A Victory for International Gay Rights at the United Nations

What do far-right politicians in Saudi Arabia and Egypt have in common with GOP politicians like Rep. Trent Franks (R-Arizona) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-New Jersey) here in the United States? Both camps are on the wrong side of history today, as these folks fought tooth and nail to prevent a leading international LGBT organization from receiving official consultative status at the United Nations.

But their homophobic efforts didn't pan out, and history was made at the UN as the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) received major support from countries like the United States, most of Europe, and nearly all of South America in their bid to get what's known as "consultative status" from the UN's Economic and Social Council (otherwise known as ECOSOC).

ECOSOC? IGLHRC? Darn, that's a lot of capital letters. But these acronyms are pretty darn significant, as today's move by the UN legitimizes LGBT rights on a completely global level. That's a fact that's not lost on the folks who work at IGLHRC.

"Today's decision is an affirmation that the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people have a place at the United Nations as part of a vital civil society community," said Cary Alan Johnson, IGLHRC Executive Director. "The clear message here is that these voices should not be silenced and that human rights cannot be denied on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity."

The move also signifies a victory by LGBT activists who put increasing pressure on the United States mission to the UN to help IGLHRC move through the accreditation process. As Dana Rudolph noted a few weeks ago, IGLHRC was dependent on countries like the U.S. stepping up to the plate and taking on LGBT rights as a global issue. The U.S., and Obama administration officials like UN Ambassador Susan Rice, came through.

The final vote today at the UN was 23 countries in favor of granting IGLHRC consultative status, 13 against, and 13 abstentions and 5 absences. Those in opposition were some of the usual suspects when it comes to human rights abusers around the world: Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, China, Russia, and more.

Which brings us back to Rep. Franks and Rep. Smith. Last week, these two Congressmen issued some harsh words for IGLHRC, and joined with governments like Egypt to vigorously oppose their move to get consultative status at the UN. Rep. Franks and Rep. Smith both took issue with the fact that IGLHRC adopted a mission statement ensuring "that the exercise of freedom of opinion and expression does not violate the rights and freedoms of persons of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities."

That's kind of a bunch of legal-sounding text, but in a nut shell, Rep. Franks and Rep. Smith were concerned that this mission statement intruded on a religious person's right to hate gay people. And they wanted to kill IGLHRC's bid to be internationally recognized by the UN because of this fear.

But no dice. Twenty-three countries saw right through this ploy. And as a result, the UN has accredited an international LGBT organization for the first time in a year. Now how about that for a cure to the Monday blues?

Photo credit: japedi