Courage Unfolds Video Release: Tools for LGBT Activists and Allies

"Courage Unfolds is the culmination of two and a half years of gathering stories from sixteen countries across Asia. LGBT Asians have shared their stories of struggle and survival in the face of police harassment, religious homophobia, job discrimination, and family and community violence. The video showcases courageous individuals fighting for equality, safety, and the decriminalization of our lives. GRACE POORE IGLHRC Regional Coordinator for Asia and the Pacific Islands "The Yogyakarta Principles are an invaluable resource for LGBT activists and allies, but many people don’t know they exist or how to use them. We created the video to put them into simple terms LGBT activists can use to address the violations they experience and build safer communities.” GING CRISTOBAL IGLHRC Asia Projects Coordinator LEARN: Learn more about the Yogyakarta Principles and LGBT activism in Asia by watching the Courage Unfolds video. SHARE: Tell your friends and community about this Campaign and how they can join you. Share your actions with us and with others on IGLHRC's Courage Unfolds Map. ACT: Screen Courage Unfolds, hold a rally, a training or a community event, write about using the Yogyakarta Principles, or petition your government to address violence and discrimination against LGBT people. In commemoration of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO), the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) is proud to announce the launch of Courage Unfolds – a video highlighting the struggles and triumphs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists in Asia and promoting the use of international human rights law as a tool for social change. The video, which will have its New York premiere on June 7, was co-produced by IGLHRC and Lesbian Advocates Philippines (LeAP!). The video highlights the issues faced by LGBT people in Asia as a way to make the Yogyakarta Principles accessible in layman's terms. This set of 29 international legal principles – articulated in 2006 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia by a group of experts from around the world – addresses the application of international law to human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The video shows how the Yogyakarta principles are a relevant and effective tool that LGBT activists can use in their advocacy for human rights. Momentum for this video's release has been building since the April launch of the Courage Unfolds Campaign. Join the Courage Unfolds Campaign » The Courage Unfolds Campaign calls for LGBT people to be protected by law, respected by society, and accepted by family. It is a call for the use of the Yogyakarta Principles as a tool to ensure the respect, protection and promotion by governments of the human rights of all people - including LGBT people. Activists from throughout Asia have already begun using Courage Unfolds creatively, and IGLHRC invites others to find their own ways to utilize this new education and community-building tool. In early May, for instance, Courage Unfolds was screened in Jakarta, Indonesia to an international audience attending the People's Forum of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN). In the Philippines, there will be a multimedia campaign launch and recognition ceremony where 29 awards will be given to local LGBT human rights defenders. Other screenings and community discussions will take place in Cambodia, China, Hong Kong and New Zealand to mark IDAHO. The video is currently being translated into Bahasa Indonesia, Bengali, Burmese, Chinese, Hindi, Khmer, Mongolian, Nepali, Thai and Vietnamese. The events taking place around the world can be tracked on our Courage Unfolds Map. The video's New York screening on June 7, 2011 will be hosted with a reception by Credit Suisse and will be followed by a panel discussion and audience Q & A. The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP (by June 3) and for details email Robert Smith - rsmith@iglhrc.org.

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