Homosexuality illegal in 41 out of 53 Commonwealth countries – report

[Jesus Malverde]

Anti-gay discrimination not on the agenda of this month's heads of government meeting in Sri Lanka

Homosexuality is illegal in 41 out of the 53 Commonwealth countries, a report released on Monday reveals.

Despite this, the forthcoming Commonwealth heads of government meeting (Chogm) in Sri Lanka has elected not to discuss the issue of anti-gay discrimination.

Commissioned by the Kaleidoscope Human Rights Foundation and compiled by LGBT activists throughout the Commonwealth, the report calls for Commonwealth countries to repeal anti-gay legislation, with an immediate moratorium on enforcement.

“If you look at the world as a whole, around about 40% of nations have state-sponsored homophobia,” said Kaleidoscope’s spokesman, Douglas Pretsell.

“Half of those – about 54% – are in the Commonwealth. If you look at the rest of the world not inside the Commonwealth, it’s only 24.5% – so the Commonwealth has a big problem.

“These are laws that make it illegal to be gay.”

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/nov/10/homosexuality-illegal-in-41-out-of-53-commonwealth-countries-report

[xfundy]

1. Religion is a choice. Orientation is not.

Homophobia's a choice, too.

[Jesus Malverde]

2. Hangover from British colonial rule.

Pretsell said the anti-gay laws were hangover from British colonial rule. It exported laws – including those outlawing sodomy – to Commonwealth countries, where they persist backed by the prevalence of strong religious views among the populations.

“It’s worth noting that in the vast majority of these countries, the laws sit there and they’re completely unused, so no one is ever prosecuted. But (the laws’ existence are) used as a way to intimidate and harass.”