From the UN: During the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly, the UN LGBTI Core Group, an informal cross regional group of UN Member States, held an event “Building Back Better. How to Create a Virtuous Circle for the Inclusion of All LGBTI Persons”. Watch the panel discussion, moderated by Jessica Stern, of OutRight Action International, that focused on addressing overlapping and intersecting forms of oppression LGBTI persons face due to race, gender, economy, faith, age, disability, culture and other factors. Speaking on why this is essential for development, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Executive Director of Kaleidoscope Trust and co-founder of UK Black Pride, reflected:
“COVID 19 is a gruesome example of what happens when you remove an intersectional approach to your work. Or when, in fact, you’ve never had one.”
UNAIDS issued a call to action for governments to strengthen social protection systems for vulnerable people especially those who are often excluded such as gay and bisexual men, trans people, sex workers, women and girls, and other key groups. It noted that the COVID-19 pandemic will have “potential catastrophic impacts” on people living with HIV. “Social protection systems” are nationally defined sets of policies and interventions to ensure that people have access to essential health care and basic income security.
This summer the Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz, presented to the Human Rights Council his report on his visit to Ukraine. He noted that there is a widespread denial of the existence of LGBT people in the country. This, he says, allows violent acts to be committed with impunity and forces LGBT people to remain hidden. Watch his recent conversation with Ukrainians for more! (in English)
Madrigal-Borloz will speak at a side event to the Human Rights Council on "The impact of faith on LGBTI people during the COVID-19 pandemic". Co-sponsored by Canada and Fiji, the session will include activists and faith leaders from Philippines, Egypt, Chile, Kenya, France, Fiji, and Poland. The September 28th event is open to the public via webinar—register now!
The UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake, announced the new class of Young Leaders for the Sustainable Development Goals—a group of 17 people between 18 and 29 years old from around the world who are “shaping a more sustainable and inclusive future for all”. Selected every two years to participate, they are tasked with working together to engage young people to help achieve the SDGs. For the first time, an LGBTIQ activist has been included in the selection: Martin Karadzhov is a Bulgarian queer feminist activist and is Chair of ILGA World’s Youth Steering Committee.
HIV, Health, and Wellness: AIDSmap reported on two cases in which PrEP failed to prevent individuals from acquiring HIV infected despite apparent adherence to the medication. In their report for Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers noted that, due to the public health implications, on the extremely rare occasions that PrEP fails it is important to carefully judge the set of circumstances that caused failure to occur.
Researchers in the Netherlands evaluated how PrEP impacts mental health. The study, published in the Lancet, observed gay and bisexual men who had mental health problems when starting PrEP. Although depression did not significantly change during PrEP use, researchers noted a significant decrease in hypersexuality and drug use. While more research is needed, they note that PrEP could be a unique opportunity to integrate mental health care.
In Uganda, some health workers and key population activists have formed a “condom coalition” to work closely with the government to develop a new condom strategy that will include improving access to affordable condoms. Alice Kayongo, of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said condoms need to be a lifestyle tool, not a symbol of adultery or promiscuity.
Public Health England (PHE) reported that between 2018 and 2019 there was a 26% increase in reported cases of gonorrhea and a 10% increase in syphilis across the UK. Cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were highest among HIV-positive gay and other men who have sex with men.
At the US 2020 STD Prevention Conference, public health experts discussed the record high levels of gonorrhea and syphilis across the country. Although cases momentarily declined during shelter-in-place regulations of early Spring, cases have rebounded over the summer.
The Oxford Library of Psychology released a new comprehensive review of research on the mental health of sexual and gender minorities. Chapters include topics overlooked by prior research including issues of race, immigration, gender non-binary, asexual, pansexual, and polyamorous individuals.
From the US, Columbia University is hosting a virtual book launch for the Handbook of Critical Menstruation Studies, a gender inclusive and multidisciplinary examination of cultural, psychological, political, and social aspects of menstruation. Editors, researchers, and other contributors at the launch will provide insights to the book, which is available through open access.
More HIV, Health, and Wellness
From the World of Politics: The Global Equality Caucus—an international network of parliamentarians and elected representatives—has formed a new partnership with Google to host a series of digital events bringing together legislators, civil society representatives, and community members to discuss shared issues affecting LGBT+ people in their region. The first event will feature speakers from across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
Addressing the European Parliament, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, condemned member states that have “watered down” the EU’s foreign policy messages on human rights. She specifically called attention to Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) which has targeted “LGBT ideology” with some municipalities declaring themselves “LGBT-free zones”. She remarked:
“Being yourself is not your ideology. It’s your identity. So I want to be crystal clear – LGBTQI-free zones are humanity free zones. And they have no place in our union.”
