The last few months have been monumental for the entire global queer community as we have been seeing important legislative victories and policy shifts towards the future of queer inclusion. Some of the achievements include the growing continuation of marriage equality, legal recognition and anti-discrimination legislation effectively leading to a journey towards an equality of human rights regardless of sexual orientation or gender, identity. Now, let’s consider some of the most significant wins and policy changes in recent years around the globe.
Recently Nepal did what no country in South Asia has done before that is the government of Nepal has agreed to register same-sex marriage. Though the act in Nepal’s Supreme Court did allow for same-sex unions civilly for a time until full legislative banners were passed, this move ushers in something progressive in an area where the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals can be even frowned upon.
Moreover, as earlier noted, Taiwan, for instance, is at the forefront of the asian nations having legalized same-sex marriage and stepped up its legislation by allowing inter-country same sex marriage on condition that the involved country does accept the marriage. This change has enabled so many binational couples who before could not get married as their union was prohibited.
In Europe the Spain approved new laws concerning the rights of the trans and nonbinary people. One of the major successes of self-determination in the new law is stamping out medical or psychological findings in the change of gender identity of any person who is sixteen years and above to undertake a Sexo-Change on official documents.
At the same time, Germany has legislation, which restricts surgeries on infants born intersex unless there is a medical need to do so. This change recognizes that people own their bodies and that intersexuals must have their human rights priorities, as is increasingly being demanded from medicine: dignity and respect.
On the other side of the Atlantic, Mexico keeps on moving forward toward full marriage equality across the country. Since this year, all 32 Mexican states have either approved same-sex marriage or are in the process of doing so, making Mexico a symbol of hope in Latin America for lesbians, gays, bisexual, trans, queer and intersex people.
Minnesota and Colorado are examples of the United States where the states passed laws protecting gender-affirming care for trans youth and their families against the tide of state-based restrictions across the country.
Namibia was Africa’s winner with the decision of its Supreme Court to sanction same sex relationships. Although, this decision is not complete legalization of same sex marriage it is a big progress in a continent where homosexuality is criminalized and people with non-heterosexual orientations are subjected to societal discriminization.
In 2019, Botswana joined the list of African countries to remove the criminalization of homosexuality and, this year, the country did away with appeals for re-criminalization of the vice.
Today global organizations such as United Nations have scaled up their efforts in campaigns for equal rights of the gay individuals. Just in March 2011, the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution declaring violence and persecution on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity as human rights violations, and urging all countries to begin including such anti-discrimination measures.
Big companies are also not left behind, with companies such as Apple and Microsoft coming up with policies and supporting gay people and groups through partnership with companies that supports them together with offering equal rights to gay people at their companies.
However these are achievements, there are factors present as indicated next. In some countries, hatred against the LGBTQ+ community is increasing, and Discriminatory laws are still in the existing laws. Some countries in Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East still violate LGBTQ+ rights, and there is still work to do from supportive friends around the world.
The changes in the legal and policy, reforms achieved for the new LGBTQ+ year are a proof of activists, allies and organizations around the world. These wins are not only victories; they are messages that show that something new can be created in a world that is steadily moving in the wrong direction. It is important to appreciate them while keeping the struggle for the probably less lucky ones around the globe going forward.
This way the process can be long but it’s making the world better and inclusion is possible step by step.
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