Harvey Milk’s Gay Freedom Day Speech: Annotated

ACTIVISTS NMN VLENCE AGAST LGBTQ MUNY ST. VCENT, WHERE GAY SEX IS ILLEGAL
AMERI’S MOST IMPORTANT GAY-RIGHTS SPEECH?
HARVEY MILK’S GAY FREEDOM DAY SPEECH: ANNOTATED
U.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS GENEVA MENU CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT INTERNATNAL TRA HUMANARIAN AFFAIRS U.S. DELEGATN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL NEWS & EVENTS JOB OPPORTUNI CONTACT SEARCH×SEARCH COUNTRY/AREA AFGHANISTANALBANIAALGERIAANGOLAARGENTAARMENIAATRALIAATRIAAZERBAIJANBAHAMASBAHRABANGLASHBARBADOSBELASBELGIUMBELIZEBENBERMUDABOLIVIABOSNIA & HERZEABOTSWANABRAZILBNEIBULGARIABURKA FASOBURMABUNDICABO VERCAMBODIACAMEROONCANADACENTRAL AIN REPUBLICCHADCHILECHACOLOMBIACOMOROSCOSTA RICôTE D’IVOIRECROATIACUBACURAOCYPSCZECH REPUBLICDEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGODENMARKDJIBOUTIDOMIN REPUBLICECUADOREGYPTEL SALVADOREQUATORIAL GUEAERREAESTONIAESWATIETHPIAFIJIFLANDFRANCEGABONGEIAGERMANYGHANAGREECEGUATEMALAGUEAU.S. VIRTUAL PRENCE GUEA-BISSGUYANATHE GAMBIAHAIHONDURASHONG KONG AND MAUHUNGARYICELANDINDIAINDONIAIRANIRAQIRELANDISRAELITALYJAMAIJAPANJORDANKAZAKHSTANKENYAKOREAKOSOVOKUWAKYRGYZ REPUBLICLAOSLATVIALEBANONLOTHOLIBERIALIBYALHUANIALUXEMBOURGMADAGASRMALAWIMALAYSIAMALDIVMALIMALTAMARSHALL ISLANDSMRANIAMRIMEXIMICRONIAMOLDOVAMONGOLIAMONTENEGROMOROCMOZAMBIQUENAMIBIANEPALNETHERLANDSNEW ZEALANDNIRAGUANIGERNIGERIANORTH MACEDONIANORWAYOMANPAKISTANPALPALTIAN TERRORIPANAMAPAPUA NEW GUEAPARAGUAYPEPHILIPPPOLANDPORTUGALQATARREPUBLIC OF CONGOROMANIARSIARWANDASAMOASAN MAROSDI ARABIASENEGALSERBIASIERRA LEONESGAPORESLOVAKIASLOVENIASOLOMON ISLANDSSOMALIASOUTH AISOUTH SUDANSPASRI LANKASUDANSURAMESWENSWZERLANDSYRIAAMERIN INSTUTE TAIWANTAJIKISTANTANZANIATHAILANDTIMOR-LTETOGOTONGATRIDAD & TOBAGOTUNISIATüRKIYETURKMENISTANUGANDAUKRAEUNED ARAB EMIRATUNED KGDOMUGUAYUZBEKISTANVANUATUVENEZUELAVIETNAMYEMENZAMBIAZIMBABWEU.S. MISSN TO ASEANU.S. MISSN TO THE AIN UNNU.S. MISSN TO THE EUHOLY SEEU.S. MISSN TO THE ICAOU.S. MISSN TO NATOU.S. MISSN TO OSCEU.S. MISSN TO THE OASU.S. MISSN TO THE OECDU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-GENEVAU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-ROMEU.S. MISSN TO THE UNED NATNSU.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS VIENNA SECRETARY OF STATE CLTON HUMAN RIGHTS DAY SPEECH – FREE AND EQUAL DIGNY AND RIGHTS BY U.S. MISSN GENEVA 21 MINUTE READDECEMBER 6, 2011 SECRETARY OF STATE CLTON SPEAKG AT THE UNED NATNS OFFICE AT GENEVA REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLTON PALAIS S NATNS GENEVA, SWZERLAND DECEMBER 6, 2011 DISCS THIS SPEECH ON TWTER WH THE HASHTAG #DIGNY4ALL GOOD EVENG, AND LET ME EXPRS MY EP HONOR AND PLEASURE AT BEG HERE. I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR GENERAL TOKAYEV AND MS. WYN ALONG WH OTHER MISTERS, AMBASSADORS, EXCELLENCI, AND UN PARTNERS. THIS WEEKEND, WE WILL CELEBRATE HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, THE ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE GREAT ACPLISHMENTS OF THE LAST CENTURY.BEGNG 1947, LEGAT OM SIX NTENTS VOTED THEMSELV TO DRAFTG A CLARATN THAT WOULD ENSHRE THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND EEDOMS OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. IN THE AFTERMATH OF WORLD WAR II, MANY NATNS PRSED FOR A STATEMENT OF THIS KD TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE WOULD PREVENT FUTURE ATROCI AND PROTECT THE HERENT HUMANY AND DIGNY OF ALL PEOPLE. AND SO THE LEGAT WENT TO WORK. THEY DISCSED, THEY WROTE, THEY REVISED, REVISED, REWROTE, FOR THOANDS OF HOURS. AND THEY RPORATED SUGGTNS AND REVISNS OM ERNMENTS, ANIZATNS, AND DIVIDUALS AROUND THE WORLD. AT THREE O’CLOCK THE MORNG ON DECEMBER 10TH, 1948, AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF DRAFTG AND ONE LAST LONG NIGHT OF BATE, THE PRINT OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY LLED FOR A VOTE ON THE FAL TEXT. FORTY-EIGHT NATNS VOTED FAVOR; EIGHT ABSTAED; NONE DISSENTED. AND THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WAS ADOPTED. IT PROCLAIMS A SIMPLE, POWERFUL IA: ALL HUMAN BEGS ARE BORN EE AND EQUAL DIGNY AND RIGHTS. AND WH THE CLARATN, WAS MA CLEAR THAT RIGHTS ARE NOT NFERRED BY ERNMENT; THEY ARE THE BIRTHRIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE. IT DO NOT MATTER WHAT UNTRY WE LIVE , WHO OUR LEARS ARE, OR EVEN WHO WE ARE. BEE WE ARE HUMAN, WE THEREFORE HAVE RIGHTS. AND BEE WE HAVE RIGHTS, ERNMENTS ARE BOUND TO PROTECT THEM. IN THE 63 YEARS SCE THE CLARATN WAS ADOPTED, MANY NATNS HAVE MA GREAT PROGRS MAKG HUMAN RIGHTS A HUMAN REALY. STEP BY STEP, BARRIERS THAT ONCE PREVENTED PEOPLE OM ENJOYG THE FULL MEASURE OF LIBERTY, THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF DIGNY, AND THE FULL BENEFS OF HUMANY HAVE FALLEN AWAY. IN MANY PLAC, RACIST LAWS HAVE BEEN REPEALED, LEGAL AND SOCIAL PRACTIC THAT RELEGATED WOMEN TO SEND-CLASS STAT HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED, THE ABILY OF RELIG MORI TO PRACTICE THEIR FAH EELY HAS BEEN SECURED. IN MOST S, THIS PROGRS WAS NOT EASILY WON. PEOPLE FOUGHT AND ANIZED AND MPAIGNED PUBLIC SQUAR AND PRIVATE SPAC TO CHANGE NOT ONLY LAWS, BUT HEARTS AND MDS. AND THANKS TO THAT WORK OF GENERATNS, FOR LNS OF DIVIDUALS WHOSE LIV WERE ONCE NARROWED BY JTICE, THEY ARE NOW ABLE TO LIVE MORE EELY AND TO PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY THE POLIL, ENOMIC, AND SOCIAL LIV OF THEIR MUNI. NOW, THERE IS STILL, AS YOU ALL KNOW, MUCH MORE TO BE DONE TO SECURE THAT MMENT, THAT REALY, AND PROGRS FOR ALL PEOPLE. TODAY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK WE HAVE LEFT TO DO TO PROTECT ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE HUMAN RIGHTS ARE STILL NIED TOO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD TODAY. IN MANY WAYS, THEY ARE AN VISIBLE MORY. THEY ARE ARRTED, BEATEN, TERRORIZED, EVEN EXECUTED. MANY ARE TREATED WH NTEMPT AND VLENCE BY THEIR FELLOW CIZENS WHILE THORI EMPOWERED TO PROTECT THEM LOOK THE OTHER WAY OR, TOO OFTEN, EVEN JO THE ABE. THEY ARE NIED OPPORTUNI TO WORK AND LEARN, DRIVEN OM THEIR HOM AND UNTRI, AND FORCED TO SUPPRS OR NY WHO THEY ARE TO PROTECT THEMSELV OM HARM. I AM TALKG ABOUT GAY, LBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE, HUMAN BEGS BORN EE AND GIVEN BTOWED EQUALY AND DIGNY, WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO CLAIM THAT, WHICH IS NOW ONE OF THE REMAG HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENG OF OUR TIME. I SPEAK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT KNOWG THAT MY OWN UNTRY’S RERD ON HUMAN RIGHTS FOR GAY PEOPLE IS FAR OM PERFECT. UNTIL 2003, WAS STILL A CRIME PARTS OF OUR UNTRY. MANY LGBT AMERINS HAVE ENDURED VLENCE AND