6/27/11: UN Affirms Homosexual Rights

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For the first time a United Nations body has affirmed homosexual and transgender rights.

The action came from the U.N. Human Rights Council, which approved a resolution calling for a study later this year regarding discrimination and violence against people based on “their sexual orientation and gender identity.” The study requested by the resolution’s language would encompass homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people. The study also would weigh “how international human rights law can be used to end violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

The United States worked for approval of the resolution and President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton applauded its passage. The resolution’s opponents came largely from Africa and the Organization of the Islamic Conference.