The ILGA (or International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) have published their 2020 world report on rights and protections for LGBTQIA people. While there is progress in many countries, there are still 69 backwards and uneducated countries were being human is criminalized.  Eleven of them still do or may murder innocents.

The ILGA’s State-Sponsored Homophobia: Global Legislation Overview Update (PDF) and Sexual Orientation Laws In The World Map (PDF) show improvement over 2019, which is significant considering how a worldwide pandemic would make it easier for oppressive governments to violate LGBTQIA rights.  On the other hand, countries like Poland, Russia, Hungary, Brazil, and the UK have regressed under “populist” rightwing fanatics.  The map below is reduced, the original can be seen here.

As has been noted by many writers and photographers throughout the past year, the greatest problems and dangers for LGBTQIA people has been at the individual level.  Many have lost jobs due to shut downs, forced to live with bigoted “families”.  Most who earn a living as sex workers have lost all income and are ineligible for unemployment benefits.  Homelessness is rampant and people suffer abuse at even higher rates of Intimate Partner Violence than women and children who have endured IPV this year.

If there is one bright spot about the epidemic, it has forced individuals and governments to stop and look at themselves and each other.  The two year (yes, 2021 too) reduction of pollution, reduced international hostilities (for the most part), and the fragility of our ludicrous economic system might make everyone rethink how we live, trade and work.  And about human rights.