ISSUES
: Sexuality and Gender
Chapter 1: Understanding sexuality
3
Are there LGBT
people only in Western
countries?
No. LGBT people exist everywhere,
in all countries, among all ethnic
groups, at all socioeconomic levels
and in all communities. Claims that
same-sex attraction is a western
practice are false. However, many
of the criminal laws used today to
punish LGBT people are Western
in origin. In most cases, they
were imposed on the countries
concerned in the 19th century by
the colonial powers of the day.
Have LGBT people
always existed?
Yes. LGBT people have always been
a part of our communities. There
are examples from every locality
and time-period, from prehistoric
rock paintings in South Africa and
Egypt to ancient Indian medical
texts and early Ottoman literature.
Many societies have traditionally
been open towards LGBT people,
including several Asian societies
that have traditionally recognised a
third gender.
Is it possible to change
a person’s sexual
orientation and gender
identity?
No. A person’s sexual orientation
and/or gender identity cannot
be changed. What must change
are the negative social attitudes
that stigmatise LGBT people
and contribute to violence and
discrimination
against
them.
Attempts to change someone’s
sexual orientation often involve
human rights violations and can
cause severe trauma. Examples
include forced psychiatric therapies
intended to ‘cure’ (sic) individuals
of their same-sex attraction, as
well as the so-called ‘corrective’
rape of lesbians perpetrated with
the declared aim of ‘turning them
straight’.
Does being around
LGBT people or having
access to information
on homosexuality
endanger the well-
being of children?
No. Learning about or spending
time with people who are LGBT
does not influence the sexual
orientation or gender identity of
minors nor can it harm their well-
being. Rather, it is vital that all youth
have access to age-appropriate
sexuality education to ensure
that they have healthy, respectful
physical relationships and can
protect themselves from sexually
transmitted infections. Denial of this
kind of information contributes to
stigma and can cause young LGBT
people to feel isolated, depressed,
forcing some to drop out of school
and contributing to higher rates of
suicide.
Are gay, lesbian, bisexual
or transgender people
dangerous to children?
No. There is no link between
homosexuality and child abuse
of any kind. LGBT people all over
the world can be good parents,
teachers and role models for young
people. Portraying LGBT people as
‘paedophiles’ or dangerous to children
is wholly inaccurate, offensive and a
distraction from the need for serious
and appropriate measures to protect
all children, including those coming to
terms with their sexual orientation and
gender identity.
Does international
human rights law apply
to LGBT people?
Yes, it applies to every person.
International human rights law
establishes legal obligations on states
to make sure that everyone, without
distinction, can enjoy their human
rights. A person’s sexual orientation
and gender identity is a status, like
race, sex, colour or religion. United
Nations human rights experts have
confirmed that international law
prohibits discrimination based on
sexual orientation or gender identity.
Can depriving LGBT
people of their human
rights be justified on
grounds of religion,
culture or tradition?
No. Human rights are universal:
every human being is entitled to the
same rights, no matter who they
are or where they live. While history,
culture and religion are contextually
important, all states, regardless of
their political, economic and cultural
systems, have a legal duty to promote
and protect the human rights of all.
Ö
Ö
The above information is reprinted
with kind permission from Free &
Equal and the Office of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights
(OHCHR). Please visit
.
org and
for more
information.
© Free & Equal
