Love All Families

May 17, 2017

“All you need is love,” Lennon and McCartney left written for posterity. They had a point, didn’t they? Love is one of the most potent forces that can be harnessed, one of the main drivers of human beings everywhere.

Love is also the key ingredient and unifying element of two of society’s most important institutions – marriage and family. Indeed, the popular rallying cry that emerged in the United States when LGBTI activists and their allies started advocating for marriage equality and the rights of rainbow families was a simple yet powerful “Love is love.”

Today, May 17^th, is the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT), which is celebrated worldwide to support the recognition of human rights for all, irrespective of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. The focus issue of IDAHOT 2017 is “Families” and the slogan this year appropriately makes reference to the essential role of love by stating “Love makes a family.”

This focus on families intends to particularly highlight two aspects:

• First, the role of families in the physical and emotional wellbeing of their LGBTI members. The family exercises a vital social function by providing individuals with protection, education and a sense of belonging. However, in some cases, individuals are rejected by their own family due to prejudices related to their sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or sex characteristics. This is profoundly unjust and causes great suffering to many LGBTI people.

• Second, the respect of the rights of LGBTI families. As the IDAHOT website explains, in many countries, families where at least one parent is LGBTI are faced with unsuitable domestic laws. This lack of proper recognition of rainbow families exposes their members – especially children – to all sorts of legal risks. Formal recognition of same-sex relationships gives couples and their children the tools and the security they need to build a life together.

Parliamentarians have an important role to play to support the rights of LGBTI people in connection with these two aspects. As the IDAHOT website indicates, members of parliament, through their legislative, representation and oversight functions, can:

• Ensure that children with a same-sex parent have the same protections as children with married heterosexual parents, including the security of legal ties to both parents.

• Remove existing barriers by defeating legislation, policies and practices that restrict parenting by those who identify as LGBTI.

• Promote legislation, policies and practices that are inclusive of LGBTI parents.

• Support recognition of same-sex relationships and reject attempts to deny recognition to LGBTI families.

At Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) we are working, through our SOGI Campaign, to sensitize and mobilize parliamentarians around the world on human rights protections for LGBTI people on the basis of the principles of equality and non-discrimination.

This May 17^th, PGA reaffirms its commitment to advance the rights of LGBTI people and their families. Today is a great day to remember that all families are driven by love and that we should love, respect and protect all families – regardless of the sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or sex characteristics of their members.