7 pm. Visitors can explore local galleries, meet artists and enjoy a full day of creativity and community across Buildings H & I. It’s an easygoing, open‑house‑style stroll through one of the valley’s most vibrant artist hubs, offering a chance to discover new work, connect with makers and experience the district’s growing cultural energy. More info

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Cinema Diverse 2026 Weekend 2

Cinema Diverse 2026 Weekend 2 at The Palm Springs Cultural Center runs all weekend through Sunday September 27. A celebration of LGBTQ+ storytelling, identity, history, love, resilience and queer imagination, the festival spans multiple theatres and screening blocks. Across documentary, narrative, comedy, drama and experimental shorts, Cinema Diverse highlights emerging and established filmmakers exploring coming out, chosen family, cultural heritage, activism, romance and the intersections of gender, sexuality and community. More info

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Mama’s Boy

Mama’s Boy starring Gregg Glaviano is Saturday, September 26 at 7:30 pm at Palm Springs Plaza Theatre. This emotional cabaret blends music and storytelling as Glaviano reflects on growing up with a mother living with chronic depression—and how those experiences shaped his journey through first love, marriage, divorce and coming out. Featuring Paul Cady, Richard Elander, Jim Gnaster and Jenny Carey, the show moves between humor, vulnerability and heartfelt musical moments drawn from Broadway, the Rat Pack and classic pop. More info

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It’s Final Round Voting Time — Best of CV

CV Independent’s Best of Coachella Valley 2026–2027 final voting round is now underway, and this is your chance to help crown the winners across the valley’s most‑loved radio stations, personalities, DJs (and many more categories). Thank you for showing us the love already with a strong nomination phase! Our finalists include KGAY 103.1 and Sunny 106.5 for Best Radio Station; John Taylor, E.J. Tyler and Patrick Evans for Best Local Radio Personality; and the dynamic DJ trio — DJ Galaxy, DJ Eric Ornelas, and MODGIRL — for Best Local DJ. Voting continues through Friday, October 23, so cast your vote and help celebrate your favorites in this year’s Best of Coachella Valley! Vote Today

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Greater Palm Springs Spa Month

Greater Palm Springs Spa Month heads into its final days with exclusive wellness experiences throughout all nine resort cities. Slow down, breathe deeply, and embrace self‑care your way—whether through a mineral spring soak, a rejuvenating facial, a deeply relaxing massage, a sound bath under the desert sky, or a full day dedicated entirely to restoration. Participating resort spas, day spas, and hot springs spas offer limited‑time treatments and special packages through the end of September. More info

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Planned Parenthood’s Riverside County Cocktail Reception

Planned Parenthood’s Riverside County Cocktail Reception takes place Friday, September 25 from 5:30–11 pm at Avalon Hotel & Bungalows Palm Springs. Celebrating 63 years of compassionate, essential care, the evening highlights the movement to protect access to sexual and reproductive health services. Guests will hear inspiring stories about the organization’s impact, including live entertainment and remarks from Jenny Black, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. More info

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The Shawshank Redemption

The Shawshank Redemption at Desert Theatreworks runs September 25–October 4 in the Blackbox Theatre. This gripping stage production follows banker Andy Dufresne, wrongly convicted of murder, as he navigates corruption, brutality and the faint glimmer of hope inside Shawshank State Penitentiary. His bond with Ellis “Red” Redding and his quiet, decades‑long plan for freedom unfold in an intimate setting where audiences feel the weight of the walls around them. This is not the movie—it’s harder, closer and deeply human, launching the 2026–2027 season with a limited eight‑performance run. More info

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Films in the Gardens — At Eternity’s Gate (2018)

At Eternity’s Gate (2018) screens Friday, September 25 at 7:30 pm at Sunnylands Center and Gardens. Presented with the Palm Springs International Film Society, this free outdoor series invites guests to bring a blanket, arrive early and enjoy cinema under the stars. At Eternity’s Gate offers an intimate portrait of Vincent van Gogh’s final, prolific years painting in Arles and Auvers‑sur‑Oise, set against the serene backdrop of the Gardens. More info

