Keep Your Laws Off of My Sexuality

Did you know that homosexuality is illegal in 60 countries?! Hmmm...I wonder if being born a female or a flipper baby is illegal anywere? Because, you see, to me it´s all the same. I think you´re born straight or you´re born gay, so penalizing a person for their sexual orientation is that same as penalizing them for their color or sex.

And as though making people have to bottle up their sexuality or live it in secret isn´t bad enough, homosexuality is punishable by death in Afganistan (I´m sure Bush doesn´t object to this law in this newly "free" land), Iran, Mauretania, Nigeria, Pakistan (our friends!), Saudi Arabia (our rich friends!) and Yemen. What these eight countries have in common is that they are ruled by sharia, the radical interpretation of islamic law. And I´m sure if the religious right had it´s way in the States, the US would be number 9 on this hateful list.

And let´s keep in mind that just because homosexuality is legal in the majority of the world´s countries doesn´t mean homosexuals are safe throughout the majority of the world. Amnesty International reported that gay rights are violated in at least 80 countries worldwide, most of which are found in Asia and Africa. Homosexuality is also illegal in Jamaica and Nicaragua, and in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Guyana, India, the Maldives, Uganda, Nepal and Singapore, the penalty for being caught is life in prison.

But ignorance is not exclusive to the "East" or the Third World. Just look at Bush and his right wing zealots. Let´s change the constitution so that we can take away rights instead of give them. Yeah, that sounds like plan! Or look at Joe Comuzzi, Canada´s ex-Secretary of State, who resigned back in June to protest the legalization of gay marriage in the country. No, no, the west has got a pretty good handle on hatred and injustice too.

Source: 20 Minutos, Madrid, Spain, June 29, 2005