HARASSMENT THEIR OWN LIV, AND FOR SOME, CLUDG MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, BULLYG AND EXCLN ARE DAILY EXPERIENC. SO WE, LIKE ALL NATNS, HAVE MORE WORK TO DO TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS AT HOME. NOW, RAISG THIS ISSUE, I KNOW, IS SENSIVE FOR MANY PEOPLE AND THAT THE OBSTACL STANDG THE WAY OF PROTECTG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE RT ON EPLY HELD PERSONAL, POLIL, CULTURAL, AND RELIG BELIEFS. SO I E HERE BEFORE YOU WH RPECT, UNRSTANDG, AND HUY. EVEN THOUGH PROGRS ON THIS ONT IS NOT EASY, WE NNOT LAY ACTG. SO THAT SPIR, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DIFFICULT AND IMPORTANT ISSU WE MT ADDRS TOGETHER TO REACH A GLOBAL NSENS THAT REGNIZ THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT CIZENS EVERYWHERE. THE FIRST ISSUE GO TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. SOME HAVE SUGGTED THAT GAY RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE SEPARATE AND DISTCT; BUT, FACT, THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME. NOW, OF URSE, 60 YEARS AGO, THE ERNMENTS THAT DRAFTED AND PASSED THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WERE NOT THKG ABOUT HOW APPLIED TO THE LGBT MUNY. THEY ALSO WEREN’T THKG ABOUT HOW APPLIED TO DIGENO PEOPLE OR CHILDREN OR PEOPLE WH DISABILI OR OTHER MARGALIZED GROUPS. YET THE PAST 60 YEARS, WE HAVE E TO REGNIZE THAT MEMBERS OF THE GROUPS ARE ENTLED TO THE FULL MEASURE OF DIGNY AND RIGHTS, BEE, LIKE ALL PEOPLE, THEY SHARE A MON HUMANY. THIS REGNN DID NOT OCCUR ALL AT ONCE. IT EVOLVED OVER TIME. AND AS DID, WE UNRSTOOD THAT WE WERE HONORG RIGHTS THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS HAD, RATHER THAN CREATG NEW OR SPECIAL RIGHTS FOR THEM. LIKE BEG A WOMAN, LIKE BEG A RACIAL, RELIG, TRIBAL, OR ETHNIC MORY, BEG LGBT DO NOT MAKE YOU LS HUMAN. AND THAT IS WHY GAY RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE GAY RIGHTS. IT IS VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN PEOPLE ARE BEATEN OR KILLED BEE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, OR BEE THEY DO NOT NFORM TO CULTURAL NORMS ABOUT HOW MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD LOOK OR BEHAVE. IT IS A VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN ERNMENTS CLARE ILLEGAL TO BE GAY, OR ALLOW THOSE WHO HARM GAY PEOPLE TO GO UNPUNISHED. IT IS A VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN LBIAN OR TRANSGENRED WOMEN ARE SUBJECTED TO SO-LLED RRECTIVE RAPE, OR FORCIBLY SUBJECTED TO HORMONE TREATMENTS, OR WHEN PEOPLE ARE MURRED AFTER PUBLIC LLS FOR VLENCE TOWARD GAYS, OR WHEN THEY ARE FORCED TO FLEE THEIR NATNS AND SEEK ASYLUM OTHER LANDS TO SAVE THEIR LIV. AND IS A VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN LIFE-SAVG RE IS WHHELD OM PEOPLE BEE THEY ARE GAY, OR EQUAL ACCS TO JTICE IS NIED TO PEOPLE BEE THEY ARE GAY, OR PUBLIC SPAC ARE OUT OF BOUNDS TO PEOPLE BEE THEY ARE GAY. NO MATTER WHAT WE LOOK LIKE, WHERE WE E OM, OR WHO WE ARE, WE ARE ALL EQUALLY ENTLED TO OUR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNY. THE SEND ISSUE IS A QUTN OF WHETHER HOMOSEXUALY ARIS OM A PARTICULAR PART OF THE WORLD. SOME SEEM TO BELIEVE IS A WTERN PHENOMENON, AND THEREFORE PEOPLE OUTSI THE WT HAVE GROUNDS TO REJECT . WELL, REALY, GAY PEOPLE ARE BORN TO AND BELONG TO EVERY SOCIETY THE WORLD. THEY ARE ALL AG, ALL RAC, ALL FAHS; THEY ARE DOCTORS AND TEACHERS, FARMERS AND BANKERS, SOLDIERS AND ATHLET; AND WHETHER WE KNOW , OR WHETHER WE ACKNOWLEDGE , THEY ARE OUR FAY, OUR IENDS, AND OUR NEIGHBORS. BEG GAY IS NOT A WTERN VENTN; IS A HUMAN REALY. AND PROTECTG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE, GAY OR STRAIGHT, IS NOT SOMETHG THAT ONLY WTERN ERNMENTS DO. SOUTH AI’S NSTUTN, WRTEN THE AFTERMATH OF APARTHEID, PROTECTS THE EQUALY OF ALL CIZENS, CLUDG GAY PEOPLE. IN COLOMBIA AND ARGENTA, THE RIGHTS OF GAYS ARE ALSO LEGALLY PROTECTED. IN NEPAL, THE SUPREME URT HAS LED THAT EQUAL RIGHTS APPLY TO LGBT CIZENS. THE GOVERNMENT OF MONGOLIA HAS MTED TO PURSUE NEW LEGISLATN THAT WILL TACKLE ANTI-GAY DISCRIMATN. NOW, SOME WORRY THAT PROTECTG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE LGBT MUNY IS A LUXURY THAT ONLY WEALTHY NATNS N AFFORD. BUT FACT, ALL UNTRI, THERE ARE STS TO NOT PROTECTG THE RIGHTS, BOTH GAY AND STRAIGHT LIV LOST TO DISEASE AND VLENCE, AND THE SILENCG OF VOIC AND VIEWS THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN MUNI, IAS NEVER PURSUED BY ENTREPRENRS WHO HAPPEN TO BE GAY. COSTS ARE CURRED WHENEVER ANY GROUP IS TREATED AS LSER OR THE OTHER, WHETHER THEY ARE WOMEN, RACIAL, OR RELIG MORI, OR THE LGBT. FORMER PRINT MOGAE OF BOTSWANA POTED OUT RECENTLY THAT FOR AS LONG AS LGBT PEOPLE ARE KEPT THE SHADOWS, THERE NNOT BE AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM TO TACKLE HIV AND AIDS. WELL, THAT HOLDS TE FOR OTHER CHALLENG AS WELL. THE THIRD, AND PERHAPS MOST CHALLENGG, ISSUE ARIS WHEN PEOPLE CE RELIG OR CULTURAL VALU AS A REASON TO VLATE OR NOT TO PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT CIZENS. THIS IS NOT UNLIKE THE JTIFITN OFFERED FOR VLENT PRACTIC TOWARDS WOMEN LIKE HONOR KILLGS, WIDOW BURNG, OR FEMALE GENAL MUTILATN. SOME PEOPLE STILL FEND THOSE PRACTIC AS PART OF A CULTURAL TRADN. BUT VLENCE TOWARD WOMEN ISN’T CULTURAL; ’S CRIMAL. LIKEWISE WH SLAVERY, WHAT WAS ONCE JTIFIED AS SANCTNED BY GOD IS NOW PROPERLY REVILED AS AN UNNSCNABLE VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS. IN EACH OF THE S, WE ME TO LEARN THAT NO PRACTICE OR TRADN TMPS THE HUMAN RIGHTS THAT BELONG TO ALL OF . AND THIS HOLDS TE FOR FLICTG VLENCE ON LGBT PEOPLE, CRIMALIZG THEIR STAT OR BEHAVR, EXPELLG THEM OM THEIR FAI AND MUNI, OR TACLY OR EXPLICLY ACCEPTG THEIR KILLG. OF URSE, BEARS NOTG THAT RARELY ARE CULTURAL AND RELIG TRADNS AND TEACHGS ACTUALLY NFLICT WH THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS. INED, OUR RELIGN AND OUR CULTURE ARE SOURC OF PASSN AND SPIRATN TOWARD OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEGS. IT WAS NOT ONLY THOSE WHO’VE JTIFIED SLAVERY WHO LEANED ON RELIGN, WAS ALSO THOSE WHO SOUGHT TO ABOLISH . AND LET KEEP MD THAT OUR MMENTS TO PROTECT THE EEDOM OF RELIGN AND TO FEND THE DIGNY OF LGBT PEOPLE EMANATE OM A MON SOURCE. FOR MANY OF , RELIG BELIEF AND PRACTICE IS A VAL SOURCE OF MEANG AND INTY, AND FUNDAMENTAL TO WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE. AND LIKEWISE, FOR MOST OF , THE BONDS OF LOVE AND FAY THAT WE FE ARE ALSO VAL SOURC OF MEANG AND INTY. AND RG FOR OTHERS IS AN EXPRSN OF WHAT MEANS TO BE FULLY HUMAN. IT IS BEE THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS UNIVERSAL THAT HUMAN RIGHTS ARE UNIVERSAL AND CUT ACROSS ALL RELIGNS AND CULTUR. THE FOURTH ISSUE IS WHAT HISTORY TEACH ABOUT