September 23rd, 2011
[CHINA 中國] Prison Chiefs End Gay Discrimination 入獄不再明文禁止同性戀 (Shanghai Daily, 2011-09-23)
Prison chiefs end gay discrimination (Shanghai Daily, 2011-09-23)
CHINA has made strides in protecting the human rights of prison inmates in recent years – including scrapping a conduct policy that discriminated against homosexual inmates, according to a judicial official in charge of penal human rights studies.
The Ministry of Justice has rewritten the national code of conduct for prison inmates, ending bans on homosexuality, dyed hair and other lifestyles and practices previously prohibited in prisons.
The revision was made to show respect for the human rights of prison inmates, according to Feng Cangjian, head of the Human Rights in Justice office of the ministry’s Institute for Crime Prevention.
Feng said yesterday on the sidelines of the fourth Beijing Forum on Human Rights that a person’s sexual orientation should not make them a target for discrimination, whether that person is in prison or not.
But he said that this does not mean that homosexual acts are accepted in prisons.
“Inmates will be left alone if their homosexuality remains ‘spiritual,’” Feng said. “But because prison inmates are not free people, they cannot act as freely as the rest of us.”
The official said it is an international practice not to discriminate against homosexual inmates, but instead to restrict their behavior.
Feng said prisons in Beijing have also banned officials from ordering inmates to squat with both hands crossed behind their heads, a practice that is commonly used to demoralize inmates who are entering prison for the first time.
Feng said the human rights of death row inmates have been respected, as prison authorities have begun to allow them to meet their immediate relatives before being executed. The use of lethal injections is also being promoted as a more humane alternative to traditional firing squad executions.
The use of lethal injections in China began in 1997 and has replaced execution by firing squad in the provinces of Shandong, Yunnan and Liaoning, according to official statistics.
Challenges still remain in enforcing the changes, as training the country’s 300,000 prison officers to keep them up to speed on the changes will take time, Feng said.
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The same news in Chinese:
入獄無需“抱頭蹲地” 不再明文禁止同性戀 我國強調保障服刑人員人格尊嚴權 (南方日報, 2011-09-23)
南方日報訊 司法部預防犯罪研究所司法人權研究室主任馮建倉22日在第四屆北京人權論壇上說，近年來我國在保障犯罪嫌疑人、被告人、罪犯和監獄服刑人員的人格尊嚴權方面取得進展，包括逐步推廣注射死刑、不再明文禁止監獄服刑人員同性戀及染發、入獄無需“抱頭蹲地”等。
馮建倉說，即使對即將執行死刑的罪犯，也注意對其人格尊嚴權的保障。死刑犯在執行死刑前可安排會見近親屬；在死刑執行方式方面，繼續保留槍決式死刑執行方式的同時也採用注射的死刑執行方式，這不僅有利於減少痛苦，更能使被執行人在保障其人格尊嚴的氣氛中死去，從而使他們的人權得到應有的保障。
馮建倉說，近年來，在監獄的管理方面也出台了不少新舉措，如新發佈的《監獄服刑人員行為規範》刪除了禁止同性戀及女犯染發等“不准”“不得”等用語和規定，“表面上看似乎是一個小小的細節，其實卻蘊含著尊重人權的意義，每一個權力機關在每一個細節上都能充分尊重公民應有的權利。”他說，雖然監獄內嚴禁性強暴，但服刑人員同性性取向在沒有外化的情況下不進行干預，不歧視服刑人員性取向也是保障人權的一個方面。他說，國際上大多國家在這個問題上也是這樣處理的，在精神上不干涉，但在行為上服刑人員的自由要受到一定限制。
馮建倉還說，以前服刑人員入獄搜身檢查時，有些監獄為體現監獄的威嚴和保證監管安全，要求每名服刑人員必須抱頭蹲在地上，無形之中使服刑人員增加了對監獄幹警和服刑改造的恐懼。監獄管理整改後，北京監獄為新收押的服刑人員在待查、待分期間配發小凳子，改變過去“抱頭蹲地”的管理模式，體現了監獄的文明與人道。欣華
He said the ministry will publish a textbook in October educating prison officers about inmates’
human rights.
