Together always?

UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDaHoT) today:

As we mark the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, we face a stark fact. In every corner of the world, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI+) people continue to face violence, persecution, hate speech, injustice and even outright murder.

Meanwhile, retrograde laws continue to criminalise LGBTQI+ people around the world, punishing them for simply being who they are. Each assault on LGBTQI+ people is an assault on human rights and the values we hold dear.  We cannot and will not move backwards.

The United Nations firmly stands with the LGBTQI+ community, and will continue working until human rights and dignity are a reality for all people.

I renew my call to all Member States to uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and end the criminalisation of consensual same-sex relations and transgender people.  Being yourself should never be a crime.

In keeping with this year’s theme - “Together Always:  United in Diversity” - I call on the world to speak with one voice to eliminate the stigma, discrimination, harmful practices and often deadly violence endured by LGBTQI+ people.

Human rights are non-negotiable.  They belong to every member of the human family — no matter who they are or whom they love.  Let’s continue working to build a peaceful, just world in which all people are free and equal in dignity and rights.

Let's take a look at what actually is happening in some of those member states, shall we?

• USA
• Australia 
• UK
• France
• Uganda
• Russia (of course)
• Furthermore, a recent study showed Lesbians are being coerced into unwanted heterosexual marriages in Canada, Indonesia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Malawi, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tunisia and Ukraine.

Despite some good news, such as Switzerland and Cuba legalising same-sex marriage, and Antigua, Barbados, Saint Kitts and Nevis decriminalizing homosexuality, let's charge our glasses for our traditional toast:

To the governments in the bulleted list above, and those of Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Oman, Jamaica, Myanmar, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Zambia, Sudan, Iran, Maldives, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Italy, Romania and Bulgaria; and to all the insane Trump acolytes and wannabees (like DeSantis), the pseudo-religious evangelists, imams and and rabbis, the tin-pot dictators, rappers, media moguls and to anyone who espouses hate against us...

...All, together, now!

GayClic Collab Against Homophobia - Fuck You!

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FOOTNOTE:

Fun fact for IDaHoT:

Did you know that Grandpa Walton was gay and Grandma Walton a lesbian? Well there goes the illusion of old time American values. Good night, John Boy.

When Ellen Corby (Grandma Walton) died in 1999, the chief mourner at her funeral was Stella Luchetta. If this lady was mentioned at all in the press, it was as friend and/or caretaker. However, it was an open secret in Hollywood that Stella was much more than that. The couple had been in a committed relationship for forty-five years by then. Ellen's last words were spoken to Stella. They were 'love you'.

When we look at the history of the Gay Rights Movement in the USA, only a handful of people stand out. One of those is Harry Hay. Harry was a member of the original gay rights organisation, the Mattachine Society. Yet go back to 1934, to the very beginning of this civil rights story, and look beyond Mr Hay to his boyfriend... young Grandpa Walton (Will Geer).