Recent Developments in France, Germany, Canada, Olympics, and Ireland

The European Court of Human Rights recently upheld a French law that criminalizes certain aspects of sex work, sparking criticism from advocacy groups who argue that this decision will continue to endanger the lives of sex workers. The law, passed in 2016, criminalizes the purchase of sex and other organizational aspects of sex work, such as keeping a brothel. This law was based on the “Nordic model,” which aims to discourage prostitution and human trafficking without criminalizing the sex workers themselves.

Despite arguments from 261 sex workers of various nationalities who brought the case to the court, citing increased dangers and reduced earnings due to the law, the court decided that France should be given leeway to regulate and abolish sex work without banning it entirely. Human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have denounced the ruling, stating that criminalization of sex work leads to increased physical attacks, sexual violence, and police abuse without effectively combating human trafficking.

Meanwhile, in Germany, the annual Christopher Street Day parade in Cologne saw a record turnout of 1.2 million people, highlighting the importance of LGBTQ rights in the face of the far-right Alternative for Germany party’s rise. Across the globe in Canada, the city of Edmonton is honoring its LGBTQ history with a new exhibit at Fort Edmonton Park, bringing attention to significant moments and figures often overlooked in mainstream histories.

In another development, the gay cruising app Grindr has disabled certain features in the Olympic Village to protect the privacy of athletes competing in the Tokyo Olympics. This move comes after an incident at the 2016 Rio Olympics where athletes were potentially outed through the app, putting them at risk in countries where LGBTQ rights are not protected.

Lastly, in Ireland, the government has signaled a delay in introducing a ban on conversion therapy, citing the complexity of legislating on the issue before the end of the current government’s term. This delay has raised concerns among LGBTQ advocates who have been awaiting this promised legislation as a crucial step in protecting the rights of LGBTQ individuals.