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Dance Me — The Music of Leonard Cohen

Dance Me: The Music of Leonard Cohen takes the stage Saturday, September 26 at 8 pm at McCallum Theatre, performed by Ballets Jazz Montréal. Inspired by the work of Montreal‑born poet, artist and songwriter Leonard Cohen — and approved by Cohen during his lifetime — this exclusive creation evokes the cycles of existence explored in his music and poems. More info

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Heart Centered Healing Sound Bath

The Desert Sound Sessions: Heart Centered Healing Sound Bath at Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs happens Sunday, September 27 from 9:45–11 am. Led by Ashley Tiedeman, this immersive morning experience begins with tea, mingling and a gentle Quantum Heart Meditation designed to expand inner awareness and ignite the heart’s electromagnetic field. Participants then settle into a soothing sound bath where crystal bowls and healing frequencies support deep relaxation, energetic clearing and alignment. More info

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Burgers, Boys & Brews Sunday BBQ

Burgers, Boys & Brews — Sunday BBQ returns Sunday, September 27 from 2:30–4:30 pm at The Social Cafe & Lounge. This weekly backyard‑style cookout features fresh‑grilled burgers, hot dogs, sides, bottomless mimosas, bottomless draft beer, great music, and live male entertainment. It’s a lively Sunday afternoon tradition where guests can eat, drink, and enjoy the atmosphere. More info

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• Billy L’Amour & The Love Notes • Singer Billy L’Amour joins The Love Notes and guest music director Paul McDonald for an intoxicating musical journey on Friday from 6–9 pm at Spirit Animal at Hotel Zoso.
• A Disco Affair • Resident DJ NRich and guest DJ Papa Trebizo spin an all-vinyl dance party on Friday from 8 pm–12 am at Saguaro Palm Springs. Music lovers can dance to disco, boogie, funk, synth rarities, and left-field club records mixed entirely by hand.
• Kevin Costner & Modern West • Actor and musician Kevin Costner and his band present cinematic storytelling and Americana-driven country-rock on Friday at 8 pm at The Show at Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa.
• Are You A Humanist? • Presenters explore humanist values through video clips of American Humanist Association CEO Fish Stark on Saturday from 11 am–12:30 pm at the LGBTQ Center. Speakers Jim Barnett and Carsten Smidt share personal journeys and discuss principles that promote human dignity, freedom, and ethical responsibility.
• PS Brew Crew LA SD Brewery Takeovers • Beer enthusiasts gather for a multi-stop brewery crawl on Saturday from 1–5:30 pm at Coachella Valley Brewing Company. Visiting Bear brewery-hopping groups from Los Angeles and San Diego team up with local beer lovers to explore downtown Palm Springs craft breweries.
• A League of Their Own, Film Screening & Drag Spectacular • Celebrate pop icon Madonna with live drag performances on Saturday at 6 pm at Festival Theaters in Palm Springs. The event includes a screening of director Penny Marshall‘s beloved sports comedy A League of Their Own.
• Sloshed: National Lampoon’s Vacation — Live Shadow Cast • Moviegoers join a live shadow cast recreating scenes onscreen on Saturday from 6–10 pm at Spirit Animal at Hotel Zoso. Performers bring National Lampoon’s Vacation into the room with costumes, props, audience interaction, and improvised surprises during this interactive comedy screening.
• Night Swim at Palm Springs Surf Club • Gather for an after-hours pool party on Saturday from 6–10 pm with live DJs, cocktails at the Island Bar, and access to the Island Pool and Lazy River under the lights.
• Unbuttoned, A Boylesque Social Experience • Dancer Michael Silas, known as one of Lady Gaga‘s original dancers, delivers a bold boylesque performance on Saturday from 7–8:30 pm at The Social Cafe & Lounge.
• Dance Ranch Country Dance Saturdays • Dancers of all skill levels gather for country-western dancing on Saturday from 7–9:30 pm at Step by Step Dance Studio. Instructor Rob Ollander-Krane teaches a beginner shadow lesson before open dancing featuring two-step, waltz, swing, and line dances.
• Marni Von Wilpert for Congress Fundraiser • Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Raul Ruiz join the host committee for this political fundraising event to back candidate Marni Von Wilpert on Sunday from 11 am–1 pm at a private location in Palm Springs.
• NSFW – New Season of Work • Art enthusiasts can discover a special exhibition celebrating the opening of the Palm Springs art season through September 30 at Rubine Red Gallery. Featured artists Russ White, T. Young, Merick Reed, Don Fisher, and Terrence Payne showcase exciting new work reflecting the distinctive creative energy of contemporary art.
• A Queer Arcana: Art, Magic, and Spirit • Explore how spirituality, magic, and esoteric knowledge shape LGBTQ+ culture through October 18 at the Palm Springs Art Museum.