HOW WE MAKE PROGRS TOWARDS RIGHTS FOR ALL. PROGRS STARTS WH HONT DISCSN. NOW, THERE ARE SOME WHO SAY AND BELIEVE THAT ALL GAY PEOPLE ARE PEDOPHIL, THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS A DISEASE THAT N BE UGHT OR CURED, OR THAT GAYS REC OTHERS TO BEE GAY. WELL, THE NOTNS ARE SIMPLY NOT TE. THEY ARE ALSO UNLIKELY TO DISAPPEAR IF THOSE WHO PROMOTE OR ACCEPT THEM ARE DISMISSED OUT OF HAND RATHER THAN VED TO SHARE THEIR FEARS AND NCERNS. NO ONE HAS EVER ABANDONED A BELIEF BEE HE WAS FORCED TO DO SO. UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS CLU EEDOM OF EXPRSN AND EEDOM OF BELIEF, EVEN IF OUR WORDS OR BELIEFS NIGRATE THE HUMANY OF OTHERS. YET, WHILE WE ARE EACH EE TO BELIEVE WHATEVER WE CHOOSE, WE NNOT DO WHATEVER WE CHOOSE, NOT A WORLD WHERE WE PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL. REACHG UNRSTANDG OF THE ISSU TAK MORE THAN SPEECH. IT DO TAKE A NVERSATN. IN FACT, TAK A NSTELLATN OF NVERSATNS PLAC BIG AND SMALL. AND TAK A WILLGNS TO SEE STARK DIFFERENC BELIEF AS A REASON TO BEG THE NVERSATN, NOT TO AVOID . BUT PROGRS OM CHANG LAWS. IN MANY PLAC, CLUDG MY OWN UNTRY, LEGAL PROTECTNS HAVE PRECED, NOT FOLLOWED, BROAR REGNN OF RIGHTS. LAWS HAVE A TEACHG EFFECT. LAWS THAT DISCRIMATE VALIDATE OTHER KDS OF DISCRIMATN. LAWS THAT REQUIRE EQUAL PROTECTNS RERCE THE MORAL IMPERATIVE OF EQUALY. AND PRACTILLY SPEAKG, IS OFTEN THE SE THAT LAWS MT CHANGE BEFORE FEARS ABOUT CHANGE DISSIPATE. MANY MY UNTRY THOUGHT THAT PRINT TMAN WAS MAKG A GRAVE ERROR WHEN HE ORRED THE RACIAL SEGREGATN OF OUR ARY. THEY ARGUED THAT WOULD UNRME UN HN. AND WASN’T UNTIL HE WENT AHEAD AND DID THAT WE SAW HOW STRENGTHENED OUR SOCIAL FABRIC WAYS EVEN THE SUPPORTERS OF THE POLICY ULD NOT FOREE. LIKEWISE, SOME WORRIED MY UNTRY THAT THE REPEAL OF “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL” WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OUR ARMED FORC. NOW, THE MARE CORPS COMMANDANT, WHO WAS ONE OF THE STRONGT VOIC AGAST THE REPEAL, SAYS THAT HIS NCERNS WERE UNFOUND AND THAT THE MAR HAVE EMBRACED THE CHANGE. FALLY, PROGRS OM BEG WILLG TO WALK A E SOMEONE ELSE’S SHO. WE NEED TO ASK OURSELV, “HOW WOULD FEEL IF WERE A CRIME TO LOVE THE PERSON I LOVE? HOW WOULD FEEL TO BE DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR SOMETHG ABOUT MYSELF THAT I NNOT CHANGE?” THIS CHALLENGE APPLI TO ALL OF AS WE REFLECT UPON EPLY HELD BELIEFS, AS WE WORK TO EMBRACE TOLERANCE AND RPECT FOR THE DIGNY OF ALL PERSONS, AND AS WE ENGAGE HUMBLY WH THOSE WH WHOM WE DISAGREE THE HOPE OF CREATG GREATER UNRSTANDG. A FIFTH AND FAL QUTN IS HOW WE DO OUR PART TO BRG THE WORLD TO EMBRACE HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL PEOPLE CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE. Y, LGBT PEOPLE MT HELP LEAD THIS EFFORT, AS SO MANY OF YOU ARE. THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENC ARE VALUABLE AND THEIR URAGE SPIRATNAL. WE KNOW THE NAM OF BRAVE LGBT ACTIVISTS WHO HAVE LERALLY GIVEN THEIR LIV FOR THIS E, AND THERE ARE MANY MORE WHOSE NAM WE WILL NEVER KNOW. BUT OFTEN THOSE WHO ARE NIED RIGHTS ARE LEAST EMPOWERED TO BRG ABOUT THE CHANG THEY SEEK. ACTG ALONE, MORI N NEVER ACHIEVE THE MAJORI NECSARY FOR POLIL CHANGE. SO WHEN ANY PART OF HUMANY IS SILED, THE RT OF NNOT S ON THE SIL. EVERY TIME A BARRIER TO PROGRS HAS FALLEN, HAS TAKEN A OPERATIVE EFFORT OM THOSE ON BOTH SIS OF THE BARRIER. IN THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS, THE SUPPORT OF MEN REMAS CCIAL. THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL EQUALY HAS RELIED ON NTRIBUTNS OM PEOPLE OF ALL RAC. COMBATG ISLAMAPHOBIA OR ANTI-SEMISM IS A TASK FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAHS. AND THE SAME IS TE WH THIS STGGLE FOR EQUALY. CONVERSELY, WHEN WE SEE NIALS AND AB OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FAIL TO ACT, THAT SENDS THE MSAGE TO THOSE NIERS AND ABERS THAT THEY WON’T SUFFER ANY NSEQUENC FOR THEIR ACTNS, AND SO THEY RRY ON. BUT WHEN WE DO ACT, WE SEND A POWERFUL MORAL MSAGE. RIGHT HERE GENEVA, THE TERNATNAL MUNY ACTED THIS YEAR TO STRENGTHEN A GLOBAL NSENS AROUND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE. AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL MARCH, 85 UNTRI OM ALL REGNS SUPPORTED A STATEMENT LLG FOR AN END TO CRIMALIZATN AND VLENCE AGAST PEOPLE BEE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY. AT THE FOLLOWG SSN OF THE COUNCIL JUNE, SOUTH AI TOOK THE LEAD ON A ROLUTN ABOUT VLENCE AGAST LGBT PEOPLE. THE LEGATN OM SOUTH AI SPOKE ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE AND STGGLE FOR HUMAN EQUALY AND S DIVISIBILY. WHEN THE MEASURE PASSED, BEME THE FIRST-EVER UN ROLUTN REGNIZG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF GAY PEOPLE WORLDWI. IN THE ORGANIZATN OF AMERIN STAT THIS YEAR, THE INTER-AMERIN COMMISSN ON HUMAN RIGHTS CREATED A UN ON THE RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE, A STEP TOWARD WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE THE CREATN OF A SPECIAL RAPPORTR. NOW, WE MT GO FURTHER AND WORK HERE AND EVERY REGN OF THE WORLD TO GALVANIZE MORE SUPPORT FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE LGBT MUNY. TO THE LEARS OF THOSE UNTRI WHERE PEOPLE ARE JAILED, BEATEN, OR EXECUTED FOR BEG GAY, I ASK YOU TO NSIR THIS: LEARSHIP, BY FN, MEANS BEG OUT ONT OF YOUR PEOPLE WHEN IS LLED FOR. IT MEANS STANDG UP FOR THE DIGNY OF ALL YOUR CIZENS AND PERSUADG YOUR PEOPLE TO DO THE SAME. IT ALSO MEANS ENSURG THAT ALL CIZENS ARE TREATED AS EQUALS UNR YOUR LAWS, BEE LET ME BE CLEAR – I AM NOT SAYG THAT GAY PEOPLE N’T OR DON’T M CRIM. THEY N AND THEY DO, JT LIKE STRAIGHT PEOPLE. AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACUNTABLE, BUT SHOULD NEVER BE A CRIME TO BE GAY. AND TO PEOPLE OF ALL NATNS, I SAY SUPPORTG HUMAN RIGHTS IS YOUR RPONSIBILY TOO. THE LIV OF GAY PEOPLE ARE SHAPED NOT ONLY BY LAWS, BUT BY THE TREATMENT THEY RECEIVE EVERY DAY OM THEIR FAI, OM THEIR NEIGHBORS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, WHO DID SO MUCH TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS WORLDWI, SAID THAT THE RIGHTS BEG THE SMALL PLAC CLOSE TO HOME – THE STREETS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, THE SCHOOLS THEY ATTEND, THE FACTORI, FARMS, AND OFFIC WHERE THEY WORK. THE PLAC ARE YOUR DOMA. THE ACTNS YOU TAKE, THE IALS THAT YOU ADVOTE, N TERME WHETHER HUMAN RIGHTS FLOURISH WHERE YOU ARE. AND FALLY, TO LGBT MEN AND WOMEN WORLDWI, LET ME SAY THIS: WHEREVER YOU LIVE AND WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANC OF YOUR LIFE, WHETHER YOU ARE NNECTED TO A WORK OF SUPPORT OR FEEL ISOLATED AND VULNERABLE, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE ARE WORKG HARD TO SUPPORT YOU AND TO BRG AN END TO