New Zealand bans ‘conversion therapy’ – LGBTI news of the world

 

The week in LGBTIacronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex people. Although this is not the acronym available to describe people of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics, it is the most commonly used in United Nations spaces and advocacy. More news
11 – 17 February 2022
Written by Daniele Paletta

 

Change: our world has never needed it more than now. LGBTIQ communities have always stepped-up in times of hardship, and continue pushing forward to advance equality.

This week, our global community had major advances to celebrate. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the parliament passed a bill banning ‘conversion therapy’, and Kuwait overturned a law criminalising the “imitation of the opposite sexrefers to the classification of a person as male, female, or other - usually made at birth, written on a birth certificate, and usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy. A person’s sex, however, is actually a combination of bodily characteristics, including chromosomes, hormones, internal and external reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics. More”. As Cape Verde is discussing new HIV response measures, the Minister of Health acknowledged that there are still “important challenges” in relation to prevention and universal access to treatment – including tackling genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. More inequalities and homophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards people attracted to others of the same gender. More.

Especially in times of crises, stigma and discriminationunequal or unfair treatment which can be based on a range of grounds - such as age, ethnic background, disability, and diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions or sex characteristics, amongst others. More place an even-higher burden on the most marginalised within our communities. A recent report highlighted how LGBTQ youth in the United States are overrepresented among young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability.

We continue to fight for social justice. A new report showed how anti-LGBTI rhetoric is rising and fuelling a wave of hate crimes across Europe and Central Asia, and yet there is a growing institutional resolve to tackle hatred and exclusion. Colombia announced it will investigate cases of violence against LGBTI children that occurred during the armed conflict.

 

Oceania

Aotearoa New Zealand: parliament passes bill banning ‘conversion therapy’

 

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Une publication partagée par ILGA World (@ilgaworld)

The parliament of New Zealand passed a legislation that bans discredited practices intended to forcibly change a person’s sexual orientationrefers to a person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional and sexual attraction to - and intimate and sexual relations with - individuals of a different gender or the same gender or more than one gender. More, gender identityrefers to a person’s deeply felt internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth. More or gender expressionrefers to how a person presents their gender through physical appearance – including dress, hairstyles, accessories, cosmetics – and mannerisms, speech, behavioural patterns, names and personal references. More – also known as ‘conversion therapies’.

The bill, which was introduced by the government last year, passed with 112 votes in favour and eight votes opposed.

As Radio New Zealand reports, under the legislation it will be an offence to perform ‘conversion therapies’ on a child or young person aged under 18, or on someone with impaired decision-making capacity. It will also be an offence to them on anyone – irrespective of age – where the practices have caused serious harm.

The bill passed in its third reading, meaning that now it has to receive royal assent before becoming an Act.

“This is a great day for New Zealand’s rainbow communities,” Minister of Justice Kris Faafoi said as parliament passed the bill. “Conversion practices have no place in modern New Zealand.”

More news from Oceania

World first out intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population are born with such traits; yet, because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings - and discriminated against. More mayor and ILGA World Board member Tony Briffa is being celebrated with a new Pride mural and interactive project in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The parliament of Victoria, Australia passed a bill to decriminalise sex work, with the first stage of the reforms to commence in May 2022.

 

Asia

Kuwait overturns law criminalising the “imitation of the opposite sex”

In a landmark ruling, the Constitutional Court of Kuwait held that Article 198 of the Penal Code that criminalised “imitating the opposite sex” is unconstitutional, as the arbitrary application of this vaguely-worded law would violate provisions that guarantee personal freedoms.

As ILGA World’s Transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. More Legal Mapping Report points out, trans people and persons of diverse gender expressions were criminalised under the provision “regardless of their medical transitionrefers to a series of steps people may take to live in the gender they identify with. A person’s transition can be social and/or medical. Steps may include: coming out to family, friends and colleagues; dressing and acting according to one’s gender; changing one’s name and/or sex/gender on legal documents; medical treatments - including hormone therapies and possibly one or more types of surgery. More”, and there are “many reports of trans women especially being targeted by police for subjective interpretations of this law.”

The recent ruling has been praised by communities across the region. “This victory is the first step in eliminating all discrimination against transgender persons,” said ILGA Asia co-Chair Shadi Amin. “The Kuwaiti authorities must fully implement the ruling by removing all social restrictions, and we will continue monitoring the situation to ensure it will be as such.”

Activists on the ground said that “a heavy rock has been lifted off our backs”, although they remain concerned that Article 198 has been overturned as it was found to be not specific enough – which might prompt the parliament to replace it with a more restrictive law.

More news from Asia

In Israel, the Health Ministry issued a circular saying that medical professionals’ attempting to practice ‘conversion therapy’ will face sanctions, including the revocation of their licenses.

Major streaming platforms across China censored an LGBTQ plot line in a popular TV series, in what is considered the latest episode of a growing crackdown against public discourses on SOGIESCabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity & expression, and sex characteristics. More issues.

 

Europe and Central Asia

LGBTI human rights in Europe: between anti-rights rhetoric and determination to tackle hatred

Behind the smokescreen of anti-LGBTI rhetoric in Europe, there’s a groundswell of allied determination to tackle hatred, as our brand-new #AnnualReview2022 shows.

Find out more and download your own copy at https://t.co/tRpfytqOzF pic.twitter.com/8vAbDouCea

— ILGA-Europe (@ILGAEurope) February 15, 2022

Anti-LGBTI rhetoric is rising and fuelling a wave of hate crimes across Europe and Central Asia, and yet there is a growing institutional resolve to tackle hatred and exclusion – a new report indicated.

