Blog: Perspectives

Prior to becoming Executive Director, Maria Sjödin served as OutRight’s deputy executive director leading the work of the development and communications teams. In this position, they oversaw a period of extraordinary growth in visibility, diversification and increase in funding, in addition to launching groundbreaking initiatives, such as OutRight’s COVID-19 Global LGBTIQ and Ukraine Emergency Funds and pioneering engagement with international businesses.

A multicolored tide interrupted a gray winter day in Lima. On Saturday, June 25, the 20th edition of Pride March was held in Peru's main city. There is consensus among the organizers and the press that this was the year with the most extensive public attendance. In addition to the march in Lima, Pride marches were also held in more than 20 cities across the country, something unprecedented in Peruvian history.

Intersex people’s human rights are too often an afterthought, even among govenrments that profess support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) equality. But two governments are poised to make significant progress on the rights of intersex people.

With shouts of “Glory to Ukraine” and “F— Putin,” thousands of Poles marched through the streets of Warsaw on Saturday alongside a delegation of Ukrainian lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) activists. 

The queer-led March for Peace, organized by the Warsaw Equality Parade and KyivPride, was a historic show of solidarity for Ukraine’s queer community amidst Russia’s assault on the country. The war has transformed LGBTQ organizations on both sides of Ukraine’s borders, including in Poland, as advocacy groups turned themselves overnight into humanitarian and shelter organizations to support queer people inside Ukraine or forced into exile. 

(Nairobi) OutRight Action International condemns the brutal murder of Sheila Lumumba that occurred in her home, in Karatina, Nyeri County, in Kenya, on 19 April 2022. It was reported that six men broke into Sheila’s apartment, tortured, raped, and killed Sheila. It is alleged that this was a homophobic attack on Shelia. 

OutRight is dedicated to searching for new and innovative ways to uplift and support the global LGBTQIA+ community. Although our global movement is severely under-resourced and faces increasing threats, there has been significant social and legal change over the last few decades and we believe there is a pivotal opportunity to radically accelerate equality everywhere. However, we need more allies to be successful in our efforts. This unwavering motivation and commitment has led us to the world of NFT and cryptocurrency philanthropy! NFTs and cryptocurrency have truly taken the world by storm. From expanding the ways in which one can be an activist to fostering and inspiring a new wave of art movements, NFTs in particular are emerging as a vital avenue for 21st century philanthropy, community building, and creative expression.

On March 8, St. Lucia’s Parliament passed the landmark Domestic Violence Act, 2022, becoming one of the few countries in the Caribbean to provide legal protections to people in same-sex relationships who experience domestic violence—and the only country in the region to explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the implementation of such laws. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people whose relationships may fall outside a cisgender, heterosexual norm are now able to access all the resources and remedies provided in the Act, including protection orders from the court.