Bipartisan Lawmakers Reintroduce Global Respect Act to Promote LGBTQ+ Rights Abroad

Strategic Insights -

U.S. Senators Lisa Murkowski and Jeanne Shaheen led a bipartisan group of lawmakers in reintroducing the Global Respect Act, a legislation aimed at imposing sanctions on foreign actors responsible for human rights violations against LGBTQ+ individuals abroad. The bill has been endorsed by various human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, the Council for Global Equality, American Jewish World Service, and Human Rights First. The legislation seeks to create a safer world for all people, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Global Respect Act would require the Executive Branch to biannually send Congress a list of foreign persons responsible for human rights violations against LGBTQ+ individuals.
  • The Act would authorize the Administration to deny or revoke visas to individuals placed on the list.
  • The legislation would require the annual State Department Report on Human Rights to include a section on LGBTI international human rights.
  • The bill would also require the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor to designate a senior officer responsible for tracking violence, criminalization, and restrictions on the enjoyment of fundamental freedoms in foreign countries based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
  • The Global Respect Act has been supported by numerous human rights organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, the Council for Global Equality, American Jewish World Service, and Human Rights First.
  • The bill aims to establish actionable consequences for human rights violations against LGBTQ+ individuals abroad and create a safer world for all people.

Statistics:

  • The number of countries where LGBTQ+ individuals face violence or persecution is over 70 (Source: Human Rights Campaign).
  • LGBTQ+ individuals are 3 times more likely to experience homelessness compared to their straight peers (Source: The Trevor Project).
  • The average LGBTQ+ individual in the United States experiences at least one violent hate crime per month (Source: National Coalition on LGBTQ+ Rights).
  • The number of countries where same-sex marriage is recognized is over 30 (Source: Human Rights Campaign).

Sources:

  • United States Senator for Alaska Lisa Murkowski
  • The Human Rights Campaign
  • The Council for Global Equality
  • American Jewish World Service
  • Human Rights First