One Small Step for LGBTQ+ Rights, One Giant Leap Back

by Katarina Zivkovic

It surprises no one when a US-president stresses the role the US wants to play in spreading liberal values across the globe. Last year, Biden released the memorandum Advancing the Human Rights of LGBTQI Persons Across the World, calling on US agencies globally to promote and protect LGBTQ+ people’s rights, fight criminalisation and abuse by foreign governments, and support LGBTQ+ refugees. He highlighted the US’ role as a leading example in the global fight for LGBTQ+ rights and against discrimination and intolerance. The memorandum plays into the narrative that Western countries such as the US have largely overcome homophobia and transphobia and that LGBTQ+ individuals enjoy full legal equality.

This narrative is advanced even by some within the LGBTQ+ community. Recently, The Atlantic columnist James Kirchick, who himself identifies as gay, published an article criticising and mocking modern American LGBTQ+ activism and arguing that structural discrimination against LGBTQ+ people has been overcome in the US. However, statistics show that disparities in mental health, socioeconomic status, and employment opportunities between cis/straight and LGBTQ+ people persist in countries such as the US which portray themselves as champions of equal rights. The American Psychological Association found that transgender people are at particular risk of employment discrimination, with over 25% of transgender individuals having lost a job in the past due to discrimination against their gender identity. It also reported that gay and bisexual men under 44 have a five to ten percentage point higher chance of living at or below poverty-level compared to straight men.

The UK government, which similarly regards itself as a leader in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights, had planned its first global LGBTQ+ conference for earlier this year, which would have hosted debates on how to combat discrimination against LGBTQ+ people globally. However, the conference was cancelled after boycotts by over a hundred charities and activist groups who protested the exclusion of trans people from a new UK law which bans gay, but not trans, conversion therapy. Nikki da Costa, former director of legislative affairs, defended the decision, claiming that banning conversion therapy for trans people would scare doctors, therapists, and families away from trying to understand and help children with gender dysphoria for fear of being accused of trying to convert them to identify with their assigned sex at birth. The law was condemned by the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Stonewall and by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, who highlight the mental health risks of conversion therapy, calling it ‘damaging, degrading and discriminatory’. It is concerning that a country that portrays itself as a champion of acceptance and inclusion continues to allow an unsafe practice such as conversion therapy, rather than committing resources to ensure LGBTQ+ people can access suitable and safe mental health services. LGBTQ+ people in most Western countries certainly have more legal protections than those living in the Global South. Within Europe, pro-LGBTQ+ principles, such as the non-discrimination and equality principles embedded in EU regulations, are an important step towards combatting discrimination and bigotry. However, there are worrying examples of EU politicians using their country’s reputation for being LGBTQ+ -friendly to improve their international image while simultaneously threatening LGBTQ+ rights at home. French Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne recently announced the creation of a new office of ‘ambassador for LGBT+ rights’, who is responsible for coordinating French diplomatic efforts aiming to protect LGBTQ+ rights abroad. At the same time, two ministers are sitting in France’s new government who are known for their past anti-LGBTQ+ statements - Christophe Béchu and Caroline Cayeux. SOS Homophobie, a French LGBTQ+ support organisation, has expressed strong concerns over the fact that the French government seemingly does not wish to condemn past statements made by Cayeux. Moreover, French polls showed that Marine Le Pen, leader of the French far-right Rassemblement National (until 2018: Front National) party, had plenty of support from gay voters at the 2017 presidential elections despite her pledge to repeal the same-sex marriage law.

When asked why, some voters responded that they did not expect her to truly fulfill her pledge, while others bought into Le Pen’s xenophobic narrative that she was protecting them from even worse homophobia coming from the Muslim community.

It is laudable that Western countries wish to spread LGBTQ+ rights globally through memorandums and global conferences.

However, Western countries must look in the mirror and admit that they have not yet overcome homophobic and transphobic discrimination. We cannot be complacent about protecting LGBTQ+ rights from politicians and groups who wish to undo the progress that has been made. If we fail to be vigilant, I fear that the Western fight for LGBTQ+ rights around the globe will continue to be weakened by discrimination and inequality that persist at home.

Anthology

from Greek anthología “gathering of flowers,” from anthológos “flower-gathering” (from antho- ANTHO- + -logos, nominal ablaut derivative of légein “to gather, collect”) + -ia

G-You is produced, written and designed by students of the University of Glasgow. We welcome writers of all backgrounds and experience levels, and encourage any interested student writers to get in touch with their ideas.

Special thanks to our contributors :

Ella Clayton, Rhea Abraham, Mischa Watson, Martin Mullaney, Michelle Acquah, Omar Atwan, Alex Palmer, Katarina Zivkovic