THE9+. Queer News. 17 December. Iran and Egypt match on Pride, Budapest Mayor under pressure and Much More

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

This will be our final newsletter of the year. In 2026, we return with a refreshed and more compelling format. We wish you a fabulous New Year.

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…

The UK. Statistics. Bisexuality among UK youth falls sharply, says ONS data

Bisexual identification among 16‑ to 24‑year‑olds in Britain dropped from 7.5% in 2023 to 5.1% in 2024, according to new figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The earlier decade‑long rise — from 1.3% in 2014 to 7.5% in 2023 — had been widely noted, especially among young women. That surge appears to have reversed: in 2024, just 6.7% of women aged 16–24 identified as bisexual. Although there was a slight increase in gay and lesbian or “other” identifications, the dramatic growth previously seen in bisexuality seems to have plateaued. The shift suggests that the wave of youthful bisexual identification may have crested — raising questions about whether changing social fashion or survey‑response dynamics are driving new patterns of self‑identification.

The USA. Sport. World Cup match between Iran and Egypt to coincide with Seattle Pride weekend

The FIFA World Cup 2026 group‑stage match between Iran national football team and Egypt national football team will take place in Seattle on 26 June — a date that coincides with the city’s annual Pride celebrations. The fixture has been designated a “Pride Match” by local organisers at Lumen Field. The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has formally protested to FIFA, rejecting any LGBTQ‑themed activities during the game, citing alleged conflict with the cultural, religious and social values of Arab and Muslim societies. Both Egypt and Iran maintain laws criminalising homosexual acts, with punishments ranging from imprisonment in Egypt to the death penalty in Iran.  Local organisers insist the Pride branding predates the draw and is independent of FIFA, intending the match to symbolise inclusion and welcome at the global tournament. 

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Turkey. Politics. First Lady Issues Another Broadside at LGBTIQ+ Community 

The wife of Turkey’s president, Emine Erdoğan, has delivered a fresh denunciation of the LGBTIQ+ community, declaring at a conference on children’s media that “we are under siege.” She accused social‑media and other digital platforms of peddling “propaganda to erase gender,” framing the existence of queer people as a “global threat” to the traditional family. Her remarks echo the growing hostility from her husband, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who in speeches during 2023 and 2025 has described LGBTQ+ identities as “perverted” and “unnatural,” and declared 2025 the “Year of the Family.” Meanwhile, an annual report by the Medya ve Hukuk Çalışmaları Derneği (MLSA) reveals a steep rise in legal cases targeting activists, journalists and others for alleged offences related to expression or protest. Between September 2024 and August 2025, the NGO tracked 275 criminal trials, 430 hearings, and 1,696 defendants — over half labelled as activists — under charges often including “organisation propaganda” or “public order disturbance.”  

Global. Adult. Pornhub reports surge in trans and “femboy” demand despite rising anti-trans climate

Pornhub’s 2025 Year-in-Review reports a marked rise in searches for trans and “femboy” content, running counter to an increasingly hostile public climate towards transgender people in several countries. According to the platform, “lesbian” remained the top category globally, while transgender content became the second most-viewed overall. Searches for “femboy” entered Pornhub’s global top ten for the first time and ranked first among gay users. The report also noted sharp increases in identity-related terms, with searches for “queer” up 132 per cent and “bisexual” up 88 per cent. Pornhub’s trans brand ambassador Natassia Dreams described the trend as a “cultural shift,” arguing that viewers are seeking out content that challenges traditional assumptions about gender and sexuality. The rise in demand comes amid intensifying anti-trans sentiment. Recent surveys show growing fears for personal safety among transgender and non-binary people in the UK, while GLAAD has documented a significant increase in anti-trans hate incidents.

Kazakhstan. Politics. Vote on contested LGBTQ+ “propaganda” ban postponed 

Kazakhstan’s Senate has postponed a controversial bill that would criminalise so-called “LGBTQ+ propaganda,” leaving the legislation in limbo a month after its unanimous approval in the lower chamber. Modelled on Russia’s sweeping restrictions on LGBTQ+ expression, the draft law proposed fines and potential jail sentences for those deemed to have shared pro-LGBTQ+ content in the media or on social platforms. Ministers and deputies backing the bill cited books, cartoons and online material featuring same-sex relationships as examples of “harmful” influence on children. The Senate said the measure had been tabled indefinitely due to the extensive amendments required across the Labour Code and a dozen other laws, adding that issues concerning children’s rights required “special consideration.” President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev had strongly promoted the bill as a defence of “traditional values.” Although homosexuality was decriminalised in the 1990s, Kazakhstan has no legal protections against anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination and remains socially conservative.

The USA. Film. 2026 is a landmark year for the Sundance Film Festival — a queer milestone

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival, running from 22 January to 1 February, will be the final edition in Park City, Utah, before the celebrated independent showcase relocates to Boulder, Colorado in 2027. It also arrives in the first year after the death of founder Robert Redford, a figure credited with nurturing spaces where queer cinema could flourish. Programming for 2026 underscores that legacy with a notably rich queer slate. Highlights include new work from Gregg Araki, whose films helped define New Queer Cinema, and documentaries such as Barbara Forever about lesbian pioneer Barbara Hammer and The Brittney Griner Story, tracing the WNBA star’s journey, alongside Give Me the Ball! celebrating Billie Jean King. Films like Jaripeo interrogate queer identity in unexpected cultural milieus, while festival line-ups feature stories of love, desire, sport and transformation across genres. In its final Utah chapter, Sundance appears to reaffirm its role as a crucible for queer voices even as it prepares to migrate geographically.

