Read Online This Book is Gay by James Dawson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James Dawson
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just popped out where our mother happened to be nine months after we were conceived. Similarly, we didnât choose to be gay or bi â our same-sex attraction has been there for as long as we can remember. Likewise, trans people, more often than not, have always felt they werenât in the correct body or at least felt an unease with gender norms.
In an ideal world, it wouldnât matter where you were born OR what your sexual orientation is, but this total lottery is having a severe impact on people all over the world. The UK may have wised up over the past fifty years, but other countries are comparatively in the dark ages concerning LGBT* rights.
All aboard for what I call the TOUR OF SHAME â countries and territories where human rights are more like human wrongs (see what I did there?).
These tables are accurate as of winter 2013. With any luck, the lists will shrink all the time until thereâs no need for this roll call of shame.
Countries DO change their stance; for example Mozambique recently decriminalised same-sex activity ⦠Woo hoo! Pop and Party Rings for everyone. However, in December 2013, India went BACKWARDS and RE-criminalised same-sex activity. NO PARTY SNACKS FOR YOU, PARTY POOPERS.
However â and itâs a big however â just because any remaining countries have legalised same-sex behaviour doesnât mean that itâs EASY to get your funky sex dance on without repercussions. In many places, Indonesia being a good example, it is legal to have same-sex sex, but people would face great hardship if they were âoutâ.
Furthermore, the vast majority of âlegalâ countries still have all kinds of hideously homophobic legislation in place â no same-sex marriage or civil partnership, no adoption laws ⦠many fail to provide even the most basic protection beyond, âItâs legal, what more do you want?â Clearly, this isnât good enough, and campaigners still have a long way to go.
Itâs easy to think of gay-illegal places as being far, far away. Too far away to worry about. Well, how about Russia, where LGBT* groups are being persecuted despite their legal status? What about Greece, where gay men and female prostitutes are facing mandatory HIV testing against their will? These are our neighbours. Scary, scary stuff.
BRYANâS STORY
âBryanâ, 21, lives in Singapore.
The situation in Singapore is very strange. Even though gay people are becoming more and more visible, we have no legal rights. We have Pink Dot SG, which is a bit like Pride and we have âArts Venuesâ which are places for gay people to meet up. I have never known anybody to be arrested but it is illegal for two men to have sex. I personally donât understand it. Singapore is a beautiful and tolerant place, so itâs hard to understand why we donât have laws to protect us.
Transgender â Global Situation
The following table names countries with laws and rules protecting transgender people:
The situation for trans people is hugely unclear around the world â most countries have no clear laws covering the issue, which roughly translates as no protection for trans people. The above countries all have laws protecting you. However, as with LGB rights, many countries on the list might SEEM accepting but in reality things may be quite different. For instance many of the countries in the above box insist on sterilization before a new gender identity is granted. Be fair, I did warn you this section wasnât exactly a barrel of laughs.
What can you do to help?
Personally, I donât think itâs enough to be cross about the treatment of LGBT* people across the world. We have to do our little bit, right? For one thing, in the box of gay-illegal countries, Iâve emboldened places which are popular holiday destinations.
STEP ONE â DONâT GO THERE: Seriously, hit countries where it hurts â tourist dollars.
In an ideal world, it wouldnât matter where you were born OR what your sexual orientation is, but this total lottery is having a severe impact on people all over the world. The UK may have wised up over the past fifty years, but other countries are comparatively in the dark ages concerning LGBT* rights.
All aboard for what I call the TOUR OF SHAME â countries and territories where human rights are more like human wrongs (see what I did there?).
These tables are accurate as of winter 2013. With any luck, the lists will shrink all the time until thereâs no need for this roll call of shame.
Countries DO change their stance; for example Mozambique recently decriminalised same-sex activity ⦠Woo hoo! Pop and Party Rings for everyone. However, in December 2013, India went BACKWARDS and RE-criminalised same-sex activity. NO PARTY SNACKS FOR YOU, PARTY POOPERS.
However â and itâs a big however â just because any remaining countries have legalised same-sex behaviour doesnât mean that itâs EASY to get your funky sex dance on without repercussions. In many places, Indonesia being a good example, it is legal to have same-sex sex, but people would face great hardship if they were âoutâ.
Furthermore, the vast majority of âlegalâ countries still have all kinds of hideously homophobic legislation in place â no same-sex marriage or civil partnership, no adoption laws ⦠many fail to provide even the most basic protection beyond, âItâs legal, what more do you want?â Clearly, this isnât good enough, and campaigners still have a long way to go.
Itâs easy to think of gay-illegal places as being far, far away. Too far away to worry about. Well, how about Russia, where LGBT* groups are being persecuted despite their legal status? What about Greece, where gay men and female prostitutes are facing mandatory HIV testing against their will? These are our neighbours. Scary, scary stuff.
BRYANâS STORY
âBryanâ, 21, lives in Singapore.
The situation in Singapore is very strange. Even though gay people are becoming more and more visible, we have no legal rights. We have Pink Dot SG, which is a bit like Pride and we have âArts Venuesâ which are places for gay people to meet up. I have never known anybody to be arrested but it is illegal for two men to have sex. I personally donât understand it. Singapore is a beautiful and tolerant place, so itâs hard to understand why we donât have laws to protect us.
Transgender â Global Situation
The following table names countries with laws and rules protecting transgender people:
The situation for trans people is hugely unclear around the world â most countries have no clear laws covering the issue, which roughly translates as no protection for trans people. The above countries all have laws protecting you. However, as with LGB rights, many countries on the list might SEEM accepting but in reality things may be quite different. For instance many of the countries in the above box insist on sterilization before a new gender identity is granted. Be fair, I did warn you this section wasnât exactly a barrel of laughs.
What can you do to help?
Personally, I donât think itâs enough to be cross about the treatment of LGBT* people across the world. We have to do our little bit, right? For one thing, in the box of gay-illegal countries, Iâve emboldened places which are popular holiday destinations.
STEP ONE â DONâT GO THERE: Seriously, hit countries where it hurts â tourist dollars.
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