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The Latin American Region of the International Resource Network (IRN)
The Latin American Region of the International
Resource Network (IRN)
The Latin American International Resource Network (IRN) region
Recent advances in LGBT rights in Latin America
Sodomy Laws decriminalization of homosexuality (now complete in all Spanish speaking countries and Brazil)
Recent advances in LGBT rights in Latin America
Sodomy Laws decriminalization of homosexuality (now complete in all Spanish-speaking countries and Brazil)
Employment Discrimination laws against sexual orientation discrimination (Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia)
Recent advances in LGBT rights in Latin America
Sodomy Laws decriminalization of homosexuality (now complete in all Spanish-speaking countries and Brazil)
Employment Discrimination laws against sexual orientation discrimination (Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia)
Couple rights In January 2008, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to recognize same sex couples nationally. In December 2009 Mexico City approved marriage rights and adoption rights for same sex couples
8 April 2010, Buenos Aires
Recent advances in LGBT rights in Latin America
Sodomy Laws decriminalization of homosexuality (now complete in all Spanish-speaking countries and Brazil)
Employment Discrimination laws against sexual orientation discrimination (Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia)
Couple rights In January 2008, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to recognize same sex couples nationally. In December 2009 Mexico City approved marriage rights and adoption rights for same sex couples
National Initiatives The governments of Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil have developed government-sponsored public education programs to fight homophobia, and in 2008, the Brazilian government hosted a historic national conference on LGBT rights.
Recent advances in LGBT rights in Latin America
Sodomy Laws decriminalization of homosexuality (now complete in all Spanish-speaking countries and Brazil)
Employment Discrimination laws against sexual orientation discrimination (Brazil, Mexico, PeruCosta Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia)
Couple rights In January 2008, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to recognize same sex couples nationally. In December 2009 Mexico City approved marriage rights and adoption rights for same sex couples
National Initiatives The governments of Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil have developed government-sponsored public education programs to fight homophobia, and in 2008, the Brazilian government hosted a historic national conference on LGBT rights.
The 5th Latin American and Caribbean Conference of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Association took place in Curitiba Brazil this year and over 400 participants from 36 countries discussed strategies for the promotion of LGBT rights in the region. The IRN was also present.
Fifth ILGA LAC Conference
Recent advances in LGBT rights in Latin America
Sodomy Laws decriminalization of homosexuality (now complete in all Spanish-speaking countries and Brazil)
Employment Discrimination laws against sexual orientation discrimination (Brazil, Mexico, PeruCosta Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia)
Couple rights In January 2008, Uruguay became the first Latin American country to recognize same sex couples nationally. In December 2009 Mexico City approved marriage rights and adoption rights for same sex couples
National Initiatives The governments of Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil have developed government-sponsored public education programs to fight homophobia, and in 2008, the Brazilian government hosted a historic national conference on LGBT rights.
The 5th Latin American and Caribbean Conference of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Association took place in Curitiba Brazil this year and over 400 participants from 36 countries discussed strategies for the promotion of LGBT rights in the region. The IRN was also present.
Increasing Visibility The Gay Pride Parades as an expression of sexual minority activism gather each time more activists and visibilize the different identities. Brazil, Sao Paulo has the largest gay pride parade in the world with over 4 million participants
Largest Gay Pride Parade in Sao Paulo/ Brazil June 2009
Challenges
There are still eleven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where homosexuality is considered a crime. (Antigua and Barbudas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, Santa Lucia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Granadinas and Trinidad and Tobago)
Challenges
There are still eleven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where homosexuality is considered a crime. (Antigua and Barbudas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, Santa Lucia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Granadinas and Trinidad and Tobago)
Gap between law and public policies and their effective implementation-even though law and policies exist they often remain words on paper- Change of law doesn’t change society
Challenges
There are still eleven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where homosexuality is considered a crime. (Antigua and Barbudas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, Santa Lucia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Granadinas and Trinidad and Tobago)
Gap between law and public policies and their effective implementation-even though law and policies exist they often remain words on paper- Change of law doesn’t change society
Discrimination and violence- the laws on the books don’t always match social acceptance, especially outside of urban areas. In particular, transgender people continue to face high levels of violence and discrimination and even when the rights of same sex couples are recognized, they often exclude parenting rights
Challenges
There are still eleven countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where homosexuality is considered a crime. (Antigua and Barbudas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Granada, Guyana, Jamaica, Santa Lucia, Saint Christopher and Nevis, Saint Vincent and Granadinas and Trinidad and Tobago)
Gap between law and public policies and their effective implementation-even though law and policies exist they often remain words on paper- Change of law doesn’t change society
Discrimination and violence- the laws on the books don’t always match social acceptance, especially outside of urban areas. In particular, transgender people continue to face high levels of violence and discrimination and even when the rights of same sex couples are recognized, they often exclude parenting rights.
Funding-often initiatives cannot be implemented because of lack of funds
Objectives of IRN Latin America
Works to increase membership by strategizing new methods of outreach
Improve the IRN LA website and resources
Facilitate growth and collaboration in the Latin American region
Locate funding opportunities for IRN Latin America
Organize virtual discussions and to contribute to conferences
What has IRN Latin America done?
Expanded board to include members from all LA countries
New Database on LGBT study programs in Latin America
Highlights the work of regional organizations on the Website
Information on recent United Nations Programs targeting the LGBT population
in Latin America
The most recent LGBT material distributed at the LAC Conference now available on the website
IRN essay competition to award LGBT research in Latin America
Networking with other LGBT projects on LAC Conference
Presented the IRN on an international TV show broadcasted in the Dominican Republic
Set up Digital archive with material from the 70s and 80s
Sexualidades:
A Working Paper
On Caribbean and
Latin American
Sexualities
Projects going on
Set up of the IRN virtual discussion Good Practices and lessons learned, implementing LGBT rights on a national level. The idea is that countries learn from each others experiences and to share best practices on how the different countries achieved legislative changes. These best practices will be published on the IRN website
Gender and Sexuality panel at the Latin American Studies Association scheduled for October 2010 in collaboration with the Bonham Center of Sexuality Studies
Topics- impact on migration on the status of women and sexual minorities in the Americas
Dialogue between women and lgbt experiences
Virtual reading group on Sexuality studies and Queer theory
Board currently trying to get their own LA funding
