Australian indigenous woman shaking politics, Pole dancing heals trauma, Intern at IGLA Asia

Angola ends colonial-era gay sex ban: The law decriminalising homosexuality adopted in Angola in 2019, took effect this week. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is now reprehensible and punishable by prison. The new law overturns a ban on same-sex relationships inherited when the country was a Portuguese colony. > Full Story

The Indigenous woman shaking up Australia: The image is striking. Draped in a possum-skin cloak Senator Lidia Thorpe entered her first day in the Australian Federal parliament with her right fist raised in a Black Power salute. > Full Story

Students in Bangladesh spent 4 days 'hacking' gender-based violence: Fifty Bangladeshi universities broke into teams with the global youth-led organization Awareness 360 to brainstorm how to tackle the root causes of rape over the course of four days. The hackathon served as an opportunity to think beyond criminalization. > Full Story

"99% of the time, I ignore trolls and ban them. 1% of the time, I do this." Cue mic-drop. These are the words of a Twitch streamer whose response (but more like a speech you'd want to memorize) to a sexist troll has rightly garnered 6M+ views.

The cross-sport lesbian power couple Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe are prominent athletes as well as vocal activists. What kind of challenges do they face as pro athletes and partners in the spotlight? What role does activism play in their relationship? These are just some of the 43 questions Rapinoe and Bird ask each other in a fun new video by GQ. 

“Why do I have to choose my disability or my beauty when I can have both?" are the powerful words of social media star Nila Morton who often features her wheelchair in videos to demonstrate that “disabled” and “sexy” are not in opposition. 

Egypt's Mayar Sherif wins her first round at the Australian Open, becoming the first Egyptian woman to win a main draw match at a Grand Slam. She had initially made history by becoming the first Egyptian to qualify for the Australian Open and the Roland Garros main draw at the French Open.

Happy Lunar New Year to those of you in the community celebrating! 🐂 As part of the celebration, we thought we'd share a fun list of businesses across Asia driven by diverse teams and sparking positive change in local communities: 

• LUÜNA naturals: LUÜNA naturals produce toxin and plastic-free period products and period care items for delivery & donation across Asia. Following a social impact model, the brand supports communities in need to combat period poverty.
• Boomi: Boomi is a Shanghai-based startup that provides starter-kits filled with eco-friendly products to support users in becoming more environmentally friendly.
• Eve: Eve sells sexual healthcare products, including Korea’s first vegan condoms, menstrual cups, and personal lubricant. Built into the company's market strategy, is a mission to promote sexual health, and ensure everyone’s sexual rights.