All Out

To: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Egyptian authorities.

As actual and potential major investors in Egypt’s tourism industry, we strongly urge you to put an end to the persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT+) individuals in Egypt. We are particularly concerned about the recent wave of round-ups and arrests of LGBT+ citizens.

According to recent research by the United Nations' World Tourism Organisation, Egypt's tourism industry is experiencing significant growth, having received a record number of tourists in 2017. A recent study by the Williams Institute clearly shows that the social and legal inclusion of LGBT+ people not only is the right thing to do, but can also benefit the overall economy.

As businesses concerned with the wellbeing of our customers, staff, and suppliers, we are convinced that all people should be treated equally and respectfully, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Governments must lead in making that a reality, both for its visitors and citizens.

Sincerely,

Darren Burn, Managing Director, OutOfOffice.com / TravelGay.com

John Tanzella, President/CEO, International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA)

Reginald Charlot, Board Chair, International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association Foundation (IGLTAF)

Alessio Virgili, President, Associazione Italiana Turismo Gay & Lesbian (AITGL)

À l’attention de : Béji Caïd Essebsi, Président de la République tunisienne.

Monsieur le Président,

Le 13 août 2017, vous avez créé la Commission des libertés individuelles et de l’égalité et l’avez chargée de recommander des « réformes relatives aux libertés individuelles et à l’égalité conformément à la Constitution du 27 janvier 2014, aux normes internationales relatives aux droits de l’homme et aux orientations contemporaines dans le domaine des libertés et de l’égalité ».

Dans son rapport publié le 12 juin 2018, la Commission a clairement recommandé l’abrogation de l’article 230 du Code pénal, qui criminalise les actes homosexuels, et d’interdire les tests anaux, une méthode discréditée utilisée dans le cadre judiciaire sur des hommes soupçonnés d’être homosexuels.

En 2017, au moins 71 arrestations ont eu lieu en vertu de l’article 230 ; il y a seulement quelques jours, un jeune homme a été condamné à 4 mois de prison pour avoir échangé des messages romantiques en ligne avec un autre homme. L’article 230 alimente les discriminations et les violences, et il est temps d’y mettre un terme.

Monsieur le Président, nous vous demandons de saisir cette opportunité remarquable d’adopter une législation abrogeant l’article 230 du Code pénal tunisien et interdisant les tests anaux.

Cette mesure législative est cruciale pour répondre aux exigences de la Constitution tunisienne du 27 janvier 2014 et harmoniser la législation tunisienne avec les normes internationales en matière des droits de l’homme.

Nous vous prions, Monsieur le Président de la République, l’expression de notre très haute considération.

Mounir Baatour, Shams – Pour la dépénalisation de l'homosexualité en Tunisie

Matt Beard, All Out

Anastasiia Danilova, GENDERDOC-M Information Centre, Moldova

John O’Doherty, The Rainbow Project, Ireland

Leonardo Monaco, Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti, Italy

Costa Gavrielides - Adviser for Multiculturalism, Acceptance and Respect for Diversity to the President of Cyprus.

Vladimiras Simonko, Asociacija LGL, Lithuania

Sebastiano Secci, Mario Mieli | Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale, Italy

Edwin Sesange, African Equality foundation, the UK

Frank Mugisha, Sexual Minorities Uganda - SMUG

Maxwell W. Monboe, Liberia's Initiative for the Promotion of Rights,Identity Diversity and Equality (LIPRIDE), Liberia

Ifeanyi Orazulike, International Center for Advocacy on Right to Health - ICARH, Nigeria

Françoise Mukuku, Si jeunesse savait, Republique Democratique du Congo

Lana Gobec, Legebitra, Slovenia

Luswata Andrew Brant, IceBreakers Uganda

Hazan Kahrizi, Alwan for LGBT rights in the Middle East and North Africa, Iraq

Amir Mukambetov, LGBT organization Kyrgyz Indigo, Kyrgyzstan

Akudo Oguaghamba - Women's Health and Equal Rights Initiative, (WHER) Nigeria

Alexandre Marcel, Comité idaho, France

Steve Letsike, Access Chapter 2, South Africa

Busingye Louis, Human Rights First Rwanda Association, Rwanda

Frederic Hay, ADEHOS, France

Olfa Youssef, universitaire et islamologue, Tunisie

Symmy Larrat, ABGLT, Brazil

Karim Belhadj, cinéaste, Tunisie

Paul Dillane, Kaleidoscope Trust, the UK

Ruth Muganzi, Kuchu Times Media Group, Uganda

Qwin Mbabazi Fiona and Fokeerbux Najeeb Ahmad, African Queer Youth Initiative

Jérémie SAFARI, Rainbow Sunrise Mapambazuko Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ronald Céspedes, Fundación Diversencia, Bolivia

Olivier King SIBO, MOLI, Burundi

Ivan Hinton-Teoh, just.equal, Australia

Mitch Yusof, SEED, Malaysia

Wei-Cheng Lin, Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ) Hotline Association, Taiwan

Nkali Biggie, FARUG, Uganda

Midnight Poonkasetwattana, APCOM, Thailand

Joey Siosaia Joleen Mataele, Tonga Leiti's Association, Kingdom of Tonga

Hadi Damien, Beirut Pride, Lebanon

Celestine Peter, lawyer, Tanzania

Muriel Yvon, Collectif Arc en Ciel, Mauritius

Jinan Limam, ADLI, Tunisie

Chad Wilkinson, Rainbow Foundation of Hope, Vancouver, Canada

TO: Beji Caid Essebsi, President of the Republic of Tunisia.

Your Excellency,

On 13 August 2017, you appointed the Commission on Individual Freedoms and Equality and tasked it with recommending “reforms linked to individual freedoms and equality, deriving from the provisions of the January 27, 2014 Constitution, international human rights standards and new trends in the fields of liberties and equality.”

In their report, published on 12 June 2018, the Commission clearly recommended repealing penal code article 230, which criminalises homosexual acts, and banning anal tests, a discredited method used forensically on men suspected of being gay.

In 2017, there were at least 71 arrests under article 230 - literally days ago, a young man was sentenced to 4 months in jail for exchanging romantic messages online with another man. Article 230 fuels discrimination and violence – and it's time to put an end to it.

President Beji Caid Essebsi, we are calling on you to seize this significant opportunity to introduce legislation that would abolish Article 230 of the Tunisian Penal Code and prohibit anal testing.

This legislation is key to meet the requirements of the 27 January 2014 Constitution of Tunisia and to harmonize its legislation with international human rights standards.

Yours Faithfully,  

Mounir Baatour, Shams – Pour la dépénalisation de l'homosexualité en Tunisie

Matt Beard, All Out

Anastasiia Danilova, GENDERDOC-M Information Centre, Moldova

John O’Doherty, The Rainbow Project, Ireland

Leonardo Monaco, Associazione Radicale Certi Diritti, Italy

Costa Gavrielides - Adviser for Multiculturalism, Acceptance and Respect for Diversity to the President of Cyprus.

Vladimiras Simonko, Asociacija LGL, Lithuania

Sebastiano Secci, Mario Mieli | Circolo di Cultura Omosessuale, Italy

Edwin Sesange, African Equality foundation, the UK

Frank Mugisha, Sexual Minorities Uganda - SMUG

Maxwell W. Monboe, Liberia's Initiative for the Promotion of Rights,Identity Diversity and Equality (LIPRIDE), Liberia

Ifeanyi Orazulike, International Center for Advocacy on Right to Health - ICARH, Nigeria

Françoise Mukuku, Si jeunesse savait, Republique Democratique du Congo

Lana Gobec, Legebitra, Slovenia

Luswata Andrew Brant, IceBreakers Uganda

Hazan Kahrizi, Alwan for LGBT rights in the Middle East and North Africa, Iraq

Amir Mukambetov, LGBT organization Kyrgyz Indigo, Kyrgyzstan

Akudo Oguaghamba - Women's Health and Equal Rights Initiative, (WHER) Nigeria

Alexandre Marcel, Comité idaho, France

Steve Letsike, Access Chapter 2, South Africa

Busingye Louis, Human Rights First Rwanda Association, Rwanda

Frederic Hay, ADEHOS, France

Olfa Youssef, universitaire et islamologue, Tunisie

Symmy Larrat, ABGLT, Brazil

Karim Belhadj, cinéaste, Tunisie

Paul Dillane, Kaleidoscope Trust, the UK

Ruth Muganzi, Kuchu Times Media Group, Uganda

Qwin Mbabazi Fiona and Fokeerbux Najeeb Ahmad, African Queer Youth Initiative

Jérémie SAFARI, Rainbow Sunrise Mapambazuko Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ronald Céspedes, Fundación Diversencia, Bolivia

Olivier King SIBO, MOLI, Burundi

Ivan Hinton-Teoh, just.equal, Australia

Mitch Yusof, SEED, Malaysia

Wei-Cheng Lin, Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ) Hotline Association, Taiwan

Nkali Biggie, FARUG, Uganda

Midnight Poonkasetwattana, APCOM, Thailand

Joey Siosaia Joleen Mataele, Tonga Leiti's Association, Kingdom of Tonga

Hadi Damien, Beirut Pride, Lebanon

Celestine Peter, lawyer, Tanzania

Muriel Yvon, Collectif Arc en Ciel, Mauritius

Jinan Limam, ADLI, Tunisie

Chad Wilkinson, Rainbow Foundation of Hope, Vancouver, Canada

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ILGA-EUROPE ALL OUT

JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENT

AI Index: EUR 44/8693/2018 28 June 2018

Turkey: Istanbul Pride march must go ahead unhindered

As the annual Istanbul Pride due to take place on Sunday 1 July approaches, Amnesty International, ILGA-Europe and All Out stand in solidarity with Turkey’s LGBTI+ communities and their allies, calling on the authorities to ensure Istanbul Pride march takes place without any unlawful restrictions.

