{"id":2143,"date":"2013-06-20T15:59:25","date_gmt":"2013-06-20T15:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.aidslaw.ca\/newsite\/?page_id=2143"},"modified":"2022-11-04T16:44:07","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T20:44:07","slug":"lgbtq-rights","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/our-work\/lgbtq-rights\/?lang=en","title":{"rendered":"2SLGBTQ+ Rights"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 class=\"header2\">Overview<\/h2>\n<p>Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, the linking of HIV with same-sex intimacy, and the stigma and homophobia associated with2SLGBTQ+ communities, has meant fewer resources have been devoted to prevention and education initiatives. The criminalization and marginalization of gay men and other sexual minorities in many countries handicap national HIV responses.<\/p>\n<p>Examples of the impact of homophobia on responses to HIV prevention, and on the care, support, and treatment of people living with HIV include the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Governments have been, and continue to be, less committed to fighting the disease because HIV has primarily affected gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM), along with other marginalized populations.<\/li>\n<li>Some people may not seek (or may not seek early enough) testing, support and treatment for HIV-related illnesses because of pervasive homophobia among healthcare providers and a fear of being identified as gay, especially in countries where same-sex intimacy is a crime.<\/li>\n<li>Healthcare providers are discouraged from delivering care to gay men and other MSM, as they too may fear for their safety or may themselves stigmatize and discriminate against MSM.<\/li>\n<li>MSM are more vulnerable to contracting HIV because school systems and other educators remain reluctant to provide positive education about sexuality or HIV prevention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Our work includes<\/strong>\u00a0intervening in courts, before legislators and other policymakers, UN human rights bodies, and other stakeholders on the impacts of criminalization and discrimination on the rights of 2SLGBTQ+ people, focusing on their right to health and access to critical HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:1px;border-color:#ccc\"><\/div>\n<h2>Learn more:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"our-work learn-more\">\n<div class=\"su-tabs su-tabs-style-default su-tabs-mobile-stack\" data-active=\"1\" data-scroll-offset=\"0\" data-anchor-in-url=\"no\"><div class=\"su-tabs-nav\"><span class=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-target=\"blank\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">Publications<\/span><span class=\"\" data-url=\"\" data-target=\"blank\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\">News<\/span><\/div><div class=\"su-tabs-panes\"><div class=\"su-tabs-pane su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" data-title=\"Publications\">\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:1px;border-color:#ccc\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"su-posts su-posts-default-loop \">\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25409\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/securing-rights-2024-25-annual-report\/?lang=en\">Securing Rights &#8211; 2024\/25 Annual Report<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: December 16, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>We hope you\u2019ll read our 2024-25 annual report \u2014 Securing Rights: Using Our Values to Meet the Moment \u2014 to find out more about the kind of positive change we\u2019re making and get a glimpse of what we hope to accomplish in 2026.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25263\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/open-letter-to-prime-minister-mark-carney-and-foreign-affairs-minister-anita-anand\/?lang=en\">Open Letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: November 3, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Download the letter Sign the letter here. The Right Honourable Mark Carney, P.C., M.P Prime Minister of Canada 80 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A2 November 7, 2025 Dear Prime Minister and Minister Anand, On behalf of the undersigned civil society and community-led organizations engaged in global health and international development, we take note of &#8230; <a title=\"Open Letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/open-letter-to-prime-minister-mark-carney-and-foreign-affairs-minister-anita-anand\/\" aria-label=\"More on Open Letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-25066\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/the-hiv-legal-network-in-the-caribbean\/?lang=en\">The HIV Legal Network in the Caribbean<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: July 16, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>As a region, the Caribbean has the second-highest HIV prevalence rate in the world, after sub-Saharan Africa. UNAIDS and regional and national agencies have long identified homophobia as a factor contributing to this startling statistic. The legal and social environment varies significantly across the region, as does community organizing to defend and advance the human &#8230; <a title=\"The HIV Legal Network in the Caribbean\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/the-hiv-legal-network-in-the-caribbean\/\" aria-label=\"More on The HIV Legal Network in the Caribbean\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-24911\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/hard-time-persists-healthcare-and-harm-reduction-in-canadas-prison-system\/?lang=en\">Hard Time Persists: Healthcare and Harm Reduction in Canada&#8217;s Prison System<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 30, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>In 2007, the HIV Legal Network (Legal Network) published Hard Time: HIV and Hepatitis C Prevention Programming for Prisoners in Canada, exploring health and harm reduction policies and practices in Canada\u2019s provincial, territorial, and federal prisons. Then, as now, the Legal Network confirmed that everyone benefits from improved healthcare in prison, and that imprisonment is &#8230; <a title=\"Hard Time Persists: Healthcare and Harm Reduction in Canada&#8217;s Prison System\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/hard-time-persists-healthcare-and-harm-reduction-in-canadas-prison-system\/\" aria-label=\"More on Hard Time Persists: Healthcare and Harm Reduction in Canada&#8217;s Prison System\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-24906\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/shelter-right-a-blueprint-for-inclusive-shelters-in-canada\/?lang=en\">Shelter Right: A Blueprint for Inclusive Shelters in Canada<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: April 29, 2025\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>Shelters are more than temporary accommodation. They are essential services. They represent a safe space and a lifeline for many \u2014 and especially people who use drugs, who are overrepresented among people who are homeless and grappling with Canada\u2019s toxic drug crisis. Shelters often connect people to vital services that are otherwise out of reach, &#8230; <a title=\"Shelter Right: A Blueprint for Inclusive Shelters in Canada\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/shelter-right-a-blueprint-for-inclusive-shelters-in-canada\/\" aria-label=\"More on Shelter Right: A Blueprint for Inclusive Shelters in Canada\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"search-all\" href=\"..