THE9+. Queer News. 3 December. USA Erases World AIDS Day, Rob Jetten Awarded, Japan Upholds Ban on Same-Sex Marriage — and Much More

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And then, this week…

Austria. Art. Historian Re-examines Lesbian Painter Who Loved Women and Admired Hitler

Austrian art historian Nina Schedlmayer has reignited debate over the painter Stephanie Hollenstein, a modernist who lived openly as a lesbian while publicly supporting Adolf Hitler, in a new biography that probes one of Austrian art history’s most troubling contradictions. In Hitler’s Queer Artist, published this month by Paul Zsolnay Verlag, Schedlmayer traces Hollenstein’s life as a bohemian painter and First World War volunteer who later aligned herself with National Socialism. The book examines how Hollenstein’s relationships with women coexisted with her loyalty to a regime that persecuted queer people. Art critics say the biography offers one of the most comprehensive studies to date of Hollenstein’s political entanglements and artistic legacy, drawing on previously overlooked archival material. The 320-page volume has prompted renewed discussion in Austria about the complexities of queer histories under fascism.

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The U.S. Politics. State Department Drops World AIDS Day Recognition, Prompting Backlash

The U.S. State Department will not formally recognise World AIDS Day on 1 December, marking a notable departure from decades of federal acknowledgment of the global health observance. According to an internal email obtained by The New York Times and first reported by writer Emily Bass, staff and federal grant recipients were instructed not to use government funds or communication channels to mark the day. The guidance, which officials say applies to all commemorative events, advises employees to avoid public messaging, including on social media. State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott defended the move, saying awareness days were “not a strategy,” and argued the administration was prioritising direct engagement with foreign governments. Despite this rationale, the Trump administration has recognised other awareness days this year. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from HIV/AIDS advocates and lawmakers. Activist Peter Staley called it “petty and hostile,” while Representative Mark Pocan urged an immediate reversal, warning that “silence is not neutrality; it is harm.”

The Netherlands. Politics. Rob Jetten Awarded Thorbecke Prize for Leadership as He Seeks to Become Netherlands’ First Openly Gay Prime Minister

Dutch politician Rob Jetten has received the 2025 Thorbecke Prize, an award recognising exceptional parliamentary conduct, in a boost to his high-profile campaign to become the Netherlands’ first openly gay prime minister. The prize committee praised the Democrats 66 (D66) leader for his evolution from a “technical” speaker into an accessible and persuasive political figure, noting his strong public engagement during the recent general election, in which D66 secured significant gains. Jetten, 38, accepted the award on Monday at Perscentrum Nieuwspoort in The Hague. In a statement on social media, he called the honour “a vote of confidence to continue working on a politics that unites,” citing the legacy of Hans van Mierlo, the first recipient of the prize. Jetten became party leader in 2023, the youngest in D66’s history, and has since positioned himself as a frontrunner in Dutch national politics.

South Korea. Pride. Gwangju Queer Culture Festival Returns After Three-Year Hiatus

The Gwangju Queer Culture Festival returned to the iconic Geumnam-ro in Dong-gu on Saturday after a three-year hiatus, attracting approximately 2,000 participants under the theme “Mudeung: Rainbow-coloured absolute equality.” The festival, the first in-person gathering since 2019, brought together LGBTQ individuals and allied civil society groups from across South Korea. Attendees took part in a vibrant parade and citizen-led cultural programmes, advocating for anti-discrimination legislation to protect sexual orientation and gender identity. Annual events were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2022 the festival was limited to a film screening series, lacking the communal atmosphere of previous years. A counter-demonstration by conservative and religious groups drew around 500 people. Police maintained a strong presence, ensuring the festival proceeded largely without incident, highlighting ongoing tensions over LGBTQ rights in a country where calls for equality remain contested. 

Japan. Politics. Tokyo Court Upholds Japan’s Ban on Same-Sex Marriage

A Tokyo court ruled on Friday that Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage does not violate the country’s constitution, marking a rare setback in a series of court challenges seeking marriage equality. The judge argued that marriage, legally defined as a union between a man and a woman and their children, falls within the purview of parliament, echoing past decisions that have left legislative reform to lawmakers. The ruling contrasts with previous cases where courts had deemed the ban unconstitutional. Japan remains the only G7 nation without marriage equality, while Taiwan, Thailand, and Nepal recognise same-sex marriage in Asia. Support for legalising same-sex marriage in Japan has grown in recent years, with plaintiffs and rights groups calling for government action. Shino Kawachi, one of the plaintiffs, described the ruling as “difficult to comprehend,” while Amnesty International urged proactive legislative change.

The UK. Health. Government Announces £170m Action Plan to Eradicate HIV

England will end HIV transmissions by 2030, UK Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting told gay British magazine Attitude in an exclusive interview marking World AIDS Day. Streeting, who identifies as a gay man, explained: “What this means is more testing in A&E [accident and emergency] departments and better access to prevention and treatment for everyone who needs it.” The £170-million includes targeted support for those with mental health issues and those suffering from addiction, poverty and other stigmas. There are currently 100,000 people in England living with HIV. The “no news transmissions by 2030” has been the government’s official policy since 2019, when it was announced by the Conservative then-health secretary Matt Hancock.

Malaysia. Human Rights. Over 201 Arrested at Gay Sauna Raids

Malaysian police arrest 201 patrons and seven employees during a raid of two gay saunas in Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital. The arrests were made under Section 377 of the Penal Code, a controversial anti-LGBTQ+ law that carries prison sentences of up to 20 years and corporal punishment for those found engaging in “carnal intercourse against the natural order.” Malaysia is a conservative Muslim country in southeast Asia that operates under Sharia law. In March, its home minister Datum Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said that Malaysia: “does not recognise any LGBTQ lifestyle.”

France. Politics. Candidate Accuses Green Party of “Lesbophobia”

Sabrina Decanton, who had been slated to run as the Green Party candidate in Saint-Ouen’s upcoming municipal elections, announced that she was withdrawing her candidacy in a bombshell press release last Tuesday. Decanton, 39, claimed: “my sexual orientation is being used as an obstacle to my candidacy and a potential victory.” She alleges that party officials had advised her against running in the commune, located to the north of Paris, due to its large Muslim and working-class populations, with whom her sexuality would be “incompatible”. Several local and national politicians have spoken in support of Decanton, who has since pledged to remain in her seat as First Deputy Mayor of Saint-Ouen until the end of her term. The Green Party has yet to comment.

The UK. Pride. Second Major English Pride Charity Announces Closure

Northern Pride, the charity group who run Newcastle Pride in the north-east of England, has announced its closure. The news comes just a month after Manchester Pride announced it had gone into liquidation, leaving £1.3 million in unpaid bills to artists and performers. Northern Pride insists that its closure is a “planned and positive transition” rather than a response to tight funds and announced that Curious Futures, the trading subsidiary of the charity Curious Arts, will take over the annual event. Newcastle Pride reportedly welcomed 82,000 people in 2024. Ste Dunn, former director of Northern Pride, said: “It has been an incredible 17 years for the Northern Pride Charity. After two strong years of stability and success, now feels like the right moment to hand things over.”

And this week, we’ve selected for you the most-read pieces from GAY45.

• Kazakhstan: The Law That Haunts Before It Exists
• EU Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage Is Welcome, but What Is Marriage?
• A profile of Rob Jetten, the future gay prime minister of the Netherlands

Jude Jones, the editor-in-chief, and Raz Ion, the founding editor, contributed to today’s edition.

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