Tag Archives: Global Equality

Stonewall’s International Campaign

It’s taken us 25 years to get to where we are today in the UK. We’re serious about creating change around the world. Will you help us?

Stonewall’s International work supports the work of LGBT human rights defenders around the word. We know from our own experience that sustainable change is only possible if it is led by people on the ground in the country concerned.

Why its important to support LGBT rights around the world

  • 78 countries make same-sex relationships a crime
  • 5 of those impose the death penalty
  • 1,509 cases of murdered trans people have been reported since 2008
  • 61 countries protect LGB people from discrimination in employment
  • 14 countries have equal marriage
  • 15 countries allow same-sex couples to adopt children

Shubha discusses the situation for LGBT people in India and what she has learned from her visit to Stonewall

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Denmark’s Groundbreaking New Ruling in EU Trans Rights Battle

Gender and identity is a tricky and complicated subject for many around the world. While many of us understand that it’s incredibly important for a person’s gender to be recognised (whether they aren’t cisgendered or if a person doesn’t identify with the male/female binary), in plenty of places around the world issues such as a person’s chosen pronouns and gender presentation aren’t recognised or respected and in many of these same places, the sexual organs that you’re born with are the only defining facets of your gender. That’s not the case though and the physical and the mental sides of sex and gender respectively aren’t mutually exclusive, especially for those who don’t necessarily identify with the male or female identity that the doctor’s assigned them at birth. But in order to change the gender listed on these formal documents it can be a tricky process, but thankfully for those looking to change their gender on legal documents in Denmark, things just got a whole lot easier.

That’s thanks to new legislation in the European country as changing the gender on your legal documents no longer requires you to undergo sex reassignment surgery, a move likely made to reflect the fact that more and more people realise that your physical self has no affect whatsoever on just what you feel your gender is. Too, you also don’t have to be diagnosed with “Gender Identity Disorder” as Denmark are doing away with that part of previous proceedings which bizarrely added to the stigma that trans* men and women already face. Sterilisation is also no longer required which is also great news. Now, all that’s required is a statement explaining that you’d like to change the gender on your legal documents and a 6 month “reflection” period.

Support didn’t end there either as Denmark’s Interior Minister Margrethe Vestager says that the decision “will make life easier and more dignified for the individual” while ILGA-Europe (International Lesbian and Gay Association Europe) co-chair Gabi Calleja called it “another significant change in Europe” comparing it to Denmark’s monumental decision in 1989 in which it became the first country in the world to introduce a legal concept of same-gender marriage. So while the fight for trans* rights is far from over, Denmark’s change is huge and should be lauded and with support like that the future for trans* rights in Europe looks incredibly hopeful.

Source: RTE News.

Stonewall Release New Global Values Guide to Help Businesses Embrace Global Equality

Global Values: Getting Started with LGB Equality Worldwide has been launched by Stonewall.

The guidance was created as part of its Global Diversity Champions Programme (supported by Data Morphosis), and to ensure businesses promote equality around the world – supporting lesbian, gay and bisexual people in the face of ever changing local legal, social and cultural conditions.

Featuring major organisations (such as Barclays, IBM, EY and Google) as key case studies, and to highlight how they support their LGB staff around the world; the new guidance offers ten top tips to ensure organisation’s policies and values are consistent wherever they operate in the world.

The guide has been developed to ensure clear global leadership supports LGB equality and provides safe spaces for LGB staff in countries where no legal protections exist.

‘More and more organisations are looking for meaningful ways to share their values, particularly supporting lesbian, gay and bisexual staff, no matter where they operate around the world. This guide will help organsiations think about the ways they can express their commitment to equality within the boundaries of local law.’

Simon Feeke, Stonewall’s Head of Workplace

The guide will be sent to 100 global employers, including businesses, government agencies and international universities.

At Stonewall we know that employers, whether from the private, public or third sectors, have played a powerful role in driving forward equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people in Britain. This guide, the first in a series of Global Workplace Guides, will help global organisations to share these same values no matter where they work in the world.’

Ruth Hunt, Stonewall’s Acting Chief Executive