THE JTIC AND DANGERS YOU FACE. THAT IS CERTALY TE FOR MY UNTRY. AND YOU HAVE AN ALLY THE UNED STAT OF AMERI AND YOU HAVE LNS OF IENDS AMONG THE AMERIN PEOPLE. THE OBAMA ADMISTRATN FENDS THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE AS PART OF OUR PREHENSIVE HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY AND AS A PRRY OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY. IN OUR EMBASSI, OUR DIPLOMATS ARE RAISG NCERNS ABOUT SPECIFIC S AND LAWS, AND WORKG WH A RANGE OF PARTNERS TO STRENGTHEN HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTNS FOR ALL. IN WASHGTON, WE HAVE CREATED A TASK FORCE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT AND ORDATE THIS WORK. AND THE G MONTHS, WE WILL PROVI EVERY EMBASSY WH A TOOLK TO HELP IMPROVE THEIR EFFORTS. AND WE HAVE CREATED A PROGRAM THAT OFFERS EMERGENCY SUPPORT TO FENRS OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR LGBT PEOPLE. THIS MORNG, BACK WASHGTON, PRINT OBAMA PUT TO PLACE THE FIRST U.S. GOVERNMENT STRATEGY DITED TO BATG HUMAN RIGHTS AB AGAST LGBT PERSONS ABROAD. BUILDG ON EFFORTS ALREADY UNRWAY AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND ACROSS THE ERNMENT, THE PRINT HAS DIRECTED ALL U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCI ENGAGED OVERSEAS TO BAT THE CRIMALIZATN OF LGBT STAT AND NDUCT, TO ENHANCE EFFORTS TO PROTECT VULNERABLE LGBT REFUGE AND ASYLUM SEEKERS, TO ENSURE THAT OUR FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PROMOT THE PROTECTN OF LGBT RIGHTS, TO ENLIST TERNATNAL ANIZATNS THE FIGHT AGAST DISCRIMATN, AND TO RPOND SWIFTLY TO AB AGAST LGBT PERSONS. I AM ALSO PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE LNCHG A NEW GLOBAL EQUALY FUND THAT WILL SUPPORT THE WORK OF CIVIL SOCIETY ANIZATNS WORKG ON THE ISSU AROUND THE WORLD. THIS FUND WILL HELP THEM RERD FACTS SO THEY N TARGET THEIR ADVOCY, LEARN HOW TO E THE LAW AS A TOOL, MANAGE THEIR BUDGETS, TRA THEIR STAFFS, AND FE PARTNERSHIPS WH WOMEN’S ANIZATNS AND OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS. WE HAVE MTED MORE THAN $3 LN TO START THIS FUND, AND WE HAVE HOPE THAT OTHERS WILL JO SUPPORTG . THE WOMEN AND MEN WHO ADVOTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FOR THE LGBT MUNY HOSTILE PLAC, SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE TODAY WH , ARE BRAVE AND DITED, AND SERVE ALL THE HELP WE N GIVE THEM. WE KNOW THE ROAD AHEAD WILL NOT BE EASY. A GREAT AL OF WORK LI BEFORE . BUT MANY OF HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW QUICKLY CHANGE N E. IN OUR LIFETIM, ATTUS TOWARD GAY PEOPLE MANY PLAC HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED. MANY PEOPLE, CLUDG MYSELF, HAVE EXPERIENCED A EPENG OF OUR OWN NVICTNS ON THIS TOPIC OVER THE YEARS, AS WE HAVE VOTED MORE THOUGHT TO , ENGAGED DIALOGU AND BAT, AND TABLISHED PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL RELATNSHIPS WH PEOPLE WHO ARE GAY. THIS EVOLUTN IS EVINT MANY PLAC. TO HIGHLIGHT ONE EXAMPLE, THE DELHI HIGH COURT CRIMALIZED HOMOSEXUALY INDIA TWO YEARS AGO, WRG, AND I QUOTE, “IF THERE IS ONE TE THAT N BE SAID TO BE AN UNRLYG THEME OF THE INDIAN NSTUTN, IS CLIVENS.” THERE IS LTLE DOUBT MY MD THAT SUPPORT FOR LGBT HUMAN RIGHTS WILL NTUE TO CLIMB. BEE FOR MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, THIS IS SIMPLE: ALL PEOPLE SERVE TO BE TREATED WH DIGNY AND HAVE THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS RPECTED, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE OR WHOM THEY LOVE. THERE IS A PHRASE THAT PEOPLE THE UNED STAT VOKE WHEN URGG OTHERS TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS: “BE ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY.” THE STORY OF THE UNED STAT IS THE STORY OF A NATN THAT HAS REPEATEDLY GRAPPLED WH TOLERANCE AND EQUALY. WE FOUGHT A BTAL CIVIL WAR OVER SLAVERY. PEOPLE OM AST TO AST JOED MPAIGNS TO REGNIZE THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN, DIGENO PEOPL, RACIAL MORI, CHILDREN, PEOPLE WH DISABILI, IMMIGRANTS, WORKERS, AND ON AND ON. AND THE MARCH TOWARD EQUALY AND JTICE HAS NTUED. THOSE WHO ADVOTE FOR EXPANDG THE CIRCLE OF HUMAN RIGHTS WERE AND ARE ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY, AND HISTORY HONORS THEM. THOSE WHO TRIED TO NSTRICT HUMAN RIGHTS WERE WRONG, AND HISTORY REFLECTS THAT AS WELL. I KNOW THAT THE THOUGHTS I’VE SHARED TODAY VOLVE QUTNS ON WHICH OPNS ARE STILL EVOLVG. AS HAS HAPPENED SO MANY TIM BEFORE, OPN WILL NVERGE ONCE AGA WH THE TTH, THE IMMUTABLE TTH, THAT ALL PERSONS ARE CREATED EE AND EQUAL DIGNY AND RIGHTS. WE ARE LLED ONCE MORE TO MAKE REAL THE WORDS OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATN. LET ANSWER THAT LL. LET BE ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY, FOR OUR PEOPLE, OUR NATNS, AND FUTURE GENERATNS, WHOSE LIV WILL BE SHAPED BY THE WORK WE DO TODAY. I E BEFORE YOU WH GREAT HOPE AND NFINCE THAT NO MATTER HOW LONG THE ROAD AHEAD, WE WILL TRAVEL SUCCSFULLY TOGETHER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (APPLSE.) HUMAN RIGHTS U.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS GENEVA

ACTIVISTS NMN VLENCE AGAST LGBTQ MUNY ST. VCENT, WHERE GAY SEX IS ILLEGAL

People around the world face vlence and equaly—and sometim torture, even executn—bee of who they love, how they look, or who they are. Sexual orientatn and genr inty are tegral aspects of our selv and should never lead to discrimatn or abe. Human Rights Watch works for lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr peopl' rights, and wh activists reprentg a multiplicy of inti and issu. We document and expose ab based on sexual orientatn and genr inty worldwi, cludg torture, killg and executns, arrts unr unjt laws, unequal treatment, censorship, medil ab, discrimatn health and jobs and hog, domtic vlence, ab agast children, and nial of fay rights and regnn. We advote for laws and polici that will protect everyone’s digny. We work for a world where all people n enjoy their rights fully. * lgbt speeches *

The NBA legend grabbed a microphone and took aim at transphob, homophob and crics of Bud Light.

"Hey, " he add, "And I want to say this -- if you're gay, bls you.

"If you're gay and transgenr, " he told bargoers at the time, "I love you. Human Rights Watch works for lbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenr peopl' rights, and wh activists reprentg a multiplicy of inti and issu.

AMERI’S MOST IMPORTANT GAY-RIGHTS SPEECH?

No one anticipated , but Print Barack Obama ed the ocsn of his send Ingural Addrs to give what was perhaps the most important gay-rights … * lgbt speeches *

This month, Pri flags are flyg — as some of my iends our last adm- — the Obama-Bin admistratn who are openly gay — they are flyg more than — over 130 U.

When a same-sex uple n be married the morng but nied a lease the afternoon for beg gay, somethg is still wrong. Look at the young people: straight and gay, don’t matter. The powerful speech by Hillary Clton fends gay rights as human rights.

U.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS GENEVA MENU CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT INTERNATNAL TRA HUMANARIAN AFFAIRS U.S. DELEGATN TO THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL NEWS & EVENTS JOB OPPORTUNI CONTACT SEARCH×SEARCH COUNTRY/AREA AFGHANISTANALBANIAALGERIAANGOLAARGENTAARMENIAATRALIAATRIAAZERBAIJANBAHAMASBAHRABANGLASHBARBADOSBELASBELGIUMBELIZEBENBERMUDABOLIVIABOSNIA & HERZEABOTSWANABRAZILBNEIBULGARIABURKA FASOBURMABUNDICABO VERCAMBODIACAMEROONCANADACENTRAL AIN REPUBLICCHADCHILECHACOLOMBIACOMOROSCOSTA RICôTE D’IVOIRECROATIACUBACURAOCYPSCZECH REPUBLICDEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGODENMARKDJIBOUTIDOMIN REPUBLICECUADOREGYPTEL SALVADOREQUATORIAL GUEAERREAESTONIAESWATIETHPIAFIJIFLANDFRANCEGABONGEIAGERMANYGHANAGREECEGUATEMALAGUEAU.S. VIRTUAL PRENCE GUEA-BISSGUYANATHE GAMBIAHAIHONDURASHONG KONG AND MAUHUNGARYICELANDINDIAINDONIAIRANIRAQIRELANDISRAELITALYJAMAIJAPANJORDANKAZAKHSTANKENYAKOREAKOSOVOKUWAKYRGYZ REPUBLICLAOSLATVIALEBANONLOTHOLIBERIALIBYALHUANIALUXEMBOURGMADAGASRMALAWIMALAYSIAMALDIVMALIMALTAMARSHALL ISLANDSMRANIAMRIMEXIMICRONIAMOLDOVAMONGOLIAMONTENEGROMOROCMOZAMBIQUENAMIBIANEPALNETHERLANDSNEW ZEALANDNIRAGUANIGERNIGERIANORTH MACEDONIANORWAYOMANPAKISTANPALPALTIAN TERRORIPANAMAPAPUA NEW GUEAPARAGUAYPEPHILIPPPOLANDPORTUGALQATARREPUBLIC OF CONGOROMANIARSIARWANDASAMOASAN MAROSDI ARABIASENEGALSERBIASIERRA LEONESGAPORESLOVAKIASLOVENIASOLOMON ISLANDSSOMALIASOUTH AISOUTH SUDANSPASRI LANKASUDANSURAMESWENSWZERLANDSYRIAAMERIN INSTUTE TAIWANTAJIKISTANTANZANIATHAILANDTIMOR-LTETOGOTONGATRIDAD & TOBAGOTUNISIATüRKIYETURKMENISTANUGANDAUKRAEUNED ARAB EMIRATUNED KGDOMUGUAYUZBEKISTANVANUATUVENEZUELAVIETNAMYEMENZAMBIAZIMBABWEU.S. MISSN TO ASEANU.S. MISSN TO THE AIN UNNU.S. MISSN TO THE EUHOLY SEEU.S. MISSN TO THE ICAOU.S. MISSN TO NATOU.S. MISSN TO OSCEU.S. MISSN TO THE OASU.S. MISSN TO THE OECDU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-GENEVAU.S. MISSN TO THE UN-ROMEU.S. MISSN TO THE UNED NATNSU.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS VIENNA SECRETARY OF STATE CLTON HUMAN RIGHTS DAY SPEECH – FREE AND EQUAL DIGNY AND RIGHTS BY U.S. MISSN GENEVA 21 MINUTE READDECEMBER 6, 2011 SECRETARY OF STATE CLTON SPEAKG AT THE UNED NATNS OFFICE AT GENEVA REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLTON PALAIS S NATNS GENEVA, SWZERLAND DECEMBER 6, 2011 DISCS THIS SPEECH ON TWTER WH THE HASHTAG #DIGNY4ALL GOOD EVENG, AND LET ME EXPRS MY EP HONOR AND PLEASURE AT BEG HERE. I WANT TO THANK DIRECTOR GENERAL TOKAYEV AND MS. WYN ALONG WH OTHER MISTERS, AMBASSADORS, EXCELLENCI, AND UN PARTNERS. THIS WEEKEND, WE WILL CELEBRATE HUMAN RIGHTS DAY, THE ANNIVERSARY OF ONE OF THE GREAT ACPLISHMENTS OF THE LAST CENTURY.BEGNG 1947, LEGAT OM SIX NTENTS VOTED THEMSELV TO DRAFTG A CLARATN THAT WOULD ENSHRE THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND EEDOMS OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. IN THE AFTERMATH OF WORLD WAR II, MANY NATNS PRSED FOR A STATEMENT OF THIS KD TO HELP ENSURE THAT WE WOULD PREVENT FUTURE ATROCI AND PROTECT THE HERENT HUMANY AND DIGNY OF ALL PEOPLE. AND SO THE LEGAT WENT TO WORK. THEY DISCSED, THEY WROTE, THEY REVISED, REVISED, REWROTE, FOR THOANDS OF HOURS. AND THEY RPORATED SUGGTNS AND REVISNS OM ERNMENTS, ANIZATNS, AND DIVIDUALS AROUND THE WORLD. AT THREE O’CLOCK THE MORNG ON DECEMBER 10TH, 1948, AFTER NEARLY TWO YEARS OF DRAFTG AND ONE LAST LONG NIGHT OF BATE, THE PRINT OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY LLED FOR A VOTE ON THE FAL TEXT. FORTY-EIGHT NATNS VOTED FAVOR; EIGHT ABSTAED; NONE DISSENTED. AND THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WAS ADOPTED. IT PROCLAIMS A SIMPLE, POWERFUL IA: ALL HUMAN BEGS ARE BORN EE AND EQUAL DIGNY AND RIGHTS. AND WH THE CLARATN, WAS MA CLEAR THAT RIGHTS ARE NOT NFERRED BY ERNMENT; THEY ARE THE BIRTHRIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE. IT DO NOT MATTER WHAT UNTRY WE LIVE , WHO OUR LEARS ARE, OR EVEN WHO WE ARE. BEE WE ARE HUMAN, WE THEREFORE HAVE RIGHTS. AND BEE WE HAVE RIGHTS, ERNMENTS ARE BOUND TO PROTECT THEM. IN THE 63 YEARS SCE THE CLARATN WAS ADOPTED, MANY NATNS HAVE MA GREAT PROGRS MAKG HUMAN RIGHTS A HUMAN REALY. STEP BY STEP, BARRIERS THAT ONCE PREVENTED PEOPLE OM ENJOYG THE FULL MEASURE OF LIBERTY, THE FULL EXPERIENCE OF DIGNY, AND THE FULL BENEFS OF HUMANY HAVE FALLEN AWAY. IN MANY PLAC, RACIST LAWS HAVE BEEN REPEALED, LEGAL AND SOCIAL PRACTIC THAT RELEGATED WOMEN TO SEND-CLASS STAT HAVE BEEN ABOLISHED, THE ABILY OF RELIG MORI TO PRACTICE THEIR FAH EELY HAS BEEN SECURED. IN MOST S, THIS PROGRS WAS NOT EASILY WON. PEOPLE FOUGHT AND ANIZED AND MPAIGNED PUBLIC SQUAR AND PRIVATE SPAC TO CHANGE NOT ONLY LAWS, BUT HEARTS AND MDS. AND THANKS TO THAT WORK OF GENERATNS, FOR LNS OF DIVIDUALS WHOSE LIV WERE ONCE NARROWED BY JTICE, THEY ARE NOW ABLE TO LIVE MORE EELY AND TO PARTICIPATE MORE FULLY THE POLIL, ENOMIC, AND SOCIAL LIV OF THEIR MUNI. NOW, THERE IS STILL, AS YOU ALL KNOW, MUCH MORE TO BE DONE TO SECURE THAT MMENT, THAT REALY, AND PROGRS FOR ALL PEOPLE. TODAY, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE WORK WE HAVE LEFT TO DO TO PROTECT ONE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHOSE HUMAN RIGHTS ARE STILL NIED TOO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD TODAY. IN MANY WAYS, THEY ARE AN VISIBLE MORY. THEY ARE ARRTED, BEATEN, TERRORIZED, EVEN EXECUTED. MANY ARE TREATED WH NTEMPT AND VLENCE BY THEIR FELLOW CIZENS WHILE THORI EMPOWERED TO PROTECT THEM LOOK THE OTHER WAY OR, TOO OFTEN, EVEN JO THE ABE. THEY ARE NIED OPPORTUNI TO WORK AND LEARN, DRIVEN OM THEIR HOM AND UNTRI, AND FORCED TO SUPPRS OR NY WHO THEY ARE TO PROTECT THEMSELV OM HARM. I AM TALKG ABOUT GAY, LBIAN, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE, HUMAN BEGS BORN EE AND GIVEN BTOWED EQUALY AND DIGNY, WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO CLAIM THAT, WHICH IS NOW ONE OF THE REMAG HUMAN RIGHTS CHALLENG OF OUR TIME. I SPEAK ABOUT THIS SUBJECT KNOWG THAT MY OWN