Why do you think discrimination remains so prevalent within our LGBTQ activist community?
Join The Sexual Freedom Project cast with your own video or essay (via columbia@venusplusx.org), and we will send you a free VenusPlusX t-shirt to thank you.
Video edited by Tiye Massey.
También en Español Do you think it makes a difference whether someone is “born this way” or just makes a choice? If someone chooses to be a heterosexual isn’t that just as much a choice? Isn’t the distinction irrelevant to fighting intolerance?
Join The Sexual Freedom Project cast with your own video or essay (via columbia@venusplusx.org), and we will send you a free VenusPlusX t-shirt to thank you.
Video by Tiye Massey.
Will the concept of a gender continuum, a spectrum of all different types of gender expression, neutralize the traditional binaries?
How does sexual orientation relate to gender expression?
How will more gender individuality affect our sense of community so deeply rooted in the binary paradigm?
Join The Sexual Freedom Project cast with your own video or essay (via columbia@venusplusx.org), and we will send you a free VenusPlusX t-shirt to thank you.
Why does society set different standards for women and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender people? What do we do that may facilitate these standards instead of working to change them?
Join The Sexual Freedom Project cast with your own video or essay (via columbia@venusplusx.org), and we will send you a free VenusPlusX t-shirt to thank you.
What motivates you to be an activist? Was there one radicalizing experience that made you get up and do something, or was it a gradual evolution?How does your activism interact or relate to other aspects of your life?
Join The Sexual Freedom Project cast with your own video or essay (via columbia@venusplusx.org), and we will send you a free VenusPlusX t-shirt to thank you.
Video edited by Tiye Massey.
What does sexual freedom mean to you? How does it relate to your sexuality, sexual identity, sexual orientation and/or gender identity?
What do you think?
Join The Sexual Freedom Project cast with your own video or essay (via columbia@venusplusx.org), and we will send you a free VenusPlusX t-shirt to thank you.
Image by Terence Faircloth via Flickr
In providing perspective on The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013, we’ve looked at some of the obstacles ahead, and took a closer look at two of the 200+ countries discussed in the Report. It’s hard to fathom the instances of discrimination that we aren’t aware of, but one thing is clear: The fight for freedom is something that must take place worldwide with people of all types and nationalities participating simultaneously.
It is good to see the United States paying attention to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) issues, but is that enough? Many of the countries listed in the Report (such as Afghanistan) have seen military intervention from the United States, making the state of sexual freedom even worse. Are we wrong to be suspicious of the US government’s ulterior and imperialistic motives when it comes their advocacy on behalf of sexual freedom?
So where are we? So far we have we have established what problems we face, but what can we actually do?
The first step is to recognize your power as an individual. Embody the characteristics that you want to see in the world. Get involved and take charge. We can only predict the future by creating it — a brighter future for all, for our children, and their children and future generations. The world does not change for the better without individuals who are unafraid and willing to step up. Are you one of those people who will stand in solidarity against discrimination, here and abroad? Make yourself heard. Find your outlets and use them, whether writing, rallying, protesting — all non-violent methods of expression. Seek out like-minded individuals and find your strength in numbers.
The human mind is a dangerous weapon, but it is also the greatest tool there is. Through dialogue we can tweak and fix the errors in the human psyche — lack of empathy, hate, and countless other mental diseases, not just in places like Uganda, but in the U.S. as well. Whatever the cause of your reluctance, you must ask yourself whether it is worth considering against the battle for freedom.
In Part 1, I shed some light on the current human rights challenges we face, and in Part 3 I offer a call to action, but here is a more in-depth look at two countries that are particularly interesting — Uganda and Sweden. What do the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013 tell us about these places?
This country has been on the map for a while now for it punitive laws against people who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT). And, this year, since this report’s publication, Uganda’s draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act, referred to as the Kill the Gays Bill by the civilized world, was enacted, coming down hard on LGBT people, with long sentences, even for just knowing and not reporting a “known homosexual.” Here is how some of conditions in 2013 are summarized.