Fotis Filippou, Campaigns Director for Europe at Amnesty International said:

“In the current climate of fear, where authorities are clamping down on civil society, freedom of expression and diversity, it is all the more important for LGBTI individuals to be visible and freely celebrate pride. People around the world are standing in solidarity with Turkey’s LGBTI activists and their allies, who, against all odds are marching for human rights and equality.”

The last time it took place in 2014, an estimated 90,000 people participated in the vibrant Istanbul Pride parade in Istiklal Avenue, the city’s main shopping street. This was the largest of the gatherings since 2003, when just 30 LGBTI+ activists had been present in the first ever Pride march. But all this changed when the Istanbul Governorate banned the 2015 Pride march in Istanbul, police violently dispersing participants with water cannons, tear gas and pepper ball projectiles, detaining dozens of people in the process. In 2016 and 2017, small groups of LGBTI+ activists and allies were also prevented from marching following bans by the Governorate.

Björn van Roozendaal, Programmes Director for ILGA-Europe said:

“In 2018, Pride is undoubtedly a litmus test for democratic values – a test that over the past few years, Turkey has failed to meet. It’s particularly disappointing when you consider the incredible history of Pride in Istanbul. Sadly, the restrictions on LGBTI public events since then in the region are indicative of the attempted erosion of civil society organising and human rights. History is repeating itself. And make no mistake, this is harming all of society, not just the LGBTI communities and their allies. Attacks on activism and dissenting voices, a constant refusal from authorities to engage with their citizens, and persistent disregard for fundamental rights - this is something that should provoke a reaction from all communities, not only the LGBTI movement.”

Turkey’s LGBTI+ communities are determined to exercise their right to peacefully celebrate pride. In fact, on 11 May, students at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara did just that, despite the ongoing city wide blanket ban on all LGBTI+ events. In Izmir, hundreds took part in the 6 th annual Pride march on 10 June.

Matt Beard, Executive Director for All Out said:

“We will continue to stand in solidarity with LGBTI people in Istanbul and across Turkey. Authorities can ban peaceful gatherings, they can silence dissent, they can use hard, raw power to bully and coerce others. But they will never extinguish the hunger for freedom, respect, and dignity that are at the very heart of Pride.”

Under domestic and international law, Turkish authorities are under obligation to protect the rights to freedom of peaceful expression and assembly. On 1 July, Istanbul Pride must be allowed to go ahead unhindered and be protected.

2016 was full of challenges and tragedies for the LGBT community. In the face of that, All Out members showed solidarity and love.

As we look ahead to 2017, we have one message: Bring. It. On. 

The Pope's on his way to the US, but he's excluded ‪#LGBT‬ Catholics as a part of his trip. What do you think -- is the Pope's legacy going to be one of equality or not?

The numbers are in! All Out and LUSH Cosmetics reached tens of millions of people with the message that #GayIsOK, but in almost 80 countries it's a crime. You blew past our goal within hours.

The best part is that the money raised from purchase of the Love Soap totaled over £275,955 - around US$413,900 or €378,200 - and will support All Out and grassroots organisations fighting for love and equality worldwide!

Nope. No way. The biggest Halloween shop in the U.S. is trying to sell a costume that makes fun of transgender celebrity Caitlyn Jenner. Spirit Halloween needs to know trans people are not a costume, and trans people are not a joke.

Caitlyn coming out was a huge deal this year -- she gave millions of people a greater understanding of what it’s like to be trans. But prejudice and violence against transgender people are rampant. By selling a “Call Me Caitlyn” costume, Spirit Halloween will be cashing in on this bigotry.

Sign this and tell them it’s got to go: go.allout.org/en/a/caitlyn-spirit

In a secret meeting last week, Australia’s Prime Minister banned members of his party from voting 'Yes' on marriage equality. It was a dirty move. 

But a few brave politicians have promised to take a stand for love and vote 'Yes' anyway. If a few more rebellious politicians join in, marriage equality could have enough support to pass.

So that got us to thinking... imagine if members of Parliament could see beautiful photos of gay and lesbian couples who HAVE been allowed to marry – like in the UK, Canada, and the USA – just before they're deciding what to do. It'd remind them of the global wave of marriage wins and show that the tide can’t be held back. 

All Out members from around the world sent in photos to make this beautiful video. If enough people chip in, we can buy an advertising slot on Sky News – a channel that streams inside Parliament. The powerful message could get enough politicians to join the rebellion and vote 'Yes' on marriage equality.

Will you chip in to make it happen? Here’s the link: go.allout.org/en/a/australia-equality-advert

Here’s the deal: there’s a marriage equality bill on the table in Australia, and the government is deciding right now whether to block it. They need some love.

Will you post a photo to send to politicians trying to block equality? (Think wedding pics, selfies with the person you love, or just you with a note! Just like these amazing ones from All Out members worldwide.) 

Tag it with #DearOz and we’ll put your pictures from around the world where the government can’t ignore them. If you don’t want to post, you can send them over to [email protected].

Our officemates Purpose just updated the restroom signs! Love this gender-neutral solution to our bathrooms not being the same by design.