The annual review of the human rights situation of LGBTI people in the region, published by ILGA-Europe, showed that politicians have continued to demonise LGBTI people over the past year, leading to a stark rise in attacks – in which young LGBTI people were in particular targeted.

In the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, domestic violence against LGBTI family members continued to take place widely. But attacks happened also outside people’s homes: Germany, for instance, had a 39% increase in anti-LGBTI hate crimeoffences that are motivated by hate or bias against a particular group of people. This could be based on gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, or sex characteristics amongst others. More, while a new app in France, where users can report anti-LGBTI incidents, collected 3,896 reports in its first year.

Anti-gender and anti-trans rhetoric have remained widespread, and the narrative pitching trans rights against women’s rights contributed to a stagnation in legal gender recognitionlaws, administrative procedures or processes by which a person can change their sex/gender marker and names on official identity documents. More reform in many countries.
However, amidst the political scapegoating, it is also clear that state-sponsored anti-LGBTI rhetoric is not matched by public opinion, and that national human rights institutions (NHRIs) and courts in many countries have begun to strengthen their work to protect the rights of LGBTI people.

“Regional and national institutions and courts took their obligations to the human rights of LGBTI people with utmost gravity amid the now crystal-clear escalation of the instrumentalisation of hatred against LGBTI people for political gain and expanded power”, commented Katrin Hugendubel, Advocacy Director at ILGA-Europe.

More news from Europe and Central Asia

In France, the trial over the murder of Vanesa Campos – a trans sex worker – has ended. Two men have been charged with ‘gang murder’ and sentenced to 22 years in prison. Six other men have also been sentenced.

More than half of respondents to a poll launched in Denmark stated they do not believe that priests should be able to refuse to marry same-sex couples.

Men who have been convicted for consensual same-sex sexual acts on the Isle of Man will be automatically pardoned later this year – although people will have to apply to have historical convictions struck from their records.

 

Latin America and the Caribbean

Colombia to investigate violence against LGBTI children during the armed conflict

The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) of Colombia announced that it will investigate discrimination and violence against LGBTI people within one of the macro-cases opened after the end of the armed conflict, Deutsche Welle reported.

The transitional peace tribunal opened a “sub-line of investigation” within Case 07 on discrimination and violence against children of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions. So far, the JEP has identified 400 people as victims in this case, 68 of whom suffered different types of violence.

The announcement was made by Judge Lily Rueda, rapporteur on Case 07, during the presentation of a report by Caribe Afirmativo  on the forced recruitment of children and adolescents of diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions within the armed conflict in Colombia.

More news from Latin America and the Caribbean

A series of public consultations were launched in Cuba to debate a measure that would make marriage equalitywhere national marriage legislation also includes same-sex couples or gender-neutral reference to the spouses. References to “gay marriage” that are sometimes made by media outlets and decision-makers incorrectly are incorrect, as no country has created a marriage law specifically for same-sex couples. More a reality in the country.

An LGBT organisation in Guyana was forced to suspend its shelter activities due to a lack of volunteers and places to accommodate people in need.

 

North America and the Caribbean

United States: LGBTQ youth overrepresented among young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability

“Homeless LGBTQ youth are also two to four times more likely to report depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts.”https://t.co/RNKq72ESHU

— The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) February 4, 2022

LGBTQ youth are overrepresented among young people experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the United States, a recent report by the Trevor Project has indicated, and these heightened risks have detrimental risks on their mental health.

According to the study, 28% of LGBTQ youth reported experiencing homelessness or housing instability at some point in their lives – a percentage that grows up to 44% among Native/Indigenous LGBTQ youth.

More than half of respondents of those participating in the study reported running away from home because of mistreatment – or fear of mistreatment – on the grounds of their sexual orientation, or gender identity and expression.

LGBTQ youth who experienced homelessness or housing instability also reported higher rates of mental health challenges, compared to their stably housed LGBTQ peers, as well as higher rates of victimisation, being in foster care, and food insecurity.

More news from North America and the Caribbean

In a bipartisan vote, the House of Representatives approved a bill that would prohibit those who have committed LGBTQ human rights abuses abroad from obtaining a visa to enter the United States.

In Canada, the premier of Alberta apologised for comparing the treatment of unvaccinated people to the stigma faced by HIV/AIDS patients during the 1980s.

 

Africa

Cape Verde: respect and equal opportunities “necessary” to mitigate impact of HIV/AIDS, says Health Minister

Creating an environment of respect, and promote social dignity and equal opportunities, is necessary to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS, said Minister of Health Arlindo do Rosário during a parliamentary debate around HIV response measures.

The Minister acknowledged that discrimination and stigmatisation undermine prevention and HIV response efforts, and that there are still “important challenges” in relation to prevention and universal access to treatment – including the need to tackle gender inequalities and homophobia.

According to Balai Capo Verde, the draft law currently being discussed would “facilitate better integration and coverage for the entire population”, adding that it would aim to better define the criteria guiding public policies for HIV/AIDS prevention and care.

More news from Africa

A human rights organisation in Mauritius has written to the Ministry of Children’s Rights to report the abuse that two lesbianadjective/noun to describe a woman whose enduring physical, romantic, and/or emotional attraction is to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves. More 15-year-olds would have suffered on the grounds of their sexual orientation at the hands of their parents.

In Cameroon, two men reported surviving the assault of a mob after they were seen walking hand in hand on Valentine’s Day.

 

Video of the week

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