Taking a global view

I have spent the past two weeks in Israel, where I was fortunate to attend the inaugural World LGBTQ Youth Leaders Summit in Tel Aviv.

The event was significant as it was the first genuinely global gathering of young LGBTQ leaders (the ‘I’ for intersex was missing this time, a matter which was raised for the next summit), with representatives from every continent except Antarctica.

Some of us came from places with a long history of activism and reform, but many are engaged in inspiring work in countries where it remains genuinely dangerous to belong to a sexual or gender minority.

One such person is Arsham Parsi, the Iranian delgate. Operating from Canada, where he lives in exile, his organisation Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees has helped more than 400 queer Iranians seek asylum in countries more accepting of their idenitity.

Only a few days ago, the United Nations issued its first-ever report on the rights of LGBT people. The report revealed a “pattern of human rights violations that demand a response”.

Violence against LGBT people is described as “especially vicious compared to other bias-relatied crimes”. In 76 countries homosexuality remains illegal, while in five — including Iran — it is punishable by death.

Yet times are changing. In the past couple of decades, more than 30 countries have decriminalised homosexuality.

One of the recurring themes of the summit was the relationship between LGBT rights and broader issues of equality. LGBT rights are human rights, and if there is a gift in the discrimination our community has endured over the years, it lies in the window to compassion that is opened towards all those who are marginalised — whether on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual preference, gender identity or any other ground.

The reality of the current political situation in Israel was not lost on participants or organisers, and this added to the depth of the dialogue.

We can be thankful in Australia for the freedoms we have, and at the same time our work is not yet done. To this day, there remains no protection on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity in federal anti-discrimination law. However, the federal Government promised to rectify this situation as part of its 2010 election campaign, and through a grant from the Commonwealth Attorney-General, the GLRL will engage in community consultation and education throughout 2012-13.

While we work in our own patch of grass, we must never forget we are part of something bigger.

By Justin Koonin
NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby