THE9+. Queer News. 10 December. Joe Biden awarded, sex scandal in France, HIV cure— and Much More

A weekly digest of the essential queer news in your backyard!

This week, THE9+ is edited by me, Taylor Abbot, the News Editor, with the support of the editorial team.

If you want to hear the most essential depth, listen to our weekly podcast Queer News & Journalism on your favourite platform, or visit our YouTube Channel @GAY45mag.

And then, this week…

France. Politics. The mayor was convicted of blackmail with a call-boy sex video

A court in Lyon has sentenced Gaël Perdriau, the mayor of Saint‑Étienne, to five years in prison — one of them suspended — alongside a €50,000 fine and a five-year ban from public office, following his conviction for blackmail, embezzlement of public funds and criminal conspiracy. The verdict stems from a plot dating back to 2015, in which Perdriau and associates secretly filmed a then-deputy, Gilles Artigues, receiving an erotic massage from a male escort in a Paris hotel. Prosecutors argued the footage was used as leverage to prevent Artigues — a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage — from challenging Perdriau politically. Three of Perdriau’s close aides were also convicted. In court, the presiding judge declared the mayor “entirely guilty” and stressed the “extreme gravity of the acts,” citing the breach of public trust inherent in exploiting private life for political ends. Perdriau, who denies all wrongdoing and intends to appeal, is expected to resign imminently under the terms of the verdict. Read the GAY45 full article. 

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Germany. Health. Stem-cell therapy proves successful again in the fight against HIV

Doctors at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin have announced that a second patient appears to have been cleared of HIV after receiving a stem-cell transplant — even though the donor cells did not carry the usual genetic resistance to the virus. The 60-year-old German man, living with HIV since 2009 and diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia in 2015, received the transplant that same year. Unlike the first “Berlin patient”, the donor carried only a single copy of the mutated CCR5 gene (heterozygous), meaning the new immune cells remained susceptible in principle to HIV infection. Six years after stopping antiretroviral therapy, no trace of the virus has been detected in his blood or tissue. Researchers believe that the donor’s immune cells—possibly including unusually active natural killer cells—may have eliminated all virus-harbouring cells in his body. Experts caution the success remains rare and the procedure risky, but say the case provides fresh leads for the development of future HIV therapies

Senegal. Politics. Investigators break up gay WhatsApp group

Senegalese authorities arrested 15 men last weekend in what activists describe as the latest in a wave of homophobic raids targeting gay men. Police say the men, members of a WhatsApp group allegedly used to arrange sexual encounters, are charged with “acts against nature”, a crime under Article 319 of the Senegalese Penal Code. Reports claim that following the arrest of a 26-year-old student, three of his recent sexual partners were detained; eventually, 15 individuals — including a Quranic teacher, a religious marabout, and a man living with HIV — were remanded in custody. Under Senegalese law, same-sex intimacy is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine. Human-rights groups warn that the crackdown exacerbates a climate of fear for LGBTQ people, adding that there is a pattern of arbitrary arrests and physical abuse. 

The USA. Politics. Former US President Joe Biden received LGBTQ+ honour at the Victory Institute conference

Former President Joe Biden (83) was honoured with the Chris Abele Impact Award at the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute’s 41st International LGBTQ+ Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C. The accolade recognises what the institute calls the most LGBTQ+ inclusive U.S. administration in history — citing an unprecedented number of queer appointments, the restoration of trans military service and expanded federal protections. The conference — an annual gathering described as a barometer of LGBTQ+ political influence — gathered more than 700 elected officials, activists and rights advocates. Organisers say the award underscores a continuing commitment to LGBTQ+ representation at the highest levels — even as political pressures intensify. Joe Biden was the first US sitting President to give an interview to the gay press. The former president warned in the acceptance speech that the nation’s move toward equality must be protected in the age of Trump.

