Unions mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia

The TUC is urging people to mark International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia today (Saturday) by remembering lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who have been attacked or killed around the world.

International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is held on 17 May each year. The TUC is calling on union members and the general public to use the day to commemorate LGBT people who have been killed simply because of their sexuality.

Homosexuality is still illegal in at least 82 of the world’s 196 countries (42 per cent), and in 10 countries – including Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Sudan – women, men and children can be punished for their sexuality with death sentences.

While there has been enormous progress towards the social acceptance of LGBT people in Britain and in spite of the fact that the UK now has equal marriage, the TUC is concerned that many surveys confirm that prejudice and discrimination remain deeply rooted in workplaces, in schools, in sport – and in society more widely – and that hate crime continues to flourish.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Unions have campaigned for equal rights for LGBT people in the UK with a great deal of success, but the battle for equality is nowhere near over, even in Britain.

“In many countries LGBT people face harassment, intimidation, violence, ostracism, hate crimes and even death, just because of their sexuality.

“International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia is a chance for unions to highlight the suffering of LGBT people all around the world, and demand that the way they are treated is improved – both at work and in the wider community.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- Homosexuality is illegal in: Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burundi, Cameroon, Comoros, Cook Islands, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana, Jamaica, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Kirbati, Kuwait, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Palestine/Gaza Strip, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Samoa, Sao Tome, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Somalia, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

- Homosexuality is punishable by the death sentence in: Iran, Iraq, Mauritania, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk