Global Equality Today
May 2019
International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). The Council for Global Equality and our 30 member organizations join colleagues around the world in celebrating the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia on May 17. The celebration is particularly fitting this year, as the U.S. House of Representatives voted on the same day to extend full civil rights to LGBT Americans by passing the Equality Act with bipartisan support.
State Department Fails to Recognize the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB). Unfortunately, the State Department did not issue a statement recognizing IDAHOTB for the first time in many years. In past years, those statements have been amplified through our embassies around the world. Some embassies still recognized the day. (See a summary of events here.) The decision suggests that the fundamental human rights of LGBTI communities are not valued by the Trump/Pence Administration. Secretary Pompeo’s IDAHOTB statement from last year (May 17, 2018) can be found here.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION
Congress recognizes International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced H. Res. 388 with 64 cosponsors to commemorate IDAHOTB. Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) also issued a statement, confirming “our commitment to defending the rights of LGBTQ people at home and around the world as we work to advance progress toward a brighter, more just and equal future for all.”
International Human Rights Defense Act introduced in House and Senate. Sen. Markey (D-MA) and Rep. Lowenthal (D-CA) reintroduced legislation (S. 861/H.R. 1857) to protect the human rights of LGBTI individuals by codifying the position of Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTI Persons at the State Department and requiring the State Department to develop a global strategy to respond to criminalization, discrimination, and violence against LGBTI people internationally. Read their press release here.
Congress acts to condemn new Sharia Penal Code Order in Brunei. The Sultan of Brunei announced new criminal penalties that include death by stoning for adultery, same-sex relationships and blasphemy. Many other penalties also severely undermine the rights of women and minorities. A bipartisan resolution in the Senate (S.Res.198) and a bill in the House (H.R. 2561) condemn the new Brunei penal code and call for the use of “Global Magnitsky” sanctions against officials in Brunei who implement the worst provisions of the law.
GLOBE Act to be reintroduced in House in June to celebrate Pride. In recognition of Pride month in June, Rep. Titus (D-NV) plans to reintroduce the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act (formerly H.R. 7291 in the last Congress). As a comprehensive “vision bill,” GLOBE provides a broad roadmap for U.S. leadership to advance the human rights of LGBTI and other vulnerable minority communities around the world. Please consider joining as an original cosponsor. Read the Council’s endorsement and a blog explaining the bill’s impact here.
Appropriations bill repeals “global gag rule” and supports LGBTI rights globally. The House Committee on Appropriations released its FY 2020 State, Foreign Operations bill with provisions that repeal the Global Gag Rule. The repeal is an important milestone for reproductive health and for LGBTI communities, as “global gag” has diverted lifesaving funding away from health care providers that have traditionally offered care, including HIV services, to LGBTI communities in PEPFAR countries. The accompanying report also includes support for LGBTI rights, including: $7.5 million for the Global Equality Fund at the State Department and $5 million for LGBTI programming at USAID. The report further requires the State Department to report to Congress on its efforts to promote LGBTI rights globally and to maintain its annual reporting on the human rights of LGBTI individuals in its human rights country reports to Congress.
EXECUTIVE BRANCH ACTION
Council opposes President’s choice to head the Human Rights Bureau at the State Department. On the Occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, the Council for Global Equality again called on Senators to oppose the confirmation of Robert Destro to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights because of his overtly homophobic and transphobic writings. The Council concludes that Destro can’t credibly lead human rights because of the heavy baggage he carries from his expansive public record opposing human rights for LGBTI individuals.
Administration sanctions another official involved in LGBTI persecution in Chechnya. The head of a notorious “rapid response” force in Chechnya, who is close to the Kremlin-backed dictator of Chechnya, was added to the “Magnitsky Sanctions” list by the Treasury Department. Abuzayed Vismuradov and his rapid response forces are now subject to U.S. asset and visa sanctions. The Council submitted documentation last year establishing his personal and command responsibility in the persecution of gay men in Chechnya. Read more from the Treasury Department here and the State Department here.
GLOBAL LGBTI DEVELOPMENTS
In recent good news…
Taiwan’s legislature passed Asia’s first same-sex marriage law on May 17th! Hundreds of couples have been waiting to marry after the Court gave the government a deadline of May 24th to create equal marriage rights.
The lower house of Chile’s legislature passed an inclusive new adoption law on May 8th. It next goes to the Senate where, if passed, same-sex couples will be afforded full parenting rights in Chile.
Although the final results of the election in Thailand are not complete, four openly LGBT members of Parliament were elected. Once a new government is formed, efforts to pass the Civil Union law will continue.
In bad news…
In Cuba last week, the government tried to shut down the annual IDAHOT event, but LGBTI marchers persisted in holding the first independent LGBTI event, despite a number of arrests. This reflects the split between the government-sanctioned National Center for Sexual Education (run by former President Raul Castro’s daughter Mariela Castro) and more independent LGBTI-rights advocates and others not in alignment with the government.
South African Olympic runner Caster Semenya lost her case against the International Association of Athletic Federations, which decided that she and other female athletes with naturally occurring high testosterone levels should be required to take controversial testosterone-reducing medication in order to compete. This decision is being appealed by Athletics South Africa to the Swiss Federal Tribunal.
Watch this space…
On May 24th, the Kenyan Constitutional Court has promised to release its long-delayed decision on decriminalizing same-sex sexual acts in Kenya. If equality prevails, this will signal a very significant decision for other African and Commonwealth nations.
