LGBT Rights In Asia

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in Asia are limited in comparison to many other areas of the world. Same-sex sexual activity is outlawed in at least twenty Asian countries. While at least eight countries have enacted protections for LGBT people, only Israel, Cyprus and Taiwan provide a wider range of LGBT rights – including same-sex relationship recognition. In Afghanistan, Brunei, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen homosexual activity is punished with the death penalty. In addition, LGBT people also face extrajudicial executions from non-state actors such as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Egalitarian relationships modeled on the Western pattern have become more frequent, though they remain rare. , only Taiwan, the British Overseas Territories of Akrotiri and Dhekelia the British Indian Ocean Territory, and certain cities in Israel have legalized same-sex marriage, though India provides equal rights equilavent to marriage rights to LGBTQ live-in couples anagolous to cohabitation in western countries.

Historical discrimination towards homosexuality in much of the region includes when Genghis Khan banned homosexual acts in the Mongol Empire and made them punishable by death. Many Asian countries have collectivist cultures, wherein aggression is generally accepted by society if it is used to protect the honor of a family. Homosexuality is generally considered to be dishonorable, so homophobic aggression in the name of protecting familial honor is common. The Fatawa-e-Alamgiri of the Mughal Empire mandated a common set of punishments for homosexuality, which could include 50 lashes for a slave, 100 for a free infidel, or death by stoning for a Muslim.

In a 2011 UN General Assembly declaration for LGBT rights, state parties were given a chance to express their support, opposition or abstention on the topic. Only Armenia, Cyprus, East Timor, Georgia, Israel, Japan, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, South Korea, Thailand, and Vietnam expressed their support. State parties who expressed opposition were Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Maldives, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. State parties that expressed abstention were Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Myanmar, Russia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Uzbekistan. In 2016, during an African-led coalition to dislodge the recently established UN expert on LGBT issues, the majority of Asian nations backed to retain the role of the UN LGBT expert, with mostly Muslim majority nations, with the addition of China and Singapore, declaring their opposition.

In 2019, a survey by ''The Economist'' found 45% of respondents in the Asia-Pacific believed that same-sex marriage is inevitable in the region, while 31% of respondents disagreed. Furthermore, three-quarters of those surveyed reported a more open climate for LGBT rights compared to three years ago. Of those reporting an improving climate for LGBT people, 38% cited a change in policies or laws. Meanwhile, 36% said coverage of LGBT issues in mainstream media was a major factor. The top reasons cited for diminishing openness was anti-LGBT advocacy by religious institutions.

See also

* Recognition of same-sex unions in Asia
*Human rights in Asia
* Over the Rainbow (organization)
*LGBT rights by country or territory
* LGBT rights in Europe
*LGBT rights in the Americas
* LGBT rights in Oceania
*LGBT rights in Africa

References

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