It’s mid-September, and Kirkenes – a small town in the north of Norway – is busy with preparations for its annual Barents Pride festival, a unique cross-border event that could turn out to be inspirational for many people. The idea for Barents Pride emerged in response to oppressive laws in Russia targeting LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly…
Although they now may seem antiquated to most people, attempts to forcefully change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity are still common in many countries, even in the heart of Europe. In Italy, a staggering 1 in 5 LGBTQIA+ people has been subjected to these conversion practices. As a reaction, the Italian queer movement came…
In Nanjing, China, there stands a haunting statue known as the “Endless Tears.” It was built on the site of a World War II comfort station, where countless women were enslaved by the Japanese army. The statue cries real tears every day, no matter how often visitors wipe them away. Her endless tears represent a…
Alys Davies & BBC Arabic BBC News An AI-generated image depicting tent camps for displaced Palestinians and a slogan that reads All Eyes on Rafah is sweeping social media. The post has been shared more than 47 million times by Instagram users including celebrities like Dua Lipa, Lewis Hamilton and Gigi and Bella Hadid.…