LGBULLETIN #51 – THE WEEK IN LGBTI NEWS (JUNE 10-16, 2016)
Summary
Sunday, June 12
United States: tragic shooting at an Orlando 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. club claims lives of 49 persons
Vigils held around the world for Orlando shooting victims https://t.co/ne1qdusouP pic.twitter.com/6gUyz5PDTc
— TIME (@TIME) June 14, 2016
Forty-nine persons lost their lives in an attack on “Pulse”, a 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. club in Orlando, Florida which is known for its community programs. 53 more persons were injured in the assault.
A gunman named as Omar Mateen entered the club at 2 AM, while a Latinx night was taking place, and started shooting: after a standoff of about three hours, police crashed into the building and killed the gunman.
It was the worst mass shooting in US history, and an act of hate directly targeting members of the LGBTIQ community and their allies, “a dreadful reminder of the price far too many LGBTIQ persons, all around the world, have to pay simply for being who they are.” “It is impossible not to note that the attack took place in a 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. club, and right in the middle of Pride month,” ILGA co-Secretaries General Ruth Baldacchino and Helen Kennedy said in a statement. “This 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. hurts even more, as it hits the LGBTIQ community in a time of joy and celebration. […] We are calling for the whole community to respond to this crime by staying united. Hate must have no place in our society and our struggle will continue until all are safe and equal.”
The shooter, an US citizen of Afghan origin, called 911 during the attack to pledge allegiance to Isis, CNN reports. While Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack, US officials say there’s no immediate evidence linking the militant group to the massacre.
President Barack Obama described the attack as “an act of terror and an act of hate”: “This is an especially heartbreaking day for all of our friends, our fellow Americans, who are 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. or transgender. […]The place where they were attacked is more than a nightclub, it is a place of solidarity and empowerment, where people have come together to raise awareness, to speak their minds and advocate for their civil rights.”
Vigils in solidarity with the victims of the attack were held in hundreds of cities worldwide.
ILGA joins the global community in mourning for the victims. Our hearts are with their families, their friends and the entire community.
~~~
Monday, June 13
Colombia: at least 89 cases of violence against 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. persons reported in 2016, says Ombudsman’s office
La violencia contra personas 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. siempre ha existido, lo que pasa es que ahora se está visibilizando: Susana RodrÃguez @DefensoriaCol
— DefensorÃa delPueblo (@DefensoriaCol) June 13, 2016
The Ombudsman’s office of Colombia has expressed concern over new reported cases of violence 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. against members of the 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. community. During the last week only, according to the government agency, six transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. persons and a 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. man received death threats in the department of Arauca, adding to the 89 cases that have already been reported since January 2016.
“It is worth noting,” a press release reads, “that during 2015 the office received 92 reports of violence” against 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. persons, and “25% of them were from victims of the armed conflict who had experienced sexual violence and displacement.”
~~~
Monday, June 13
32nd session of the UN Human Rights Councilan inter-governmental body within the United Nations which has the responsibility to promote and protect human rights. It is comprised of 47 member States, each elected to 3-year terms by the 193 member States of the United Nations. begins in Geneva
#HRC32 President: for the 1st time, all 193 Member States to be present at a #HumanRights Council session. #HRC32 pic.twitter.com/OZOqYkXobD
— UN Geneva (@UNGeneva) June 8, 2016
For the very first time, all 193 member states are present at the 32nd session of the United Nationsan international organisation comprising 193 member States. It has the mission of maintaining peace and security, protecting human rights, providing humanitarian aid and ensuring economic and social development across the globe. It is a network of many different bodies and agencies, each of which has a particular role and responsibility. Human Rights Councilan inter-governmental body within the United Nations which has the responsibility to promote and protect human rights. It is comprised of 47 member States, each elected to 3-year terms by the 193 member States of the United Nations. that began in Geneva this week. During his opening speech, High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein condemned “with the greatest possible force the outrageous attacks by violent extremists on innocent people, chosen at random, or because of their presumed beliefs, or opinions, or – as we saw yesterday – 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.”, he said referring to the Orlando shooting.
“This is a period of powerful lessons – if we choose to learn from them,” Zeid said. “We can build societies in which disputes can be peacefully resolved by impartial and effective institutions, and where people’s right to development and other fundamental rights are respected. […] Every individual must be clear in the knowledge that regardless of 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., race, ethnicity, opinions, belief, caste, age or 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., their equal rights are fully acknowledged. Trust can only accrue if government is transparent and accountable.”
During this session, which marks the 10th anniversary of the UN Human Rights Councilan inter-governmental body within the United Nations which has the responsibility to promote and protect human rights. It is comprised of 47 member States, each elected to 3-year terms by the 193 member States of the United Nations., a group of Latin American countries is expected to propose creating a new position at the United Nationsan international organisation comprising 193 member States. It has the mission of maintaining peace and security, protecting human rights, providing humanitarian aid and ensuring economic and social development across the globe. It is a network of many different bodies and agencies, each of which has a particular role and responsibility. devoted to investigating human rights violations against individuals on the basis of 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. or 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..
Several civil society organisations, including ILGA, are calling on the Council to create the SOGIabbreviation standing for sexual orientation and gender identity independent expert: click here to find out more and to join the call (en español también).
~~~
Tuesday, June 14
China: 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. man sues psychiatric hospital over ‘sexuality correction therapy’
A 32-year old 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. man from China is suing a psychiatric hospital he alleges attempted to “cure” him of his 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. with drugs, confinement and beatings.
His partner told The Guardian that he had been forcibly admitted to a hospital in Henan province after family members, including his wife, discovered he was 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.. The man claims he was held there against his will, and forced to undergo what doctors called “sexuality correction therapy.” Chinese media report that, during his confinement, the 32-year old would have “received coerced treatment, including medication and needle injections, as well as physical and verbal abuse.”