Colombia last week withdrew from a coalition of more than 40 countries that pledges to champion LGBTQ+ and intersex rights.

The Bogotá Post, an English-language news website in the Colombian capital, reported the country officially withdrew from the Equal Rights Coalition on Sept. 17.

The Equal Rights Coalition formed in 2016.

The group’s current members are Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Cabo Verde, Chile, Costa Rica, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Ukraine, the U.K., and Uruguay. Civil society organizations from Colombia and dozens of other countries, including the U.S., work with the Equal Rights Coalition.

Colombia had co-chaired the group alongside Spain.

The decision to withdraw from the Equal Rights Coalition took place less than two months after far-right Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella took office.

El Páis, a Spanish newspaper, reported Colombian Vice Minister for Consular and Migration Affairs Pedro Agustín Roa said the Equal Rights Coalition “is not a priority” for his government and the country’s participation in it was “something from a previous government.”

Caribe Afirmativo is a Colombian LGBTQ+ advocacy group that works with the Equal Rights Coalition. Wilson Castañeda, its director, criticized his country’s withdrawal from it.

Edición Cientonce es el socio mediático del Los Angeles Blade en Ecuador. Esta nota salió en su sitio web el 17 de septiembre.

La última vez que Karlina Quiroz, una mujer trans de 57 años, salió sola a la calle en Chone, terminó encerrada contra su voluntad en un centro de rehabilitación donde intentaron “corregir” su identidad de género mediante humillaciones, amenazas y agresiones.

Han pasado cinco años desde ese episodio, ocurrido en 2021; y el 11 de septiembre de 2026 Karlina por fin obtuvo justicia. 

La Fiscalía informó, el 14 de septiembre, que el Tribunal de Garantías Penales de Chone sentenció a seis personas por actos de odio contra Karlina, al ser víctima de violencia basada en su identidad de género.

Entre los seis sentenciados están sus dos hermanos, que —según la denuncia de Karlina— ordenaron su encierro a este centro.

El caso de Karlina refleja el odio y la violencia hacia personas trans en Ecuador y vuelve a poner bajo la lupa la existencia de centros conocidos como clínicas de “deshomosexualización” o espacios de “terapias de conversión”.

De acuerdo con la denuncia presentada por Karlina, en julio de 2021 fue interceptada por varios hombres y trasladada contra su voluntad a un centro para el tratamiento de adicciones ubicado en Chone, Manabí, en la vía a Pedernales. Allí permaneció retenida y sometida a tratos degradantes, violencia psicológica y agresiones físicas.

Según su testimonio, durante el encierro recibió insultos relacionados con su identidad de género y amenazas orientadas a “modificarla”.

