Date: June 28th, 2009
On this day forty years
ago, a spontaneous, out-front and violent resistance grew out of the police
raid on the Stonewall Inn, Greenwich Village,
Today, on the occasion of
its fortieth (40th) anniversary, the International Federation of Liberal Youth
(IFLRY) remembers the brave men and women who fought the frontlines of that
night and the succeeding riots. More so, IFLRY celebrates the fruits of the
Stonewall riots that gave birth to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
queer (LGBTQ) rights movement and sparked great advancements in LGBTQ rights
not only in
IFLRY believes that no
human being should ever be discriminated based on race, class, ideology,
religion, gender and sexual preference. The atrocities and discrimination
towards homosexuals in the past, as it is today, is a blatant disregard to
basic universal human rights. Societal institutions that perpetrated and
encouraged harassment and discrimination, forcing homosexuals to live in fear,
shame and secrecy is unacceptable.
The International
Federation of Liberal Youth supports diversity, tolerance and equality. We
believe that every man and woman is part of our global community and that we
are entitled to live a way of life we freely choose with pride, dignity and
without fear. The LGBTQ community should be afforded the full spectrum of
rights as any human individual, be it in the work place, in the community and
in their relationship. LGBTQ should enjoy equal entitlement to property and
marriage. Although, we believe that marriage is not the end to all of this, to
be legally recognized as a married couple, would allow equal protection of the
law to same sex couples.
Human rights violations
targeted toward persons because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation
or gender identity constitute an entrenched global pattern of serious concern. They
include extra-judicial killings, torture and ill-treatment, sexual assault and
rape, invasions of privacy, arbitrary detention, denial of employment and
education opportunities, and serious discrimination in relation to the
enjoyment of other human rights. Therefore, we call upon the people of the
world to fight against discrimination and prejudice, in whatever forms it had
taken, everywhere it exists. The LGBTQ rights movement may have achieved great
progress, but there is more work to be done. All around the world, LGBTQ youth
needs to feel safe and to learn without the fear of harassment.
Key human rights mechanisms
of the United Nations have affirmed States obligation to ensure effective
protection of all persons from discrimination based on sexual orientation or
gender identity. However, the international response has been fragmented and
inconsistent, creating the need for a consistent understanding of the
comprehensive regime of international human rights law and its application to
issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. Therefore, we urge the United
Nations and the countries of the world to intensify efforts to decriminalize
and accept homosexuality.
As the LGBTQ community
marches through the annual Gay Prides, IFLRY is with them in celebrating
cultural diversity and the fight against oppression, discrimination and the
promotion of equality, justice and freedom around the world.
Forty (40) years after the
Stonewall Riots; IFLRY is still one with the world on the fight for FREEDOM TO
BE YOURSELF!
[END]
For
more information on this statement, please contact IFLRY Vice-President Jan-Argy
Tolentino (janargy@iflry.org - +6329175262749).
For
more information on IFLRY’s campaign ‘Freedom To Be Yourself’, please contact
campaign manager Slaven Klobucar (slaven@iflry.org
- +385 98 533 339).