This is a blog is related to my academic work in the International Academic Forum on SOGIESC Law but meant to serve anyone who wants to contribute to improve the protection of human rights worldwide. It is intended to keep interested readers informed about legal developments relating to sexual orientation, gender expression and identity and sex characteristics (SOGIESC). Hopefully, it will make it easier to find correct legal information about the developments in all regions of the world and, in particular, with regard to international law.
Australia Capital Territory passes bill banning conversion therapy
The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Legislative Assembly passed the Sexuality and Gender Identity Conversion Practices Bill on Thursday, banning the practice of conversion therapy on LGBTQ persons. Sexuality or gender identity conversion practices are โtreatment[s] or other practice[s] the purpose, or purported purpose, of which is to change a personโs sexuality or gender identity.โ However, the bill specifically excludes practices like assisting a person undergoing or considering gender transition from the definition of conversion practice.
The bill provides for both criminal and civil remedies against people who practice conversion therapy. Practicing conversion therapy on protected individuals could result in up to a year in jail, up to $24,000 in criminal fines, or civil redress provided by the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. The bill was amended shortly before it was passed at the request of religious groups and ACT opposition leader Alistair Coe who feared the broad definition of conversion therapy would allow children to sue their parents.
USA: Federal appeals court rules denying transgender student access to bathroom of choice was unlawful
The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled on Wednesday that it was unlawful for a Virginia school board to deny a transgender student access to the bathroom that corresponded with his gender identity. The court determined that preventing the student from accessing the bathroom of his choice was a form of sex discrimination.
The lawsuit, originally filed in 2015, arose when Gavin Grimm was denied use of the boysโ restroom at a local public high school in Richmond, Virginia. Grimm, now a college student, was born as a female, but identifies as male.
In the initial suit, Grimm argued the school boardโs policy denying his access to the boysโ restroom violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and constituted discrimination on the basis of sex. His lawsuit was later amended to add the boardโs refusal to amend his educational records to reflect his gender identity.
Judge Henry Franklin Floyd wrote the decision, citing the recent landmark Supreme Court case that extended protection against sexual discrimination to LGBTQ individuals. In his opinion, Floyd stated that due to the recent ruling by the Supreme Court, โ[the court has] little difficulty in holding that a bathroom policy precluding Grimm from using the boys restrooms discriminated against him.โ
USA: Amicus brief filed by Williams Institute with Supreme Court in same-sex parenting case
On 20 August, the Williams Institute and 49 other scholars, researchers, and legal experts filed an amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The case will ultimately determine whether states and localities must contract with child welfare agencies that discriminate against same-sex couples on the basis of religious beliefs.
The Williams Institute’s briefย explains that forcing states and localities to allow discrimination against same-sex parents will cause significant and long-lasting harm to same-sex couples and children in foster care. It would likely reduce the number of homes available for children in need and stigmatize LGB people, which has been shown to jeopardize health and well-being. Furthermore, it would send a message that the government sanctions and approves LGB discrimination, potentially emboldening other forms of discrimination against LGB people.
The brief was prepared with the pro bono assistance ofย Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP.
A Ugandan town councilman and a Ugandan prisons officer have been summoned to face criminal charges of torture and inhuman and degrading treatment connected to the arrest of 20 men at an LGBT homeless shelter in March and their imprisonment for 50 days.
Imprisoned LGBT community members in Uganda await transportation back home from Kitalya Prison after being released on May 29 โ 50 days after their arrest.
Lesbian couples should no longer have to adopt their own children in Germany
Da die Schweizer gerne deutsches Recht kopieren, kommt dieser Vorschlag vielleicht gerade zur rechten Zeit: Lesbische Paare sollen in Deutschland eigene Kinder nicht mehr adoptieren mรผssen Zwar habe auch das Bundesamt fรผr Justiz und angesehene Schweizer Juristen sich so verlauten lassen, aber Politiker und Presse interessiert das wenig. https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/sorgerecht-kinder-lesbische-paare-1.5005245 ustizministerin Lambrecht plant eine Reform desย [โฆ]
Neue Paragrafen sind oftmals sperrig, aber diese Vorschrift kommt schlank daher: “Mutter eines Kindes ist die Frau, die es geboren hat”, heiรt es seit jeher im Bรผrgerlichen Gesetzbuch. Nun aber bekommt Paragraf 1591 einen zweiten Absatz: “Mutter eines Kindes ist neben der Mutter nach Absatz 1 auch die Frau, die zum Zeitpunkt der Geburt mit der Mutter nach Absatz eins verheiratet ist oder die die Mutterschaft anerkannt hat.” Mehr braucht es nicht, um einen grundstรผrzenden Wandel in Worte zu fassen.
