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NEWS & LETTERS, December 2009
Queer Notes
by Elise
Bisexual Queer activist Chloe Michelle Noble and Queer activist Jill Hardman are walking, hoping to raise awareness of nationwide LGBTQI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning and Intersex) youth homelessness. Living in homeless youth communities as they cross the contiguous U.S., Operation Shine documents the widespread lack of resources for homeless Queer youth, advocating more guidance and support for them.
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After Italian legislators rejected hate crimes protections for Gays and Lesbians and after several homophobic attacks, protesters held rallies in Rome calling for full equality and protection for all citizens.
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Breaking its promises to abide by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Iran imposed the death penalty on Mehdi P., Mohsen G. and Nemat Safavi for committing homosexual acts as youth. Human Rights Watch and Iran's own Stop Child Executions are demanding that Iran revoke the sentences.
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The American Psychological Association recently adopted a "Resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation Distress and Change Efforts," admonishing young people, their parents, guardians, families, and mental healthcare providers to avoid treatments to make them "ex-gays." Research proved that such treatments don't work. Instead, the resolution encourages services "that provide accurate information on sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and school support and reduce rejection of sexual minority youth."
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