Respect Sexual Identities

We must support the calls of LGBTI organizations for those who are assaulted to report what happened.

More and more people from the LGBTI community are daring to express their sexual identity without having to hide. However, this increased freedom has also meant an increase in homophobic incidents. Reports of assaults against lesbians, gays, transsexuals and bisexuals have increased in recent years, as have cases of bullying and discrimination.* This is reflected in a report from the Madrid-based observatory against homophobia, which registered 321 incidents in 2017, nearly one a day. The Catalonia-based observatory registered 111 incidents, with an increase in direct assaults. However, these statistics don’t reflect the reality of homophobia given that many victims do not go to the police. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights estimates that only 10 percent of people from the LGBTI community go to the police when they are assaulted.

Coinciding with International Day Against Homophobia, which yesterday celebrated the day in 1974 in which homosexuality was removed from the manual of mental illnesses, we must support the calls of LGBTI organizations for those who are assaulted to report what happened to the police. This is the only way that we will end the impunity with which many who commit these assaults think they can act, and the only way to consolidate everyone’s right to live in a world of respect, regardless of sexual identity.

In this respect, things are not going as well as desired. 75 countries still legally pursue homosexuals and 13 of them still have the death penalty for homosexuality. However, even in those countries which have protective legislation, like Spain, there is a social rejection of homosexuality that must be stopped. The homophobic climate in countries like Russia, Turkey and some countries in the East should be fought, given that they are incompatible with the principles of liberty and respect of human rights that are enshrined in international treaties.

*Editor’s note: The term transsexual is an outdated term. Within the LGBTI acronym, the T represents transgender individuals.