Nach der Zulassung der Stiefkindadoption im Jahr 2013 und der Ehe fรผr alle 2017 folgt also der nรคchste Schritt. Kinder kรถnnen fortan zwei Mรผtter haben, und zwar ohne Adoption. Das gilt fรผr Ehen wie auch fรผr unverheiratete lesbische Paare. So sieht es ein Gesetzentwurf des Bundesjustizministeriums vor, der nun in der Regierung abgestimmt wird; er liegt der Sรผddeutschen Zeitung vor. Danach sollen beide Frauen Mutter heiรen, wie das etwa in den Niederlanden (“moeder”) oder in Finnland (“รคiti”) der Fall ist. Der Entwurf verzichtet auf den holprigen Begriff “Mit-Mutterschaft”, wie man ihn in Belgien (“meemoeder”), Dรคnemark und Norwegen (“medmor”) kennt – รผbrigens alles Lรคnder, in denen die gemeinsame Elternschaft lesbischer Paare, die Deutschland nun etwas verspรคtet einfรผhrt, bereits Gesetz ist. Ein Adoptionsverfahren durchlaufen zu mรผssen, auch wenn es ein Wunschkind sei, “das wird von lesbischen Paaren zu Recht als diskriminierend empfunden”, sagt Bundesjustizministerin Christine Lambrecht, “eine Mutter sollte ihr Kind nicht adoptieren mรผssen.”
Eine Co-Vater-Regelung fรผr homosexuelle Mรคnner sieht der Entwurf nicht vor
Dass Kinder lesbischer Paare fortan zwei rechtliche Elternteile haben, und zwar, wie bei heterosexuellen Paaren, von Beginn an, dient dem Entwurf zufolge vor allem ihrer Sicherheit. Denn damit sind Ansprรผche verbunden, vor allem auf Unterhalt. Zugleich schreibt der Entwurf fest, dass es nur zwei Elternteile geben kann. Der mรคnnliche Erzeuger, etwa ein Samenspender, den nach der Geburt plรถtzlich Vatergefรผhle รผberkommen, kann sich nicht als dritter Elternteil hineindrรคngen. Auรerdem sieht die Reform keine Co-Vater-Regelung fรผr homosexuelle Mรคnner vor, die bei der Familiengrรผndung oft auf die problematische und in Deutschland verbotene Leihmutterschaft angewiesen sind.
Weniger beherzt ist der zweite Teil der Reform ausgefallen. Zwar soll unverheirateten Paaren der Weg zum gemeinsamen Sorgerecht fรผr ihre Kinder erleichtert werden, also die Entscheidung รผber Schule, Namen oder Wohnort. Eine gemeinsame Erklรคrung ist nicht mehr nรถtig, fortan soll die Anerkennung der Vaterschaft genรผgen, fรผr die freilich die Zustimmung der Mutter nรถtig ist. Wird um die Vaterschaft dagegen vor Gericht gestritten – das dann per DNA-Test die Verhรคltnisse klรคrt -, bekommt der gerichtlich festgestellte Vater das Sorgerecht aber nicht automatisch. Dann bleibt es bei der gemeinsamen Erklรคrung. Gegen die Mutter geht also nichts: Ihre Vetoposition soll Konflikten รผber Kinder entgegenwirken, die durch Samenspender oder in One-Night-Stands gezeugt wurden. Damit bleibt der Entwurf hinter den Regeln vieler anderer Lรคnder zurรผck, in denen die Eltern automatisch das Sorgerecht bekommen. Das hatte auch eine vom Ministerium eingesetzte Arbeitsgruppe vorgeschlagen.
Neu sind zudem erweiterte Ansprรผche zur Klรคrung der genetischen Abstammung. Bisher kรถnnen nur Vater, Mutter und Kind einen Gentest verlangen. Wer sich dagegen fรผr den leiblichen Vater hรคlt, dem bleibt nur der brachiale Weg, die Vaterschaft des anderen Mannes anzufechten. Der Entwurf rรคumt nun auch dem mutmaรlichen Vater eine vereinfachte Mรถglichkeit ein, allein die genetische Verwandtschaft klรคren zu lassen, ohne gleich mit einer Klage die fremde Familie zu sprengen. Dasselbe gilt รผbrigens auch fรผr die “mutmaรliche Mutter”: In Zeiten der Eizellenspende ist nicht immer gewiss, wer die genetische Mutter ist.ยฉ SZ vom 21.08.2020/bix
USA: Federal judge blocks Trump administration rule allowing healthcare providers to discriminate against transgender individuals
A judge for the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York has blocked a new rule by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that would allow healthcare providers to discriminate against transgender individuals. The ruling was issued on Monday, one day before the rule was set to take effect.
In 2015, HHS proposed a new set of rules that defined discrimination โon the basis of sexโ in Title IX to include discrimination โon the basis of pregnancy, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom, childbirth or related medical conditions, sex stereotyping, or gender identity.โ These rules took effect on July 18, 2016.
In 2019, HHS proposed a new set of rules that repealed the 2016 definition of discrimination โon the basis of sex,โ determining that โ[t]he plain meaning of โsexโ under Title IX encompasses neither sexual orientation nor gender identity.โ The new rules were to take effect on Tuesday.
On June 26, two transgender women filed suit, both of whom experienced discrimination because of their transgender status. They asked for the court to stay the rulesโ effective date and to preliminarily enjoin HHS from enforcing them.
On Monday, Judge Frederic Block concluded that the rules were contrary to the Supreme Courtโs ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County, Georgia. In the Bostock opinion, the Supreme Court held that โit is impossible to discriminate against a person for being homosexual or transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex.โ The district court also found that the HHS acted arbitrarily and capriciously.
The plaintiffs established that they were likely to suffer irreparable harm because monetary damages โcould hardly compensate plaintiffs for the detrimental effect of discrimination on their health and, perhaps, their lives.โ When balancing equities and public interest, Block reached a similar conclusion.
The judge also found that the plaintiffs were likely to succeed on the merits. HHS acted because of a โfundamental disagreementโ with the 2016 rules, and its position was โeffectively rejectedโ by the Supreme Court through the Bostock ruling. The HHS had an opportunity to reevaluate its proposed rule after the case was decided. Because of this, the court found that it was likely that the plaintiffs will succeed on their claim.
Block granted a stay and a preliminary injunction to preclude the rules from becoming operative.
USA: Federal judge temporarily blocks Idaho law targeting transgender athletes
Chief Judge David Nye of the US District Court District of Idaho on Monday temporarily blocked the first state law passed to ban transgender women from competing in womenโs sports.
The lawsuit was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Idaho in April on behalf of Lindsay Hecox and three other students who are challenging the constitutionality of HB 500, which excludes transgender athletes from competing in school sports and places requirements on schools to โverify the studentโs biological sexโ in the event any athleteโs gender is โdisputed.โ The new law was one of a pair of transgender restrictions recently passed in Idaho. The other, HB 509, sought to prohibit transgender individuals from changing their biological sex on their birth certificates. Both laws are currently facing legal challenges and have been blocked by preliminary injunctions.
Nye granted the plaintiffsโ motion for a preliminary injunction under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, and, after recognizing the decision to be controversial among many citizens in Idaho, stated โthe Constitution must always prevail.โ
Additionally, in considering whether Hecox is likely to prevail, a critical component of the legal standard for issuing an injunction, Nye considered the recent Supreme Court decision in Bostock, which held that โit is impossible to discriminate against a person for being โฆ transgender without discriminating against that individual based on sex.โ
In June, 60 prominent civil rights organizations and LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations called for the complete ban of all NCAA sponsored sporting events in Idaho in response to Idahoโs โdangerous anti-transgender legislationโ because the law is contrary to the NCAA inclusion policies for transgender student-athletes.
How you can help persecuted Russian LGBT+ activist, Yulia Tsvetkova
This is Yulia Tsvetkova from Komsomolsk-on-Amur in Russiaโs Far East. Yulia is a feminist, an LGBT+ activist, an artist, and a founder of a theatre studio for teenagers.
