At the opening talks of the African Union summit in Addis Ababa on Sunday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the continent’s leaders to respect LGBT rights, according to the Voice of America.
“Let me mention one form of discrimination that has been ignored or even sanctioned by many states for far too long: discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. This has prompted some governments to treat people as second-class citizens, or even criminals,” said Ban. “Confronting this discrimination is a challenge. But we must live up to the ideals of the Universal Declaration [of Human Rights].”
The VoA reports that, after the opening session, “more than one speaker… expressed irritation at what many perceive as outside interference in African affairs.”
Ethiopia, which was hosting the conference, doesn’t have a good track record on even allowing gay people to assemble freely.
An international AIDS conference in Addis Ababa last month was nearly derailed when the leaders of Ethiopia’s main religious denominations scheduled a joint news conference to express outrage at a planned meeting of gay-rights activists. The clergymen called off their protest only after the gay-rights meeting was moved from a local hotel to the United Nations compound.
But, you know what? They’re right. We really should just mind our own business.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Quick question: Does the financial support, medical supplies, educational grants, military assistance and technology that the U.N., the U.S., and other pro-equality nations and organizations provide count as “outside interference”?
‘Cause we can stop all that too.
Me
European and Canadian diplomatic relations should be severed with the United States as well since the US has a long and repulsive history of abusing GLBT citizens — including, but not limited to: imprisoning (like in most of Africa), putting in mental institutions (like political dissidents in the former Soviet Union), murdering (like in Jamaica) while the “authorities” turn a blind eye to it, and denying full citizenship including marriage equality (like in China and several other dictatorships and backwards countries – Australia as well as in Eastern Europe, etc.). So when Hilary made her little speech a few weeks ago, how many fingers were pointing back at her and the USA along with a few of our allies?
Of sure, we don’t behead Gays in America (lynching was the preferred means of execution pre-Stonewall in the Deep South for Gay men…usually on trumped up charges of pedophilia — just like in Iran today), but didn’t the 1st Amendment spewing United States just this year take the gag off the collective mouths of tens of thousands of Gay men and Lesbians in the Armed Services and allow them to finally have their identity back?
Perhaps, just perhaps, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon should shine a little light on the past abuses, as well as the current oppression, of the GLBT community in the USA as well in order to put things into perspective..
Kev C
The West give lots of money to fight AIDS in Africa. It’s a big deal, a big enterprise for many africans, and much of that money goes to religious NGOs who discriminate against homosexuals. We need to bypass these religious groups, totally cut them out of the picture and stop them from recieving our government tax dollars – and our charity donations towards fighting AIDS. These dollars are a major source of revenue for religious bigots and we need stipulations and assurances that our dollars are not being spent to support homophobia.
CBRad
Good for him for saying it. I don’t know how much good it will do, but still…good..
Okama
As much as I agree with the content and message of this article, are you sure you really want to call the US a pro-equality nation? Because it’s sure doing a shitty job of that, no matter what Hillary Clinton, who by the way has said that she doesn’t support marriage equality, says.
Ryan
Queerty’s commentary at the end of this post is HORRIBLY problematic – the same sentiments are creating backlash abroad AGAINST LGBTI minorities. That’s why almost everyone in this field working with refugees and actually hoping to promote the rights of SOGI minorities has CONDEMNED aid conditionality.
Seriously, Queerty. I’ve been reading for years, and the commentary is just getting progressively less informed. If you don’t understand the issue, please don’t use your influence to spread that ignorance. YOU are part of the problem for those of us trying to actually save persecuted LGBTI minorities.
13Zeroither
Say, isn’t that blackmail? In order for the countries in Africa to be more lgbt
friendly (by signing into law protections and other equal rights to the lgbts there),
are you saying that we should fuck Africa over until they all succumb and say:
“Okay, we give up. We’ll make Africa more lgbt friendly. And condoms are okay! Somebody
tell the pope to fuck himself.”
wow. now THAT’S extremist.
Kev C
@13Zeroither: Nope. We’re withholding foreign aid to human rights abusing countries and partys. President Obama and Hillary Clinton support cutting off aid money to countries who oppress lgbts. David Cameron is cutting off the aid. Sarkozy and Merkel will probably join them. If african countries want to abuse their gay citizens, they will not recieve foriegn aid. That is their choice.
13Zeroither
@Kev C ah, I see. Only time will tell……(I do hope that they are using condoms. You know, safe sex. It doesn’t matter that if someone is a jerk, they could be a STD infected jerk that NEEDS to use a condom. No more of that bareback crap!)