Gay rights progress, but same-sex relations still a crime in 69 nations: report

[reader]

From Bangkok Post / AFP

GENEVA: Despite significant progress on gay rights around the world, dozens of countries still criminalise consensual same-sex activity, including six where being gay is punishable by death, campaigners said Tuesday.

In a fresh report, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) found "considerable progress" in legal protections for LGBTI people worldwide.

Even during the Covid-19 pandemic, which has created significant additional challenges for LGBTI and other minority communities, "positive developments have taken place," the organisation said.

But while the trend is towards acceptance, a full 69 UN member states continue to criminalise consensual sex between people of the same gender, the report found.

That is one fewer than last year, after Gabon backtracked from a 2019 law -- "the shortest-lived law of its kind in modern history," ILGA research coordinator and lead author of the report Lucas Ramon Mendos said in a statement.

More urgently than laws on the books, ILGA verified that 34 countries -- more than half of those with criminalising laws -- have actively enforced them in the past five years.

In six UN member states, the death penalty is the legally prescribed punishment for consensual homosexual sex: Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, as well as across 12 northern states of Nigeria.

And the report said sources indicated that the death penalty could potentially be used in such cases in five other countries -- Afghanistan, Pakistan, Qatar, Somalia and the United Arab Emirates -- although there was less legal certainty.

Another 42 countries have erected legal barriers to freedom of expression and sexual orientation and gender identity issues, while 51 have legal barriers to setting up NGOs that work on LGBTI issues.

ILGA's head of programmes Julia Ehrt voiced concern that some governments had taken advantage of the coronavirus crisis to step up efforts to "oppress, persecute, scapegoat and violently discriminate against us."

The organisation also voiced concern over the proliferation of so-called "LGBT-free zones" in places like Poland and Indonesia, and renewed support for "conversion therapies".

But even as anti-gay rights forces seem to gain ground in a number of places, ILGA said its latest report showed "how our global community has collectively achieved progress in every single legal category tracked."

It highlighted that Sudan in July repealed the death penalty for consensual same-sex sexual acts, and hailed that Germany had become one of four UN member states which ban conversion therapies at the national level.

A number of jurisdictions within Australia, Canada, Mexico and the United States have also done so.

And it celebrated that Costa Rica had joined the growing number of countries that have introduced marriage equality, bringing the total to 28.

Another 34 countries provide for some partnership recognition for same-sex couples, it pointed out.

Tuesday's report also showed that as of this month, same-sex sexual acts are legal in 124 countries -- 64 percent of UN member states.

[vinapu]

16 hours ago, reader said:

Tuesday's report also showed that as of this month, same-sex sexual acts are legal in 124 countries -- 64 percent of UN member states.

it means that in 1/3 of world nations governments not only think they have  business in their nations bedrooms  but also are ready to wiled a stick , sometimes very heavy. And all that almost quarter into 21st Century!

[Guest]

The 1/3rd include places like Singapore, where same sex activities are illegal, but there is no enforcement.  The naked night at the sauna was possibly the best thing I have seen ever.   As far as I know, Malaysia has minimal enforcement & it certainly hasn't stopped me enjoying myself on visits.

At the other end of the scale, we have places like Iran, where penalties seem to go as far as execution.   One reason why I have no intention of visiting such a place.  

[spoon]

49 minutes ago, z909 said:

The 1/3rd include places like Singapore, where same sex activities are illegal, but there is no enforcement.  The naked night at the sauna was possibly the best thing I have seen ever.   As far as I know, Malaysia has minimal enforcement & it certainly hasn't stopped me enjoying myself on visits.

At the other end of the scale, we have places like Iran, where penalties seem to go as far as execution.   One reason why I have no intention of visiting such a place.  

I can add on malaysia, even though the law criminalizing same sex relationship actually in our law, which has been inherited from UK law, it has rarely been enforced, except for the infamous political scandal of 1998. However, under much lower tier religious state law, there has been some form of enforcement occuring ocassionally, mainly targetting those who do it in public, or based on reports from community, and this is limited to very low fine and jail time, if any. 

There are however plenth of raids on massage centers, legal or illegal, but most of the time, no charges for the locals since the raids are mainly targetting foreigners who abuse their social visit pass or overstayed their visa to work. 

Anyway, yes, as long as its not in the open, most people couldnt care less what we do in our bedroom here. Go to any big shopping malls and u can see trans and gays openly dressed as they like and even employed as sales person especially in cosmetic and perfume section. Of course politician has always use lgbt issues as their weapon to get support. Sad but it could be worse. 

[10tazione]

Bhutan very recently (10 december2020) decriminalized homosexuality.