โI am a scary woman,โ she says.
Wondering why? Read on and judge for yourself.
Yulia began 2019 having achieved a lot and with big plans in store. To mark the first day of that year, and to take stock of the past 12 months, she posted this online:
โ2018 became a year of a major shift for me. It happens sometimes that important things arrive all at once. This year, I opened my own theatre, a community centre and an online feminist group. Towards the end of the year, I launched a project that I had dreamed about for many years โ sex-ed for teenagers. If somebody had told me a year ago that it would have turned out like this, Iโd have laughed wholeheartedlyโฆ
Many of these things would not have happened without the examples of the amazing people who came into my life and showed me that dreaming about a better world is both possible and necessary, and that we all are able to change whatโs around us.โ
Fast-forward to the first day of 2020 โ and Yulia celebrated New Year under house arrest, with a tracking bracelet on her ankle.
What happened in-between?
During 2019, Yulia carried on with her freshly-launched activist and theatre initiatives. She hosted events at the LGBT-friendly community centre. She contributed lots of content to her online awareness-raising projects: Vagina Monologues on destigmatising womenโs bodies; Komsomolka on feminism; and Dandelion field on sex-ed for teenagers. Together with the young members of her theatre group, Merak, she had a youth theatre festival in the making with four plays to present that coming March.
Then, just two months into 2019, anonymous complaints, threats, and calls from the police began creeping into Yuliaโs life. She was forced to cancel the theatre festival, due to pressure from the local authorities. Visits to the police station for questioning quickly became a routine and constant part of her days.
On one of her visits to the police, she learned that her drawings promoting body positivity were deemed โpornographyโ by law enforcement agents. Concerns were raised about her โA woman is not a dollโ series, in which schematic depictions of women are accompanied by affirmations like: โLiving women have body fat, and thatโs normal;โ โLiving women get wrinkles and grey hairs, and thatโs normal;โ and โLiving women have muscles, and thatโs normalโ. A couple of teenagers from Yuliaโs theatre group and some followers of her online communities were called in for questioning too.
The โVagina Monologuesโ online community that Yulia led drew the attention of the police as well. It community featured abstract depictions of female sexual organs and educational drawings of womenโs bodies.
Invitations from the local police for โinformal questioningโ stopped later in the fall of 2019.
But Yuliaโs story was about to take a darker turn.
Informal questioning soon gave way to formal interrogations. On 20 November 2019, Yulia Tsvetkova was arrested and put under investigation for โdistribution of pornographyโ.
Yulia was under house arrest for almost four months, from 23 November 2019 until 16 March 2020.
She went through dozens of interrogations and was ordered to undergo a psychiatric examination.
She was fined for โpropaganda of non-traditional sexual relationsโ twice: in December 2019 and in July 2020. In both cases โpropagandaโ was found in her online content: first in the feminist and LGBT+ communities that she ran, then โ in a drawing featuring LGBT+ families and a slogan โFamily is where love is. Support LGBT+ families!โ
Currently Yulia is appealing these two decisions and a third charge of โpropagandaโ based on an online post with illustrations in support of LGBT+ families in Russia.
She continues to regularly receive death threats, and her formal complaints to the police are met with complete indifference and inaction.
She is still under gag order and cannot leave her town while she awaits her trial in the โpornographyโ case, which might result in up to six years in prison.
Yet, Yulia will not give up her fight, and hereโs how you can help her.
Today, Yulia needs as many eyes as possible on her case and as many messengers as possible for her story. Your attention and your action matter.
Write, talk, tweet, draw about Yuliaโs story, and invite your friends and social media community to join.
Browse the FreeTsvet website, launched in Yuliaโs support by activists in Russia, for complete details and solidarity action ideas.
Get creative with your own solidarity action.
Use the hashtags #ะทะฐะฎะปั, #ัะผัะฎะปะธัะฆะฒะตัะบะพะฒะฐ, #ัะฒะพะฑะพะดััะปะตัะฒะตัะบะพะฒะพะน, #ัะฒะพะฑะพะดััะฒะตัะบะพะฒะพะน on your social media platforms.
Photo and illustrations: Yulia Tsvetkova / FreeTsvet.net