Colombia. Politics. Registraduría Nacional adds “trans” and “non-binary” categories to national ID documents

Colombia’s National Civil Registry will introduce the categories “trans” (T) and “non-binary” (NB) on official identity documents, including birth records, identity cards and national ID cards, from 2026. The reform, announced by registrar Hernán Penagos, aims to expand legal recognition for people with diverse gender identities. Penagos said the measure follows rulings by Colombia’s Constitutional Court and reflects a broader commitment from the registry to ensure equal access to documentation. The classification will appear in the “sex” field, alongside existing male and female categories, and will be implemented across more than 1,200 registry offices. Officials say the change will help reduce discrimination and improve administrative access for those who do not identify within the gender binary.

Eurovision. Music. Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia boycott Eurovision over Israel’s participation

Broadcasters in Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands said on Thursday they would withdraw from next year’s Eurovision Song Contest after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirmed that Israel may compete in 2026. No formal vote on Israel’s participation was held; instead, the EBU approved new safeguards aimed at preventing undue influence in voting. The Irish broadcaster RTÉ said it would neither compete nor broadcast the contest, calling participation “unconscionable” given the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The Spanish public broadcaster RTVE, the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS and the Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO echoed that position, citing concerns over human rights and press-freedom violations. The four countries are the most advanced societies in terms of LGBT and human rights. The 2026 edition of the world’s largest live music event, the 70th in its history, will be held in Vienna. Russia was banned from Eurovision after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Israel, which has won the contest four times since its debut in 1973, has competed for the past two years despite disputes over its participation. Read the full article on GAY45.

The USA. Justice. Trump tells prison inspectors to stop tracking anti-LGBTQ+ prison rapes

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has instructed inspectors to stop evaluating measures aimed at stopping targeted sexual violence against transgender, intersex and gender non-conforming people in prisons. A new DOJ memo revises the standards set in the 2003 Prison Rape Elimination Act, following President Donald Trump’s January executive order prohibiting federal recognition of gender-diverse identities — in the president’s words, “gender ideology extremism”. The executive order meant that trans inmates could no longer be housed according to their gender identity. Now, no robust measures will exist to protect these inmates — who, according to studies, are already at higher risk of sexual violence — from rape. Linda McFarlane, executive director of Just Detention International, a human rights group dedicated to ending prison rape, said the policy “will immediately put people in danger.” 

The UK. Politics. Trans women banned from Labour Party’s women’s conference in 2026

The UK’s ruling — and historically left-wing — Labour Party has announced that trans women will be barred from the main part of next year’s Labour women’s conference. The decision is described as a “compromise” to comply with April’s controversial Supreme Court decision to define gender “biologically” in relation to the Equality Act, which critics have condemned as transphobic and biological essentialism. After the ruling, several prominent Labour Party members, including the party leader and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, backed the outcome. Starmer specifically thanked it for providing “clarity”. Although trans women will be prevented from accessing the main conference hall — and from voting on policy debates, motions and national women’s committee elections — event organiser LabourList said evening events and exhibition spaces will remain “open to all”. A spokesperson from Labour for Trans Rights called the move “terrible” and accused the party of excluding trans women from democratic processes.

Russia. Gaming. Roblox banned over promotion of “extremist” LGBTQ+ content

Russia has blocked access to popular children’s game Roblox, citing concerns over child safety and the promotion of “extremist” LGBTQ+ content. The move continues the country’s crackdown on perceived “LGBTQ+” media under the Law for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating a Denial of Traditional Family Values Act, unanimously passed through the State Duma in 2013. Since 2022, enforcement of the law has intensified following an expansion of its parameters, making the bill a de facto blanket ban on perceived LGBTQ+ content, with over 200 arrests having been made since. This includes the arrest of 10 employees at Eksmo, Russia’s largest publishing house, in May. A spokesperson from Roblox has said: “We have a deep commitment to safety and we have a robust set of proactive and preventive safety measures designed to catch and prevent harmful content.” The Russian government described Roblox as rife with “inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children.”

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

• Impulse London’s Exhibition Dares to Finally Talk About Chemsex
• Eurovision’s Fracture Over Israel
• French mayor jailed for blackmailing rival with sex escort tape

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

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