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, 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.

 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, 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.

 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