IUSY QUEER WORKING GROUP
To this day, same sex sexual activity is still criminalised in 69 countries around the world. Laws enabling trans people to legally change their gender are implemented in only 96 countries. However, according to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) only 25 of them do not have “prohibitive requirements”. In 13 countries it is still illegal to “cross-dress”, so to dress not according to your official gender. These numbers show the unjust and unsafe situation for queer people from law’s perspective. But even if there are laws in charge to acknowledge the existing of queer and trans people, it does not mean they are safe. The Universal declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to security of the person and protection against violence or bodily harm. Regardless of that, in most countries no law prohibits the discrimination based on sexuality or being trans. As a result of that, queer and trans people are often facing violence, be it physically, verbally or structurally.
Despite the gains made for the rights of queer people around the world, many nations are continuing to see a year-on-year rise in hate crimes comitted against queer and trans individuals. These hate crimes do not occur in isolation, but rather are spurred on and encouraged when governments fail to address institutional bigotry. According to the ILGA, only 11 countries have constitutional protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation. The lack of equal constitutional rights for queer people feeds into overarching societal prejudice, and subsequently creates a hostile environment. In order to address the hostile environments directly affecting queer people, national governments must take action to enshrine protections for queer and trans individuals in law.
We as social democratic and socialist youth organizations call upon our parties, especially those in governing power to to use their political weight to fight for the rights of the LGBTIAQ* community. To work towards legislature that prohibits hate crimes and enables free expression of gender identity and sexual orientation. But legislation and politics is not enough. We also need a societal change!
Therefore we as IUSY members call on our members and comrades to engage with people and fight queer- and transphobia and hate wherever we come across it. We have to work together so that being yourself and loving who you love will no longer be a threat to one’s life.