U.N. backs gay rights for first time ever
In this July 2, 2009 file photo, a gay rights activist in Calcutta, India, participates in a rally celebrating the groundbreaking ruling by the Delhi High Court decriminalizing homosexuality. / AP Photo/Sucheta Das, File
GENEVA - The United Nations endorsed the rights of gay, lesbian and transgender people for the first time ever Friday, passing a resolution hailed as historic by the U.S. and other backers and decried by African and Islamic countries.
The declaration was cautiously worded, expressing "grave concern" about abuses suffered by people because of their sexual orientation, and commissioning a global report on discrimination of gays. But activists called it a remarkable shift on an issue that has divided the global body for decades, and credited the Obama administration's push for gay rights at home and abroad with helping win support for the resolution.
"This represents a historic moment to highlight the human rights abuses and violations that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people face around the world based solely on who they are and whom they love," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said in a statement.
Following tense negotiations, members of the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council narrowly voted in favor of the declaration put forward by South Africa, with 23 votes in favor and 19 against.
Backers included the United States, the European Union, Brazil and other Latin American countries. Those against included Russia, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria and Pakistan. China, Burkina Faso and Zambia abstained, Kyrgyzstan didn't vote and Libya was earlier suspended from the rights body.
The resolution expressed "grave concern at acts of violence and discrimination, in all regions of the world, committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity."
More importantly, activists said, it also established a formal U.N. process to document human rights abuses against gays, including discriminatory laws and acts of violence. According to Amnesty International, consensual same-sex relations are illegal in 76 countries worldwide, while harassment and discrimination are common in many more.
"The Human Rights Council has taken a first bold step into territory previously considered off-limits," said Graeme Reid, director of the LGBT Rights program at Human Rights Watch. "We hope this groundbreaking step will spur greater efforts to address the horrible abuses perpetrated on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity."
"Today's resolution breaks the silence that has been maintained for far too long," said John Fisher of the gay rights advocacy group ARC International. "It's clear that the resolution will serve as an entry point for further debate at the United Nations."
The opportunity to do so comes next spring. Friday's resolution called for a panel discussion "to have constructive, informed and transparent dialogue on the issue of discriminatory laws and practices and acts of violence against" gays, lesbians and transgender people.
The prospect of having their laws scrutinized in this way went too far for many of the council's 47-member states.
Speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Pakistan said the resolution had "nothing to do with fundamental human rights."
"We are seriously concerned at the attempt to introduce to the United Nations some notions that have no legal foundation," said Zamir Akram, Pakistan's envoy to the U.N. in Geneva.
Nigeria claimed the proposal went against the wishes of most Africans. A diplomat from the northwest African state of Mauritania called the resolution "an attempt to replace the natural rights of a human being with an unnatural right."
Indicating that Washington plans to keep up the pressure on this issue, Clinton said the U.S. "will continue to stand up for human rights wherever there is inequality and we will seek more commitments from countries to join this important resolution."
One of her senior diplomats, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary Daniel Baer, told reporters the Obama administration had chosen what he described as a "course of progress" on gay rights, both domestically and internationally.
In March, the U.S. issued a nonbinding declaration in favor of gay rights that gained the support of more than 80 countries at the U.N. This has coincided with domestic efforts to end the ban on gays openly serving in the U.S. military and discrimination against gays in federal housing.
Asked what good the resolution would do for gays and lesbians in countries that opposed the resolution, Baer said it was a signal "that there are many people in the international community who stand with them, and who support them, and that change will come."
"It's a historic method of tyranny to make you feel that you are alone," he said. "One of the things that this resolution does for people everywhere, particularly LGBT people everywhere, is remind them that they are not alone."
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I'm sure that this sentiment will really be appreciated by the G.L.B.T. person in some country ruled by Imams as they are on their knees waiting for the sword stroke that will separate their head from their body.
They should keep it insides their own homes, and not take it out in public. It's always difficult having to explain to children why some people spew such hate. It's just not natural.
Keep it in your own home what preference you have for anything! Be it drugs or sex! Now the natural thing is for a man and woman to kiss in public. Not a man with a man etc.! So! If? you want to smoke pot or shoot up heroin or get drunk--than keep it at home! Drunk in public is not allowed! as 2 men or 2 women kissing in public should not be either! Keep it in your own home!
The thing is the natural way to behave is not to be drunk or high in public nor 2 men or women kissing one another! The natural way is if? someone wants a drink fine! But do not get drunk! Do not shoot up or smoke pot out in public! Do not go overboard! in public! at ball games or where ever--otherwise the authorities will arrest you for drunk in public or high too! Get high at home! Kiss! at home!
You will never be accepted by most people everywhere! for being drunk, stupid, lewd or any other troubling behaviors! Keep it in your own home! Legalize pot YES! and
even other drugs --as some countries have! But! keep it! in your own home!
People should never be allowed to act violently nor drunk nor high nor lewd sexual behavior out in the public! A man and a man or a woman and a woman, touching and rubbing one another out in public is wrong! HECK! IF? WE ALLOW THAT THAN LET US ALLOW 3'SOMES TOO! WHILE WE ARE AT IT!
