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IGLHRC Gets UN Consultative Status!

After a long fight, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, a US-based non-profit organization on which I served two terms as a board member from 1996-2002, has been granted official status at the United Nations.

From the press release:

Today's decision is an affirmation that the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have a place at the United Nations as part of a vital civil society community," said Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC Executive Director. "The clear message here is that these voices should not be silenced and that human rights cannot be denied on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity."

The resolution passed with 23 in favor, 13 against, and 13 abstentions and 5 absences.

This victory is particularly significant, coming as it does after a prolonged 3-year application process in the sub-committee that makes initial recommendations on status. Despite full compliance with all procedures IGLHRC faced deferrals, homophobic questioning, and procedural roadblocks in the ECOSOC NGO Committee.

Today's decision overturned a "no-action" vote in the NGO-committee that threatened to establish a dangerous precedent and the possibility of organizations deemed controversial being continuously denied the opportunity to have their application put to a vote even after undergoing the required review.

The vote also signals a recognition of the important role of a diverse and active civil society at the UN. In support of progress on IGLHRC's application, a group of over 200 NGOs from 59 countries endorsed a letter to all UN Member States, demanding fair and non-discriminatory treatment and supporting IGLHRC's goal of amplifying LGBT voices in the international arena.

UPDATE MONDAY 07/19/2010 16:38

The President of the United States has issued a statement in response to the historic step of a United States LGBT organization being recognized by the United Nations:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release July 19, 2010

Statement by the President on UN Accreditation of the ILGHRC

I welcome this important step forward for human rights, as the International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission (ILGHRC) will take its rightful seat at the table of the United Nations. The UN was founded on the premise that only through mutual respect, diversity, and dialogue can the international community effectively pursue justice and equality. Today, with the more full inclusion of the International Lesbian and Gay Human Rights Commission, the United Nations is closer to the ideals on which it was founded, and to values of inclusion and equality to which the United States is deeply committed.

###

Only Legally Married Same-Sex Couple in Latin America

Carlos Alvarez & Martin Canavaro

Thanks to my friend Andrés Duque of Blabbeando comes word about the legal marriage of Carlos Alvarez & Martin Canavaro in Argentina and even better news that the law may soon be changed to allow other couples to get maried there as well:

Today [Thursday April 15], two legislative commissions - the General Legislation Commission and the Women, Children and Adolescence Commission - backed a full congressional debate of a bill that would amend Argentina's Civil Code to allow same-sex couples to marry.

La Nación reports today the recommendation has already drawn support from members representing a plurality of the political parties sitting in Congress (which doesn't mean all party representatives sitting in congress will vote in favor once it does come down for a floor vote). It also noted that members of two conservative parties, including the Peronistas - Quick! Someone call Madonna - er - Evita! - were holding off and willing to endorse a "civil union-only" bill that did not define legal same-sex partnership recognition as "marriage".

Vilma Ibarra , the lead sponsor of the bill, said it would replace the words "man and a woman" in the Civil Code with "spouse". She also said that, considering the wide support that the bill received today, she expected a full debate in the next congressional session and passage of the bill.

Congratulations to Carlos and Martin!

Indian Government Supports Sodomy Decision

The Indian Government has agreed not to appeal the recent New Delhi court ruling striking down the country's sodomy law, effectively decriminalizing homosexuality in the world's second most populous country.

The Indian Supreme Court had previously rejected an appeal of the Delhi decision, but the action of the Cabinet means that enforcement of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code will not be applied to homosexual acts between consenting adults in private.

India Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Sodomy Appeal

Joe.My.God is reporting that the India Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal of the recent landmark decision by the New Delhi High Court which decriminalized homosexuality in the Country.

While there was no major outcry against the ruling, some conservative religious groups made it clear they would fight it. Among those was Kaushal, a Hindu astrologer, who filed the first petition with the Supreme Court. Leaders of religious groups are also contemplating filing petitions.

The Supreme Court said it will hear Kaushal’s petition on July 20 to decide whether it has merit, said Anand Grover, the lawyer for Naz Foundation, a gay rights group that filed the original petition against Section 377 eight years ago.

The Supreme Court also asked the Indian government and the Naz Foundation to appear before it to hear their views.

After listening to all parties, the court will decide whether to temporarily suspend the Delhi High Court order while Kaushal’s petition is heard. The Supreme Court ruling will be binding nationally.

The person appealing the ruling is an astrologer named Sushil Kumar Kaushal who said that "If such abnormality is permitted, then tomorrow people might seek permission for having sex with animals.”

India High Court Ruling On Sodomy Law Tomorrow

Intrepid gay reporter Rex Wockner is reporting that the New Delhi High Court will issue a ruling on the fate of India's sodomy law at 10:30am Thursday July 2nd, local time.

Keep your fingers crossed. As Rex puts it, "India is the world second-most-populous nation: 17.22% of all humans live there. That's 1,165,760,000 people. You should care about them and this."

