June is LGBTQ Pride Month with most celebrations worldwide still taking place virtually due to the continuing pandemic restrictions. Pride month symbolically commemorates the 1969 Stonewall Riots, the historic turning point in our LGBTQ civil rights movement. COVID-19 has amplified the marginalization & exclusion experienced by our LGBTQ community on a day-to-day basis, leading to a devastation of livelihoods, higher rates of domestic violence, heightened challenges accessing healthcare & increasing mental health issues. Jessica Stern Executive Director of OutRight Action International stated, “Pride is the most visible symbol of the global movement for LGBTIQ equality, affirming our existence, demanding recognition of our rights & celebrating progress. Over the last year, among other wins, Gabon & Bhutan decriminalized gay & lesbian relations & the new administration in the US re-committed to LGBTIQ equality. However, LGBTIQ people continue to face amplified effects of the COVID-19 pandemic & are too often excluded from recovery efforts. This is a sobering reminder of how marginalized our communities around the world continue to be. As such, we must continue to fight for our rights to be recognized & protected.” Usually the month is filled with marches & events celebrating our diversity & progress but in numerous places Prides face backlash, restrictions & even bans as reminder of how much work still needs to be done to achieve full global LGBTQ equality. There are still 67 countries around the world that criminalizes gay & lesbian relations & 13 countries (Brunei, the Gambia, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malawi, Malaysia, Nigeria, Oman, South Sudan, Tonga & the United Arab Emirates) that have laws explicitly criminalizing trans people with a further 37 countries criminalize trans people through vagrancy, prostitution, morality, public nuisance or other law. For More Info…
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