The
August 9th, 2011
APA Supports Legalization of Same-Sex Civil Marriages and Opposes Discrimination against Lesbian and Gay Parents
Denying same-sex couples legal access to civil marriage is discriminatory and can adversely affect the psychological, physical, social and economic well-being of gay and lesbian individuals
HONOLULU – Prohibiting civil marriage for same-sex couples is discriminatory and unfairly denies such couples, their children and other members of their families the legal, financial and social advantages of civil marriage says the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Council of Representatives in a resolution adopted today. The APA also opposed discrimination against lesbian or gay parents adoption, child custody and visitation, foster care and reproductive health services.
Both policy positions were adopted at the recommendation of an APA Working Group on Same-Sex Families and Relationships. The Working Group, appointed by the APA Council of Representatives in February 2004, was charged with developing policy recommendations for APA that would guide psychologists in the current public debate over civil marriage for same-sex couples. The Working Group was directed further to base its policy recommendations on the research on same-sex relationships and families.
This seven-member team of psychologists with a combination of both scientific expertise in family and couple relations and professional expertise with lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations summarized the research that discrimination and prejudice based on sexual orientation detrimentally affects the psychological, physical, social and economic well-being of lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals, that same-sex couples are remarkably similar to heterosexual couples, and that parenting effectiveness and the adjustment, development and psychological well-being of children is unrelated to parental sexual orientation.
“The APA recognizes the importance of the institution of civil marriage which confers a social status with important legal benefits, rights and privileges,” said psychologist Armand R. Cerbone, who is a private practitioner in Chicago and chair of the working group. “Discrimination of all kinds takes a toll on people’s health and psychological well being. In the context of the huge social and political debate that is currently going on, APA and psychologists had to grapple with the issue of what psychology believes is in the public interest in this controversy.”
Given what research tells us about the impact of discrimination and given that the research further provides no justification for discriminating against same-sex couples in marriage or in parenting, the Working Group strongly recommended that APA support states in providing civil marriage to same-sex couples and fully recognizing the parental rights of lesbians and gay men. As a benefit for human welfare, it is important to point out that permitting same-sex couples to marriage may especially benefit people who also experience discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, disability, gender and gender identity, religion and socioeconomic status, said Cerbone.
According to the United States Accounting Office (2004), over 1,000 federal statutory provisions exist in which marital status is a factor in determining a person’s eligibility to receive various benefits, rights and privileges.
APA Working Group on Same-Sex Families and Relationships: Armand Cerbone, Ph.D., Chicago, Illinois; Beverly Greene, Ph.D., St. John’s University; Kristin Hancock, Ph.D., Graduate School of Professional Psychology at John F. Kennedy University; Lawrence A. Kurdek, Ph.D., Wright State University; Candace A. McCullough, Ph.D., Bethesda, Maryland; Letitia Anne Peplau, Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles
Reporters: Armand Cerbone, PhD can be by phone at (773) 755-0833 or by Email, and Anne Peplau, PhD be reached by phone at 818-990-2688 or by Email
The American Psychological Association (APA), in Washington, DC, is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States and is the world’s largest association of psychologists. APA’s membership includes more than 150,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 53 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance psychology as a science, as a profession and as a means of promoting health, education and human welfare.
Source: APA.org
August 1st, 2011
50% of the lesbian respondents face discriminations: Women’s Coalition of HKSAR
50% of the lesbian respondents face discriminations: lesbian group (Mingpao Daily, July 25, 2011)
The Women’s Coalition of HKSAR released a survey report on discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation faced by women. The sample size was 510 and 62.4% of the respondents were lesbians. The survey highlighted the predictable prevalence of discriminations as well as homophobic bullying in schools.
Title: 女同志組織：五成受訪者遭歧視
Press: 明報
Date: 2011-07-25
【明報專訊】香港女同盟會昨日公布「香港女性因性傾向受歧視狀况」調查，當中53%受訪者指曾遭歧視，較05年同類調查多14 個百分點。該會更首次收到涉小學的性傾向歧視個案。
該會於去年10 月至12 月間，透過同志網站、同志影展等途徑向510 名女性進行問卷調查，當中分別有62.4%報稱自己為同性戀者。當中53%的受訪者指曾遭歧視，當中逾三成表示在校園發生，歧視行為包括言語侮辱及嘲諷等。
投訴指小學生因性向遭老師罰
該會更首次收到涉及小學的性傾向歧視個案，一名在大角嘴一間小學畢業的學生透露，當年曾因性傾向而遭到天主教徒班主任針對及無理懲罰，該班主任更要求其他同學不要與其接觸。
現就讀大專的Rain（化名）昨表示，中三時與女同學相戀。一次放學後被教師發現， 翌日立即被訓導主任「召見」，指她們敗壞校風，不但通知父母，更下令要二人每星期接受一次社工「感化」；之後天天遭教師和同學訕笑。
香港女同盟會發言人煒煒表示，政府將有關事宜交由轄下一個由2 人組成的性別認同及性傾向小組負責，並設有一條投訴熱線，但該熱線的宣傳不足，又指只有0.9%曾遭歧視的受訪者曾致電該熱線。政制及內地事務局發言人指出，當局一向透過不同宣傳途徑如廣告等，向非政府組織及相關團體推廣該熱線。
The same survey covered by Metro Daily. The title reads, “Discriminations faced by lesbians most serious in schools”.
Title: 女同志受歧視 校內最嚴重
Press: 都市日報
Date: 2011-07-25
女同志受歧視 校內最嚴重
香港女同志聯盟的調查發現，有53%女同志曾經因性傾向遭歧視，但該會在05年做的同類調查結果只有39%，當中在教育範疇上受的歧視仍是最嚴重。
調查訪問510名女性，當中逾90%受訪者都有同性戀傾向，318人報稱是同性戀，雙性戀則有170人。受訪者中有270人表示受歧視，當中31%的人曾在學校因性取向而受歧視，個案包括在小學至大學階段，主要涉及老師及同學在言語上的嘲諷，有個案指老師以「死基婆」稱呼女同志，又從她們的打扮上認定她們無心向學。聯盟建議在教育及社工專業課程，加強處理同志青少年的培訓；要求政府加強宣傳性傾向投訴熱線。
The same survey covered by Apple Daily. The title reads, “Discriminations faced by lesbians gravest in schools”.
Title: 女同志飽受歧視學校最嚴重
Press: 蘋果日報
Date: 2011-07-25
蘋果汁：女同志飽受歧視學校最嚴重
【本報訊】香港女同盟會調查顯示，約三成同性戀者和雙性戀者在校內受歧視，有同性戀者被男同學辱罵「死基婆」，更被校方要求每星期與社工見面。
香港女同盟會去年向510名女性進行問卷調查，超過九成半受訪對象是同性戀和雙性戀者。五成受訪者表示因為性傾向而受歧視。女同盟會發言人楊煒煒表示：「學校係受歧視的重災區。」阿Rain（化名）中三時與同班女同學拍拖，班內男同學侮辱她們是「死基婆」。老師發現戀情後，訓導主任通知家長，並要求小情侶每星期與駐校社工見面。阿Rain說，「異性戀情侶喺校內受到祝福，但係同性戀就像千古罪人」，受盡旁人奇異的目光。
July 12th, 2011