Agreed.

Celebrity Friday: Cary Alan Johnson

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission has announced that Cary Alan Johnson will become their executive director effective March 1, 2009. Since I served on the Board of Directors of the organization from 1996 to 2002 I still keep pretty close tabs on IGLHRC's doing and am in pretty close contact with most of their executive directors, although I have never met Mr. Johnson. 

For example, I ran into Julie Dorf, IGLHRC's founder and first executive director at Creating Change 2009 in Denver in January which she was attending as part of her work with a new organization called the Global Council for Equality.

Juie Dorf's successor was Surina Khan who attended a fundraiser for Judy Chu's congressional campaign to fill the seat vacated by currentLabor Secretary Hilda Solis

in the 32nd District that I also attended and was on the Host Committee for.

I ran into Surina Khan's successor Paula Ettelbrick at the Global Arc of Justice conference last week at UCLA Law School, and she was excited about being unemployed for the first time in her adult life.

It's like some kind of six degrees of separation game with IGLHRC's executive directors and I am Kevin Bacon!

United Nations Petition on Homosexuality

Hat-tip to TowleRoad about the petition being introduced in the United Nations this week (sponsored by France) to decriminalize homosexuality throughout the world. The original idea is by French Professor Louis-Georges Tin who created the International Day Against Homophobia a few years ago.

The full text of the resolution is:

TO THE UNITED NATIONS :

Petition “For a universal decriminalization of homosexuality”

Considering

The Universal declaration of Human Rights

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Article 3.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 12.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Considering

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966, entry into force 23 March 1976)

Article 17

1. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his honour and reputation.

2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Considering

The Human Rights Committee’s decision in Toonen v. Australia (04 April 1994)

We ask the United Nations to request a universal abolition of the so-called “crime of homosexuality”, of all “sodomy laws”, and laws against so-called “unnatural acts” in all the countries where they still exist.

Of course the United States is not in this list of almost 55 countries that have endorsed the resolution:

Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Canada, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Chile, Ecuador, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Montenegro, New Zealand, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Uruguay, and Venezuela. All 27 member states of the European Union are also signatories.

IGLHRC is asking people to write Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging her to sign on to the Joint Statement.

Nepal's Highest Court Issues Landmark Ruling Declaring LGBT Equality

The nation of Nepal will probably be enacting full equality for LGBT citizens before the United States. That nation's highest court just issued a ruling similar to California's In Re Marriage Cases which declares that laws that discriminate based on sexual orientation (and gender identity) violate the constitution.

It reiterates that all LGBTIs are defined as a "natural person" and their physical growth as well as sexual orientation, gender identity, expression are all part of natural growing process. Thus equal rights, identity and expression must be ensured regardless of their sex at birth.

The writ petition was filed by Blue Diamond Society and other 3 LGBTI organisations in Nepal demanding the protection and defence of the equal rights of sexual and gender minorities.

"Reading this decision my eyes were filled with tears and I felt we are the most proud LGBTI citizens of Nepal in the world," said Sunit Pant, Nepal's only gay MP.

"A legal note of point has been raised for the new constitution of Nepal while ensuring the equal rights to individuals, like the bill of tights from South Africa, and non-discrimination provisions on the grounds of sexual orientations and gender identities must be introduced."

The Court has also issued a directive order to form a seven-member committee, with a doctor appointed by Health Ministry, one representative from National Human rights commission, the Law Ministry, one socialist appointed by government of Nepal, a representative from the Nepal police, a representative from Ministry of Population and Environment and one advocate as a representative from the LGBTI community, to conduct a study into the other countries' practice on same-sex marriage.

Based on its recommendation the government will introduce a same-sex marriage bill.

Hat/tip to PinkNews. Nepal borders China and India.
This is an amazing step forward for International LGBT human rights.

Iran's President Claims His Country Has No Homosexuals

As Joe.My.God says, the reason why Ahmedinejad says there are no homosexuals in Iran is because they keep killing them. Mad Professah covered this story in July of 2006.

May 17 is 2nd International Day of Homophobia

I'm glad to see that Pam's House Blend is promoting the 2nd International Day of Homophobia. She reports that LGBT groups in more than fifty countries will participate in activities to support the initiative to promote awareness of homophobia around the world.

Last year Mad Professah noted that May 17th was chosen by the organizers of IDAHO because of its significance as the anniversary of the date in 1990 when the World Health Organization removed homosexuality from their list of mental disorders. Interestingly, May 17th is also the anniversary of the date that same-sex couples could begin to get legally married in Massachusetts.

This year the organizers of IDAHO are promoting a petition for a universal decriminalization of homosexuality:

Petition “For a universal decriminalization of homosexuality”

Considering

The Universal declaration of Human Rights

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

Article 3.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 12.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Considering

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (adopted by General Assembly resolution 2200A (XXI) of 16 December 1966, entry into force 23 March 1976)

Article 17

1. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful attacks on his honour and reputation.

2. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Considering

The Human Rights Committee’s decision in Toonen v. Australia (04 April 1994)

We ask the United Nations

to request a universal abolition of the so-called “crime of homosexuality”, of all “sodomy laws”, and laws against so-called “unnatural acts” in all the countries where they still exist.

Oregon Governor Signs LGBT Equality Bills Into Law

Ross William Hamilton/The Oregonian

A diarist named torridjoe at Daily Kos has the details of what was apparently an emotional bill signing ceremony by Governor Ted Kulongoski with over 100 LGBT activists and allies in attendance at The Capitol in Salem, Oregon on Wednesday. As torridjoe put it, this is "another reminder that ELECTIONS MATTER. These bills died in 2005 despite a Dem-led Senate and Governor's mansion; the House was still led by the GOP. In 2006 control flipped and--like magic, NOT!--now suddenly they are law."

Other sources also noted the attendance of former governor Barbara Roberts and the fact that today's historic signing ceremony of the Oregon Family Fairness Act (HB 2007) and the Oregon Equality Act (SB 2) was the culmination of at least 30 years of work. In fact, during his stint as a state legislator back in 1975 Kulongoski had introduced a bill to add sexual orientation to the list of categories protected from employment discrimination but the legislation was not enacted.

Both bills go into effect on Janury 1, 2008, if heterosexual supremacist groups do not file ballot initiatives to repeal either measure. In November 2004, Oregon narrowly passed a ballot measure to amend it's constitution to ban gay marriage and in the decade before that had been the site for nearly a dozen anti-gay ballot measures, almost all of which had been defeated, most notoriously Ballot Measure 9, which the fight against was made into an award-winning documentary by Heather MacDonald. So far, their have been no quotes from conservative "family" groups that they intend to put the civil rights of LGBT individuals of Oregon up for popular vote.

Colorado close to passing gay rights bill

Colorado is likely to become the next state (the 20th) to enact a non-discrimination bill based on sexual orientation. Senate Bill 25 is sponsored by openly gay state senator Jennifer Veiga and passed the State Assembly by a vote of 44-18 on Wednesday May 2. Bizarrely, if the bill passes it would become the first gay rights bill since New York's SONDA in 2002 to be enacted that does not include transgendered protections.

UPDATE FRI 5/4/07 8:12PM: The Colorado State legislature has passed the gay rights bill and Governor Bill Ritter has said that he intends to sign it into law.

Rare gay rights march in India

Andy of Towleroad alerted me to a gay rights march in an eastern state of India this week. Patna Daily covered the protest. I'm always interested in international LGBT rights stories, and particular the state of gay rights in India, especially since we saw no evidence of gay life during our recent trip to India.

Pay Equity Completes The Gland Slam

Lost among my frenzied coverage of the Pacific Life Open last week was this tidbit that the French Tennis Federation (la Fédération Française de Tennis) announced that it would be offering equal prize money at the 2007 French Open at Roland Garros. Previously, the champions of the Men's and Women's singles draws were awarded equal prize money but there was a discrepancy in the amount awarded to male and female participants who lost in earlier rounds (which, obviously is the vast majority of the competitors).

Last month, All-England Law Tennis Club (which runs Wimbledon) announced that it was going to end it's hold out against pay equity for male and female competitors to great fanfare. The Australian and United States Opens both have offered equal pay to men and women for years. With the FFT's announcement last week, pay equity has completed the Grand Slam!

Situation in Nigeria Appears Grim For Gays and Lesbians

Rod 2.0 and Doug Ireland have been doing excellent work covering the ongoing story of draconian, homophobic legislation winding its way through the Nigerian Parliament. The Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act of 2006 (pdf) would not only prohibit same-sex marriage but any expression of pro-gay sentiment in the country. As Doug Ireland calls it "the world's worst anti-gay law" on his blog:

Homosexual conduct among consenting persons in Nigeria is already a crime
punishable by 14 years in prison, a 19th century penal provision that is alegacy of British colonial rule. But the new legislation goes much, much further in terms of curbing fundamental rights of expression, association, and communication. Among the proposed new law’s many noxious provisions, it would, under penalty of a stiff prison term of five years:

— outlaw membership in a gay group, attending a gay meeting or protest, donating money to a gay organization; or even advocating gay equality in any way, shape, or form;

— outlaw hosting or even visiting a gay Web site;

— outlaw expressions of same-sex love in letters or e-mails;

— outlaw attending a same-sex marriage or blessing ceremony, screening or watching a gay movie, taking or possessing photos of a gay couple, and publishing, selling, or loaning a gay book or video.

The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission has issued a report documenting the response by Nigerians to this proposed anti-gay legislation. The blog Political Spaghetti has particularly detailed coverage of the response of activists to the proposed law.