In the so-called 'age of equality', there is one fundamental injustice which still pervades vast swathes of contemporary society, as discrimination against individuals based on sexual orientation continues to occur, in both developed and developing countries.

As recently as 2009, The New York Times suggested that it was still legal to sack someone for being gay in 29 American states, proving that even in ‘developed’ nations, we haven’t shed our propensity to discriminate – in fact, we’ve institutionalised it.

Silence on the issue isn’t golden; it endangers the very foundation of our democracy.  One of the last taboos of our age has created a situation in which people have been forced to choose between their livelihoods and their basic human rights. Until such a time as the issue is fully resolved, ordinary people will continue to suffer as a consequence of inaction, prejudice and discrimination.

But it isn’t only the Western World that has faced criticism regarding its Gay Rights record of late - developing countries, too, have been hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons. In October of last year, the Ugandan newspaper The Rolling Stone ran an article that provoked international outrage, as Human Rights activists, the press and the public united in outcry. Under the headline ‘Hang them’ were printed the photos of 100 individuals believed to be homosexuals.

'The New York Times suggested that it was still legal to sack someone for being gay in 29 American states.'

This action, coupled with continuing Gay Rights abuses in countries such as Malawi (where a gay couple who publicly demonstrated their commitment were last year sentenced to fourteen years in separate prisons) and the ongoing ‘Honour Killings’ of homosexuals in the Middle East, has thrown into sharp relief the continuing inequalities faced daily by gay people on a worldwide scale.

Yet, while the picture may seem to be a bleak one, this isn’t entirely the case. Following a complex internal dispute between America’s senate and court, Barack Obama last month ruled in favour of abolishing the controversial ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ measure (which had previously prevented openly gay recruits from serving in the country’s armed forces) as opposition to the legislation rose to previously unparalleled levels. The President has also spoken publicly about his commitment to ensuring equality between people of all sexual orientations, with regards to marriage, adoption and employment opportunities.

Ugandan authorities, too, have taken steps to rectify the harm caused by October’s article, Kampala High Court this week ruling against the publication of identities and addresses of homosexuals, after previously ordering that The Rolling Stone cease publication.

While the recent decisions of both the Obama administration and Uganda’s judicial system, both born from a mêlée of mixed messages, may not by any means bring about an overnight change in mentalities, they are at least an encouraging display of changing attitudes, with policies to match.

CNN Video interview with editor of Ugandan Rolling Stone

Words:Tara McEvoy
Photo: courtesy of Wikipedia Commons

Disclaimer: This is an opinion piece written by Tara McEvoy and is not necessarily reflective of Christian Aid's and Ctrl.Alt.Shift's views.