Karlina denunció, además, que esta no habría sido la primera vez. Según su relato, en 2019 permaneció aproximadamente tres meses internada de manera forzada en otro centro de rehabilitación, también ubicado en la vía a Pedernales, en Chone. Durante ese período habría sido sometida a dinámicas similares de aislamiento, control y presiones dirigidas a modificar su identidad y expresión de género.

Según información de la Fiscalía, en septiembre de 2021, como parte de las diligencias investigativas, se allanó el centro clandestino en Chone. Allí se recabaron indicios relacionados con el internamiento forzoso de Karlina durante tres meses.

Con esos y otros elementos de convicción obtenidos durante la investigación, la Fiscalía inició un proceso penal contra las seis personas, quienes fueron luego llamadas a juicio.

El proceso, explicó Karlina, incluyó los dos casos: el de 2019 y 2021. “El crimen se investigó desde que comenzó la primera gota de sangre”, señaló Karlina, en alusión a la violencia física que sufrió en su primer encierro.

De los seis sentenciados, tres fueron condenados como autores directos a cuatro años de pena privativa de libertad. Se trata de los dos hermanos de Karlina y un sobrino, por ordenar su encierro al centro de adicciones.

Los otros tres recibieron una pena de dos años, como cómplices.

De acuerdo con Karlina, uno de ellos es el director del primer centro al que fue ingresada contra su voluntad en 2019 por tres meses, y los otros dos son quienes la interceptaron la segunda ocasión, en julio de 2021, para llevarla al centro. Ella los señala como “capturadores” de las personas que son recluidas en los centros. 

“Cuando recibí la noticia (el viernes 11 de septiembre durante la audiencia de juzgamiento) no podía creerlo. Las piernas me temblaron y las lágrimas se me salieron. Estoy tranquila y satisfecha”, señaló Karlina en una llamada telefónica.

Para Pedro Gutiérrez, abogado especialista en derechos humanos, la sentencia es importante no solo por reconocer un delito de odio, sino también por las características de los hechos: el ingreso (por orden de sus hermanos) a un centro de “deshomosexualización” en el que se cometen actos de tortura y violencia física.

Durante la audiencia, constó el testimonio de Karlina. La Fiscalía también presentó el informe de reconocimiento del lugar de los hechos, la inspección ocular técnica, el levantamiento de evidencias y los testimonios de personas que confirmaron que los actos de violencia por perjuicio hacia su identidad de género fueron ejecutados de manera reiterada por los ahora sentenciados.

El caso volvió a poner la atención sobre las llamadas terapias de conversión en Ecuador, prácticas ampliamente cuestionadas por organismos internacionales de derechos humanos y señaladas como formas de tortura o violencia psicológica. Aunque el Estado ecuatoriano ha realizado operativos y clausuras de algunos centros en los últimos años, organizaciones sociales sostienen que estos espacios continúan funcionando de manera clandestina o bajo otras denominaciones.

La legislación ecuatoriana penaliza los actos de tortura con la intención de modificar la orientación sexual o identidad de género, pero no existe una sanción contra los centros que ofrecen las denominadas terapias de conversión. 

En 2020, la Asamblea aprobó el Código Orgánico de Salud y una de sus disposiciones fue prohibir expresamente este tipo de terapias, pero fue vetado totalmente por el expresidente Lenín Moreno en medio de una campaña de sectores antiderechos. 

La sentencia también dispuso, como reparación integral a favor de Karlina, tratamiento psicológico e indemnizaciones por daños materiales e inmateriales.

Gutiérrez considera que la reparación para Karlina es limitada, pues -por ejemplo- no hay llamados de atención al Ministerio de Salud o disculpas públicas a la víctima. 

“Mi nombre es Ariel Karlina Zambrano, soy una mujer trans de Chone, Manabí. Desde niña supe que quería ser mujer, quería ser bonita, libre. Pero mi familia nunca lo aceptó. Mis hermanos y mi padre, profundamente machistas, me maltrataban constantemente”, contó Karlina en un testimonio en 2025 que recogió el Comité Permanente por la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos (CDH).

