Bill introduced in US Congress to protect LGBT rights around the world
A bill was introduced on Thursday in the US houses of Congress which seeks to promote the rights of LGBT people around the globe.
The International Human Rights Defense Act was introduced by Democrats Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Representative Alan Lowenthal of California.
“When President Obama addressed the nation and committed to defending the human rights of the LGBT community, we made that commitment to the world,” Markey said in a statement, referring to the State of the Union address earlier this month.
“With the rights of the LGBT community under attack around the globe, we must stand hand-in-hand with them in the struggle for recognition and equality everywhere,” he continued.
In the State of the Union address, President Obama became the first president to explicitly call for LGBT equality.
Lowenthal said: “We must do what we can as a nation to enforce the precept that all human beings … are entitled to a basic set of human rights which include the right to love who they choose without fear of punishment or death. LGBT rights are human rights.”
Despite being introduced last year by Markey, it never went to a vote.
The bill would, if passed, ensure the Department of State makes the prevention and response to disccrimination and violence against LGBT people around the world a priority.
