The British Humanist Association (BHA) has signed an appeal from the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHO) campaign, directed at tackling hate and violence propagated by people who use religious arguments to justify their positions.
The IDAHO campaign, which has its focus this year on religions, calls on religious people, religious leaders and religious hierarchies to promote human rights and protect the dignity of all persons, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. The BHA and IDAHO are both clear that homophobia and transphobia are not exclusive to religions and that the majority of religious people do not express those views.
Naomi Phillips, BHA Head of Public Affairs, said, ‘We just need to look at the position of Anglican churches in Africa towards gay people, the Vatican’s refusal to sign a UN resolution calling for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, or the execution of gay teenagers in Iran, to see that religiously-inspired hatred against people because of who they are or who they sleep with remains a deep problem in many parts of the world. It is evermore important to join together with others to tackle the rise in homophobic and transphobic violence and hate throughout the world.’
The Gay and Lesbian Humanist Association (GALHA) has published its manifesto, which contains questions for candidates on issues including homophobic bullying, protecting the rights of LGBT people in UK foreign policy and discrimination against LGBT people in employment.
Notes
For further comment or information, contact Naomi Phillips on 020 7079 3585.
Read more about IDAHO and sign up to the campaign.
Read the GALHA and BHA election manifestos.
The BHA works with religious and non-religious people to promote LGBT equality and rights throughout society and to tackle discrimination wherever it occurs.
The British Humanist Association represents and supports the non-religious. It is the largest organisation in the UK campaigning for an end to religious privilege and to discrimination based on religion or belief, and for a secular state.