UNTRY’S RERD ON HUMAN RIGHTS FOR GAY PEOPLE IS FAR OM PERFECT. UNTIL 2003, WAS STILL A CRIME PARTS OF OUR UNTRY. MANY LGBT AMERINS HAVE ENDURED VLENCE AND HARASSMENT THEIR OWN LIV, AND FOR SOME, CLUDG MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, BULLYG AND EXCLN ARE DAILY EXPERIENC. SO WE, LIKE ALL NATNS, HAVE MORE WORK TO DO TO PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS AT HOME. NOW, RAISG THIS ISSUE, I KNOW, IS SENSIVE FOR MANY PEOPLE AND THAT THE OBSTACL STANDG THE WAY OF PROTECTG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE RT ON EPLY HELD PERSONAL, POLIL, CULTURAL, AND RELIG BELIEFS. SO I E HERE BEFORE YOU WH RPECT, UNRSTANDG, AND HUY. EVEN THOUGH PROGRS ON THIS ONT IS NOT EASY, WE NNOT LAY ACTG. SO THAT SPIR, I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE DIFFICULT AND IMPORTANT ISSU WE MT ADDRS TOGETHER TO REACH A GLOBAL NSENS THAT REGNIZ THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT CIZENS EVERYWHERE. THE FIRST ISSUE GO TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER. SOME HAVE SUGGTED THAT GAY RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE SEPARATE AND DISTCT; BUT, FACT, THEY ARE ONE AND THE SAME. NOW, OF URSE, 60 YEARS AGO, THE ERNMENTS THAT DRAFTED AND PASSED THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WERE NOT THKG ABOUT HOW APPLIED TO THE LGBT MUNY. THEY ALSO WEREN’T THKG ABOUT HOW APPLIED TO DIGENO PEOPLE OR CHILDREN OR PEOPLE WH DISABILI OR OTHER MARGALIZED GROUPS. YET THE PAST 60 YEARS, WE HAVE E TO REGNIZE THAT MEMBERS OF THE GROUPS ARE ENTLED TO THE FULL MEASURE OF DIGNY AND RIGHTS, BEE, LIKE ALL PEOPLE, THEY SHARE A MON HUMANY. THIS REGNN DID NOT OCCUR ALL AT ONCE. IT EVOLVED OVER TIME. AND AS DID, WE UNRSTOOD THAT WE WERE HONORG RIGHTS THAT PEOPLE ALWAYS HAD, RATHER THAN CREATG NEW OR SPECIAL RIGHTS FOR THEM. LIKE BEG A WOMAN, LIKE BEG A RACIAL, RELIG, TRIBAL, OR ETHNIC MORY, BEG LGBT DO NOT MAKE YOU LS HUMAN. AND THAT IS WHY GAY RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS, AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE GAY RIGHTS. IT IS VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN PEOPLE ARE BEATEN OR KILLED BEE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN, OR BEE THEY DO NOT NFORM TO CULTURAL NORMS ABOUT HOW MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD LOOK OR BEHAVE. IT IS A VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN ERNMENTS CLARE ILLEGAL TO BE GAY, OR ALLOW THOSE WHO HARM GAY PEOPLE TO GO UNPUNISHED. IT IS A VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN LBIAN OR TRANSGENRED WOMEN ARE SUBJECTED TO SO-LLED RRECTIVE RAPE, OR FORCIBLY SUBJECTED TO HORMONE TREATMENTS, OR WHEN PEOPLE ARE MURRED AFTER PUBLIC LLS FOR VLENCE TOWARD GAYS, OR WHEN THEY ARE FORCED TO FLEE THEIR NATNS AND SEEK ASYLUM OTHER LANDS TO SAVE THEIR LIV. AND IS A VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS WHEN LIFE-SAVG RE IS WHHELD OM PEOPLE BEE THEY ARE GAY, OR EQUAL ACCS TO JTICE IS NIED TO PEOPLE BEE THEY ARE GAY, OR PUBLIC SPAC ARE OUT OF BOUNDS TO PEOPLE BEE THEY ARE GAY. NO MATTER WHAT WE LOOK LIKE, WHERE WE E OM, OR WHO WE ARE, WE ARE ALL EQUALLY ENTLED TO OUR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DIGNY. THE SEND ISSUE IS A QUTN OF WHETHER HOMOSEXUALY ARIS OM A PARTICULAR PART OF THE WORLD. SOME SEEM TO BELIEVE IS A WTERN PHENOMENON, AND THEREFORE PEOPLE OUTSI THE WT HAVE GROUNDS TO REJECT . WELL, REALY, GAY PEOPLE ARE BORN TO AND BELONG TO EVERY SOCIETY THE WORLD. THEY ARE ALL AG, ALL RAC, ALL FAHS; THEY ARE DOCTORS AND TEACHERS, FARMERS AND BANKERS, SOLDIERS AND ATHLET; AND WHETHER WE KNOW , OR WHETHER WE ACKNOWLEDGE , THEY ARE OUR FAY, OUR IENDS, AND OUR NEIGHBORS. BEG GAY IS NOT A WTERN VENTN; IS A HUMAN REALY. AND PROTECTG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL PEOPLE, GAY OR STRAIGHT, IS NOT SOMETHG THAT ONLY WTERN ERNMENTS DO. SOUTH AI’S NSTUTN, WRTEN THE AFTERMATH OF APARTHEID, PROTECTS THE EQUALY OF ALL CIZENS, CLUDG GAY PEOPLE. IN COLOMBIA AND ARGENTA, THE RIGHTS OF GAYS ARE ALSO LEGALLY PROTECTED. IN NEPAL, THE SUPREME URT HAS LED THAT EQUAL RIGHTS APPLY TO LGBT CIZENS. THE GOVERNMENT OF MONGOLIA HAS MTED TO PURSUE NEW LEGISLATN THAT WILL TACKLE ANTI-GAY DISCRIMATN. NOW, SOME WORRY THAT PROTECTG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE LGBT MUNY IS A LUXURY THAT ONLY WEALTHY NATNS N AFFORD. BUT FACT, ALL UNTRI, THERE ARE STS TO NOT PROTECTG THE RIGHTS, BOTH GAY AND STRAIGHT LIV LOST TO DISEASE AND VLENCE, AND THE SILENCG OF VOIC AND VIEWS THAT WOULD STRENGTHEN MUNI, IAS NEVER PURSUED BY ENTREPRENRS WHO HAPPEN TO BE GAY. COSTS ARE CURRED WHENEVER ANY GROUP IS TREATED AS LSER OR THE OTHER, WHETHER THEY ARE WOMEN, RACIAL, OR RELIG MORI, OR THE LGBT. FORMER PRINT MOGAE OF BOTSWANA POTED OUT RECENTLY THAT FOR AS LONG AS LGBT PEOPLE ARE KEPT THE SHADOWS, THERE NNOT BE AN EFFECTIVE PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM TO TACKLE HIV AND AIDS. WELL, THAT HOLDS TE FOR OTHER CHALLENG AS WELL. THE THIRD, AND PERHAPS MOST CHALLENGG, ISSUE ARIS WHEN PEOPLE CE RELIG OR CULTURAL VALU AS A REASON TO VLATE OR NOT TO PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT CIZENS. THIS IS NOT UNLIKE THE JTIFITN OFFERED FOR VLENT PRACTIC TOWARDS WOMEN LIKE HONOR KILLGS, WIDOW BURNG, OR FEMALE GENAL MUTILATN. SOME PEOPLE STILL FEND THOSE PRACTIC AS PART OF A CULTURAL TRADN. BUT VLENCE TOWARD WOMEN ISN’T CULTURAL; ’S CRIMAL. LIKEWISE WH SLAVERY, WHAT WAS ONCE JTIFIED AS SANCTNED BY GOD IS NOW PROPERLY REVILED AS AN UNNSCNABLE VLATN OF HUMAN RIGHTS. IN EACH OF THE S, WE ME TO LEARN THAT NO PRACTICE OR TRADN TMPS THE HUMAN RIGHTS THAT BELONG TO ALL OF . AND THIS HOLDS TE FOR FLICTG VLENCE ON LGBT PEOPLE, CRIMALIZG THEIR STAT OR BEHAVR, EXPELLG THEM OM THEIR FAI AND MUNI, OR TACLY OR EXPLICLY ACCEPTG THEIR KILLG. OF URSE, BEARS NOTG THAT RARELY ARE CULTURAL AND RELIG TRADNS AND TEACHGS ACTUALLY NFLICT WH THE PROTECTN OF HUMAN RIGHTS. INED, OUR RELIGN AND OUR CULTURE ARE SOURC OF PASSN AND SPIRATN TOWARD OUR FELLOW HUMAN BEGS. IT WAS NOT ONLY THOSE WHO’VE JTIFIED SLAVERY WHO LEANED ON RELIGN, WAS ALSO THOSE WHO SOUGHT TO ABOLISH . AND LET KEEP MD THAT OUR MMENTS TO PROTECT THE EEDOM OF RELIGN AND TO FEND THE DIGNY OF LGBT PEOPLE EMANATE OM A MON SOURCE. FOR MANY OF , RELIG BELIEF AND PRACTICE IS A VAL SOURCE OF MEANG AND INTY, AND FUNDAMENTAL TO WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE. AND LIKEWISE, FOR MOST OF , THE BONDS OF LOVE AND FAY THAT WE FE ARE ALSO VAL SOURC OF MEANG AND INTY. AND RG FOR OTHERS IS AN EXPRSN OF WHAT MEANS TO BE FULLY HUMAN. IT IS BEE THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE IS UNIVERSAL THAT HUMAN RIGHTS ARE UNIVERSAL AND CUT ACROSS ALL RELIGNS AND CULTUR. THE FOURTH ISSUE IS WHAT HISTORY TEACH ABOUT HOW WE MAKE PROGRS TOWARDS RIGHTS FOR ALL. PROGRS STARTS WH HONT DISCSN. NOW, THERE ARE SOME WHO SAY AND BELIEVE THAT ALL GAY PEOPLE ARE PEDOPHIL, THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS A DISEASE THAT N BE UGHT OR CURED, OR THAT GAYS REC OTHERS TO BEE GAY. WELL, THE NOTNS ARE SIMPLY NOT TE. THEY ARE ALSO UNLIKELY TO DISAPPEAR IF THOSE WHO PROMOTE OR ACCEPT THEM ARE DISMISSED OUT OF HAND RATHER THAN VED TO SHARE THEIR FEARS AND NCERNS. NO ONE HAS EVER ABANDONED A BELIEF BEE HE WAS FORCED TO DO SO. UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS CLU EEDOM OF EXPRSN AND EEDOM OF BELIEF, EVEN IF OUR WORDS OR BELIEFS NIGRATE THE HUMANY OF OTHERS. YET, WHILE WE ARE EACH EE TO BELIEVE WHATEVER WE CHOOSE, WE NNOT DO WHATEVER WE CHOOSE, NOT A WORLD WHERE WE PROTECT THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF ALL. REACHG UNRSTANDG OF THE ISSU TAK MORE THAN SPEECH. IT DO TAKE A NVERSATN. IN FACT, TAK A NSTELLATN OF NVERSATNS PLAC BIG AND SMALL. AND TAK A WILLGNS TO SEE STARK DIFFERENC BELIEF AS A REASON TO BEG THE NVERSATN, NOT TO AVOID . BUT PROGRS OM CHANG LAWS. IN MANY PLAC, CLUDG MY OWN UNTRY, LEGAL PROTECTNS HAVE PRECED, NOT FOLLOWED, BROAR REGNN OF RIGHTS. LAWS HAVE A TEACHG EFFECT. LAWS THAT DISCRIMATE VALIDATE OTHER KDS OF DISCRIMATN. LAWS THAT REQUIRE EQUAL PROTECTNS RERCE THE MORAL IMPERATIVE OF EQUALY. AND PRACTILLY SPEAKG, IS OFTEN THE SE THAT LAWS MT CHANGE BEFORE FEARS ABOUT CHANGE DISSIPATE. MANY MY UNTRY THOUGHT THAT PRINT TMAN WAS MAKG A GRAVE ERROR WHEN HE ORRED THE RACIAL SEGREGATN OF OUR ARY. THEY ARGUED THAT WOULD UNRME UN HN. AND WASN’T UNTIL HE WENT AHEAD AND DID THAT WE SAW HOW STRENGTHENED OUR SOCIAL FABRIC WAYS EVEN THE SUPPORTERS OF THE POLICY ULD NOT FOREE. LIKEWISE, SOME WORRIED MY UNTRY THAT THE REPEAL OF “DON’T ASK, DON’T TELL” WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OUR ARMED FORC. NOW, THE MARE CORPS COMMANDANT, WHO WAS ONE OF THE STRONGT VOIC AGAST THE REPEAL, SAYS THAT HIS NCERNS WERE UNFOUND AND THAT THE MAR HAVE EMBRACED THE CHANGE. FALLY, PROGRS OM BEG WILLG TO WALK A E SOMEONE ELSE’S SHO. WE NEED TO ASK OURSELV, “HOW WOULD FEEL IF WERE A CRIME TO LOVE THE PERSON I LOVE? HOW WOULD FEEL TO BE DISCRIMATED AGAST FOR SOMETHG ABOUT MYSELF THAT I NNOT CHANGE?” THIS CHALLENGE APPLI TO ALL OF AS WE REFLECT UPON EPLY HELD BELIEFS, AS WE WORK TO EMBRACE TOLERANCE AND RPECT FOR THE DIGNY OF ALL PERSONS, AND AS WE ENGAGE HUMBLY WH THOSE WH WHOM WE DISAGREE THE HOPE OF CREATG GREATER UNRSTANDG. A FIFTH AND FAL QUTN IS HOW WE DO OUR PART TO BRG THE WORLD TO EMBRACE HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ALL PEOPLE CLUDG LGBT PEOPLE. Y, LGBT PEOPLE MT HELP LEAD THIS EFFORT, AS SO MANY OF YOU ARE. THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENC ARE VALUABLE AND THEIR URAGE SPIRATNAL. WE KNOW THE NAM OF BRAVE LGBT ACTIVISTS WHO HAVE LERALLY GIVEN THEIR LIV FOR THIS E, AND THERE ARE MANY MORE WHOSE NAM WE WILL NEVER KNOW. BUT OFTEN THOSE WHO ARE NIED RIGHTS ARE LEAST EMPOWERED TO BRG ABOUT THE CHANG THEY SEEK. ACTG ALONE, MORI N NEVER ACHIEVE THE MAJORI NECSARY FOR POLIL CHANGE. SO WHEN ANY PART OF HUMANY IS SILED, THE RT OF NNOT S ON THE SIL. EVERY TIME A BARRIER TO PROGRS HAS FALLEN, HAS TAKEN A OPERATIVE EFFORT OM THOSE ON BOTH SIS OF THE BARRIER. IN THE FIGHT FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS, THE SUPPORT OF MEN REMAS CCIAL. THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL EQUALY HAS RELIED ON NTRIBUTNS OM PEOPLE OF ALL RAC. COMBATG ISLAMAPHOBIA OR ANTI-SEMISM IS A TASK FOR PEOPLE OF ALL FAHS. AND THE SAME IS TE WH THIS STGGLE FOR EQUALY. CONVERSELY, WHEN WE SEE NIALS AND AB OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FAIL TO ACT, THAT SENDS THE MSAGE TO THOSE NIERS AND ABERS THAT THEY WON’T SUFFER ANY NSEQUENC FOR THEIR ACTNS, AND SO THEY RRY ON. BUT WHEN WE DO ACT, WE SEND A POWERFUL MORAL MSAGE. RIGHT HERE GENEVA, THE TERNATNAL MUNY ACTED THIS YEAR TO STRENGTHEN A GLOBAL NSENS AROUND THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE. AT THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL MARCH, 85 UNTRI OM ALL REGNS SUPPORTED A STATEMENT LLG FOR AN END TO CRIMALIZATN AND VLENCE AGAST PEOPLE BEE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN AND GENR INTY. AT THE FOLLOWG SSN OF THE COUNCIL JUNE, SOUTH AI TOOK THE LEAD ON A ROLUTN ABOUT VLENCE AGAST LGBT PEOPLE. THE LEGATN OM SOUTH AI SPOKE ELOQUENTLY ABOUT THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE AND STGGLE FOR HUMAN EQUALY AND S DIVISIBILY. WHEN THE MEASURE PASSED, BEME THE FIRST-EVER UN ROLUTN REGNIZG THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF GAY PEOPLE WORLDWI. IN THE ORGANIZATN OF AMERIN STAT THIS YEAR, THE INTER-AMERIN COMMISSN ON HUMAN RIGHTS CREATED A UN ON THE RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE, A STEP TOWARD WHAT WE HOPE WILL BE THE CREATN OF A SPECIAL RAPPORTR. NOW, WE MT GO FURTHER AND WORK HERE AND EVERY REGN OF THE WORLD TO GALVANIZE MORE SUPPORT FOR THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE LGBT MUNY. TO THE LEARS OF THOSE UNTRI WHERE PEOPLE ARE JAILED, BEATEN, OR EXECUTED FOR BEG GAY, I ASK YOU TO NSIR THIS: LEARSHIP, BY FN, MEANS BEG OUT ONT OF YOUR PEOPLE WHEN IS LLED FOR. IT MEANS STANDG UP FOR THE DIGNY OF ALL YOUR CIZENS AND PERSUADG YOUR PEOPLE TO DO THE SAME. IT ALSO MEANS ENSURG THAT ALL CIZENS ARE TREATED AS EQUALS UNR YOUR LAWS, BEE LET ME BE CLEAR – I AM NOT SAYG THAT GAY PEOPLE N’T OR DON’T M CRIM. THEY N AND THEY DO, JT LIKE STRAIGHT PEOPLE. AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACUNTABLE, BUT SHOULD NEVER BE A CRIME TO BE GAY. AND TO PEOPLE OF ALL NATNS, I SAY SUPPORTG HUMAN RIGHTS IS YOUR RPONSIBILY TOO. THE LIV OF GAY PEOPLE ARE SHAPED NOT ONLY BY LAWS, BUT BY THE TREATMENT THEY RECEIVE EVERY DAY OM THEIR FAI, OM THEIR NEIGHBORS. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, WHO DID SO MUCH TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS WORLDWI, SAID THAT THE RIGHTS BEG THE SMALL PLAC CLOSE TO HOME – THE STREETS WHERE PEOPLE LIVE, THE SCHOOLS THEY ATTEND, THE FACTORI, FARMS, AND OFFIC WHERE THEY WORK. THE PLAC ARE YOUR DOMA. THE ACTNS YOU TAKE, THE IALS THAT YOU ADVOTE, N TERME WHETHER HUMAN RIGHTS FLOURISH WHERE YOU ARE. AND FALLY, TO LGBT MEN AND WOMEN WORLDWI, LET ME SAY THIS: WHEREVER YOU LIVE AND WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANC OF YOUR LIFE, WHETHER YOU ARE NNECTED TO A WORK OF SUPPORT OR FEEL ISOLATED AND VULNERABLE, PLEASE KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE. PEOPLE AROUND THE GLOBE ARE WORKG HARD TO SUPPORT YOU AND TO BRG AN END TO THE JTIC AND DANGERS YOU FACE. THAT IS CERTALY TE FOR MY UNTRY. AND YOU HAVE AN ALLY THE UNED STAT OF AMERI AND YOU HAVE LNS OF IENDS AMONG THE AMERIN PEOPLE. THE OBAMA ADMISTRATN FENDS THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBT PEOPLE AS PART OF OUR PREHENSIVE HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY AND AS A PRRY OF OUR FOREIGN POLICY. IN OUR EMBASSI, OUR DIPLOMATS ARE RAISG NCERNS ABOUT SPECIFIC S AND LAWS, AND WORKG WH A RANGE OF PARTNERS TO STRENGTHEN HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTNS FOR ALL. IN WASHGTON, WE HAVE CREATED A TASK FORCE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO SUPPORT AND ORDATE THIS WORK. AND THE G MONTHS, WE WILL PROVI EVERY EMBASSY WH A TOOLK TO HELP IMPROVE THEIR EFFORTS. AND WE HAVE CREATED A PROGRAM THAT OFFERS EMERGENCY SUPPORT TO FENRS OF HUMAN RIGHTS FOR LGBT PEOPLE. THIS MORNG, BACK WASHGTON, PRINT OBAMA PUT TO PLACE THE FIRST U.S. GOVERNMENT STRATEGY DITED TO BATG HUMAN RIGHTS AB AGAST LGBT PERSONS ABROAD. BUILDG ON EFFORTS ALREADY UNRWAY AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT AND ACROSS THE ERNMENT, THE PRINT HAS DIRECTED ALL U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCI ENGAGED OVERSEAS TO BAT THE CRIMALIZATN OF LGBT STAT AND NDUCT, TO ENHANCE EFFORTS TO PROTECT VULNERABLE LGBT REFUGE AND ASYLUM SEEKERS, TO ENSURE THAT OUR FOREIGN ASSISTANCE PROMOT THE PROTECTN OF LGBT RIGHTS, TO ENLIST TERNATNAL ANIZATNS THE FIGHT AGAST DISCRIMATN, AND TO RPOND SWIFTLY TO AB AGAST LGBT PERSONS. I AM ALSO PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE ARE LNCHG A NEW GLOBAL EQUALY FUND THAT WILL SUPPORT THE WORK OF CIVIL SOCIETY ANIZATNS WORKG ON THE ISSU AROUND THE WORLD. THIS FUND WILL HELP THEM RERD FACTS SO THEY N TARGET THEIR ADVOCY, LEARN HOW TO E THE LAW AS A TOOL, MANAGE THEIR BUDGETS, TRA THEIR STAFFS, AND FE PARTNERSHIPS WH WOMEN’S ANIZATNS AND OTHER HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS. WE HAVE MTED MORE THAN $3 LN TO START THIS FUND, AND WE HAVE HOPE THAT OTHERS WILL JO SUPPORTG . THE WOMEN AND MEN WHO ADVOTE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS FOR THE LGBT MUNY HOSTILE PLAC, SOME OF WHOM ARE HERE TODAY WH , ARE BRAVE AND DITED, AND SERVE ALL THE HELP WE N GIVE THEM. WE KNOW THE ROAD AHEAD WILL NOT BE EASY. A GREAT AL OF WORK LI BEFORE . BUT MANY OF HAVE SEEN FIRSTHAND HOW QUICKLY CHANGE N E. IN OUR LIFETIM, ATTUS TOWARD GAY PEOPLE MANY PLAC HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED. MANY PEOPLE, CLUDG MYSELF, HAVE EXPERIENCED A EPENG OF OUR OWN NVICTNS ON THIS TOPIC OVER THE YEARS, AS WE HAVE VOTED MORE THOUGHT TO , ENGAGED DIALOGU AND BAT, AND TABLISHED PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL RELATNSHIPS WH PEOPLE WHO ARE GAY. THIS EVOLUTN IS EVINT MANY PLAC. TO HIGHLIGHT ONE EXAMPLE, THE DELHI HIGH COURT CRIMALIZED HOMOSEXUALY INDIA TWO YEARS AGO, WRG, AND I QUOTE, “IF THERE IS ONE TE THAT N BE SAID TO BE AN UNRLYG THEME OF THE INDIAN NSTUTN, IS CLIVENS.” THERE IS LTLE DOUBT MY MD THAT SUPPORT FOR LGBT HUMAN RIGHTS WILL NTUE TO CLIMB. BEE FOR MANY YOUNG PEOPLE, THIS IS SIMPLE: ALL PEOPLE SERVE TO BE TREATED WH DIGNY AND HAVE THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS RPECTED, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE OR WHOM THEY LOVE. THERE IS A PHRASE THAT PEOPLE THE UNED STAT VOKE WHEN URGG OTHERS TO SUPPORT HUMAN RIGHTS: “BE ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY.” THE STORY OF THE UNED STAT IS THE STORY OF A NATN THAT HAS REPEATEDLY GRAPPLED WH TOLERANCE AND EQUALY. WE FOUGHT A BTAL CIVIL WAR OVER SLAVERY. PEOPLE OM AST TO AST JOED MPAIGNS TO REGNIZE THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN, DIGENO PEOPL, RACIAL MORI, CHILDREN, PEOPLE WH DISABILI, IMMIGRANTS, WORKERS, AND ON AND ON. AND THE MARCH TOWARD EQUALY AND JTICE HAS NTUED. THOSE WHO ADVOTE FOR EXPANDG THE CIRCLE OF HUMAN RIGHTS WERE AND ARE ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY, AND HISTORY HONORS THEM. THOSE WHO TRIED TO NSTRICT HUMAN RIGHTS WERE WRONG, AND HISTORY REFLECTS THAT AS WELL. I KNOW THAT THE THOUGHTS I’VE SHARED TODAY VOLVE QUTNS ON WHICH OPNS ARE STILL EVOLVG. AS HAS HAPPENED SO MANY TIM BEFORE, OPN WILL NVERGE ONCE AGA WH THE TTH, THE IMMUTABLE TTH, THAT ALL PERSONS ARE CREATED EE AND EQUAL DIGNY AND RIGHTS. WE ARE LLED ONCE MORE TO MAKE REAL THE WORDS OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATN. LET ANSWER THAT LL. LET BE ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY, FOR OUR PEOPLE, OUR NATNS, AND FUTURE GENERATNS, WHOSE LIV WILL BE SHAPED BY THE WORK WE DO TODAY. I E BEFORE YOU WH GREAT HOPE AND NFINCE THAT NO MATTER HOW LONG THE ROAD AHEAD, WE WILL TRAVEL SUCCSFULLY TOGETHER. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (APPLSE.) HUMAN RIGHTS U.S. MISSN TO INTERNATNAL ORGANIZATNS GENEVA

Joel Burns' keynote discs the need to put an end to anti-gay bullyg schools. His talk reveals his growg ncern for the crease suicis related to the bullyg of gay children and teenagers. Vcent and the Grenad, where gay sex is still homelsns to ongog physil and verbal abe, the gay muny the small natn of some 100, 000 people says is unr nstant threat.

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ACTIVISTS NMN VLENCE AGAST LGBTQ MUNY ST. VCENT, WHERE GAY SEX IS ILLEGAL

AMERI’S MOST IMPORTANT GAY-RIGHTS SPEECH?