International LGBT Roundup: From Belarus to Burundi

The wide world of international LGBT rights saw at least one major victory this week, with a ruling from the Nepal Supreme Court that essentially legalizes same-sex marriages in the country.  The court ruled this week that a seven-member commission should be formed to study marriage laws in at least a half dozen other countries that recognize gay marriage, after which a report should be given to the Nepal government on how their country should establish marriage equality.  As we said earlier this week, this victory was huge.  Just a few years ago, LGBT persons weren't even recognized as citizens in Nepal.  Soon, they'll have the right to marry.

Elsewhere in the world, things have ranged from good (efforts to ignite an international campaign to end homophobia) to abysmal (homosexuality criminalized in another African country).  To the roundup:

Belarus: LGBT rights activists held a sit-down meeting with far right officials this week, in efforts to spark diaogue in the country over what can be done to advance sexual and gender equality.  Lawyers and human rights activists also took part in the discussion, which ended up being dominated by 19-year-old gay rights activist Sergei Androsenko from the Belarusian Initiative for Sexual and Gender Equality.  Per Androsenko: "It was very good that we and our opponents could see each other face to face and to talk."  Hard to say whether this will push forward progress on LGBT rights issues in Belarus, but earlier this week, Belarusian and Russian activists came together to start the formation of a Slavic Gay Pride movement, with a gay rights march organized for March 2009.

Burundi: In what can only be described as a twisted week for social justice in Burundi, legislators outlawed the death penalty and enacted criminal penalties for torture, and then decided to criminalize homosexuality. Hard to see how those efforts are at all consistent, yet the Burundi parliament voted 90-0 (with 10 abstentions) in favor of the new laws.  Advocates with the Association for the Respect of Homosexuals' Rights (ARDHO) were dismayed: "We at ARDHO are outraged by this decision to criminalize homosexuality. We don't understand how educated people can adopt such a law because homosexuality is neither a disease nor a deviance."

Canada: French academic Louis-Georges Tin gave a presentation at the University of British Columbia, where he talked about the U.S. election and its impact on LGBT rights, but also his efforts to ignite a campaign for an International Day Against Homophobia (also known as IDAHO, which is quite amusing!).  Per Tin, who is taking the IDAHO campaign to the United Nations in December: "We need to be aware of the situation around the world. Not just in countries where (homosexuality) is condemned, but in our (liberal) countries."

United Kingdom: This week also saw the 9th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance, an annual day set aside to remember those who have been killed or experienced violence because of anti-transgender prejudice.  In the UK, the Trade Union Congress called on employers to stop discriminating against employees because of gender identity.  "Discrimination, hatred and violence are part of the daily lives of far too many in Britain, and employers need to make sure all their employees are working in safe environments free from discrimination," said TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber.  For more information on the Transgender Day of Remembrance, click here.