Para activistas y defensores de derechos humanos, el caso de Karlina evidencia además un patrón de violencia que suele permanecer oculto dentro de círculos familiares, religiosos y comunitarios. En muchos casos, explican, los internamientos forzados son promovidos bajo la idea de “corregir” orientaciones sexuales o identidades de género consideradas inaceptables.

Karlina intentó vivir en Chone, creyendo que con la denuncia y las medidas cautelares estaba a salvo, pero su hermano le pagaba a personas para que la acosaran, según su relato. Por ello, tuvo que esconderse por meses.

Las personas trans en Ecuador enfrentan altos niveles de discriminación, violencia y exclusión social, especialmente fuera de las grandes ciudades. Según la Encuesta Nacional sobre las Condiciones de Vida de la Población LGBTI+ del INEC, el 53,5 por ciento de las personas LGBTQ+ mayores de 18 años en el país ha sufrido algún tipo de discriminación o violencia a lo largo de su vida, siendo el entorno familiar uno de los principales espacios de agresión.

En materia de violencia letal, organizaciones como Asociación Silueta X y el Observatorio Runa Sipiy documentaron 30 asesinatos de personas LGBTQ+ y transfemicidios en Ecuador durante 2025. De esos casos, alrededor del 70 por ciento corresponden a mujeres trans, lo que las posiciona como el grupo más expuesto a crímenes de odio y violencia extrema.

Diversas organizaciones de derechos humanos han advertido además sobre la persistencia de centros de “deshomosexualización” o internamientos forzosos, prácticas denunciadas desde hace más de una década en Ecuador pese a prohibiciones estatales y operativos de control insuficientes.

El caso de Karlina pone a prueba algo más grande que una sentencia individual: si Ecuador está dispuesto o no a reconocer que estas prácticas siguen existiendo y que la violencia contra personas LGBTQ+ continúa ocurriendo, muchas veces con la complicidad o el silencio de sus propios entornos familiares.

“Con mi caso, debe quedar un precedente. Debemos luchar contra el odio que podemos encontrarlo dentro de nuestras propias familias. Por nuestra libertad y derechos, debemos luchar”, indicó Karlina.

Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten on Monday visited the Stonewall Inn in New York.

“The Stonewall Inn is not just a gay bar in New York, but the place where in 1969 riots took place as a reaction to years of discrimination and police violence,” wrote Jetten on X. “This is seen as the starting point of the global LGBTIQ+ emancipation and activism. Nowadays, the bar is a national monument, dedicated to the LGBTIQ+ rights movement.”

“For me, it is impressive and moving to be here tonight. And also fitting, because the defense of human rights is an important part of our foreign policy,” he added. “The Netherlands stands alongside the Stonewall Inn community when it comes to everyone’s right to live openly, safely, and with pride, no matter who you are or who you love.”

De Stonewall Inn is niet zomaar een gay bar in New York, maar de plaats waar in 1969 rellen plaatsvonden als reactie op jarenlange discriminatie en geweld van de politie. Dit wordt gezien als startpunt van de wereldwijde lhbtiq+-emancipatie en activisme. Tegenwoordig is de bar… pic.twitter.com/hJmFYjF91Z

— Rob Jetten (@MinPres) September 23, 2026

Jetten in February became the Netherlands’s first openly gay prime minister.

He opened last month’s World Pride Human Rights Conference in Amsterdam. Jetten also participated in a panel with former Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, former San Marino Captain Regent Paolo Rondelli, and other current and former heads of government who are gay or lesbian.

Jetten is scheduled to speak to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday.

(Editor’s note: Jetten visited New York’s LGBT Community Center with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani before he left the city.)

Fiji, a small Pacific island nation, on Sept. 15 declared a national emergency as it confronted one of the sharpest increases in new HIV infections globally. 

The surge had been building for years, prompting the government to begin intensifying its response two years before the emergency declaration.