WE CAN HAVE 3 MEN MAKING OUT AT A PICNIC ON A BLANKET IN CENTRAL PARK! WHILE MY GRAND CHILD AND I FLY A KITE! AND THAN I HAVE TO EXPLAIN THAT THESE 3 PEOPLE ARE ENGAGING IN FREE PRIVATE RIGHTS! TO DO WHAT THEY WANT TO DO! HECK! MAYBE I CAN DO THAT WITH 2- 14 YEAR OLD GIRLS ONE DAY TOO! I MEAN 100 HUNDRED YEARS AGO--I COULD HAVE 5 WIVES AT AGE 13! AND EVEN SOME COUNTRIES TODAY--I STILL CAN! LET FREEDOM RING! AND LET PEOPLE JUST DO WHATEVER THEY WANT TO DO! YEAH! RIGHT! IT'S MY RIGHT! SURE! AND DOLLY MY SHEEP WOULD AGREE TOO! THAT AFTER OUR WALK! WE CAN KISS AND MAKE LOVE! I MEAN I WANT TO MARRY HER! SHE IS SO CUTE! AND UNDERSTANDING!
THAN WE CAN EXPLAIN THAT-- THAT MAN LOVES HIS SHEEP AND HAS THE RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY WANT OUT IN PUBLIC! WE ARE JUST TOUCHING AND CARESSING! NOTHING MORE! SHE KISSES GOOD! DADDY --MOMMY--WHY IS THAT MAN WITH THAT SHEEP! OH! BABY IT'S HIS PET OR NEW WIFE! A LOT OF PEOPLE DO IT!
EVEN GAY BARS AND GAY GATHERINGS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL! DO IT IN YOUR OWN HOME! NOT OUT IN THE PUBLIC! THE SAME WITH DRUG USE! YES! MAKE IT LEGAL--BUT KEEP IT PRIVATE! I AM SORRY! BUT THAT IS THE WAY THAT PUBLIC LIFE SHOULD BE! NORMAL AND ORDINARY! NOT A BUNCH OF DRUNK PEOPLE WALKING AROUND ACTING STUPID, VIOLENTLY ETC.! NOR ANYONE SMOKING POT OR SHOOTING UP DRUGS AT THE BEACH OR EVENTS EITHER! OR MEN WITH MEN OR WOMEN WITH WOMEN! TOUCHING OR KISSING ETC.! GOOD FOR DISNEY TO HAVE GAY DAYS! SHAME ON DISNEY IF? THEY ALLOW KISSING AND CARESSING ETC.! AND DO NOT HAVE BANNERS TO ANNOUNCE GAY DAYS EITHER! JUST LET THEM KNOW ARE ALLOWED TO BE TOGETHER! AND ENJOY THEM SELF'S TO HAVE NATURAL FUN! NOT KISSING IN LINE ETC.!SO DO IT AT HOME! WHERE IT SHOULD BE YOUR PRIVATE BUSINESS! AND NO ONE ELSE'S!
We should have parades for all the people of the world! American Indians, Blacks. whites etc.! I mean who cares about your choices of things! So no more gay pride parades either! DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR OWN HOME! DO NOT BRING IT INTO THE PUBLIC! AND BEING GAY HAS NEVER BEEN!~ NOR WILL IT EVER BE! WIDELY ACCEPTED IN 90% OF THE WORLD IN MOST PLACES! NEVER HAS BEEN! AND IT NEVER WILL BE! SURE--MANY COUNTRIES AND CITES IN THOSE COUNTRIES MAY AND DO AND WILL HAVE THE LAWS AND THE U.S AND THE U.N. TO BACK THEM UP! BUT! TRY GOING OUT TO MOST AREAS OT THE WORLD AND TO TRIBAL AREAS! 90% OF THE WORLD WILL NEVER ACCEPT THIS BEHAVIOR NOR ALLOW IT! SO GET OVER IT! BECAUSE TRUTH IS TRUTH! IT IS NOT NATURAL!
BIRD FLIGHT!
rushing rushing 'round
pounding pushing
total truth, perfect right
my way, the way
difference is damned
no color
but soothing grey
listen now, hear
/these aren't/
the Ravings of a Madman
So it disturbs me when some so-called Christians try to use their faith to justify hating and/or harming gays. These people are not behaving like true Christians but are dragging Jesus' name through the mud. Remember, we are all sinners--so if you're going to hate sinners, start with yourself.
by WillMunny1
Truly, I had no idea that the Catholic Church was vying for a seat on the UN!
You did not read or you choose to ignore all the cases of rape and child molestation done by UN peace keepers . I know you would just rather attack the church and that is OK too they have it coming. But the Un is just as bad as the church ever was when will you start attacking them?
If they did then there would be no Muslim countries at the UN would there? Muslims must enter the 21 st century. You know there was a time when the Muslims were far more advanced in Math, Science and many things than the rest of us. Tragic they allow a minority heretic groups to steel their fine religion and turn it to total crap. Now for all the true peace loving and good Muslims all you think of or hear about are the TERRORIST, Woman beaters, People who do not believe in human rights. That is sad in deed.