This is the kind of treatment asylum seekers are currently facing in the United States; they are given the choice to either give up their asylum claim, which would keep their family together but be forced to return to a country wracked with violence, or be imprisoned for a year and have their child put up for adoption.
If the Liberal Party sees this and still concludes that the US constitutes a “Safe” country for asylum seekers then they are morally bankrupt on this issue.
No matter how emotional my coming out is,no matter how painful it is to look my parents in the eye, no matter how much I’m crying, no matter how precarious my situation would be, when I say the words “mom dad, I’m lesbian” there will a tiny fucking voice in the back of my brain that will immediately say: “I thought you were American”
ok i did not think that was going in that direction
Turkey: Istanbul Pride march must go ahead unhindered
As the annual Istanbul Pride due to take place on Sunday 1 July approaches, Amnesty International, ILGA-Europe and All Out stand in solidarity with Turkey’s LGBTI+ communities and their allies, calling on the authorities to ensure Istanbul Pride march takes place without any unlawful restrictions.
Fotis Filippou, Campaigns Director for Europe at Amnesty International said:
“In the current climate of fear, where authorities are clamping down on civil society, freedom of
expression and diversity, it is all the more important for LGBTI individuals to be visible and freely
celebrate pride. People around the world are standing in solidarity with Turkey’s LGBTI activists
and their allies, who, against all odds are marching for human rights and equality.”
The last time it took place in 2014, an estimated 90,000 people participated in the vibrant
Istanbul Pride parade in Istiklal Avenue, the city’s main shopping street. This was the largest of
the gatherings since 2003, when just 30 LGBTI+ activists had been present in the first ever Pride
march. But all this changed when the Istanbul Governorate banned the 2015 Pride march in
Istanbul, police violently dispersing participants with water cannons, tear gas and pepper ball
projectiles, detaining dozens of people in the process. In 2016 and 2017, small groups of LGBTI+
activists and allies were also prevented from marching following bans by the Governorate.
Björn van Roozendaal, Programmes Director for ILGA-Europe said:
“In 2018, Pride is undoubtedly a litmus test for democratic values – a test that over the past few
years, Turkey has failed to meet. It’s particularly disappointing when you consider the incredible
history of Pride in Istanbul. Sadly, the restrictions on LGBTI public events since then in the region
are indicative of the attempted erosion of civil society organising and human rights. History is
repeating itself.
And make no mistake, this is harming all of society, not just the LGBTI communities and their
allies. Attacks on activism and dissenting voices, a constant refusal from authorities to engage
with their citizens, and persistent disregard for fundamental rights – this is something that should
provoke a reaction from all communities, not only the LGBTI movement.”
Turkey’s LGBTI+ communities are determined to exercise their right to peacefully celebrate pride.
In fact, on 11 May, students at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara did just that,
despite the ongoing city wide blanket ban on all LGBTI+ events. In Izmir, hundreds took part in
the 6
th annual Pride march on 10 June.
Matt Beard, Executive Director for All Out said:
“We will continue to stand in solidarity with LGBTI people in Istanbul and across Turkey.
Authorities can ban peaceful gatherings, they can silence dissent, they can use hard, raw power to
bully and coerce others. But they will never extinguish the hunger for freedom, respect, and
dignity that are at the very heart of Pride.”
Under domestic and international law, Turkish authorities are under obligation to protect the
rights to freedom of peaceful expression and assembly. On 1 July, Istanbul Pride must be allowed
to go ahead unhindered and be protected.
backup blog in case tumblr explodes 