In 2024, the government adopted a four-year HIV Surge Strategy, covering 2024 through 2027, and later put in place a national plan to respond to the outbreak. UNAIDS and the World Health Organization have supported that effort.

The scale of the crisis is stark. 

An estimated 9,100 people were living with HIV in Fiji in 2025, according to UNAIDS — a 12-fold increase from 2010. HIV has no cure, but effective treatment can suppress the virus, allowing people living with HIV to live long, healthy lives, and preventing sexual transmission when the virus remains undetectable.

In announcing the emergency, Health and Medical Services Minister Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said the country recorded 2,016 new HIV diagnoses in 2025, the highest annual total on record. He called the figures a sign of the “seriousness of the epidemic and the urgent, coordinated response our country now needs.”

The crisis is also affecting children. 

Save the Children Fiji said this week that a two-month-old baby is currently the youngest patient in the country living with both HIV and tuberculosis. The organization said 59 babies acquired HIV through mother-to-child transmission in 2025, while 67 new HIV cases were recorded among children under 15.

Five years ago, about one in every 167 people in Fiji was estimated to be living with HIV, according to government figures cited by the Associated Press. Since then, Fiji has also emerged as an important transit point in the regional drug trade, with international criminal networks moving narcotics from Latin America and Asia toward markets including Australia and New Zealand. Some of those drugs are also reaching Fiji’s domestic market, where injecting drug use has become an increasingly important route of HIV transmission.

Sexual transmission has continued to fuel the outbreak, with health officials pointing to inconsistent condom use and gaps in HIV testing. Stigma and misinformation have made the problem harder to confront, according to UNAIDS Pacific adviser Renata Ram, who has warned that limited knowledge about HIV can discourage people from seeking testing and care.

In a statement to the Los Angeles Blade, Eamonn Murphy, UNAIDS’ regional director for Asia and the Pacific and Eastern Europe and Central Asia, cautioned against viewing Fiji’s epidemic through the lens of a single behavior or community. Among cases where the mode of transmission is known, he said, more than half are linked to sexual transmission and more than 42 percent to injecting drug use.

“The rise in infections among women and infants also shows that HIV has reached more widely across society,” Murphy said. “What stands out is how quickly the epidemic changed compared with the pace of the response. Access to PrEP and harm reduction remained limited, Fiji did not yet have a needle and syringe programme, and stigma and policy barriers continued to keep some people away from services.” 

Murphy noted only 39 percent of people with HIV in Fiji knew their status in 2025, and only 22 percent of them were receiving treatment. He also pointed out a wider system-level problem. 

“COVID-19 and the years that followed disrupted services, shifted attention and resources, and left community-led outreach operating below the scale that was increasingly needed,” said Murphy. “The epidemic moved faster than the response.”

Murphy said the immediate challenge is to bring HIV prevention and treatment closer together and make both easier to access at scale. He said PrEP, condoms, testing and harm reduction — including Fiji’s planned needle and syringe program — need to reach people earlier. At the same time, people diagnosed with HIV need a clear path into same-day treatment, care and support that helps them remain in treatment.

The tool at the center of the harm-reduction debate is hardly new. 

Needle and syringe programs provide people who inject drugs with sterile equipment, helping them avoid sharing needles and reducing the risk of HIV and other blood-borne infections. Decades of evidence have found that NSPs reduce HIV transmission without increasing drug use, and WHO describes them as a proven and cost-effective public health intervention. Such programs operate in more than 90 countries worldwide. Yet Fiji, even as injecting drug use has become an increasingly important route of HIV transmission, is only now moving toward introducing one.

“Trust is just as important as access,” Murphy told the Blade. “People most affected by HIV are more likely to use services when they are confidential, respectful and connected to organisations they already know. Community groups and peer workers are increasingly part of Fiji’s response, including the rollout of free PrEP, and that closer link with the health system can make a real difference.” 

