Hong Kong gay couple wins High Court battle as judge rules ‘oppressively unfair’ subsidised housing policy discriminatory
27 States (including Switzerland) called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to urgently protect the human rights of trans people, especially trans women
In a historic first, on 28 June 2021 27 States (including Switzerland) called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to urgently protect the human rights of trans people, especially trans women, 5 NGOs said. States also urged governments to work with trans-led organisations to raise awareness about the specific situations facing their communities.
The statement was delivered by Chile on behalf of the 27 UN member States from the newly formed Group of Friends of the mandate of the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity* during the Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences.
“Around the world,” Chile told the Human Rights Council on behalf of the group, “transgender and other gender diverse people face extraordinary levels of violence and harassment. We call upon member States, as a matter of urgency, to respect, to protect and to fulfil the human rights of transgender persons – especially transgender women, given the population’s historic marginalisation – by investigating rights violations and abuses, ensuring accountability, implementing effective antidiscrimination legislation and policies, and providing victims with direct access to an effective remedy and support services.”
“This is an historic step forward for the global trans community”, said APTN, GATE, ILGA World, RFSL, and TGEU, the organisations hosting the fifth edition of UN Trans Advocacy Week. “For the first time, States have taken the lead in recognising the historic injustices that people with diverse gender identities and expressions are still facing every day, and are pushing their own governments and others to work with civil society to raise awareness.”
Civil society has worked for years to highlight how persistent stigma and prejudice contribute to the vulnerability of trans and gender diverse people, pushing them into the margins of society and the labour market. At the same time, the criminalisation of their identities fosters a climate of impunity for acts of violence against them, translating in a ‘perfect storm’ of human rights violations.
Research shows that there has been a steady increase in the global number of reported murders of trans and gender diverse people, with at least 3,664 murders documented since 2008.
As UN member States pointed out, trans women are “at heightened risk of and exposure to violence, killings, and other human rights violations and abuses.” Data from 2019 and 2020 show that 98% of those murdered globally were trans women or trans feminine people. In all likelihood, there are many more cases that risk not being reported at all.
Adding to this violence, trans and gender diverse people are also in the line of fire on other fronts, targeted both by anti-rights and anti-gender actors that seek to revert gender equality gains.
During the 47th session of the Human Rights Council, women and LGBTI human rights defenders will come together for an event to reflect on the importance of building bridges, creating relationships of solidarity, and sharing examples of intersectional feminist action.
“We must remember that feminist and LGBTI struggles are intrinsically linked, despite hostile narratives claiming otherwise”, Trans Advocacy Week co-organisers pointed out. “States must create safe environments for people who do not conform to society’s gender norms.”
Read: https://ilga.org/protect-trans-women-rights-27-States-tell-United-Nations
USA to finally allow self-ID for trans folk and ‘X’ gender markers in massive passport shake-up
Read: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/06/30/us-passport-self-id-trans-non-binary/
Argentina introduces ‘X’ gender markers on IDs as president demands ‘respect’ for non-binary people
Read: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/07/22/argentina-x-id-non-binary/
Olympic frontrunners forced out of Tokyo games over naturally high testosterone levels
Read: Olympic frontrunners forced out of Tokyo games over naturally high testosterone levels
US Supreme Court rejects appeal by florist who refused to serve same-sex couple
Per the order list published Friday, the US Supreme Court declined an appeal from a Washington State-based florist who refused to sell flowers to a same-sex couple. The Court did not issue an opinion with the rejection.
The petitioner, Barronelle Stutzman, denied service to Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed, a couple who planned to get married in 2013. Stutzman cited her long-held Christian beliefs as the main motive behind the refusal of service. The American Civil Liberties Union lawyer Ria Tabacco Mar, representing Mr. Ingersoll and Mr. Freed, released a celebratory statement: “No one should walk into a store and have to wonder whether they will be turned away because of who they are. Preventing that kind of humiliation and hurt is exactly why we have nondiscrimination laws.”
Back in 2017, the Washington Supreme Court ruled against Ms. Stutzman, finding that she had violated a state anti-discrimination law through her refusal to sell goods to the couple. Stutzman relied on exemptions to permit discrimination in public accommodations, none of which were applied. In rejecting these exemptions, the court emphasized Ingersoll and Freed’s statements that the “case [was] no more about access to flowers than civil rights cases in the 1960s were about access to sandwiches.”
After the Supreme court decided the Colorado case Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission in 2018, the Supreme Court remanded Stutzman’s case back to Washington for a new review. After review in 2019, the court again ruled for the couple, stating Stutzman did not have a constitutional right to ignore state law prohibiting public businesses from discriminating based on sexual orientation. The court also mentioned that no religious bias factored into the decision of this matter.
While Ingersoll and Freed claim they have been painfully impacted by this event, Stutzman’s lawyers claim that the decision violated her First Amendment rights. Stutzman and her team are expected to appeal.
The post US Supreme Court rejects appeal by florist who refused to serve same-sex couple appeared first on JURIST – News – Legal News & Commentary.
BGH-Urteil: Lesbisches Paar muss Samenspender Kontakt zum Kind gewähren
A sperm donor from the private sphere is to be treated like any other man whose child is adopted by one or a relative of the mother, the Federal Supreme Court ruled.
Ein Samenspender aus dem privaten Umfeld ist wie jeder andere Mann zu behandeln, dessen Kind vom einem oder einer Angetrauten der Mutter adoptiert ist, urteilte der Bundesgerichtshof.
See: Judgment Az. XII ZB 58/20
Le Centre Maurice Chalumeau en sciences des sexualités recherche un/e Chargé·e de projets à 80%
Dans le cadre des activités du Centre, le·la chargé·e de projets aura notamment comme mission de:
1er septembre 2021
30 juillet 2021
Des renseignements complémentaires peuvent être obtenus par courriel uniquement: cmcss (at) unige.ch
Il s’agit d’un CDD d’une année renouvelable, sur fonds institutionnels.
Hungary to hold referendum on LGBT+ rights and trans kids made up of 5 toxic questions
Read: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2021/07/21/hungary-referendum-lgbt-trans-eu/
The Williams Institute (UCLA, USA) is seeking three analysts to assist with research related to sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy
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| The Williams Institute is seeking three analysts to join our team. The analysts will assist scholars at the Institute with research related to sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy. |
International and Comparative SOGIESC Law - Professor Andreas R Ziegler 