During the 2022 World Cup, which will be held in Qatar for the very first time in the tournament’s 92-year history, World Cup organizers anticipate a total attendance of 1.2 million supporters.
This will be the first time the competition has ever been held in a Middle Eastern country. The leader of the state in the Persian Gulf region says that each and every one of those guests is welcome.
However, this may not be immediately clear to fans who identify as 2SLGBTQ+. Sexual acts between people of the same gender are considered illegal in Qatar and can result in a prison sentence or even the death penalty, despite the fact that this extreme measure has never been known to be carried out.
The organization that is running the tournament, FIFA, has discouraged any attempts by the participating teams to express their support for 2SLGBTQ+ supporters.
After the organization said that players who wore the armbands would be fined, the soccer teams from seven different European countries finally came to the conclusion that their captains would not wear rainbow armbands from OneLove while competing in Qatar.
Qatar’s LGBTQ Laws: What Are They?
There are many regulations in Qatar that make it illegal for 2SLGBTQ+ persons, particularly homosexual males, to live there.
According to a study that was just released by the United States Department of State, having sexual relations with another adult male is illegal and can result in a sentence of up to seven years in jail. Women do not necessarily fall under this category in the same way.
The Gulf state has Islamic sharia courts, which means that it is legally permissible for married Muslim males to be put to death if it is determined that they have committed adultery against their wives.
It is for this reason that the Human Dignity Trust, a legal organization based in London that advocates for 2SLGBTQ+ rights globally, includes Qatar on its list of 11 nations across the globe where a death penalty is a legal option for 2SLGBTQ+ persons.
Despite the fact that it is unknown whether or not the death penalty has ever been employed particularly for this purpose in Qatar, the Human Dignity Trust includes Qatar on this list.
According to a recent investigation conducted by Human Rights Watch in New York City, there have been complaints in recent months that 2SLGBTQ+ persons have been jailed and abused in the state that is located in the Persian Gulf, notably in the months leading up to the World Cup.
Between 2019 and 2022, researchers from this group recorded six incidents of severe and repeated beatings and five cases of sexual harassment by authorities against four transgender women, a bisexual woman, and a gay man.
The cases involved severe and repeated beatings on many occasions. The Washington Post was unable to independently confirm the accounts that were included in the report.
Common 2SLGBTQ+ Issue Around the Globe
Many states and cities across the world are still fighting for equal rights.
Violence
It’s alarming that hate crimes against 2SLGBTQ+ people persist so widely. Nearly 20% of all hate crimes in the United States in 2015 were motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation, while another 2% were motivated by the victim’s gender identity.
In the past several years, transgender people have been disproportionately targeted by violent crime, with 13 trans women of color losing their lives to such crimes thus far in 2018.
Having to contend with racism, sexism, transphobia, and, often, poverty, trans women of color are among the most marginalized people in the country and are thus at a heightened risk of experiencing violence.
However, there are still four states with no hate crime statutes, 13 states that just cover sexual orientation, and 16 states that do not include gender or sexual identity within their hate crime laws.
Parenting
Legal protection for 2SLGBTQ+ parents is limited to a minority of states. California, Colorado, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Vermont all permit same-sex couples to adopt as second parents.
Five states have passed laws making it possible for adoption agencies to refuse to work with same-sex couples.
When it comes to adoptions, only California outlaws bias based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.
Conversion Therapy for Gays
Even though the American Psychological Association has spoken out against the destructive practice of so-called “gay conversion therapy,” it is still legal in the great majority of states for minors to be subjected to it. In eight states, including Oregon’s new administration led by openly bisexual Governor Kate Brown, the practice is illegal for minors.
Discrimination in the Workplace
Employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity is legal in the majority of states. This implies that if a manager finds out who an employee is and disagrees with them, it doesn’t matter how well they execute their job or how qualified they are.
To survive in today’s economy, many people are forced to hide their identities and avoid coming out of the closet.
Only 20 states and the District of Columbia have anti-discrimination legislation, making it not only difficult but dangerous for 2SLGBTQ+ Americans to live in many regions of the country.
Discrimination in Housing
Employment discrimination against LGBTQ individuals makes it difficult for them to earn a living and provide for a comfortable existence, and discrimination against 2SLGBTQ+ persons in the housing market compounds this situation.