At the opening of Barbados’ Parliamentary session, Governor General Dame Sandra Mason, announced that it will remove the UK’s Queen Elizabeth from its head of state and will become a republic by November 2021. Mason promised that the changes will ensure no human being in Barbados will suffer discrimination. As part of this, the government will hold a public referendum on the issue of recognizing same-sex civil unions. Although she did not mention laws that criminalize same-sex sexual acts, she stated:
“Nor can a society as tolerant as ours allow itself to be blacklisted for human and civil rights abuses or discrimination on the matter of how we treat human sexuality and relations. My Government will do the right thing, understanding that this too will attract controversy.”
In Ecuador, the National Assembly approved the “Código Orgánico de Salud” COS (Organic Health Code) that consolidates over 40 laws and reforms related to the country’s health system. The COS guarantees access to health for all in a universal and comprehensive manner as reported by El Comercio. COS includes comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services, protections for intersex persons, and reinforces a prohibition on conversion therapy. Nine anti-abortion and religious organizations called on President Lenín Moreno to veto articles on contraception, obstetric emergencies, and sexual health education.
Belize’s government announced it had withdrawn plans to consider the Equal Opportunities Bill (EOB) after fierce backlash and protests led by religious leaders under the campaign “Kill the Bill”. Spearheaded by the National AIDS Commission of Belize, consultations on the EOB have been underway for over a year to develop a bill that covers a broad range of people. However, misinformation has plagued the discussions. Prime Minister Dean Barrow remarked:
“By and large, Cabinet felt that this is a good bill, this is a necessary bill, it is an overdue bill and Cabinet was very upset at having to make the decision not to proceed with it.”
In Russia, parliamentary committees met to discuss the package of draft laws introduced to “strengthen” the family. They announced that public hearings will be held to discuss the changes which include amendments that ban same-sex marriage and marriages with trans persons, adoptions by both same-sex couples and trans people, and a ban on gender changes on birth certificates. The Novaya Gazeta spoke to trans people whose marriages could be annulled, their children taken away, and their legal identities erased.
Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández signed a decree establishing that at least 1% of public sector jobs must be filled by trans people. Trans people are eligible for the position even if they have not yet registered their gender or name change. The decree recognizes that education barriers exist for trans people and guarantees them training to meet job requirements.
In the UK, after several years of consultation to amend the Gender Recognition Act, the government announced that the “legislation is correct” as reported by BBC and others. They will reduce the cost to apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate; however, people will still be required to obtain medical diagnosis and go through a lengthy process including a panel of 4 judges and 4 doctors who will review each application. Advocacy group Stonewall called it a “shocking failure in leadership” especially as “waiting times for Gender Identity Services have grown longer than ever, recorded anti-trans hate crimes have trebled, and anti-trans bullying remains endemic in our schools”.
Human Rights Watch reported that the Tanzanian government has adopted new regulations that criminalize a broad range of media and online posts including politically sensitive topics and those that “promote homosexuality”. HRW found that authorities are increasingly repressing opposition parties, groups set up to monitor the upcoming election, and groups that work with LGBT people.
More from the World of Politics
The Politics of Union: In India, the Delhi High Court has taken up a petition that states the Hindu Marriage Act should allow the marriage of any two Hindus regardless of gender. The case is being brought forward by intersex activist Gopi Shankar, trans activist G Oorvasi, lesbian activist Giti Thandi, and writer Abhijit Iyer Mitra. Currently pending in the Kerala High Court is a petition to recognize same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act—the secular law that applies to marriages outside of the Hindu faith.
At Hong Kong’s High Court, Judge Anderson Chow Ka-ming issued two rulings that impact same-sex couples. He expanded rights incrementally, ruling that a gay couple, married abroad, could inherit their partner’s estate upon death. However, he rejected a broader lawsuit arguing the government should recognize same-sex marriages performed overseas. Chow called the attempt to achieve complete equal recognition “too ambitious” and “fundamentally flawed” as there could be instances where it would be appropriate to withhold certain rights from same-sex couples.
More from the Politics of Union
Let the Courts Decide: US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away from pancreatic cancer at the age of 87. Justice Ginsburg was a progressive icon with votes that secured marriage equality, transgender employment rights, gender equality cases, and reproductive rights. Many important cases will be impacted with the selection of her replacement including the up-coming case to determine if foster care agencies can refuse LGBT couples and others that “contradict” an agency’s religious beliefs.
France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation, ruled that a transgender woman cannot be legally recognized as a biological mother of a child she conceived of with her wife. Although she was legally recognized as a woman three years before their child was conceived, the court said she must either be the child’s biological father or must adopt her own child as a second mother, as reported by Le Parisien.
