GENEVA (16 May 2023) – On the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, a group of UN and regional human rights experts called on States to address racism and stigma against LGBT persons. The experts issued the following joint statement:
“We call on States to uphold the inherent dignity of all persons, without any distinction, by adopting measures to eradicate racial discrimination, exclusion, intolerance, hatred, bigotry, violence, and stigmatization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender diverse (LGBT) persons.
Racialization, ethnicity, age, color, disability, national and residential, and socio-economic status expose LGBT persons to different forms of discrimination that affect their ability to enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms without distinction of any kind. To adequately analyze how structural inequalities lead to violence and exposure to risk, it is a must to adopt an intersectional approach. While some people are privileged, most face discrimination and violence, including arbitrary displacement, because of their multiple intersecting identities.