LGBT stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender.”
While these terms have increasing global resonance, in
different cultures other terms may be used to describe
people who form same-sex relationships and those who
exhibit non-binary gender identities (such as hijra, meti,
lala, skesana, motsoalle, mithli, kuchu, kawein, travesty, muxé,
fa’afafine, fakaleiti, hamjensgara and Two-Spirit). In a human
rights context, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
people face both common and distinct challenges. Intersex
people (those born with atypical sex characteristics) suffer
many of the same kinds of human rights violations as LGBT
people, as indicated below.
No. Criminalizing private sexual relationships between
consenting adults, whether the relationships are samesex or different-sex, is a violation of the right to privacy.
Laws criminalizing consensual same-sex relationships
are also discriminatory, and where enforced, violate rights
to freedom from arbitrary arrest and detention. At least
76 countries have laws in effect that criminalize private,
consensual same-sex relationships, and in at least five
countries conviction may carry the death penalty. In
addition to violating basic rights, this criminalization
serves to legitimize hostile attitudes towards LGBT
people, feeding violence and discrimination. It also
hampers efforts to halt the spread of HIV by deterring
LGBT people from coming forward for testing and
treatment for fear of revealing criminal activity.
Yes, it applies to every person. International human rights
law establishes legal obligations on States to make sure
that everyone, without distinction, can enjoy their human
rights. A person’s sexual orientation and gender identity
is a status, like race, sex, colour or religion. United Nations
human rights experts have confirmed that international
law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation
or gender identity.