There will be plenty of confetti, glitter, pounding rhythms, bare skin and smiling faces in Copenhagen this week as the annual Pride celebration roars into town. It is a celebration of freedom, openness and diversity. Something worth rejoicing in, regardless of age, gender identity or personal sexual preferences. For far too many years, lgbt+ people had to hide their love lives. Thankfully, that is no longer the case in Denmark, but Pride is an important occasion to remember that the fight for a free life for everyone is far from over.
Globally, in recent years there has been a backlash against lgbt+ rights and lgbt+ people. For example, the number of countries that ban marriage between people of the same sex has risen from 34 in 1991 to 89 in 2024. In the United States, President Donald Trump has barred transgender and nonbinary people from serving in the military; in Hungary, lawmakers last year wrote into the Constitution that there are only two sexes; and in Bulgaria, new laws have been passed against so-called lgbt+ “propaganda” in schools.
