The New Zealands territory of Tokelau does not criminalize same-sex relationships. This leaves Niue as the only remaining territory of New Zealand, or any other colonial power within Oceania for that matter, to still criminalize being gay although the prohibition there is not enforced. Among fully sovereign states in the region, Kiribati, Samoa, Soloman Islands, Tonga, and Tuvalu still have buggery laws on the books, but they are enforced nowhere.

For this discussion, I'm classifying Papua New Guinea as part of Southeast Asia rather than Oceania, along with the other East Indies countries of Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Singapore.

"Ukrainian lawmakers recently tabled draft legislation that would recognize same-sex relationships and address the lack of inheritance, medical and other rights for the partners of LGTBQ soldiers killed or wounded fighting pro-Moscow forces."

I see the article has three co-authors: a producer and a correspondent both based in London and another reporter without description whom I presume to likely also be in the U.K. It does not say whether their editor is based in the U.K., but should have understood that the term "table", when referring to legislation, has a contradictory meaning in the U.K. than how it is understood by NBC News' primarily U.S. audience creating an unaddressed ambiguity.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders really needs to spend a long time facing her bathroom mirror in self-reflection. To most observers, her own gender presentation is quite ambiguous.

Good, or else the local library would have the worst drag queen story hour ever.

This decision applies merely to the case of the specific plaintiffs who filed suit against the state. The decision is much more nuanced and not at all an affirmation of LGBT youths and their parents. The judges of the Texas Supreme Court are elected, and like all other statewide elected offices since the mid-'90s, are entirely GOP. This is not a progressive opinion nor a victory for our cause. For more info, see the following:

Eleanor Klibanoff, The Texas Tribune: Texas Supreme Court allows child abuse investigations into families of transgender teens to continue

Michelle Pitcher, Texas Observer: Texas Supreme Court Throws Out Protections for Trans Youth

As a side note on Texas news sources, the Tribune, like Texas Monthly which so far is not reporting on this story, tries to be a non-ideological mainstream source of news. The Observer, on the other hand, has a decidedly progressive editorial bent. Unfortunately, most of the state's major daily newspapers are now behind paywalls to some degree.

So after so much obstinacy for so many years over ME, they finally have seen the light on the road to Damascus and renounced their former evil persecution.

Cute, but also missing the point. Your suggestions are based upon biological functionality rather than gender identity. A trans boy can't "stand" gracefully while doing "number one" because no respectable doctor will perform the necessary reassignment surgery to do so until the trans boy is able to give consent to the procedure as a legal adult.

In other words, the march for LGBT rights with ME at the forefront now requires the slow, hard slog island by island unless the UK Parliament or Dutch legislators intervene.

Russia is planning various human rights abuses against Russian and Belarusian dissidents in Ukraine, journalists, political activists, and religious, ethnic, and LGBTQI minorities along with holding a kill list and plans for camp detention for certain Ukrainians according to a letter based upon intelligence sources released by Ambassador Bathsheba Nell Crocker, U.S. Representative to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, to Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and former president of Chile.

We are deeply concerned about Russia’s continuing human rights abuses in the parts of Ukraine it already occupies and have every reason to believe those concerns will multiply following a new military offensive. I would like to bring to your attention disturbing information recently obtained by the United States that indicates that human rights violations and abuses in the aftermath of a further invasion are being planned. These acts, which in past Russian operations have included targeted killings, kidnappings/forced disappearances, unjust detentions, and the use of torture, would likely target those who oppose Russian actions, including Russian and Belarusian dissidents in exile in Ukraine, journalists and anti-corruption activists, and vulnerable populations such as religious and ethnic minorities and LGBTQI persons. Specifically, we have credible information that indicates Russian forces are creating lists of identified Ukrainians to be killed or sent to camps following a military occupation. We also have credible information that Russian forces will likely use lethal measures to disperse peaceful protests or otherwise counter peaceful exercises of perceived resistance from civilian populations.

As the United States explores every opportunity to push Russia toward de-escalation and diplomacy, Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised these concerns to the Security Council on February 17, 2022. In particular, he stated that the United States has information that indicates Russia will target specific groups of Ukrainians. At the Human Rights Council, the United States raised concerns about Russia’s plans during the debate on your Office’s periodic report on the situation in Ukraine on December 15, 2021.

Axios: "U.S. tells UN Russia plans Ukraine human rights abuses after invasion"

And to think of Putin accusing Zelensky and the Ukrainians of being the Nazis in this conflict.

Consider that one of these "oddments" in the South Pacific includes American Samoa, the only natively populated U.S. territory where the legality of same-sex marriage is unclear. The territory is the only one of the five territories permanently populated by civilians whose residents do not hold birthright citizenship. The territory's constitution creates a system of local government ruled by family clan associations rather than free votes. Last year's census gives the territory a population of 49,710, a decrease of 10.5 percent from the 2010 census.

Under the arcane Insular Acts of the early 20th Century, the Constitution does not follow the flag in U.S. territories. The Constitution only applies in those territories that Congress has incorporated as an integral part of the U.S. The only incorporated territory is Palmyra Atoll, with no permanent population, and only because incorporation cannot be revoked as Palmyra was separated from Hawaii, an incorporated territory, when Hawaii was given statehood. Hence, every territory other than Palmyra (and separately also D.C., in a separate Constitutional status apart from the territories) merely belongs to the U.S., but is not part of the U.S.

Uniquely among natively populated territories, American Samoa is not an organized territory meaning that Congress has not passed an "organic act" creating a system of self-governance for the territory. At some time in the past, Congress did authorize the State Department to consult with local officials to create a local constitution for American Samoa. The constitution thus created was approved by local voters and is de facto law. Congress, however, has never ratified nor rejected the territorial constitution, and, thus, American Samoa is considered unorganized on that technicality alone.

Many aspects of AS law do not conform to what is acceptable in the U.S. or the rest of it's territories. Its family clan-based local governance falls afoul of the Constitutional principal of one-man-one-vote required elsewhere, for instance, although it lines up with how the neighboring Republic of Samoa governs itself. AS also believes in communal land ownership rather than private property rights. A non-Samoan may not buy land in AS but may merely lease.

Marriage equality in the territory awaits either for some same-sex couple to seek a marriage license or to have an expatriate return having married elsewhere seeking legal recognition of his/her/their marriage. So far, neither has happened yet.