Global. Politics. Meta shuts down global accounts linked to abortion advice and queer content

Meta has removed or restricted more than 50 accounts belonging to abortion access providers, queer groups and reproductive health organisations worldwide in recent weeks, campaigners say, in what they describe as one of the largest waves of content enforcement in years. Groups affected include European and UK-based organisations as well as providers serving women in Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, with some accounts said to reach tens of thousands of people. Netherlands-registered Women Help Women was suspended before being reinstated, its director said. Repro Uncensored, an NGO tracking digital censorship, reported a sharp rise in removals and severe restrictions this year compared with last, allegations Meta disputes. Meta said its policies on abortion-related content have not changed and that enforcement applies equally to all users. Campaigners say opaque moderation decisions and slow appeals are harming access to vital information.

France. Awards. Têtu magazine honours leading queer voices in Paris

The Têtu Awards returned to the Trianon on Tuesday for their third edition, celebrating artists, activists and organisations that shaped LGBTQ+ culture in 2025. Hosted by comedian Mahaut Drama and Drag Race All Stars winner Mami Watta, the ceremony presented 11 awards spanning literature, music, cinema, fashion, dance and community organising. Musical performances punctuated the night, including sets by Luna, Piche, the House of Revlon, Marguerite with La Queeraie, cabaret troupe La Bouche and Christine and the Queens, who delivered a rendition of Bronski Beat’s “Smalltown Boy”. Winners included singer Marguerite (Revelation of the Year); ballroom icon Vinii Revlon (Public Representation); filmmaker Hafzia Herzi (Ally of the Year); and Budapest Pride, recognised for mobilising more than 200,000 people despite political pressure. Writer Virginie Despentes received a special 30th-anniversary honour. Novelist Fatima Daas was named Personality of the Year.

Switzerland. Eurovision. Nemo, the Swiss Winner Returns Trophy

Swiss artist Nemo, who won the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, has announced they are returning their winner’s trophy in protest at Israel’s participation in the 2026 contest. Nemo, non-binary and victorious with the song The Code, said on social media that the decision to allow Israel to compete contradicts Eurovision’s professed values of unity, inclusion and dignity. The announcement comes against the backdrop of growing dissent: broadcasters from Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland have said they will boycott next year’s event in Vienna after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) declined to expel Israel amid the ongoing Gaza war. Critics argue the contest has been drawn into geopolitics despite its apolitical ethos; Israel and its supporters reject allegations of wrongdoing and insist on the right to participate. The development adds a fresh layer of tension to what organisers hope will be a unifying cultural event. Read our op-eds on the topic on GAY45.eu   

Hungary. Politics. Budapest Mayor Charged Over Banned Pride March

The Mayor of Budapest, Gergely Karácsony, faces charges for allegedly helping to organise a banned Pride event that took place in the city in June. Karácsony revealed in a video shared on Facebook that police had concluded their investigation and recommended pressing charges against him for violating Hungary’s new freedom of assembly law. The law, passed by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s right-wing Fidesz party in March 2025, effectively banned Pride marches, claiming they were harmful to minors. Despite the ban, tens of thousands, including the Mayor, took to the streets on June 28 in defiance of the government’s anti-LGBTQ+ legislation. Karácsony called the charges “completely absurd,” adding that he was “proud” to have taken “every political risk for the sake of my city’s freedom.” Organisers and attendees of the banned event had faced potential fines of up to 200,000 forints (€500).

Chile. Politics. People elect far-right homophobe José Antonio Kast as next president

Chile has elected far-right politician José Antonio Kast as its next president, following a decisive victory in Sunday’s runoff election. Kast, leader of the Republican Party, secured approximately 58 % of the vote, defeating left-wing candidate Jeannette Jara, who received around 42 %, according to official results.  The outcome marks the sharpest shift to the right in Chilean politics since the return to democracy in 1990, with Kast campaigning on law-and-order and anti-immigration platforms amid voter concerns over crime and irregular migration. Kast’s victory follows his two previous unsuccessful bids for the presidency and comes as outgoing President Gabriel Boric concludes his term. Kast is expected to be inaugurated in March 2026 and will face a fragmented Congress that could constrain parts of his agenda. Jara conceded defeat, acknowledging the democratic will of voters and pledging to continue her political work. 

The Netherlands. Art. Dutch exhibition traces long struggle for asylum rights of queer refugees

An exhibition in Amsterdam is highlighting the long gap between policy and practice in the Netherlands’ treatment of queer asylum seekers, organisers said. Although Dutch law has allowed people to apply for asylum on the basis of sexual orientation since the Becker motion of 1980, the first refugee was not granted asylum explicitly on those grounds until 1992. For years, queer refugees were often disbelieved and faced unsafe conditions in reception centres. The exhibition, (Un)documented: Queer Refugees in the Netherlands, examines asylum policy, procedures and lived experiences through archival material and personal testimonies. Organisers say verbal and physical intimidation remains a problem in reception centres, while asylum procedures have become more restrictive. Developed by IHLIA and Queer to Support, the exhibition is on view at OBA Oosterdok in Amsterdam and will be expanded ahead of a public programme in January 2026.

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