OutSpoken Newsletter

In This Issue A Message from the ED Blackmail and Extortion A Celebration of Courage 2011 Courage Unfolds Publications and Research IGLRHC at Work Staff Additions Activist Toolkit IGLHRC News Courage Unfolds Video Launched IGLHRC commemorated this year's International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO)on May 17 with the launch of Courage Unfolds. This video, co-produced with Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LeAP!) highlights the struggles and triumphs of LGBT activists in Asia and promotes the use of international human rights law as a tool for social change. … Read more » A Celebration of Courage 2011 IGLHRC's annual gala event - Celebration of Courage - held earlier this year in New York City was hosted by award-winning actor Alan Cumming - who has since generously donated to IGLHRC proceeds from the sale of his latest fragrance.  The March 7th event drew a strong crowd of supporters and was an opportunity to honor the work of those who have made significant contributions to the global movement for LGBT equality.  Honorees included the Mongolian LGBT Centre and journalist and educator Jeff Sharlet.… Read More » IGLHRC STAFF New Additions IGLHRC has had an exciting addition to its staff with Linda Schlapp joining in May 2011 as Director of Development. For Linda joining IGLHRC is an exciting step in bringing her past experience in development and social justice to work within her own community. … Read More » Activist Toolkit Witness Video is an incredibly powerful tool for human rights documentation and advocacy and is used in various ways to bring about social change. The human rights organization WITNESS provides training and support to local groups to use video in their campaigns but also provides a vast collection of resources and tools designed to help create videos for effective human rights advocacy. … Read More » SHARE "Under Construction" Over the last 9-months, IGLHRC has undertaken an introspective strategic planning process. We've looked at who we were, who we are, and who we want to be. We've explored our current staff capacity, the needs and gaps in the field, what our partners, friends and supporters expect from us, and how the trends in fundraising are likely to affect our ability to raise the necessary resources to work effectively. …Read More » back to top Nowhere to Turn: Blackmail and Extortion of LGBT People in Sub-Saharan Africa Of all of the violations that LGBTI people in sub-Saharan Africa deal with, blackmail and extortion are perhaps the most prevalent – and the least visible. In places where it is illegal, stigmatizing, or dangerous to identify as LGBTI or to engage in same-sex activity, keeping one's sexuality a secret may be, quite literally, a matter of life or death. It is difficult to overstate the terror and helplessness that threats to expose one's sexual orientation and gender identity evoke for their victims. … Read More » back to top Publications and Research In Haiti in the year since the devastating earthquake that struck in January 2010, violence and discrimination against LGBT people has increased significantly. This finding and other anti-LGBT human rights violations were documented in a briefing paper published In March 2011 by IGLHRC and Haitian partner, SEROvie. … Read More » See Other IGLHRC Reports » back to top IGLHRC at Work LGBT Recommendations included in Final Statement of 7th ASEAN People's Forum In Asia LGBT issues have not received much attention in local and regional conferences. However, in the lead up to the May summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta Indonesia, forty LGBT activists from 8 ASEAN member countries were able to gather as a group for the first time to engage with the summit. … Learn more and view the LGBT recommendations to ASEAN member States » back to top Closing of Ugandan Parliamentary Session Without Vote on Anti-Homosexuality Bill In early May, activists in Uganda were again faced with the possibility that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill would be adopted by the Ugandan Parliament. Fortunately, the last session of the Parliament closed without the Bill's passage. Although there was relief at this, activists urged caution and vigilance as the new session of Parliament may see the Bill's reintroduction. See our work on Uganda » back to top Presentation to Inter American Commission on Human Rights on LGBT Rights in Haiti Following the release of the briefing paper on The Impact of the Earthquake, and Relief and Recovery Programs on Haitian LGBT People, IGLHRC and its Haitian partner organization – SEROvie – had the opportunity to present their findings at a hearing during the 141st session of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Watch a video of the presentation » back to top IGLHRC attends the Trial of Turkish Feminist, Pinar Selek In response to a request for international solidarity by LGBT groups, an IGLHRC representative attended a court hearing in February in support of Pinar Selek, a well-known feminist, sociologist, peace activist and scholar, at the Istanbul 12th High Criminal Court. … Read More » back to top