However, such is the reality for many homosexuals and trans people in the United States. According to a 2013 report by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, same-sex couples face prejudice when trying to rent a property through the internet, and in 28 states, housing discrimination is still legal.
6 Charities Working In Canada To Help 2SLGBTQ+
There are numerous powerful voices in Canada who are leading the way for the 2SLGBTQ+ community, and the country is often regarded as being among the most gay-friendly in the world.
We wouldn’t be where we are today without the bravery of these 2SLGBTQ+ community leaders, the tenacity of these 2SLGBTQ+ community campaigners, and the voices of these 2SLGBTQ+ community members.
The Youth Project
The Youth Project is a non-profit organization that is youth-directed and focuses on giving support and services to young people under the age of 25 in the areas of sexual orientation and gender identity. The organization’s target demographic is young people.
Canadian Lesbian and Gay ArQhives (CLGA)
The Canadian Lesbian and Gay ArQhives, which was established in 1973, is the world’s biggest independent collection of LGBTQ-related materials.
Despite the fact that its primary concentration is on Canadian content, the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives is committed to the recovery and preservation of information and archive materials in any media that celebrates 2SLGBTQ+ people.
Centre for Sexuality, previously the Calgary Sexual Health Centre
The Calgary Sexual Health Centre (Centre for Sexuality) has been a pioneer in an exceptional anti-homophobia program for schools called fYrefly in Schools.
Additionally, Centre for Sexuality previously the Calgary Sexual Health Centre has been responsible for running Camp fYrefly, which is Canada’s only national leadership retreat for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans-identified, two-spirited, intersexed, queer, questioning, and allied adolescents.
Despite the fact that this institution is not explicitly dedicated to the 2SLGBTQ+ community, it has been focused on programs to support like camps, creating safer spaces
Kind Space
The Kind Space, which was established in Ottawa, has been working toward being a pioneer for social justice ever since it was established. The organization has devoted itself to community development while assisting people in need with support services and education.
To this day, the group runs a workshop for professional development and a program called Safer Spaces. Additionally, it has a significant emphasis on assisting the trans community in Ottawa through a program called TransAction. Kind Space is committed to providing Ottawa – located on unceded Algonquin territory, accessible resources, events, social, and educational programming to celebrate and support people of all sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions.
Egale Canada
The charity Egale Canada is an advocacy organization that was established in 1986 with the goal of advancing equality for Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ people and their families.
The organization has done a variety of work in the community to pave the way for a Canada that is free of discrimination, including lobbying for equal rights, educating the public, advocating for change through the legal system, and providing expert consultation.
The Rainbow Railroad
Since our founding in 2006, Rainbow Railroad has helped more than 800 individuals find a path to safety to start a new life free from persecution. Can you imagine living in fear of persecution, torture or murder? Can you imagine going to jail for who you are or who you love? That is a reality for so many LGBTQI individuals around the world.
Rainbow Railroad facilitated travel and post-settlement support for a group of Chechen newcomers that arrived in Toronto. These Chechens were involved in a crackdown against the LGBTQI + community that resulted in en mass kidnapping, torture, and arrests. We worked with 519 on a yearlong support plan that began in 2017 and stretched into 2019. The bulk of the program took place in 2018. The project was unique to this period and will not be recurrent.
RRCDN began the BVOR program with the Canadian government. This is a refugee resettlement program where the Canadian government and UNHCR jointly select LGBTQI + refugees for resettlement that Rainbow Railroad then accepts and supports in settlement. Operationally this program is run very similar to the PSR program that we have been doing for years. This program will continue until it is no longer available by the Canadian government.
Conclusion
2SLGBTQ+ charities in Canada are performing crucial work advocating for and providing assistance to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer groups not only in Canada but also everywhere in the world.
These charitable organizations are constructing more secure and robust communities for the people who have a requirement for them, whether it be through the provision of counselling services, the promotion of social inclusion for senior citizens, or the assistance given to 2SLGBTQ+ youth and their families.
They are making a difference in people’s lives by offering critical services like support groups, fighting for more equality, and doing a great deal more.
The work that international 2SLGBTQ+ charities are doing to strengthen legal protection and even save lives is of the utmost importance.
Donating to any of these 2SLGBTQ+ organizations is a great way to both show your support and make a difference in people’s lives.
