News – U.S. Rejects U.N. Resolution Condemning Criminalization of Homosexuality
U.S. rejects U.N.’s gay rights statement, cites “Don’t Ask [Don't Tell]“, The Advocate, Michelle Garcia. Is anyone surprised? Just because Obama has been elected doesn’t mean George Bush stopped being President or the Republicans stopped having any power. The article also mentions a “rival statement, read by Syria.” See the excerpt below for more.
U.S. balks at backing condemnation of anti-gay laws, Yahoo! News, David Crary. As Julien Sharp of Pam’s House Blend says, “It is a stark realization that the U.S. stands with its Muslim ‘enemies’ against the free world to continue its love of hating [gay people].”
U.S. refuses to sign U.N. gay rights declaration, 365gay.com.
Excerpts from the above headlines follow:
U.S. rejects U.N.’s gay rights statement, cites “Don’t Ask [Don't Tell]“
A joint statement addressing homophobia and LGBT rights for the first time at the United Nations was tabled Thursday, without the backing of the United States.
A rival statement, read by Syria, garnered 58 signatures, according to Bloomberg News. Syrian envoy Abdullah al-Hallaq, reading the statement, said homosexuality could “usher into social normalization and possibly the legitimization of many deplorable acts, including pedophilia.”
More than 77 countries find consensual same-sex relations to be a punishable offense, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex Association. Seven countries — Iran, Mauritania, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen — punish homosexuality by death.
U.S. balks at backing condemnation of anti-gay laws
Alone among major Western nations, the United States has refused to sign a declaration presented Thursday at the United Nations calling for worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality.
…
According to some of the declaration’s backers, U.S. officials expressed concern in private talks that some parts of the declaration might be problematic in committing the federal government on matters that fall under state jurisdiction. In numerous states, landlords and private employers are allowed to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation; on the federal level, gays are not allowed to serve openly in the military.
U.S. refuses to sign U.N. gay rights declaration
The United States Thursday became the lone major western nation to refuse to sign a United Nations statement affirming that human rights protections include sexual orientation and gender identity.
