REPORT: WORLD'S GAYS STILL HAVE PROBLEMS
In general, the world remains a hostile place for gays, lesbians and other "sexual minorities," Human Rights Watch says in its World Report 2001.
"Protection from abuse remained elusive for lesbians, gay men, and bisexual and transgender people in 2000," the group said.
"In virtually every country in the world, people suffered from de jure and de facto discrimination based on their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Sexual minorities were persecuted in a significant number of countries and in many ways, including the application of the death penalty or long prison sentences for private sexual acts between consenting adults. In some countries, sexual minorities were targeted for extrajudicial execution. In many countries, police actively participated in the persecution. Pervasive bias within the criminal justice system in many countries effectively precluded members of sexual minorities from seeking redress."
More than 80 countries criminalize sex between consenting adults of the same gender, Human Rights Watch said.
"Elsewhere, national or local legislation discriminated against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons by imposing different standards for the legal age of consent," the report said. "In addition, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons were often targeted for arrest under provisions relating to 'scandalous conduct,' 'public decency,' loitering, and similar charges."
Nearly all of the specific instances of discrimination and abuse cited in the report were covered by this weekly international news column, which is archived and searchable at www.wockner-news.com .
There was good news in 2000, too, often in the form of gay-friendly court rulings or legal recognition of same-sex partnerships—both in developed nations and in some developing nations.
SRI LANKAN GAY GROUP GROWS
Sri Lanka's only gay group, Companions on a Journey, has grown to 1,400 members, founder Sherman de Rose said at a press conference.
"We've come a long way," he said. "We are proud to say that we've come through a horrible, inhuman, indecent, vicious period."
Companions operates a drop-in center that attracts about 15 people a day for counseling, education, health advice and shelter.
Recently, the group has established relations with the Ministry of Health to distribute government-provided condoms in gay cruising areas.
Gay sex is banned in the largely Buddhist nation but there have been no prosecutions for more than 50 years.
BALTIC GAYS STAGE CULTURAL EVENTS
Gay groups from the Baltic nations organized concerts, art exhibits, films and human-rights seminars in Vilnius, Lithuania May 26-27.
One exhibit featured Belarus photographer Elena Adamchik's pictures of gay men.
Belarussian activist Edward Tarletski described plans to hold gay-pride events again this year in Minsk, the capital city, despite the fact that the authorities shut down last year's activities. Belarussian gays also are planning a conference on gay and lesbian culture in September.
Colin de La Motte Sherman of the International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network presented a forum on Nazi persecution of homosexuals.
KAZAKSTAN
GAYS BEATEN
Police in Almaty, capital of Kazakstan, refused to intervene as four gays were beaten by thugs outside a gay bar in early May, according to the Institute for War and Peace Reporting.
"Instead, they joined the attackers," the group said. "The incident is anything but unique. Beatings of gay men are as commonplace in Kazakstan as police intervention or protection is non-existent."
HETEROSEXUAL PRIDE DAY DECLARED
The mayor of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada—the provincial capital—has declared June 18 Heterosexual Family Pride Day.
The proclamation states: "Whereas the intact heterosexual family unit is ordained by God as clearly revealed in the Holy Bible ( Gen 2:23, 24 Matt 19:4-6 ) ; and whereas large bodies of research support the conclusion that intact heterosexual families provide an excellent nurturing environment for children; and whereas many believe that intact heterosexual families provide a necessary source of stability that benefits society as a whole; and whereas intact heterosexual family units provide much needed stability and moral direction for children and young adults; and whereas intact heterosexual families provide sexual satisfaction for the men and women who are committed to them; and whereas when monogamy is practiced, the husbands and wives who enjoy sexual relations in the confines of their heterosexual marriage have no reason to worry about STDs, AIDS or broken hearts. Now therefore I, Pat Fiacco, Mayor of the City of Regina, do hereby proclaim Monday, June 18, 2001, as Heterosexual Family Pride Day in Regina, and in issuing this proclamation, ask our citizens to recognize this day."
After some gay activists and others complained about the wording of the proclamation, mayoral spokeswoman Carol Edwards said the document had been written by the people who submitted it, not by anyone in city government, and that it was "worded too strongly." In the future, she said, all proclamations will be written in standard bureaucratic language drafted by the city.
In a letter to one person who complained, Edwards also stated: "I wanted ... to let you know that Regina also expects to be proclaiming 'Lesbian, Bisexual and Gay Pride Week' in June."