LGBT persons faced discrimination and legal restrictions… LGBT persons were subject to societal harassment, discrimination, intimidation, and threats to their well-being, and were denied access to health services… Police in Kampala arrested British theatre producer David Edwards Cecil for staging a play police alleged promoted homosexual activity…
Things in Uganda have gotten far worse, and the passage of the “Kill the Gays Bill” shows us that there are no signs of improvement. The bill was preceded by laws from the colonial era, crafted by British authorities to punish the unnatural sex observed among the locals, and Uganda is still under the choke-hold of western influence, with many of their most influential citizens promoting this awful doctrine. We must continue speaking out against these vicious attacks on freedom, avoiding the “out of sight out of mind” mentality which can muffle our efforts. It’s time to push back.
Human rights in countries in the Nordic area are often considered a gold standard. When it comes to issues such as sex education and equality, many will not hesitate to praise this region. The praise is apt enough, as the region has been ahead of the curve for some time now. For example, all Nordic countries allow some form of same-sex marriage. However, it turns out that even Sweden, a Nordic country, has its issues.
During the year there were isolated incidents of societal violence and discrimination against persons perceived to be gay. The NCCP* reported 850 hate crimes in 2011 based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
This shows us how deeply the roots of bigoted culture run. One of the world’s greatest models of progressiveness has these problems. We still have a very long way to go.
Click here for Part 1, and Part 3, your part in the fight for freedom in all its forms, including sexual freedom. *Sweden’s National Council for Crime Prevention
As a new addition to VenusPlusX, I would like to express my views on some of the interesting media I have come across here.
One video I found is particularly intriguing because the woman speaks of the big picture – the culmination of things that influence our sexuality.
Everyone is a product of their environment, and everything connects. Social mechanisms such as school, church, media, and upbringing tend to have a large impact on individuality.
What do you think? Are you free from the external influences that we all experience, or how are you still affected?
Send us a video or essay expressing your thoughts for a free VenusPlusX t-shirt.
Photo by Tim Evanson
The human mind is a dangerous weapon. The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013 from the U.S. State Department reinforce this timeless notion. The Report, released in February, gives us a clear view of the current frontier in the human rights struggle.
Things have come to a head, and at this point you have no excuse to be uninformed. The discrimination that the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans) community is facing worldwide is out of control, and will surely have adverse effects on people of all races, genders, colors, and creeds if left alone.
Freedom is not freedom if it is only reserved for those who adhere to irrational sensibilities. The very notion of liberty is being belittled, and those affected, along with their allies, must continue to push back against these transgressions. The cogs of hate will not stop turning by themselves. These issues have been on the agenda in the United States for some time now, and it seems like more and more we are bending towards the arc of justice.
However, there is still a long way to go in the United States and worldwide. Many solutions so far have been the equivalent of placing a bucket under a leaking pipe, simply an acknowledgement of these issues. More and more people are becoming personally conscious of these issues, so now is the time to turn to better solutions.
First, we have to fully apprehend the source of the discrimination against LGBT people, the extreme conservative-traditionalist ideologies, often of a religious nature. These falsified ideals are ignorant — fear of the unknown coupled with misunderstanding, the boiling anger that consumes some individuals whenever confronted with facts and reality, their loss of control. To many of us, it is no shocking revelation that a global kinship of hate has been created, forged by shared ideas that aim to fight a common enemy. Although our cultural sensibilities and aversion to political strife play key roles in apathy, this situation does not warrant apathy, it demands action. Apathy is often a precursor to regret.
Wake up. Instead of coldly observing the discrimination of others, begin to understand how easily the tides can turn. Next time it could be you on the receiving end.
The Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013
Part 2, where we will review two countries detailed in the Report.
Check back Thursday for Part 3, our call to action.