In the UK, an employment tribunal of Birmingham ruled that the protections against discrimination established by the Equality Act include non-binary and gender fluid people. The judge ruled against the Jaguar Land Rover company who had argued that the Act did not cover their non-binary employee because the employee had not transitioned between genders. The tribunal said it was clear that “gender is a spectrum” and that “beyond any doubt” the employee is covered by the Act.
In Greece, the Magistrates Court of Kallithea has approved of the recognition of a non-binary person for the first time as reported by Antivirus.
In Uganda, a hearing regarding the alleged torture of 20 young people arrested from an LGBT shelter in March was postponed when neither the officials involved nor the Chief Magistrate who was to hear the case were present. HRAPF, the organization seeking justice, said it would apply for a new hearing and would seek arrest warrants for the officials who disregarded the court summons.
The Swiss Federal Tribunal upheld the Court of Arbitration ruling that female athletes must take medication to reduce naturally high testosterone. Olympian Caster Semenya, who brought the case forward, promised to continue fighting for the human rights of female athletes:
“I am very disappointed by this ruling, but refuse to let World Athletics drug me or stop me from being who I am. Excluding female athletes or endangering our health solely because of our natural abilities puts World Athletics on the wrong side of history.”
Regarding Religion: Pope Francis met with La Tenda di Gionata, an Italian organization of parents with LGBT children. The group testified to the Pontiff about the struggles LGBT Catholics have had. Religión Digital reported that the Pope reiterated that “[The Church] loves your children as they are because they are children of God.”
The Polish Bishops’ Conference put forth a 27-page document on their position on sexuality, LGBT+ people in the Catholic Church, and sexual education. The document reiterates several of the anti-LGBT sentiments currently being pushed across the country including opposition to same-sex marriage; rejection of so-called “gender ideology” and transgender people, and urging for clinics to help people “regain natural sexual orientation” as reported by TVN24 and others.
In a statement, the European Forum of LGBT Christian Groups and Global Interfaith Network for People of All Sexes, Sexual Orientations, Gender Identities and Expression said they were “deeply outraged” that the bishops were endorsing conversion therapy. While praising the bishops for condemning any violence against LGBTI+ people they reflected:
“[T]hey clearly appreciate neither the violence of the position they have taken on sexual orientation and gender identity, nor the inherent cruelty attached to practices such as reparative or conversion therapy. The European Forum and GIN-SSOGIE are especially concerned with the safety of transgender people as the Episcopal statement among other things denies transgender people their identity by forcing them to return to their so-called “deadname” should they wish to be baptized.”
Kodo Nishimura, a Jodo sect Buddhist monk from Japan, talked about their new autobiography "Fair and open: I can live as the person I wish to be" and how their faith has supported their self-discovery.
From Thailand, Shine Waradhammo, a Theravada sect Buddhist monk, spoke about his support of the LGBT+ community and why it is important for monks to get involved:
“Monks generally avoid talking about LGBT and gender issues, but we should be talking about issues that affect society, and religious teachings have to reflect the present times - otherwise religion becomes a dinosaur.”
Fear and Loathing: Indonesian police raided a so-called “gay party” which had been promoted on social media as a “gathering of men to promote independence”. Police detained 56 people from an apartment and arrested the nine identified as the event organizers, as reported by Coconuts Jakarta and others. The men have been charged under pornography laws and laws used for sex trafficking. They face 15 years in prison. The Civil Society Coalition for the Protection of the Rights of Vulnerable Groups said the charges were unsuitable and criticized police for misusing the law:
“The state shouldn’t use criminal law to target certain groups. The police shouldn’t justify ways to obtain evidence that violate the suspects’ rights.”
According to human rights groups in Tunisia, a social media influencer is leading a campaign of hate speech against queer activists. The groups have signed an open letter calling on Instagram and Facebook to uphold community guidelines, reject hate speech, and take immediate action. This is the latest in a string of social media incidents across North Africa and Egypt that have targeted LGBT+ people. Moroccan gay and bisexual men were targeted in the spring by social media influencers. Twenty-two rights groups across North Africa and the Middle East urged Facebook to take action against hate speech after a well-known activist committed suicide in June.
Writing for Science, Vaishnavi Chandrashekhar, explored how stigma undermines the effectiveness of public health interventions. She compared the history of leprosy, HIV, and other epidemics with the current outbreak of COVID-19 and examines how stigma can have a compounding effect on other kinds of prejudice and exacerbate inequality. Medical anthropologist Mitchell Weiss noted that it is not hopeless:
“Bringing attention to the existence of stigma enables people to [look for] areas where they can make their system function more effectively.”
