White House votes to keep gay group out of U.N.

White House votes to keep gay group out of U.N.
By Louis Weisberg, Staff writer Copyright by the Chicago Free Press
 
International human rights groups blasted the Bush administration for voting against two gay rights groups seeking observer status at the United Nations. The human rights groups said it was the first time in history that the U.N.’s Economic and Social Council had dismissed such applications without hearings.

The two groups that were denied status—the International Lesbian and Gay Association (ILGA) and the Danish Association of Gays and Lesbians—wanted a place at the table to fight discrimination and abuse of GLBT people by U.N. member nations. About 3,000 nongovernmental organizations currently have U.N. observer status—also known as consultative status. This allows them to circulate statements, address meetings and propose agenda items.

Iran, acting on a move influenced by Egypt and the Organization of Islamic Conferences, introduced the measure to summarily deny the gay groups admittance. In addition to the U.S. and Iran, China, Cuba, Pakistan, Sudan and Zimbabwe—all of which have extensive records of human rights abuses—voted against the organizations.

“It is an absolute outrage that the United States has chosen to align itself with tyrants—all in a sickening effort to smother the voices of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people around the world,” said Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. “Apparently Iran, which President Bush has deemed part of the ‘Axis of Evil,’ is a suitable partner when it comes to discriminating against gay people.”Vowing that “the issue, (and) we as people, will not go away,” ILGA co-secretary general Kursad Kahramanoglu said, “We will push for this unprecedented action to be reconsidered.”Forty human rights groups, along with numerous individuals, fired off letters to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, criticizing the White House’s position.

“I was deeply troubled to learn that the U.S. government, presumably at your direction, sided with some of the most undemocratic, anti-human rights regimes in the world in voting against consultative status for two international organizations, solely on the grounds that they represent gay and lesbian people,” said U.S. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) in a letter to Rice.

“I had hopes for better from you,” he added. The Bush administration cited ILGA’s affiliation with NAMBLA, the controversial North American Man/Boy Love Association, as its reason for voting against the organization. But the association between the two groups ended in 1994, after former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) brought it to light.

Still, a state department spokesperson told the Washington Blade, “We did not vote against the group because it was a gay rights group, but because of its past association with a group condoning pedophilia.”

The administration has offered no reason for voting against the Danish National Association for Gays and Lesbians, which was never affiliated with NAMBLA.