Developed World Leads on Gay Rights | Parade.com

Developed World Leads on Gay Rights | Parade.com

Last month, the District of Columbia joined Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire in legalizing gay marriage. Though it’s hard to generalize, there is “definitely a movement” toward expanded rights for gays in much of the world, says Scott Long of Human Rights Watch.

Albania recently passed a law to protect gays against bias. A court in New Delhi, India, overturned that city’s ban on consensual gay sex, and Nepal is expected to legalize same-sex marriage this year in hopes of attracting gay tourists. China opened its first state-sponsored gay bar in December, following a dramatic rise in the spread of HIV/AIDS among gay men. “If people are afraid to ‘out’ themselves, they’re forced into a conspiracy of silence that prevents them from receiving information that can save their lives,” explains Jessica Stern of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. In fact, rates of new HIV infections are higher in countries with repressive laws against homosexuality, according to research from the United Nations agency on HIV/AIDS.

Yet gay sex is still illegal in 80 countries. At least seven impose the death penalty for homosexual acts—usually under Islamic law. Gays “are often used as political proxies for other agendas—the West, anything modern or non-traditional,” Stern explains.


Same-Sex Rights Around The Globe

Same-sex marriage is legal: Canada, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, and others.

Homosexual acts are punishable by death: Iran, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Mauritania; parts of Nigeria and Sudan.

Sanctions against homosexuals seem to be easing: China, Singapore, Cuba, Nepal.

Sanctions seem to be tightening: Burundi, Nigeria, Russia, Uganda.