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The Biggest International LGBTQ News Stories of 2019

From Brazil electing an anti-LGBTQ president to marriage equality in Taiwan, we look back at this year's triumphs and setbacks.

By Jeff Taylor and Kate Sosin

As the U.S. made startling steps backward on LGBTQ rights in 2019, many other nations across the globe advanced civil rights for queer people. While LGBTQ people in Russia and Kenya continued to face violence and discrimination, a handful of countries passed marriage equality and other pro-LGBTQ laws.

Here, we spotlight the biggest international LGBTQ stories of the year. While some are a shocking reminder of how far we still have to go, others gave us hope.

Brazil Elects Proudly Anti-LGBTQ President

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BENTO GONCALVES, Dec. 6, 2019 -- Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro attends the 55th summit of the South American trade bloc Mercosur in Bento Goncalves, Brazil, Dec. 5, 2019. The 55th summit of Mercosur, which gathers South American countries Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, opened on Thursday in the southern Brazilian city of Bento Goncalves. As the host of the summit, Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro highlighted the bloc's "revival" this year, thanks to trade agreements reached with the European Union and the European Free Trade Association. (Photo by Rahel Patrasso/Xinhua via Getty) (Xinhua/Zhao Yan via Getty Images)

2019 started off with the election of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who immediately signed anti-LGBTQ executive orders and then proclaimed that gay tourists were unwelcome. During a press conference in the Rose Garden with President Trump in March, Bolsonaro said Brazil and the United States were united on "traditional family" and "gender ideology."

Chechnya Resumes Anti-LGBTQ Detentions and Killings

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MADRID, SPAIN - 2017/04/25: People show pink cards as they protest in Madrid against the persecution of gay men in Chechnya. (Photo by Jorge Sanz García/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Two years after reports of an anti-LGBTQ purge in Chechnya first broke, new reports of queer people being detained and tortured came to light in January. Despite the Trump administration saying it was "disturbed" by the reports and Congress condemning the persecution, the United States failed to take in refugees fleeing the abuses.

Angola Legalizes Marriage Equality

João Carlos Gonçalves/EyeEm/Getty Images

Photo Taken In Luanda, Angola

Southern African nation Angola traded its colonial-era, anti-gay law for protections for gay and lesbian people in January. The country's government did away with its ban on homosexual conduct and adopted sexual orientation protections. The old homophobic law was a holdover from Portuguese colonization.

Japan Upholds Sterilization for Trans People

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Portrait of a contemporary Japanese on the street.

In January, Japan’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled to uphold an archaic law that forces transgender people to become sterilized prior to transitioning, a move that drew deep condemnation from human rights groups.

Kenya Upholds Gay Sex Ban

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NAIROBI, KENYA - 2019/05/24: Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) seen addressing the press after Kenyas High Court ruled to uphold the British-era penal code that criminalises gay sex.LGBT community wanted the court to decriminalize consensual same sex but Judges Chacha Mwita, Roselyne Aburili and John Mativo in a unanimous decision declined. (Photo by Billy Mutai/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

In May, Kenya’s High Court ruled to uphold the country’s ban on gay sex, which punishes the act with up to 21 years in prison. According to the Kenyan government, it arrested 534 people for same-sex relationships between 2013 and 2017. Kenya is one of more than 70 countries that still criminalizes gay sex.

Brazil Supreme Court Makes Homophobia and Transphobia Crimes

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Demonstrators participate in the march "The politics of hatred does not represent us: lesbian, bisexual and transsexual women, in the same struggle for life and freedom", on Avenida Paulista, central region of the city of São Paulo, on Saturday. June 22, 2019. (Photo: Fábio Vieira/FotoRua) (Photo by Fabio Vieira/FotoRua/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

While LGBTQ Brazilians are suffering under the Bolsonaro reign, they did get some good news in May when the country's Supreme Court voted in favor of making homophobia and transphobia crimes. The ruling makes bias against LGBTQ people equivalent to racism under the law.

