Rainbow Digest July 2026
Attacks on Pride are never just about Pride…
We are deeply saddened by the deadly attack at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day celebrations on 25 July, and condemn the violence in the strongest possible terms.
Our thoughts are with the person who lost her life, everyone who was injured, their families and loved ones, and all those who were at CSD and are dealing with the shock and trauma of what happened.
We stand with Berlin’s LGBTI community and everyone who came together to celebrate Pride and to exercise their right to be visible, to assemble and to stand up for equality.
Sign our open letter to Protect Pride. Protect Democracy.
In the hours after the attack, the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen said, CSD stands for “freedom, dignity, and equality – the fundamental values of the EU.”
Across Europe, Pride is under attack, through violence against those who organise and take part, through the withdrawal or threat of withdrawal of funding, and through political scapegoating that turns Pride into a target for those seeking to silence dissent and restrict fundamental freedoms.
Freedom is what Pride represents. It is also what democracy must protect.
Join us in calling on her and the European Commission to help protect Pride across Europe.
Add your name to our open letter today.
ILGA-Europe news
We are hiring an Individual Giving and Partnerships Manager
We are looking for a bright, ambitious and motivated person to join our team and help grow the power of our supporters, strengthen individual giving and build meaningful partnerships with the private sector.
New learning resource: ‘Communicating & Staying Grounded in Times of Crisis’
Our newest Hub resource shares practical guidance on staying grounded and planning beyond that first response: mapping hostile narratives, finding your anchor theme, knowing your audience, and rebuilding trust with your own supporters.
New inventory of SOGIESC cases in front of the European courts
ILGA-Europe published an updated version of the inventory of relevant SOGIESC case law and pending cases before the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).
Latest news
PRIDE
Oradea Pride went ahead despite restrictions
Local authorities in Oradea, Romania rejected all the routes proposed by the Pride organisers, even though the notification was submitted within the legal deadline, and the organisers have identified more than 100 route options. After four consecutive years in which the Pride march has not been able to take place, on 25 July the organisers went on the streets, gathering over 700 people.
EDUCATION
UK Government’s education guidance fails to protect trans, non-binary and intersex children
On 7 July, the UK Government released the final 2026 Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance for schools and colleges in England, and made it come into force in England on 1 September. The guidance treats children’s gender identity and social transition primarily through a safeguarding lens. This framing is wrong and harmful and positions trans, non-binary and intersex children as ‘risks’ rather than as rights holders.
LEGAL GENDER RECOGNITION
More European countries recognise non-binary identities
To mark International Non-Binary People’s Day, we gathered an overview of legal recognition for non-binary people in Europe. While more European countries now recognise non-binary identities and others have taken active steps towards doing so, legal recognition remains the exception rather than the rule.
Holding the Line: ILGA-Europe at 30
Civil Society Forum spoke to Brian Finnegan, Director of Communications at ILGA-Europe, on a range of topics: covering Pride bans and “propaganda” laws to Spain topping the Rainbow Map, plus about why standing still now counts as sliding backwards and about what sustains a movement when the wins are slow and the losses are visible.
Notice board
- ILGA World launched a call for proposals for member organisations seeking support for their advocacy initiatives. Apply here by 13 August.
- ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association launched a call for proposals to support advocacy and awareness-raising initiatives for organisations based in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia or Serbia. Apply before 25 August.
- IGLYO is hiring a fixed-term Advocacy & Research Manager, and a permanent Finance & Operations Manager. Apply here.
- TGEU is seeking an external consultant to carry out strategic messaging research and testing to inform our 2026 Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) and Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDoR) campaign. Apply here by 17 August.
- SCiDEV, Araminta, ProtectDefenders.eu and Justice and Peace are inviting applications for a regional workshop on strengthening temporary relocation pathways for human rights defenders, to be held in Tirana, Albania, on 14–16 October. Apply here by 10 August.
- The F&M Global Barometers launched the 2026 F&M Global Barometers LGBTQI+ Perception Index. Take the survey.
- The European AI & Society Fund launched funding and learning to craft new stories about AI for organisations in Europe. Apply here by 31 August.
