Mexico City may have same-sex marriage, but Fernando Estrada cautions that it is an "old-fashioned way of seeing families". "That's how life is in Mexico," he reflects on the discrimination he felt two years ago when he tried to donate blood. But Fernando is excited, because in December 2012, Mexico reversed this law. It was the first North American country to do so. Fernando, originally from Guadalajara, Mexico discusses the recent pro-gay blood donation laws, the influence of the Catholic Church, LGBT mental health issues and more. Find out more on W3JOY.org.au

W3JOY-Mexico's Fernando Estrada

"All the parties are trying to get the gay voter to vote for them" explains Ofir Danziga from The Aguda. That's why there was no backlash against MP Horowitz conducting unofficial same-sex marriages. Learn more about Israel, the LGBT beacon of the middle east.

W3JOY-Israel's Aguda Ofir Danziga

Singapore surprises us by clinging to an anachronistic Victorian penal code. LGBT activists Jean Chong, Roy and Yangfa join us for interviews. Yangfa sums up the impact of section 377A when he discusses domestic violence: "It's hard for them to image what it's like to come out and make a police report because there's that fear that instead of getting protection from the violence from the same-sex partner, there's a very fear that they might be charged under 377A."

W3SINGAPORE

Nico Schermers from the Royal Dutch Embassy in Canberra told W3JOY that the Dutch government has "just taken a number of measures because we feel that the rights are in place, but people are not always taking them for granted and therefore discrimination is still taking place. The government has just ordered measures to punish violence against LGBT people in a stronger way.” Elco from The Netherlands also joins as the World Wide Wave goes to countries with "the most liberal [LGBT] standards in the world."

W3JOY Royal Dutch Embassy

"Ireland is a good place to be gay now," proclaims Jerry Buttimer. Mr Buttimer is the first openly gay TD from the Fine Gael party in Ireland. W3JOY interviewed him about the upcoming constitutional convention regarding same-sex marriage. "Same-sex marriage is not just a human right, but it's an entitlement of all citizens." He is excited about the Constitutional convention, but still concerned, " The biggest fear that I have is, despite the changes we've made in the context of civil partnership, is that it will fall short in a referendum."

W3JOY- Jerry Buttimer, Irish TD

"Ireland is a good place to be gay now," proclaims Jerry Buttimer. Mr Buttimer is the first openly gay TD from the Fine Gael party in Ireland. W3JOY interviewed him about the upcoming constitutional convention regarding same-sex marriage. We also speak with Tiernan Brady, Director of Policy Change at GLEN about the Convention, the role of the Catholic church, transgender issues and workplace diversity. Mr.  Brady comments that the LGBT-friendly Google and Facebook are having a big impact, "It's about making sure we can mirror that right across the workforce so that the daily experience of lesbian and gay people in Ireland is one of full equality where people can get on with their lives without fear of harassment or fear of victimisation." Find out more on W3JOY.org

W3JOY--IRELAND (full podcast)

The EU is coming to Lithuania and the Lithuanian Gay League (LGL) sees this as opportunity: "We believe this special political context provides us a unique opportunity to talk about tolerance, diversity and social cohesion in Lithuanian society," said Thomas from the LGL. Learn how awareness is raising in this former Soviet bloc country. Find out more on W3JOY.org.

W3JOY-Thomas from the Lithuanian Gay League

Sebastian Lifshitz, director of the French film Les Invisibles, tells W3JOY about the importance of highluighting the experiences of the older generation "because they carry a history; a social history, but also an intimate history." Lifshitz explains that during the 50's and the 60's, older people were against the institution of marriage because "for them it was a symbol of tradition and what they were fighting against. They wanted to be different...Gays of today, they want to be like everyone else....but back then it was completely a different story."

His film idea came from a collection of old photographs:

"I found other gay snapshots, and every time it was the same mixture of happiness and gays in the pictures. I was really amazed by that because the official gay story that we know is always so dramatic and difficult...but the pictures I had in front of me were telling something different. Maybe the gay story was less dramatic than we thought."

His film has won several international awards, to which he credits his subject matter. "People are very curious about how it is everywhere else. How people live and love."


W3JOY-Sebastian Lifshitz, French film director

W3JOY chats with Abdullah from the United Arab Emirates. He is optimistic: "With the UAE being given the chair of the [UN] Human Rights Council, they've been less and less public about arresting gays...So far this year, I haven't seen any arrests...maybe they are re-thinking their policies."

"There's homosexuals everywhere. There's an underground scene," explains Abdullah, but there is also fear. "You never know if someone's going to be OK with it, you never know if someone's going to do something stupid, hurt you, you never know if someone's going to so you're always looking over your shoulder.

Find out more on W3joy.org

W3JOY-Abdullah from the UAE

Kevin, an LGBT man from Malaysia, talks to W3JOY about the changing nature of LGBT oppression in Malaysia. "There is a lot of homophobia here...I think the Islamic rule is getting harder in here, and the people here are under more pressure...it's getting bad now." Read more on W3JOY.org

W3JOY-Kevin from Malaysia

World Wide Wave (W3JOY.org) focuses on the challenges–and successes–facing the global LGBT community by profiling a new country each week. We interview a wide range of LGBT people and supporters from all over the world including politicians, activists, academics, parents, authors, students, professionals and more.