The Iranian Lesbian & Transgender Network “6rang” released a new report on the violence LGBTI people experience. Over a 3-month period participants had experienced physical, verbal, and sexual violence in education settings, from police and other authorities, from strangers, and from peers. Yet despite frequent experiences, 68% rarely or never sought legal help and 66% rarely or never sought mental healthcare.
Canada’s national statistical agency released new findings from a national survey conducted in 2018 on safety in public and private spaces that presents a worrying picture for sexual minorities. Reflecting on a 12-month period, LGB and other sexual minorities were almost three times as likely to have experienced physical or sexual assault than heterosexuals and 59% had been assaulted at least once since the age of 15. They also more commonly experienced unwanted sexual attention in public and at work.
From Russia, Victoria Odissonova spoke to LGBT+ people who are desperate to leave the country but are trapped due to COVID-19 restrictions. The Russian LGBT Network has helped nearly 200 people escape since 2017 when Chechan officials targeted people suspected of being LGBTQ with torture and execution.
Winds of Change: A coalition of LGBTQI+ activists have launched the North Africa Center for Strategic Partnerships (NACSP) to support collaboration between stakeholders across Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, and Sudan.
In Serbia, IDEAS and the Gay and Lesbian Info Center launched a new website to help LGBT+ people combat discrimination in the workplace with free legal aid and counseling services. They have collaborated with performing artist Dušan Kaličanin to encourage LGBT+ people to seek support.
In China, the group “LGBT Rights Advocacy China” has launched a free online legal aid platform with over 40 lawyers providing consultations and emergency interventions. The group helps people with COVID related situations, gender identity issues, employment, privacy, marriage and common law, and other issues.
Canada's government launched a new grant program—the Equality Fund. It will provide direct funding for women's rights and feminist organizations. The fund is encouraging applications from groups led by women, girls, and non-binary people and those representing LGBT women's organizations.
The group “SOGI Campaigns” hosted a panel to explore how LGBTQI+ activists can use storytelling to inspire action. Joel Bedos, coordinator of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia committee, moderated the discussion with prominent activists from Nigeria, China, Venezuela, and Russia. Catch up with their engaging talk via YouTube.
School Days: The Moscow Times confirmed with St Petersburg district administrators that teachers were told to monitor their students’ social media for any “LGBT symbols”. Rights group LGBT Network posted screenshots of messages sent to teachers telling them to search students’ social media pages and submit detailed reports to the police.
New Zealand’s Education Ministry announced new guidelines on relationship and sexuality education that include respect for students’ chosen name and gender identity. The guidelines, created through dialogues with Indigenous people and LGBT+ groups, have age appropriate material and parents can opt their children out of participating.
In New South Wales, Australia, the Legislative Council is considering the Education Legislation Amendment (Parental Rights) Bill 2020 which would prohibit “ideology of gender fluidity” from being discussed in schools. Equality Australia’s analysis of the bill found that it prohibits inclusive curriculums and bans schools counselors from supporting trans, intersex, and gender diverse students. Over 82,000 people have signed a petition against the bill. In a joint statement, 18 leading civil society groups objected to the bill:
“We believe that in modern Australia, there is no place for putting teachers at risk of losing their right to work as a teacher, no place for prohibiting schools and school staff from teaching diversity and no place for shaming, stigmatizing, and silencing LGBTIQ+ children.”
Brazil’s Supreme Federal Court is preparing to consider the legality of municipal laws banning the discussion of “gender identity”, “gender ideology”, or “gender orientation” in schools in the state of Santa Catarina. In April the Court vetoed similar laws in the state of Goias.
Sports and Culture: Same-sex penguin couples again brought a smile to people. From Spain, the aquarium Oceanogràfic València announced that their female pair of Gentoo penguins, Electra and Viola, had for the first time successfully adopted, incubated, and hatched an egg fertilized by a different couple.
In Japan, Pride House Tokyo announced it will open Japan’s first permanent LGBTQ Center on International Coming Out Day (11 October)—“Pride House Tokyo Legacy”. Pride Houses were first created by community members during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Canada as hospitality centers to share information, offer a safe space for athletes, and host events during the Games. Japan’s center is supported by 19 embassies, 14 corporations, 35 non-profits, and many activists.
Philosopher and author Judith Butler spoke to the New Statesman about radical feminist ideology that excludes transgender women from the feminist movement. She reflected on ongoing discourse, the history of the movement, and the violence trans women face. She emphasized that many people are trans-affirmative feminists and that there have always been strong connections between the feminist and queer movements:
"It would be a disaster for feminism to return either to a strictly biological understanding of gender or to reduce social conduct to a body part or to impose fearful fantasies, their own anxieties, on trans women... Their abiding and very real sense of gender ought to be recognized socially and publicly as a relatively simple matter of according another human dignity."
banner image via Dimitar Belchev