As France’s security forces keep an eye on “radical” gay groups, like ACT-UP, Junior Human Rights Minister Rama Yade, seen here looking quite lovely, today pushed the EU and the United Nations to take more progressive stances on women’s and gay rights, respectively:
France is to call for a European Union drive to tackle violence against women worldwide and for the United Nations to step up action against homophobia, the French human rights minister said on Wednesday.
…
France, as holder of the six-month EU presidency, hopes to “set the criteria for EU intervention” in the fight against violence towards women, including by mobilising Europe’s diplomatic networks.Paris also plans to submit a draft declaration to the UN General Assembly in December aimed at combating homophobia and decriminalising homosexuality, which is punishable by prison in 90 countries and in theory by death in six of them, Yade said.
The European Union, too, could use a bit more gay progress – countries like Turkey and Poland continue to repress the lavender set.
NDFan
The EU does have more work to do, but a lot of its member nations are so far ahead of the US, in terms of rights, that it is not even funny. Poland is a problem of theirs, however Turkey is not in the Union. They want to be, but they haven’t been let in as of yet.
Tom
She is beautiful…more power to her.
Darth Paul
Unfortunately, the EU’s idea of steeling rights is to add to an already overbloated set of nanny laws, which is sad.
And what is UP with the authors acting like they know Europe, but misrepresent facts? Turkey in the EU?? The editor should be sent to current events camp.
John
Out of the 27 members of the EU, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, and the Netherlands allow homosexuals to adopt children. The rest of them ban such adoptions. In the United States, the only state that explicitly bans gay adoption is Florida.
So far ahead indeed.
Abortion is restricted far more heavily in the European Union than in the United States. Some EU countries (Ireland, Poland, Spain) ban the practice completely. It is also technically illegal in Germany. However, enforcement is lax. Abortion is heavily regulated in the UK. And many Europeans were absolutely horrified to learn that there’s a debate about “partial birth abortion” in the United States. All of them banned that procedure years ago.
So far ahead indeed.
Before Bush ran amok with his “emergency powers” under the Patriot Act, America was a world leader in civil liberties. In fact, security forces in Europe have long enjoyed powers that American police can only dream of.
In Italy, a suspect can be held for three years without charge and interrogated without the presence of a lawyer. Evidence searches without a warrant from a magistrate are also allowed. Forcing telecom companies to comply with wiretapping orders would not raise any eyebrows in the Netherlands, since they’ve been doing it for years. In the United Kingdom, the Home Secretary has the authority to control the movements (via electronic tracking devices or other means) of anyone suspected of terrorism. Even if said person has not been convicted on terrorism charges.
So far ahead indeed.
The problem with Europeans is they’re so smug about their own history and moral superiority that they act like there’s no room for improvement. I don’t think Americans are any better in terms of arrogance. But they’re certainly no worse. This is why the 21st century will probably belong to up and coming regions like Asia and Latin America. That’s clearly where the global action is shifting to.
Jack
Anyone who begins a sentence with such a sweeping statement as ‘The problem with Europeans is…’ is a shining example of why some Americans are considered so nauseatingly arrogant by the rest of the world.
L
They have established a goal of universal decriminalization of homosexual acts. I think it’s great they are stepping up to it. And, yes, Rama is lovely.
Psychofag
Bullshit…if France wants to spearhead gay rights they should start by legalizing same-sex marriages a simple PAC is not enough….
Les francais ne sont pas chaud!
tallskin
LOL it must be really galling for chauvenistic yanks to be told that the USA would fail to be allowed into the EU cos of its human rights records – for starters!
But hey, so far ahead, eh John?