Brunei Drops Anti-gay Stoning Law Following International Pressure

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Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei

In March, Brunei was preparing to implement Sharia law and start punishing gay sex with whippings and death by stoning, prompting an immediate international outcry. The country, which already punishes gay sex with a 10-year prison sentence, backed down amid the pressure, saying in early May it would not enforce the draconian law.

Marriage Equality Comes to Taiwan

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Taipei 101 is a landmark in Taiwan and the tallest building in Taiwan. In Xiangshan can watch the Taipei 101 sunset and night, New Year's Eve can also enjoy the beautiful fireworks.

In a historic first for Asia, Taiwan became the first country to legalize marriage equality in May. The move happened after parliament was given a two-year deadline by the Legislative Yuan in 2017 to update the law and allow same-sex couples to marry.

“On May 17th, 2019 in #Taiwan, #LoveWon,” President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted after the vote. “We took a big step towards true equality, and made Taiwan a better country.”

Botswana Legalizes Gay Sex

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LGBT and Botswana flag on concrete wall

Botswana’s High Court overturned a colonial-era law criminalizing gay sex in a historic, unanimous ruling in June, but the victory was short-lived. Just a month later, the government announced it would appeal the ruling. Botswana Attorney General Abraham Keetshabe said the court was mistaken in its ruling without offering clarification on why.

Ecuador Legalizes Marriage Equality

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Giovanni Vareles (R) and Borys Alvarez celebrate being married during Ecuador's first male gay couple marriage at a registry office in Guayaquil on July 25, 2019. - Ecuador's Constitutional Court approved same-sex marriage on June 12. (Photo by Rodrigo BUENDIA / AFP) (Photo credit should read RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP via Getty Images)

In a landmark vote, government officials in Ecuador ruled in favor of marriage equality in June. The ruling came a year after the nation’s Family, Women, Children, and Adolescents Court ruled in favor of an Ecuadorian lesbian couple’s right to marry. However, that ruling had yet to take effect in the constitution.

Russian Activist Yelena Grigoryeva Murdered

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Police officers detain Yelena Grigoryeva, an activist of democratic, anti-war and LGBT movements, at a rally in support of the defendants involved in the New Greatness case in Saint Petersburg on October 28, 2018. - Dozens of people were detained on Sunday in Saint Petersburg after demonstrations in support of ten young Russians, imprisoned since March for "extremism" in a case that their lawyers claim to be rigged. (Photo by Olga MALTSEVA / AFP) (Photo credit should read OLGA MALTSEVA/AFP via Getty Images)

In an act that stunned the world, Russian LGBTQ activist Yelena Grigoryeva, 41, was stabbed to death in July after appearing on a website inspired by the movie Saw, which offered rewards for anyone willing to kidnap and torture members of the LGBTQ community.

Philippines Supreme Court Rules Against Marriage Equality

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Lesbians Gays Bisexual and Transgenders (LGBT) couples take part in a "Rite of Holy Union" ceremony in Manila on June 28, 2015. The leadership of the Philippines' dominant Roman Catholic church stressed its opposition to legalising gay marriage today despite last week's landmark decision by the US Supreme Court. AFP PHOTO / NOEL CELIS (Photo credit should read NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty Images)

In September, the Philippines Supreme Court ruled unanimously against a landmark case that would have legalized marriage equality. However, the decision was made on technical grounds—the plaintiffs hadn't filed for a marriage license— leaving room for legalization through Congress or a future court case.

Northern Ireland Legalizes Marriage Equality

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Belfast Pride, Northern Ireland's largest cross communal event, brings together LGBTI people, along with vast numbers of supporters, friends and family. It is loud expression of how normal life can be experienced in a non segratrated society, weighed down by tragic history, and on going sectarian division, despite the Good Friday Agreement.

Northern Ireland became the last region of the U.K. to legalize marriage equality. In July, British lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to legalize same-sex marriage and abortion in Northern Ireland as long as the region’s governing coalition remained paralyzed. Same-sex couples will now be able to give 28 days notice to marry starting on January 13, 2020. That means the first couples will be able to marry on Valentine's Day.

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