Rep. Robert Garcia Wants the U.S. to Defend LGBTQI Rights Worldwide
A bill would requires State Department to promote decriminalization of homosexuality and condemn human rights abuses globally.
A new bill introduced in Congress would require the United States to adopt public policy stances aimed at promoting LGBTQI rights abroad and speaking out against LGBTQI human rights abuses when they occur.
The International Human Rights Defense Act, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) and U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), would make the office of the Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBTQI+ Persons, which President Joe Biden established in 2021, permanent.
The office is intended to work with governments, civil society organizations, and the private sector to help promote respect for LGBTQI human rights worldwide.
The bill, which has already amassed 21 co-sponsors in the U.S. Senate, would also require the State Department to document and respond to incidents of bias-motivated violence against LGBTQI people abroad, while stressing the U.S. position that such violence and persecution is incompatible with human rights.
Under the bill, the State Department would also be tasked with developing a comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to efforts to criminalize homosexuality or same-sex relations. Currently, 69 different nations have such laws in place.
The United States has, for some time, denounced abuses of LGBTQI rights abroad, often earning criticism from home-grown social conservatives who oppose homosexuality, as well as from foreign governments — particularly those in heavily Muslim or Christian countries — for allegedly pushing an agenda “hostile” to religious values.
In 2019, former President Donald Trump tapped then-U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell to lead an initiative that encouraged countries to decriminalize same-sex relations.
In 2021, President Joe Biden signed a memorandum committing the U.S. to promoting LGBTQ and intersex rights abroad, focusing on five different priorities.
Those priorities include:
- The decriminalization of homosexuality.
- Protecting LGBTQ migrants and asylum seekers.
- Funding efforts to protect human rights and advance nondiscrimination policies globally.
- Responding to and denouncing human rights abuses.
- Building coalitions and engaging international organizations to combat discrimination.
“LGBTQI+ rights are human rights, and human rights are the foundation of a strong and healthy democracy,” Markey said in a statement. “We have an urgent moral obligation to safeguard the freedom and fundamental rights of LGBTQI+ people, whether they live in our own neighborhoods or in communities around the world, and ensure the U.S. is unwavering in its commitment to upholding all rights of all people.”
“As the first gay immigrant in Congress, I know firsthand how important it is to uphold basic human rights for our LGBTQI+ community,” Rep. Garcia said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to ensure that our country and our allies are upholding human rights for all.”
“The rise of anti-LGBTQI+ rhetoric and violence isn’t just happening in the United States, it’s happening all around the world,” U.S. Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), vice chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus and a co-sponsor of the legislation, said in a statement.
“That’s why we need to make it clear that the United States doesn’t tolerate this hatred and discrimination. Our bicameral legislation takes a clear position declaring that we are in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community in the United States and around the world and that we’ll continue to push for human rights, equality, and justice for all people — no matter who they are or who they love.”
“Tragically, the rights of LGBTQI+ persons continue to be at grave risk around the world. We must respond with concrete support to ensure that the rights of all people are respected,” Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said in a statement. “The International Human Rights Defense Act will bolster the State Department’s ability to support LGBTQI+ persons globally and marks an important step forward in advancing equality for all.”
“The data is clear: democracies are only as strong as their most vulnerable communities are protected,” Beirne Roose-Snyder, a senior policy fellow at the Council for Global Equality. “Our research shows an unmistakable correlation between the lived experiences and legislative realities of LGBTQI+ people worldwide on the one hand and the health and resilience of democratic institutions on the other.
“When we invest in LGBTQI+ communities, we are defending democracy for all. This bill expands U.S. support for democracy overseas by providing the policies and infrastructure to strengthen LGBTQI+ leadership and defend human rights.”
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