Three positive news stories: week 3
July 17, 2026This week, myGwork highlighted three stories that show LGBTQ+ progress in law, culture, and sport. From a landmark marriage case in Botswana, to the expansion of one of the world’s leading LGBTQ+ archives, to a major football star calling out homophobia, these updates demonstrate how change is being driven in courts, communities, and stadiums alike.
Botswana High Court to Hear Landmark Same-Sex Marriage Case in July
Botswana’s High Court will hear a pivotal case on 14–15 July that could open the door to legal same-sex marriage, potentially making Botswana only the second African country after South Africa to recognise such unions.
The challenge is led by engaged couple Bonolo Selelo and Tsholofelo Kumile, whose attempt to register their marriage was rejected by authorities. Their case builds on Botswana’s growing body of pro-LGBTQ+ rulings, including the 2019 decriminalisation of homosexuality and the 2021 confirmation that constitutional protections extend to sexual orientation.
If successful, the case could become a landmark for LGBTQ+ equality across the continent, where some countries are intensifying anti-LGBTQ+ laws while others move toward decriminalisation and recognition.
Check out the full story here.
Stonewall National Museum Plans Major Expansion as LGBTQ+ History Collection Grows
The Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library in Fort Lauderdale is planning a major expansion as its vast LGBTQ+ collections outgrow their current space. With shelving crammed into offices and extra materials in storage units, the institution has launched a $40 million capital campaign to secure a larger facility that can better preserve and showcase LGBTQ+ history.
This comes amid political attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion funding that have cost the museum significant grant income. Even so, the Stonewall team recently received a boost from the National Endowment for the Humanities to create an exhibition marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, focusing on Revolutionary War figure Baron von Steuben, whom many historians believe was gay.
The expansion aims to safeguard LGBTQ+ archives and make stories like von Steuben’s central to how American history is told.
Declan Rice Takes Stand Against Homophobia with ‘GayVAR’ Campaign
England footballer Declan Rice has stepped up as a visible LGBTQ+ ally by fronting the “GayVAR” anti-homophobia campaign during a World Cup marked by rising online abuse and discriminatory chanting.
Developed by EE’s “Hope United” with Football v Homophobia, “GayVAR” reimagines football’s VAR system to encourage fans to “review” and report homophobic slurs on social media. In the campaign’s mock post-match analysis, Rice calls out anti-gay abuse as something that “ruins the sport for everyone” and urges allies to act.
Research behind the campaign shows widespread concern about homophobia in football, but also that many bystanders stay silent. Rice, alongside players like Harry Kane and Borja Iglesias, is helping shift that culture by using his platform to demand a more inclusive game.
Together, these stories underscore how legal challenges, cultural institutions, and athlete activism are all helping to advance LGBTQ+ equality - proving that progress is being written in courts, archives and stadiums around the world.