LGBULLETIN #49 – THE WEEK IN LGBTI NEWS (MAY 29 – JUNE 5, 2016)
Summary
Friday, May 27
Nauru decriminalises same-sex sexual activity
Nauru has decriminalised same-sex sexual activity! https://t.co/nTBJ8ZYEnY
— ILGA (@ILGAWORLD) May 27, 2016
The government of Nauru has updated its Crimes Act, enacting a series of reforms that include the decriminalisation of same-sex sexual activity and the abolition of suicide as an offence.
“In complying with its international obligations under various international treaties, the Nauru Parliament has had laws drafted to be consistent with appropriate international standards,” a government press release explains. “The Crimes Act 2016 replaces the hundred year old Nauruan Criminal Code 1899 which was drawn from the Queensland Criminal Code.”
As ILGA’s State Sponsored Homophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards people attracted to others of the same gender. points outbeing open about their diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics., Nauru received six clearly expressed recommendations to decriminalise same-sex sexual activity during its second Universal Periodic Review. Before the updates in the criminal code, people found guilty of same-sex sexual activity in the country were “liable to imprisonment with hard labour for three years.”
Read more on Radio New Zealand
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Tuesday, May 31
Denmark removes transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. identities from the category of mental disorders
More #Transrights in Denmark & Norway – Quick, Accessible, Transparent #LegalGenderRecognition + #depathologization https://t.co/TjwWFo61FM
— TGEU (@TGEUorg) May 31, 2016
The Danish Parliament has adopted a symbolic decision to no longer stigmatise transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. identities as mental disorders, amidst mounting pressure on the World Health Organization to accordingly change the International Classification of Diseases.
The decision was welcomed by human rights organisations: “Transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. people are not sick, and other countries should follow by removing transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. identities from their mental health diagnostic manuals,” TGEU’s Health Officer Adam Smiley commented, while Amnesty International’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. and 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. Advisor Leda Avgousti spoke about a “very encouraging move” which paves the way “for quick and transparent processes for legal gender recognitionlaws, administrative procedures or processes by which a person can change their sex/gender marker and names on official identity documents..”
As TGEU remembers, however, even in Denmark the job is not done yet: “The provision of trans-specific healthcare needs urgent improvement. Decision makers need to ensure that depathologisationthe recognition that no diverse sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics is an illness. Depathologisation allows trans people to access trans-specific healthcare without a mental health assessment or diagnosis. also translates into reform for accessible, quality healthcare based on self-determination and informed consent.”
Denmark was not the only country to provide for good news for the transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. community this week: a new law giving transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. people access to quick and accessible legal gender recognitionlaws, administrative procedures or processes by which a person can change their sex/gender marker and names on official identity documents. was presented in Parliament in Norway, and is expected to go through a final vote next week.
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Tuesday, May 31
Canada: new shelter for LGBTIQ2S persons unveiled in Toronto
Let’s do more! “@MelissaLeslieTO: @kristynwongtam @egalecanada w Ed Clark, Mitch Cohen. Takes a team #egalecentre pic.twitter.com/xZFTduryCz“
— Kristyn Wong-Tam 黃慧文 🇨🇦 (@kristynwongtam) May 31, 2016
Egale Canada Human Rights Trust officially unveiled a project of a centre that will combine counselling services with emergency and transitional housing exclusively dedicated to serving homeless LGBTIQ2S (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., gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves., bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders., transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth., 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., queerpreviously used as a derogatory term to refer to LGBT individuals in the English language – and still perceived as offensive by some - queer has been reclaimed by people who identify beyond traditional gender categories and heteronormative social norms. Although not universally accepted, it is often used as a catch-all to include many people within the larger community of people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions, and sex characteristics., questioning and Two Spirit) youth. The Egale Centre will be located in Toronto and have 30 rooms, 25 of which dedicated to transitional housing that can be occupied for up to one year. The facility is poised to open in fall 2017.
According to researches, nearly one in four homeless youth in Toronto identify as LGBT+. They face specific challenges, as they report being afraid to access mainstream shelters and housing for fear of physical, psychological and sexual violence.
According to Helen Kennedy, executive director of Egale and ILGA’s co-secretary general, the Egale Centre will be “a one-of-a-kind project that will fundamentally transform and improve the support services available to LGBTQI2S youth in Toronto.”
The project was announced during a ceremony attended also by the Premier of Ontario, Kathleen Wynne: “Our government is proud to support Egale Canada’s groundbreaking project,” she said. “This centre offers an accepting and welcoming place to get the kind of help that can make a profound difference in young people’s lives.”
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Tuesday, May 31
Nepal: government has ignored rights of 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. children, organisation claims
While the 72nd session of the Convention on the Rights of the Child was underway in Geneva, a human rights organisation argued that the government of Nepal “has not taken measures to ensure the rights of 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. children.”
“Discussions are underway regarding the rights of children across the world,” reads a press release by Blue Diamond Society, “and representatives of the ministry of Women and Children are participating.” However, they “did not raise voices regarding the 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. that 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. children are facing in family, school and society,” said Parsu Ram Rai, deputy director at Blue Diamond Society, who called this decision “objectionable.”
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Wednesday, June 1
Morocco: two young men arrested for same-sex sexual activity
Two young men were arrested and sentenced to six months in jail for same-sex sexual activity in the city of Guelmim, in southern Morocco. According to local media, police caught the couple having 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. in a car and arrested them under article 489 of the Penal Code, which criminalises ‘lewd or unnatural acts with an individual of the same sex’.
Five days later, despite the public prosecutor ordering a full investigation to be conducted before it was presented to the city’s Court of First Instance, the two men were found guilty, and were handed a prison sentence of six months.
According to Aswat Collective, lawyers had refused to defend the detainees because they had been charged with homosexuality. An appeal was asked, and now the file will be transferred to the court of Appeal in the city of Agadir.
Read more on Gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves. Star News
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Thursday, June 2
ILGALAC calls for states to support the work of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
#SalvemosAlaCIDH #SomosILGALAC https://t.co/exD6PsV6Bm pic.twitter.com/4vWu2XpopC
— ILGALAC (@ILGALAC) May 31, 2016
ILGALAC, the regional branch of ILGA for Latin America and the Caribbean, has expressed concern over the severe financial crisis facing the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, urging OAS member states to take every necessary measure to properly support its work.
“The IACHR is the only human rights system in the world that is home to a rapporteurship on the rights of LGBTI persons,” ILGALAC remembers. “Its work has been of great importance, as it supported our reports and documented violations of our human rights […], while raising awareness about different forms of violence and discriminations facing people in the Americas for their 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. and for their genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. identities and expressions. The region is currently seeing political changes that put the human rights of various parts of the population in danger, and especially those who have historically faced 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.: we all need strong and independent human rights systems, now more than ever.”
This is why, ILGALAC claims, “it is of utmost importance that IACHR continues its activities and functions, and that a structure is created to make its present and future financing sustainable, significantly raising the budget ensured by the OAS and the real commitment of member States.”
Is that all? More news bites
Almost two million persons joined the Pride parade in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with thousands of participants focused on urging Congress to speed up the debate on the 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. Law.
Two men were shot dead in St James, Jamaica, and a transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. teenage girl was killed in Trujillo, Peru, in what may have been homophobic and transphobic hate crimes.
In Chile, lawmakers voted to have the 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. bill being moved to the Commission for Human Rights for review.
Public acceptance of sexual activity between two adults of the same 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. has nearly quadrupled since 1990 in the United States, according to a research authored by scientists from three US universities.
A federal appeals court that sided with a transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. teen in his lawsuit against a school board in Virginia, United States has denied the board’s request to rehear the case before a full panel of judges.
The PM of Ontario, Canada announced the government will pass legislation to change the definition of parents, so that same-sex couples won’t have to adopt their own children.
Sexual Minorities Uganda has filed an application in the High Court, challenging the refusal by the Uganda Registration Service Bureau to reserve their name and therefore by extension denying them registration.
A court in Giza, Egypt reportedly slashed prison sentences against 11 persons accused of same-sex sexual activity from 12 years to one year, while one defendant was acquitted.
Iranti-org is producing a web series on transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. lives, and is looking for 12 writers to be part of the core writing team. The call is restricted to African transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. applicants.
According to officials, the state of Odisha has become the first region in India to give transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. people social welfare benefits – such as a pension, housing and food grains – usually allocated for only the most impoverished.
The government of Japan is set to introduce a revised guideline in 2017, stating that discriminatory acts against LGBT persons on the workplace are regarded as sexual harassment.
According to BBC, authorities in Iran are investigating the women’s national football team because they believe some players might be attracted to women.
The Supreme Court of Latvia reportedly overturned an administrative court decision to refuse an application to register a same-sex marriage.
The lifetime ban on gayadjective to describe people whose enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional
attractions are to people of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this
term to describe themselves. and bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders. men donating blood in Northern Ireland is to be lifted from September 1st in favour of a ‘”one-year deferral system”, the minister for Health announced.
In less than two months’ time, the 4-days European Bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders. Conference (EuroBiCon) will bring together bisexualadjective used to describe a person who has the capacity to form enduring physical, romantic, and/ or emotional attractions to those of the same gender or to those of other genders. people and their allies from across Europe and beyond in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has told reporters that he expects the plebiscite on marriage equality in Australia to be held before the end of 2016.
The leading sports organisations in New Zealand have announced their commitment to tackle intolerance, racism and homophobiafear, unreasonable anger, intolerance or/and hatred directed towards people attracted to others of the same gender. in sports.
46% of respondents to an ABC’s Vote Compass survey, aimed at finding outbeing open about their diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics. how people’s views align with parties contesting the federal election in Australia, argued that transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. awareness should not be taught in primary school.
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