It was only after 19 days of confinement that he managed to reach for the police and escape the hospital. A local court has now agreed to hear his case. Accusing the hospital of violating his personal freedom, the 32-year old has demanded an apology and compensation. “The personal freedom of Chinese citizens is protected by law and cannot be infringed upon by hospitals or one’s family members,” said the man’s lawyer.
~~~
Tuesday, June 14
United Kingdom: Government to review 12-month deferral period for MSM donating blood
The Department of Health has announced it will review the law imposing a 12-month deferral period on blood donations for 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. men, 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 and men who have 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. with men. “Donor deferral for men who have 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. with men was changed from lifetime to 12 months in 2011, but five years later it is time to look again at the question,” a spokesman told BBC Newsbeat. “Our expert advisory committee is currently undertaking a review on whether the rules should change and we will base any decisions on their expert advice.”
Only a few days before the announcement, the issue of blood donation bans had sparked a heated debate in the wake of the Orlando shooting: in the USA, as in the United Kingdom, a federal ban prohibits men from donating blood for a year after their last sexual contact with another man.
~~~
Wednesday, June 15
Australia: Victorian AIDS Council calls for political party quotas for 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. candidates
MEDIA RELEASE: VAC calls for major parties to adopt quotas for #LGBTI candidates in winnable seats: calls https://t.co/lOCEKmm1lu #ausvotes
— VAC (@VACorg) June 16, 2016
The Victorian AIDS Council (VAC) has called for all major Australian political parties to introduce quotas for 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., trans and 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. candidates in winnable seats to “ensure sufficient attention is paid to issues affecting our community.”
“The increased presence of 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. lawmakers,” reads a position paper released by VAC this week, “will provide much needed advocacy for this community, regardless of political party. It will help curb the extreme rhetoric about 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. people that has become commonplace in the public sphere and balance those extreme viewpoints in the party room. […] If the interests and the wellbeing of 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. communities are to be protected, it is critical that advocacy come from positions of influence within the major political parties.”
~~~
Thursday, June 16
Kenya: court upholds forced anal examinations
#Kenya court ruling on #ForcedAnalExams suggests anyone can be snatched off streets and “tested” for homosexual conduct. The world we want?
— Neela Ghoshal (@NeelaGhoshal) June 16, 2016
The Mombasa High Court in Kenya has ruled that forced anal examinations and forced HIV and Hepatitis B tests of men suspected of same-sex sexual conduct are constitutional, in a decision that would allow the government to use the test results as “evidence” in criminal prosecutions.
The case was brought by two men who, soon after being arrested, were ordered to submit to forced medical examinations.
“The court,” the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) and Human Rights Watch said, ‘accepted the argument put forward by government respondents in the case that the medical examinations were reasonable and were performed in accordance with the law. The court also ruled that the two men consented to the examinations through the lawyer who represented them at the time. Petitioners maintain that they had no idea what ‘medical examinations’ they were meant to undergo until they arrived at the hospital, and that they signed consent forms only under duress while in police custody.”
Their lawyer has already announced they will appeal against the decision. “This ruling is a devastating precedent that has now heightened the risk and fear of similar anal testing on many 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., transgender, 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. and 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. persons in Kenya,” said Eric Gitari, executive director of NGLHRC. “Suspecting someone of being 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. should not be grounds for stripping them of their dignity and their fundamental rights.”
Is that all? More news bites
Two more transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. women have been reported murdered, including in the United States and Colombia, while in Belgium a transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. man of Tunisian origin was stabbed by a gang whose members had already threatened him in his homeland.
In the United States, a man has been charged with felony weapons violations after authorities say he was found with three assault rifles and explosive chemicals in his car, while he was on his way to the Los Angeles Pride parade.
An Oregon court ruled that a 52- year old resident could legally change their genderrefers to a social construct which places cultural and social expectations on individuals based on their assigned sex. from female to non-binarya person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. While many also identify as trans, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid., in what is believed to be the first known ruling of its kind in the United States.
Jamaica‘s attorney general has sparked criticism after saying it was “disrespectful” to the country’s law for the US embassy to fly a rainbow flag following the Orlando shooting. She later claimed her tweet had been “misconstrued.”
In Costa Rica, State’s Social Security Fund has agreed to grant survivor’s pension rights to same-sex couples.
The Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions has published a guide to promote and protect human rights on the basis of 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., 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. and sex characteristicsa term that refers to physical features relating to sex - including genitalia and other sexual and reproductive anatomy, chromosomes, hormones, and secondary physical features emerging from puberty..
In Pakistan, a transadjective/umbrella term to describe a person whose gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. woman was shot after three armed men broke into her home and tried to rape her.
More than 50 Muslims and Islamic organisations in Australia have reached outbeing open about their diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or sex characteristics. to LBGTI members of their faith calling for “deeper compassion for each other” following the Orlando shooting.
The International Federation on Ageing 13th Global Conference, set to take place next week in Brisbane, Australia, will reportedly host panels on 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. ageing.
In Ukraine, around 1,000 persons marched in the biggest ever Kyiv Pride parade. Despite threats from far-right groups, the event was held without major incidents.
After the European Parliament has approved a regulation on EU-wide acceptance of public documents, MEPs are calling on the Commission to “work on further legislation to ensure the mutual recognition of the effects of public documents related to civil status.”
31 human rights groups have joined forces in demanding investigations on a series of attacks on non-governmental organizations and human rights defenders in Uganda.
Over 20 students, accused of engaging in same-sex activity, were reportedly suspended from a high school in Uganda.
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