Homophobia and Human Rights

Homophobia Definition and Origin

• Homophobia refers to the fear or poor treatment of homosexuals.
• The term "homophobia" was coined by psychologist George Weinberg in the 1960s.

International Recognition and Events

• The term "homophobia" is often used alongside "transphobia" in UN and Council of Europe documents discussing human rights violations of LGBT individuals.
• The International Day Against Homophobia is celebrated on May 17, first observed in 2005 in over 40 countries.
• Gay pride parades are events aimed at combating homophobia.

Country-Specific Efforts

• Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia have launched mass media campaigns against homophobia since 2002.
• Laws prohibiting discrimination against homosexuals have been enacted in several countries, with some considering it a hate crime.

International Instruments

• The Declaration of Montreal and the Yogyakarta Principles were adopted in 2006 to promote LGBT rights.

Strategies for Combating Homophobia

• Teaching students about historical figures who were gay or faced discrimination due to their sexuality can help prevent homophobic prejudice and bullying in schools.

Terminology

• An individual who exhibits homophobic behavior is referred to as a homophobe.

Homophobia Definition and Origin

• Homophobia refers to the fear or poor treatment of homosexuals.
• The term "homophobia" was coined by psychologist George Weinberg in the 1960s.

International Recognition and Events

• The term "homophobia" is often used alongside "transphobia" in UN and Council of Europe documents discussing human rights violations of LGBT individuals.
• The International Day Against Homophobia is celebrated on May 17, first observed in 2005 in over 40 countries.
• Gay pride parades are events aimed at combating homophobia.

Country-Specific Efforts

• Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia have launched mass media campaigns against homophobia since 2002.
• Laws prohibiting discrimination against homosexuals have been enacted in several countries, with some considering it a hate crime.

International Instruments

• The Declaration of Montreal and the Yogyakarta Principles were adopted in 2006 to promote LGBT rights.

Strategies for Combating Homophobia

• Teaching students about historical figures who were gay or faced discrimination due to their sexuality can help prevent homophobic prejudice and bullying in schools.

Terminology

• An individual who exhibits homophobic behavior is referred to as a homophobe.

Sexism

• Sexism is discrimination based on gender, involving stereotyped roles for men and women and looking down on individuals because of their gender.
• International laws, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Yogyakarta Principles, demand the abolition of sexism.
• Sexism can affect various aspects of life, including attending a party, getting a job, joining a game, or seeking a promotion.

Forms of Sexism

• Misogyny: hatred of women.
• Misandry: hatred of men.
• Reverse sexism: being biased against men due to feelings of disadvantage.

History of Sexism

• The term "sexism" was likely modeled after "racism" (prejudice or discrimination based on race), although its origin is unclear.
• Sexism has historically been associated with discrimination against women in the Western world.

Education and Sexism

• Globally, women have lower literacy rates than men.
• Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani schoolgirl, was shot by Taliban gunmen on October 9, 2012, for advocating for girls' rights to education.