Archbishop Tutu Speaks up for Human Rights for LGBTI People

[JackBeck]

Archbishop Desmond Tutu responds to a standing ovation from the audience at Grace Cathedral.
You can download a high resolution version of the photo from our website
Photo credit: Steve Fisch(New York, April 9, 2008) Comparing the importance of speaking up for human rights to the basic act of breathing, Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave an historic speech to the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex (LGBTI) community at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco last night. A crowd of 500 people heard the Nobel Peace Prize recipient condemn the persecution of LGBTI people, apologize on behalf of his Church for ostracizing gay people, and challenge China to improve its human rights record—all in the first ever direct address by the Archbishop to a large gathering of the LGBTI community in the United States.

Archbishop Tutu’s speech was the highlight of A Celebration of Courage, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission’s (IGLHRC’s) annual gala awards ceremony, where Tutu was presented with an OUTSPOKEN Award recognizing his leadership as a global ally of the LGBTI community whose outspokenness has contributed substantially to advancing the rights and understanding of LGBTI people everywhere. The importance of speaking out on human rights was also underscored by the context of the evening's event, overlapping with a candle-lit vigil for Tibet in United Nations Plaza, and occurring only hours before anticipated protests as the Olympic touch journeys through San Francisco on its way to Beijing, China, host of the next Olympic games.

(snip)

In his 30-minute address, Archbishop Tutu said that for his part it was impossible to keep quiet “when people were frequently hounded...vilified, molested and even killed as targets of homophobia...for something they did not choose—their sexual orientation.” In the face of this ongoing persecution, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient praised LGBTI people for being “compassionate, caring, self-sacrificing and refusing to be embittered.” He spoke critically of his Church, apologizing for the way it has ostracized LGBTI people, and for making them feel as if God had made a mistake by creating them to be who they are. “How sad it is,” he said, “That the Church should be so obsessed with this particular issue of human sexuality when God's children are facing massive problems--poverty, disease, corruption, conflict...”

More at: http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=840

[sniffa]

1. Tutu is awesome. I wish more religious leaders were like him.

:hi:

K&R

[JackBeck]

4. He's the real deal.

I'm waiting, though, for the "homophobia-literally-means" brigade to show up and denounce his use of the word.

In the meantime, :pals:

[fortyfeetunder]

2. Right on Archbishop Tutu!

He speaks with passion and courage.
Religious leaders need to follow his example.
What a man!

:applause:

[JackBeck]

6. He's been an outspoken supporter of the LGBT community for many years.

He has been and continues to be an inspirational historical figure.

[goclark]

3. Bless you Rev. Tutu

[JackBeck]

7. He's amazing.

He gave a speech a few months back where he compared the LGBT struggle for equality, to the Black struggle for civil rights.

[goclark]

8. great comparison

[LeftishBrit]

5. k&r

Great speech!