[PeterRS]

It is hard not to remember that the reason for so many countries having laws against homosexuality in one form or another is Britain. It was the British law of 1860 something which criminalised the law against "sodomy" that was almost immediately extended to all British colonial nations. In quite a few of these nations there had been no major stigma against homosexuality up to that time.

It was only a few years after Britain had started divesting itself of virtually all its colonies that the British parliament repealed that law. Of more than 50 countries in what is now the British Commonwealth, most of them former colonies, 37 still have laws that criminalise homosexuality. In some of these countries, the penalty is either death or a long prison sentence. Did the British government make any attempt to get newly independent countries to overturn that Victorian era law? Nope! Britain did not care.

[llz]

Seek the differences ...

Countries that Criminalise LGBT People  ...

[reader]

From Bangkok Post

Progress and setbacks

writer: Melalin Mahavongtrakul

This year has seen a lot of development regarding LGBTI communities in Thailand, around the world, and even on-screen, and although Covid-19 has led to more stigma and discrimination, there were still victories in some places

'Surprise" is the word that can be associated with a lot of things this year. From the political landscape to LGBTI rights advocacy in Thailand, we have witnessed the unexpected play out in broad daylight and in the heart of the capital no less. Giant rainbow flags were paraded down the streets of Silom and around Democracy Monument as thousands joined demonstrations calling for equal rights for LGBTI. The queer presence was alive and well in youth-led protests that have become part of the city's culture for the past few months.

There have been some welcome changes though. Pioneered in Chanthaburi province, a few provincial authorities are now allowing their civil officers to dress according to their gender identity. We usually see this kind of progress in universities (more of them are improving). So, having the trend continue further into the bureaucratic system was definitely a positive sign.

For unwelcome changes? Tanwarin Sukkhapisit was removed from her position as a member of parliament. Long known for directing queer and provocative films, Tanwarin joined the political arena and became the first katoey MP in the history of Thailand last year. It was sadly a short-lived career, but history has been made nonetheless. Tanwarin may have been among the first LGBTI politicians to sit in parliament but she surely won't be the last.

And then there's the future. Next year, keep an eye on the law. There is currently an effort to push the gender recognition bill and also same-sex unions. Independent activist Nada Chaiyajit recently made a draft for the gender recognition law that is based on case studies and Malta's Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Act 2015, and adapted it to fit the Thai context. This "Draft Zero", as Nada called it, addresses the rights of transgender, non-binary and intersex people and the intersectionality of that with education, labour, social development and more. The activist said it'll require more work next year to develop further drafts but there is also a plan to form a coalition to push it forward.

The prospect of same-sex unions and marriage is also a work in progress. The drafts for the civil partnership bill and another bill to amend the existing marriage law are both quietly moving forward. A recent meeting held by the Rights and Liberties Protection Department addressed the benefits of such a law while discussing religious concerns and opinions of stakeholders. It remains to be seen how this will proceed and which bill -- or neither, or both -- may possibly come into effect.

It's been interesting to witness the amount and variety of LGBTI content on the screen this year -- from TV and streaming to cinema, and from Hollywood to Asia. Earlier in the year, we had the hit K-drama Itaewon Class featuring a transgender character and a storyline concerning her coming out. Disney also showed one of its animated mythical characters as a lesbian in Onward. In a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, a minor character made a quick remark about her girlfriend. Is it revolutionary? Perhaps. But maybe we're desperately grabbing for anything that comes our way due to the lack of LGBTI representation in content for young audiences. Even with such a small mention, the film was met with bans and censorship attempts in several countries.

In Thailand, the Boys' Love trend continues with the popularity of 2gether: The Series in which two college guys get into a fake relationship only for it to blossom into something real. The show has attracted a large following at both local and international level. It is reportedly the most-viewed Thai series in the BL genre. Later in the year, we saw the coming-of-age I Told Sunset About You, a drama and romance between two childhood friends that propelled the genre even further with its story, performance and cinematography. Sunset Part 2 is set to be released in March. It's quite obvious the BL fad won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

 

[vinapu]

4 hours ago, reader said:

In Thailand, the Boys' Love trend continues with the popularity of 2gether: The Series in which two college guys get into a fake relationship only for it to blossom into something real. The show has attracted a large following at both local and international level. It is reportedly the most-viewed Thai series in the BL genre. Later in the year, we saw the coming-of-age I Told Sunset About You, a drama and romance between two childhood friends that propelled the genre even further with its story, performance and cinematography. Sunset Part 2 is set to be released in March. It's quite obvious the BL fad won't be going anywhere anytime soon.

 

and thanks God for that as being locked out of Thailand only watching Thai BL soothes my tormented and Thai- longing  soul