A United Nations (UN) expert is concerned about the future of LGBTQ+ rights in the US after a recent 10-day visit.
Back in August, the United Nations announced that independent expert Victor Madrigal-Borloz would be visiting the US to assess the human rights of the LGBTQ+ community.
“The visit provides an important opportunity to assess the implementation of human rights standards to combat violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and gender-diverse (LGBT) people in the country,” he said in a statement.
During his trip, which took place from 16 August to 29 August, Madrigal-Borloz met with government authorities, human rights defenders, and advocates of various states – including Washington D.C., Birmingham – Alabama, Miami – Florida, and San Diego – California.
A day after he concluded his visit, Madrigal-Borloz presented his findings during a UN press conference on 30 August.
According to his report, he found that LGBTQ+ people of colour faced the most inequality regarding health, education, employment, and housing.
“Among young adults aged 18-25, LGBT people have a 2.2 times greater risk of homelessness than non-LGBT people; 23% of LGBTQ adults of color, 22% of transgender adults, and 32% of transgender adults of color have no form of health coverage,” he said.
🇺🇸#USA country visit: There is a deliberate effort to roll back the human rights of LGBT people at the state level. These actions rely on stigmatising views of LGBT persons, particularly transgender youth, and seek to leverage their lives as props for political profit.
Read more: https://t.co/QBs561N9Uc— IE SOGI, Victor Madrigal-Borloz (@victor_madrigal) August 30, 2022
Madrigal-Borloz also expressed his concern over the “negative riptide” of anti-LGBTQ+ bills and actions within the country.
“I am deeply alarmed by a widespread, profoundly negative riptide created by deliberate actions to roll back the human rights of LGBT people at state level,” he explained.
“The evidence shows that, without exception, these actions rely on prejudiced and stigmatising views of LGBT persons, in particular transgender children and youth, and seek to leverage their lives as props for political profit.”
Elsewhere in the report, Madrigal-Borloz highlighted the discrimination that LGBTQ+ asylum seekers and refugees face while in containment –which he said was due to the Trump administration’s Title 42 law.
“Human rights defenders have documented thousands of cases of kidnapping, torture, rape, and other violent attacks on people blocked in or expelled to Mexico due to the Title 42 policy during the current administration alone, including LGBT persons,” he said.
Towards the end of the 10-page document, Madrigal-Borloz called on the Biden Administration to double down on protections for the LGBTQ+ community.
“The Biden-Harris administration has adopted powerful and meaningful actions that are in conformity with international human rights law, reveal a thoughtful strategy created through participative approaches, and provide significant capacity for their implementation,” he said.
“In light of a concerted attack to undermine these actions, I exhort the administration to redouble its efforts to support the human rights of all LGBT persons living under its jurisdiction, and helping them to safe waters.”
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