\/publications\/?lang=en&amp;_sft_publication_topics=lgbtq-rights\">Search all publications<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"su-tabs-pane su-u-clearfix su-u-trim\" data-title=\"News\">\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-divider su-divider-style-default\" style=\"margin:15px 0;border-width:1px;border-color:#ccc\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"su-posts su-posts-default-loop \">\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-23805\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/jamaican-court-blocks-lgbtq-rights-challenge-from-moving-forward\/?lang=en\">Jamaican court blocks LGBTQ+ rights challenge from moving forward<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: October 30, 2023\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Jamaican Supreme Court determined last Friday that the so-called \u201csaving laws clause\u201d in the Jamaican constitution prevents it from inquiring into the constitutionality of the three sections of the Offences Against the Person Act that criminalize same-sex intimacy. This misguided decision denies Jamaicans the means to protect their constitutional and human rights, and further &#8230; <a title=\"Jamaican court blocks LGBTQ+ rights challenge from moving forward\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/jamaican-court-blocks-lgbtq-rights-challenge-from-moving-forward\/\" aria-label=\"More on Jamaican court blocks LGBTQ+ rights challenge from moving forward\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-23607\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/update-on-the-constitutional-challenge-to-homophobic-colonial-era-laws-in-jamiaca\/?lang=en\">Update on the Constitutional Challenge to Homophobic Colonial-Era Laws in Jamaica<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: May 17, 2023\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>For more than eight years, Maurice Tomlinson and the HIV Legal Network have been in court fighting for rights that are denied to LGBTQ+ people living in Jamaica due to colonial-era laws that criminalize same-sex intimacy. Through this slow process, Maurice\u2019s case has nonetheless been gaining momentum, and in recent years we have seen similar &#8230; <a title=\"Update on the Constitutional Challenge to Homophobic Colonial-Era Laws in Jamaica\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/update-on-the-constitutional-challenge-to-homophobic-colonial-era-laws-in-jamiaca\/\" aria-label=\"More on Update on the Constitutional Challenge to Homophobic Colonial-Era Laws in Jamaica\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-22604\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-dominica-to-hear-constitutional-challenge-on-lgbt-rights\/?lang=en\">MEDIA STATEMENT: DOMINICA TO HEAR CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE ON  LGBT RIGHTS<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: September 28, 2022\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>STATEMENT: DOMINICA TO HEAR CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE ON LGBT RIGHTS For immediate release &#8211; The following can be attributed to Minority Rights Dominica (MiRiDom) and the HIV Legal Network. September 28, 2022 \u2014 Today, in a critical step forward for human rights, the High Court of Justice in Dominica will hear a constitutional challenge from a &#8230; <a title=\"MEDIA STATEMENT: DOMINICA TO HEAR CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE ON  LGBT RIGHTS\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-dominica-to-hear-constitutional-challenge-on-lgbt-rights\/\" aria-label=\"More on MEDIA STATEMENT: DOMINICA TO HEAR CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE ON  LGBT RIGHTS\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-20385\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-advisory-intimate-conviction-2-volume-launches-in-dominica\/?lang=en\">MEDIA ADVISORY: Intimate Conviction 2 Volume Launches in Dominica<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: March 28, 2022\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>LGBTQ RIGHTS AND THE CHURCH:\u00a0Intimate Conviction 2 Volume Launches in Dominica Laws Criminalizing Consensual Same-Sex Intimacy Still Exist in More Than 60 Countries Worldwide For immediate release March 28, 2022 \u2014 Roseau, Dominica \u2014 On Tuesday, March 29, 2022, the launch of the Intimate Conviction 2: Continuing the Decriminalization Dialogue volume will be held in &#8230; <a title=\"MEDIA ADVISORY: Intimate Conviction 2 Volume Launches in Dominica\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-advisory-intimate-conviction-2-volume-launches-in-dominica\/\" aria-label=\"More on MEDIA ADVISORY: Intimate Conviction 2 Volume Launches in Dominica\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<div id=\"su-post-20040\" class=\"su-post \">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"su-post-title\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-world-aids-day-2021-forty-years-of-hiv-forty-years-of-progress\/?lang=en\">MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS<\/a><\/h3>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-meta\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\tPublished: November 30, 2021\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"su-post-excerpt\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<p>WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS The following can be attributed to the HIV Legal Network. \u00a0 November 30, 2021 \u2013 Toronto \u2013 Tomorrow is World AIDS Day \u2014 a day to reflect on the current state of HIV and AIDS in the world, where we started, and how &#8230; <a title=\"MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-world-aids-day-2021-forty-years-of-hiv-forty-years-of-progress\/\" aria-label=\"More on MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\r\n\t\t\r\n\t\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<p><a class=\"search-all\" href=\"..\/newsroom\/?lang=en&amp;_sft_publication_topics=lgbtq-rights\">Search all news articles<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"su-spacer\" style=\"height:20px\"><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, the linking of HIV with same-sex intimacy, and the stigma and homophobia associated with2SLGBTQ+ communities, has meant fewer resources have been devoted to prevention and education initiatives. The criminalization and marginalization of gay men and other sexual minorities in many countries handicap national HIV responses. Examples of &#8230; <a title=\"MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/media-statement-world-aids-day-2021-forty-years-of-hiv-forty-years-of-progress\/\" aria-label=\"More on MEDIA STATEMENT: WORLD AIDS DAY 2021: FORTY YEARS OF HIV, FORTY YEARS OF PROGRESS\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":22730,"parent":9,"menu_order":100,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2143","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2143"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2143\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22937,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2143\/revisions\/22937"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hivlegalnetwork.ca\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}