Life as a cross-dresser: Tormented by discrimination
Source: Hong Kong Daily News
變裝之路受盡歧視
以男裝接受訪問的Bonnie，身材高大、聲線雄厚，除一頭長髮較女性化，從外表完看不出他有裝裝傾向。Bonnie形
容自己天生愛穿女裝，但不完全肯定想做100%女人，他稱接受心理醫生跟進後，才決定是否進行變性手術。
最憎聲線太雄厚
回想第一次變裝，Bonnie回味無窮說︰「小學5年班時，爸爸帶我去遊樂場玩，嗰度有得著古裝影相，咁爸爸叫我扮
宮女，我咪第一次着女裝。嘩！着起女裝好有暢快咁，但我唔知自己點解會咁。後來我開始好憎照鏡，唔想見到陽
具、體毛，但最憎都係把聲囉，太雄厚，唔女仔。」
此後Bonnie開始愛上變裝，不時趁父母離家，偷着媽媽的衫裙。及至中學階段，Bonnie更省下零用錢來購買心愛的
女性服飾，總之他穿上女裝一刻，就好像做回真正自己。
阿媽也看不過眼
對於變裝之路，Bonnie認為絕不好走，受盡別人歧視眼光，「父母開始知我鍾意着女裝，但佢哋冇乜點理我，只係
不時勸我唔好，直至有次我著女裝去街，阿媽終於忍唔住鬧我，話『你唔好着到咁出街啦，你唔怕俾人打、俾人鬧
咩……』阿媽真係講得好啱，好多港人歧視我哋，記得一次落樓梯，阿叔一見我就鬧『死人妖，着成咁』！另一次
一落小巴，又被個男人恥笑『麻甩仔扮Lolita呀』！我又冇騷擾人，你唔鍾意咪唔好望，點解要去侮辱我呀！我哋
行呢條路已經好辛苦，如果重要承受人哋嘅歧視，真係好唔公平。」
現時Bonnie任職速遞員，業內員工大部份是男性，為免被同事排斥、歧視，所以Bonnie全以男裝打扮上班，更坦言
害怕被揭穿身份後，最終會失去工作。
近月無綫推出《變身男女》，Bonnie認為內容毀譽參半，「變裝生活有好多辛酸，係一種嚴肅話題，唔可以輕易攞
嚟玩，咁樣好唔尊重我哋。」
Bonnie
年 齡︰28歲
性 別︰男性
職 業︰速遞員
變裝生活︰上班、社交生活時，以男性衣着工作，小部份時間作女裝生活。
June 24th, 2011
Gay groups criticize STL for its discriminatory remarks
成報
日期: 2005-01-03
同志組織轟明光社講者歧視
【記者廖惠敏報道】同志組織啟同服務社昨日發表聲明，質疑明光社所辦工作坊的兩位講者對同性戀者存有偏見，誤導出席的社工及教師，動機是影響同性戀者變回異性戀。明光社則直斥啟同「卑鄙」、「充滿偏見嘅霸權」，不容許同性戀者接受輔導，強調尊重同性戀者的個人自由。
有基督教背景的明光社於上周三，為社工、輔導員及教師等舉辦一個如何輔導同性戀者的工作坊，講者包括加州臨牀心理學家黃偉康及精神科專科醫生康貴華。
蔡志森：充滿偏見霸權
啟同服務社秘書何禮傑點名批評，兩位講者帶有個人價值觀，如康貴華認為，同性戀者與兒童受性侵犯畫上等號，同性戀是病態，甚至是邪靈附體，以權威姿態感染與會者，動機是影響同性戀者變為異性戀，他認為，「你嘅價值觀應放喺門外，睇番受助人嘅處境係咩」。
明光社總幹事蔡志森對啟同的聲明表示遺憾，直斥啟同「卑鄙」、「充滿偏見嘅霸權」，不容許有困擾的同性戀者尋求輔導，亦指啟同歪曲事實，兩位學者均具逾廿年臨牀經驗，其中黃偉康更曾經歷同性戀的掙扎，他由過來人身份講解更具資格；至於康醫生則是根據其經驗，小童遇到性侵犯或是成為同性戀者的其中一個原因，只是提醒
父母，若子女有性別疑惑可能受童年經歷影響，有關批評是對兩位講者不公平。蔡志森強調，明光社的立場是，個人有選擇同性戀的自由，但並不鼓吹。
