Under the Trump administration, global LGBTQI+ health and rights faced an unprecedented assault. Andrea Gillespie, Sexual Health and Rights Policy Advisor with the American Jewish World Service (AJWS), sits down to talk with us about progress made by the Biden-Harris administration and what pieces of legislation we can advance to prevent backsliding.

 

Under the Trump administration, global LGBTQI+ rights were facing unprecedented attack. In fact, those serving in the Trump administration had long records of opposing LGBTQI+ rights and reproductive rights—including officials at the U.S. State Department and USAID. The State Department attempted to erase the reality of global sexual and reproductive health and rights, removing the term “sexual and reproductive health and rights” altogether from their Annual Human Rights Reports. The removal of this topic from the reports limited our comprehensive understanding and tracking of reproductive health and rights progress for LGBTQI+ people around the world. Then-Secretary Mike Pompeo’s Commission on Unalienable Rights sought to re-define and cherry-pick human rights, with the health and rights of LGBTQI+ individuals at the bottom of the ladder. Trump’s drastically expanded Global Gag Rule also worsened the barriers that LGBTQI+ individuals faced when accessing healthcare, including HIV treatment and prevention. 

 

The Biden administration has begun putting in place policies that work to repair and support LGBTQI+ health and rights. President Biden rescinded the expanded Global Gag Rule during his first week in office. In early February, when President Biden visited the State Department for the first time, his comments centered the health and rights of LGBTQI + individuals and, shortly after, the White Memorandum on Advancing the Human Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex Persons Around the World was released. The Biden-Harris administration has also recognized and released statements on Trans-Visibility Day and International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia.

 

In order to prevent backsliding on global LGBTQI+ health and rights, we must repeal the Global Gag Rule for good. The Global HER Act would permanently repeal this harmful policy, allowing LGBTQI+ people to have expanded access to abortion services and other reproductive health care. Similarly, the Helms amendment must be repealed in order to make sure all people have the ability to access the care that they need. During appropriations season, it’s also important  to direct funding to LGBTQI+ rights programs, including those run from the State Department and USAID that fight to shift norms, end discrimination, and provide safety and security. Lastly, the Greater Leadership Overseas for the Benefit of Equality (GLOBE) Act, sponsored by Representative Dina Titus [D-NV-1] would recognize the impact of foreign policy tools on LGBTQ+ rights. 

 

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