Sixty-six States Support Statement Declaring Equal Rights

Sixty-six nations of the UN General Assembly supported a statement extending international human rights protections to individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities. According to Human Rights Watch, "The statement condemned killings, torture, arbitrary arrest, and deprivation of economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to health." The statement won broad support in Europe and Latin America, but was opposed by the US, Russia, China, and others. Homosexuality remains banned in 80 countries, and is punishable by the death penalty in six nations. There is still much work to be done to promote the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, and the Triple A remains dedicated to protecting human difference in all its forms.

Gay Iraqis Attacked

Newsweek had an article detailing the plight of gay Iraqi men who were being attacked by militiamen of the Mahdi Army and Shia extremists of the Badr Corps. According to the London-based NGO Iraqi LGBT, more than 430 gay men have been murdered in Iraq since 2003. The NGO has helped establish several safehouses in Baghdad where approximately 40 men remain under protection. Newsweek's queries about gay rights were ignored or evaded by the Human Rights and Labor and Social Affairs ministries, as well as the UN's human rights office. Advocating for human rights can be a difficult, and sometimes dangerous, business, but we encourage social scientists and governments to work with NGOs to protect vulnerable populations.

What steps would you take to help combat discrimination and violence against gays in countries that criminalize homosexuality? Specifically, what can anthropologists do to improve the situation of gays living in Iraq?

California Supreme Court Legalizes Gay Marriage

In September of 2007 the AAA signed onto an amicus brief in support of San Francisco’s petition to strike down California’s ban on same-sex marriage. We are pleased to announce that the California Supreme Court overturned this ban in a 4-3 ruling. The court wrote, “Our state now recognizes that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individuals’ sexual orientation.” Anthropologists have shown that a vast array of family types, including same-sex partnerships, can contribute to stable and humane societies, and the association continues to advocate for human rights issues where people are denied their capacity for culture.

Links:
AAA Statement on Marriage and the Family
AAA Press Release on Amicus Brief

NY Times Article
SF Chronicle Article

Insurance Troubles for Same-Sex Couples

The Washington Post released a story detailing the inability of a same-sex couple in Idaho—-one of 21 states that does not recognize same-sex unions—-to receive the insurance benefits of their partner because of their sexual orientation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and gay civil rights groups argue that this is a blatant example of discrimination against same-sex couples. In a similar case, the ACLU is pursuing action against H&R Block for not allowing gay couples to file their income taxes online, including in states that recognize such civil unions. ACLU writes, “failing to provide gay couples with civil unions the option of filing their taxes online as it does for married couples is in violation of a state law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation and civil union status.”

The AAA does not support any law or policy that discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered individuals. We urge insurance companies to recognize unions of all types, regardless of sexual orientation. The AAA has released the following statements relevant to this matter:

AAA Statement on Laws and Policies Discriminating against Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Persons

AAA Statement on Marriage and the Family

Washington Post

ACLU