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‘Healing’ by Harming
March 6, 2009| Contributed by
Today was the second day of the anti-gay conference currently taking place in Uganda. The workshop started at 9:00 a.m. but with fewer participants than yesterday (about 43). The facilitators for the first half of the day were still members of the Ugandan organization Family Life Network, together with Don Schmierer, a member of the board of the American “ex-gay” organization, Exodus International.
Spreading Lies in Kampala
March 5, 2009| Contributed by
The long awaited anti-gay workshop featuring some of the most virulent homophobes from the U.S. religious right started today at the Triangle Hotel in Kampala. The workshop, which is scheduled to last 3 days, attracted about 50 participants, including counselors from schools and churches, students, clergy and representatives from NGOs and Christian organizations. Five participants attended on behalf of the LGBTI community.
The State Department Publishes its Annual Human Rights Report; The U.S. Can Do More
March 3, 2009| Contributed by
The U.S. Government has just published its annual human rights report documenting violations committed in all countries throughout the world (except the United States). In the early 1990s, IGLHRC worked with the State Department to include explicit reporting about the persecution of LGBT people in their annual country reports on human rights.
Congratulations Colombia!
February 24, 2009| Contributed by
Almost a month ago, the Colombian Constitutional Court ruled that same-sex couples are entitled to the same rights as unmarried heterosexual couples in common law marriages. Colombia Diversa have sent us this beautiful letter thanking us for our help in drafting an amicus curea to support their successful case. We send our congratulations to Colombia Diversa and to all the other Colombian activists fighting for equal rights for sexual minorities.
Back from Brazil
February 10, 2009| Contributed by
I just got back from Belem, Brazil, where I attended the World Social Forum. I presented on two panels: the first one, held with Catholics for a Free Choice (Argentina) - Católicas por el Derecho a Decidir (Argentina), was on religious fundamentalisms and sexual diversity in the era of the globalization, and the second was on a panel with representatives from five social movements in dialogue with each other on how to take up each other’s issues within their own movements.
Watching and Waiting at the UN
January 29, 2009| Contributed by
I’ve spent most of this week watching and assisting the Brazilian group ABGLT in the formal process of trying to get consultative status at the United Nations. Consultative status enables NGOs to deliver oral and written reports at UN meetings, organize events on UN premises, and speak out about abuses and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. ABGLT is the first LGBT NGO from the Global South considered for consultative status.
Welcome to our Blog!
January 21, 2009| Contributed by
If you are reading this, a big welcome to our new website and blog.
These are momentous times. Change is in the air. Yesterday we saw the swearing in of a new president of the United States -- a change that has resonance throughout the world.