https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Spain in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Madrid Orgullo is back for another year of celebration, liberation and rainbows, with a lively programme of concerts, competitions and community events set to take place throughout the city. https://www.thelocal.es/20190702/everything-you-need-to-know-about-madrid-pride-2019 Tue, 02 Jul 2019 11:15:07 +0200 everything-you-need-to-know-about-madrid-pride-2019 With Madrid's pride celebrations in full swing, The Local takes a look at Spain's record with equal rights for members of the LGBT community. https://www.thelocal.es/20190704/six-reasons-why-spain-should-be-proud-of-its-lgbtqia-history Thu, 04 Jul 2019 18:56:46 +0200 six-reasons-why-spain-should-be-proud-of-its-lgbtqia-history The Bishop of Alcalá de Henares is under investigation after it emerged that conversion therapy courses which told homosexuals to "pray away the gay" were being held in his diocese. . https://www.thelocal.es/20190403/catholic-church-investigated-over-gay-cure-therapy Wed, 03 Apr 2019 18:00:20 +0200 catholic-church-investigated-over-gay-cure-therapy A project to open an LGTB friendly retirement home has been given the green light by authorities in Madrid with plans to open it by the end of the year. https://www.thelocal.es/20180822/madrid-to-open-first-public-retirement-home-for-gay-people Wed, 22 Aug 2018 14:20:26 +0200 madrid-to-open-first-public-retirement-home-for-gay-people As Europe's biggest Pride event, Madrid Orgullo is always a blast, with a week of parties, concerts and community events in and around the Chueca neighbourhood that culminates with a huge parade of more than two million people. https://www.thelocal.es/20180704/the-best-events-at-madrid-pride-2018 Wed, 04 Jul 2018 10:54:08 +0200 the-best-events-at-madrid-pride-2018 A Swedish vicar is about to become the first priest in Spain to conduct a gay wedding. https://www.thelocal.es/20180524/swedish-vicar-makes-history-with-first-gay-marriage-in-spain Thu, 24 May 2018 14:00:36 +0200 swedish-vicar-makes-history-with-first-gay-marriage-in-spain Three British tourists have been arrested and charged after hurling insults at a gay couple during a flight to Gran Canaria. https://www.thelocal.es/20180222/three-brits-arrested-over-homophobic-taunts-on-flight-to-gran-canaria Thu, 22 Feb 2018 11:13:54 +0100 three-brits-arrested-over-homophobic-taunts-on-flight-to-gran-canaria Hundreds of thousands of revellers young and old danced, cheered and partied on the rainbow streets of Madrid on Saturday in the world's biggest march for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights. https://www.thelocal.es/20170701/party-and-security-madrid-gears-up-for-worldpride-march Sat, 01 Jul 2017 15:09:06 +0200 party-and-security-madrid-gears-up-for-worldpride-march The Arab Spring brought a taste of liberty for north Africa's gay and transgender communities, but six years on their battle for rights and recognition continues, activists say. https://www.thelocal.es/20170630/young-muslim-and-gay-activists-urge-freedom-at-worldpride-in-madrid Fri, 30 Jun 2017 14:22:29 +0200 young-muslim-and-gay-activists-urge-freedom-at-worldpride-in-madrid Gays, lesbians and transgender people have been a feature of art -- and life -- throughout the ages, from the ancient Greeks to the Renaissance, 18th-century Japan to Native American tribes. https://www.thelocal.es/20170629/worldpride-madrids-prado-museum-celebrates-lgtb-art-through-the-ages Thu, 29 Jun 2017 14:20:33 +0200 worldpride-madrids-prado-museum-celebrates-lgtb-art-through-the-ages Thousands of revellers, many draped in rainbow flags, packed a Madrid square on Wednesday for the official launch of WorldPride festivities, one of the biggest celebrations of lesbian, gay and transgender rights. https://www.thelocal.es/20170629/worldpride-kicks-off-in-madrid-and-its-fabulous Thu, 29 Jun 2017 11:47:32 +0200 worldpride-kicks-off-in-madrid-and-its-fabulous Madrid metro drivers began a five-day strike Wednesday, threatening to create travel chaos during WorldPride, one of the biggest celebrations of lesbian, gay and transsexual rights https://www.thelocal.es/20170628/madrid-metro-drivers-call-strike-during-worldpride Wed, 28 Jun 2017 17:37:45 +0200 madrid-metro-drivers-call-strike-during-worldpride Forty years ago their sexual orientation could land them in jail. Now Spain's gay and lesbian community is honouring at WorldPride in Madrid the 4,000 pioneers who dared to protest for change in 1977. https://www.thelocal.es/20170627/from-prison-to-worldpride-40-years-of-gay-activism-in-spain Tue, 27 Jun 2017 17:38:59 +0200 from-prison-to-worldpride-40-years-of-gay-activism-in-spain Death threats and insults: Homophobia remains omnipresent in Spain's sacred football world, where players don't dare come out in an otherwise gay friendly country whose capital hosts the WorldPride until July 2nd. https://www.thelocal.es/20170625/homophobia-permeates-football-world-in-spain Sun, 25 Jun 2017 13:35:07 +0200 homophobia-permeates-football-world-in-spain The city of Madrid is installing new pedestrian crossing symbols to include depictions of same-sex couples as the capital plays host to this year’s World Pride festival at the end of June. https://www.thelocal.es/20170605/madrid-gets-gay-friendly-traffic-lights-for-pride Mon, 05 Jun 2017 14:58:03 +0200 madrid-gets-gay-friendly-traffic-lights-for-pride Once a beacon of gay rights in Europe, Spain is slipping down the ranking, with increasing reports of hate speech and a trend towards ‘gender ideology’. https://www.thelocal.es/20170517/spain-slipping-in-european-gay-rights-ranking Wed, 17 May 2017 13:04:03 +0200 spain-slipping-in-european-gay-rights-ranking Madrid council ordered the seizure of a campaign bus launched by an ultra-conservative group that was emblazoned with the slogan: "Boys have penises. Girls have vaginas. Don’t be fooled." https://www.thelocal.es/20170301/police-seize-anti-trans-campaign-bus-declaring-boys-have-penises Wed, 01 Mar 2017 11:41:46 +0100 police-seize-anti-trans-campaign-bus-declaring-boys-have-penises The travel sector is jazzing up its offer for gay tourists, who tend to spend more than most when away from home, taking it beyond parties in sunny hubs like Ibiza. https://www.thelocal.es/20170122/spain-seeks-new-ways-to-lure-high-spending-gay-tourists Sun, 22 Jan 2017 10:37:05 +0100 spain-seeks-new-ways-to-lure-high-spending-gay-tourists The country's only openly gay football referee, who has become an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights, is now under police protection due to increasing threats on his life. https://www.thelocal.es/20160919/spains-only-gay-referee-under-police-protection-due-to-threats Mon, 19 Sep 2016 15:12:28 +0200 spains-only-gay-referee-under-police-protection-due-to-threats A Spanish pressure group that fights against homophobia has filed a complaint against a therapist who offers “to cure homosexuality”. https://www.thelocal.es/20160829/madrid-lgbt-group-takes-action-over-gay-cure-therapy Mon, 29 Aug 2016 17:48:29 +0200 madrid-lgbt-group-takes-action-over-gay-cure-therapy