Featured Event: Gay Rights as Human Rights

“Human Rights” is defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “rights regarded as belonging fundamentally to all persons.” Hillary Clinton stated in her December 6, 2011 remarks in recognition of International Human Rights Day that one of the remaining human rights challenges of our time is the unequal treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. While our headlines in Washington and the United States tell us of struggles to equalize rights, such as marriage and the treatment of youth, the issue is one that spans borders. Certain countries, such as Argentina and South Africa, have legally protected the rights of gays. Other countries, like Uganda, do not have such protections in place, and LGBT people can face anything from harassment to death. What is being done to protect the rights of these people, and what can we do from afar to express our values in this situation?

The World Affairs Council presented Jessica Stern, Program Director of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and Dr. Kapya Kaoma, Project Director at Political Research Associates, for a conversation on the international perspective on the topic of gay rights as human rights. The Q&A was moderated by Charlene Strong, Washington State Human Rights Commissioner and Co-Editor of The Seattle Lesbian.

The eventcast (and videocast) of this event is available below. Please keep involved in the conversation on the bottom of this page via Facebook, or send us an email or give us a call with your thoughts – we’re always glad to hear your ideas and suggestions for new programs or better ways to reach out.

Eventcast:

Videocast: