11/10/12

Demand Inclusion of LGBT Rights in the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional organization established in 1967 comprised of countries in the South East Asia region.
In 2009, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) was formed to promote and protect the human rights of people in the region and was tasked to formulate the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration, which aimed to standardize all human rights of all people in the Southeast region of Asia.

•Five member countries have laws that target and criminalize transgender women for ‘cross dressing’: Brunei, Burma, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Further more...

•Six member countries of ASEAN have laws criminalizing same sex activities between mutually consenting adults: Brunei, Burma, Malaysia and Singapore, Philippines (in Marawi City), Indonesia (in South Sumatera province).

•None of the 10 member countries of ASEAN have national anti-discrimination laws to protect people of diverse sexual orientation or gender identity or other minorities and vulnerable groups.
"The only glimpse the public and civil society groups have had of the proposed declaration was by way of a leaked document" Jakarta Post 
The ASEAN Human Rights Declaration does not include or recognize the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) persons.
"Civil society groups gathered in Phnom Penh last week argued that time was running out to rid the proposed draft of clauses that would restrict peoples’ rights rather than protecting and enhancing them."
Since it’s conception, LGBT groups have been demanding the inclusion of human rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration but our demands have fallen on deaf ears. This is a clear sign by the member countries of ASEAN that they do not recognize the existence of LGBTIQ persons and have no interest in protecting and promoting the human rights of LGBTIQ persons in this region.


 

Take Action!  Stand in Solidarity with the ASEAN LGBT Caucus and IGLHRC in demanding the inclusion of LGBT Rights in the ASEAN Human Rights Declaration!










Malala Yousafzai's Khushhal Classmates Celebrate Her UN Day

As Malala recoveres from her injuries in the UK and thanks the global community for their prayers and support, United Nations has also declared November 10 to be celebrated globally as Malala Day.
As the world salutes this young hero's courage, young girls from her home town Swat also have messages for Malala.








Published on Nov 8, 2012 by United Nations 

United Nations, New York, November 8 2012 - Malala Yousafzai is a global symbol of every girl's right to an education. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon adds his voice to the messages from over 1 million people across the globe.

Text of the Secretary-General video message in support of Malala Yousafzai and Girls' education:

Malala Yousafzai is a global symbol of every girl's right to an education.
On November 10th, citizens from across the globe are speaking out for Malala and on behalf of the 61 million children still not in school.
My Special Envoy for Global Education, Mr. Gordon Brown, will deliver a petition in support of Malala and the universal right to education. I am adding my voice to the messages from over 1 million people across the globe.
Education is a fundamental human right. It is a pathway to development, tolerance and global citizenship.
Join us in our campaign to put education first -- for Malala and girls and boys throughout the world.




11/9/12

Oregon Transgender Mayor Stu Rasmussen Wins Fifth Term!

Congratulations goes out to gender rebel Stu who won his fifth term  as mayor of Silverton Oregon. They love Stu now as much as when Stu was was almost protested by the Westboro Baptist Church.

Meet Stacie Laughton, New Hampshire's First Transgender Law Maker

The United States of America's fit's of growth just blossomed with this election. All across the country religion freedoms were honored, minorities rights protected but none more extraordinary for trans people (with the exception of the reelection of Obama) than this.

Stacie Laughton told the Nashua Telegraph  she hopes other LGBT people will be inspired by her win and will run for office also.

But as ground breaking as this is Stacie told the Telegraph she will remained focused on  "advocating for the homeless, those in low-income housing, and those with mental illnesses and physical disabilities. She also said she would like to strengthen the public school system."

I am inspired Stacie, not just by your win but by what you see as important. Great job and congratulations!



San Francisco On Track To Pay For Uninsured Resident's SRS Starting Fall 2013

San Francisco California may soon become the first US city to provide Sexual Reassignment Surgery (SRS)  to its uninsured residents according to the minutes of  November 6 2012 meeting of the Department of Health.

The City's Board of Supervisors resolution calling for the removal of the exclusion of SRS from the Cities "Healthy San Fransisco" regulations was favorably received by the Health Commission who published this memorandum.


The Health commission has put into motion the machinery necessary to make this happen by publishing a resolution, yet to be approved pending studies, to enable the city Hospital the funding and protocols necessary for this surgery.

This is truly a historical moment in our march towards equality. Major Kudos to all who are making this happen.

As a side note, I hope my city of Fort Worth will take notice of this, since they adopted all of the 20 recommendations made in the wake of the Rainbow Lounge Raid with the exception of one,

Such a missed opportunity! Texas are you going to be OK being 2nd best? There's still time to be the first! Enact all of the 20 recommendations, not just 19!

11/8/12

Class Action Lawsuit To Make Sweden Pay For Decades of Forced Sterilization Of Trans


Its Payback Time in Sweden!
[VIA TGEU'S TRANS-INFO-EUROPE EMAIL LIST]

"A coalition of Sweden's LGBTQ and Trans* organizations have joined forces to bring justice to Trans* and Gender Variant people in Sweden. In an outstanding class action law suite under the leadership of civil rights attorney Kerstin Burman the Swedish Government will finally have to face the cost for the forced sterilizations of Trans* and Gender Variant Swedish citizens who for decades have to undergo sterilization and in order to enjoy the basic human right have their gender legally recognized."

"Attorney Kerstin Burman will represent the claims of well over 100 victims of forced sterilization in Sweden. The Swedish Government has as a result of an earlier legal action accepted to pay compensation to the victims of forced sterilization between 1935 and 1975. The victims were mainly Roma and Traveler women as well as persons with disabilities and single unmarried women with low income. I'm proud to say that I'm joining my fellow Trans* and Gender Variant victims in this legal battle. Finally the time has come for the Sweden to pay for decades of injustice and human rights violations to our people!"

Ms. Maria Sundin
BSc SW

Member of the Board RFSL - the National Federation for LGBT Rights
Co-chair Transgender Europe
WPATH Membership Committee
Global Forum for MSM and HIV - Transgender Reference Group


[11/7/2012]

Source: Yahoo group transgender news message 76395

"In Sweden most transgender individuals are denied the right to change their legal gender. Under the provisions of the present law, Lagen om fastställelse av könstillhörighet i vissa fall ( SFS 1972: 119) only those individuals who have undergone treatment by one of the six regional gender teams will be granted the right to change their birth gender.

According to this law the applicant must be a Swedish citizen, unmarried and sterile and above the age of 18. With the application a statement by the treating psychiatrist must be submitted that the patient meets the criteria in WHO ICD-10 F.64.0 and that this condition has prevailed since the patients youth. This is in effect a stricter diagnostic criteria than that present in the ICD-10."
- Transgender Health Sweden

Incredibly, today's enlightened Europe is still the dark ages for trans people as 17 countries STILL require sterilization before one's gender identity is officially recognized.

This is nothing less than genocide.


 AutoStraddle Feb 2012