“As UNAIDS has stated, the national crisis declaration is ‘a call for action, not fear,’” he added. “Fiji has the tools to change the trajectory; the priority now is to turn political commitment into rapid, coordinated action that reaches people at scale. The UN Joint Team is working to support the national response.”

Joeli Colati, executive director of Fiji Network Plus, a nongovernmental support and advocacy network established by and for people living with HIV, told the Blade that HIV affects people in ways that extend far beyond their health. Some people are afraid to get tested because they fear being judged or worry that others will discover their HIV status. Others fear the consequences for their families, jobs and relationships, as well as stigma and gossip. For LGBTQ+ people and other vulnerable populations, Colati said, those fears can be even harder to navigate because some already face discrimination. When people do not feel safe, he said, they may avoid testing, treatment and other HIV services.

Fiji does not have a reliable national count of its broader LGBTQ+ population. 

UNAIDS estimates that about 16,000 men who have sex with men and transgender people live in the country, though that figure should not be treated as an estimate of the entire LGBTQ+ community.

“We are also seeing a lot of HIV misinformation, especially on social media. This includes people sharing wrong information about how HIV is spread, how it is treated, and what it means to live with HIV,” said Colati. “Another serious concern is the increase in herbal healers claiming they can cure HIV. There is currently no cure for HIV. These claims can be dangerous if they make people stop or delay their HIV treatment. Herbal medicine should never be promoted as a replacement for antiretroviral therapy (ART).”

Colati said HIV peer counselors and NGO outreach workers are helping people at the community level, from supporting those newly diagnosed and helping them stay in care to reaching people who may not visit clinics, providing accurate information and connecting them with testing and treatment. He said people are often more comfortable seeking help from someone who understands what they are going through.

“As someone living with HIV myself for 19 years, I know that a person who is newly diagnosed needs more than medicine. They also need support, correct information and hope. With treatment, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives,” Colati said. “We also need people to understand undetectable equals untransmittable, or U=U: when a person living with HIV takes treatment and maintains an undetectable viral load, they do not sexually transmit HIV. That is both a prevention message and a powerful message against stigma. Fiji Network Plus, the national network for people living with HIV, reinforced this message in our response to Fiji’s national HIV crisis.”

Asaeli Sinusetaki, acting chief executive of Rainbow Pride Foundation, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group based in Suva, the Fijian capital, in a statement to the Blade said the organization welcomed the government’s declaration because it showed officials now recognized the seriousness of the situation. 

“It is unfortunate that it took this long to respond, because the warning signs were always there,” Sinusetaki added.

“For LGBTQ+ people, experiences can differ depending on how comfortable they are accessing services,” Sinusetaki said. “At the same time, LGBTQ+ communities in Fiji have been one of the driving forces behind prevention efforts. Yes, accessing services independently can be a challenge because of fear, particularly stigma and discrimination. But because many LGBTQ people are also part of the Peer Outreach Worker network, they have established trust within their communities and networks to help people access information and services.”

Sinusetaki said access to HIV testing remains a major challenge, with testing unavailable at many local health centers, forcing some people to travel to sexual and reproductive health clinics or hospitals. He said that can be a significant barrier in a country where people often do not seek medical care unless they are already sick, making it unlikely that someone would make a separate trip simply to get an HIV test.

“The emergency has also highlighted that HIV cannot be treated as a stand-alone issue,” said Sinusetaki. “LGBTQ people need access to a broader package of sexual and reproductive health services, STI screening and treatment, mental health and psychosocial support, prevention information, condoms and lubricants, PrEP and PEP and, where relevant, harm-reduction services.” 

“For people who receive a positive diagnosis, the challenge does not end with testing,” Sinusetaki added. “We need to ensure that they are linked rapidly to treatment, supported to remain in care and treated with dignity throughout that journey.

The Blade reached out to Lalabalavu multiple times for comment, but did not receive a response.