Losing out in the intersections: lesbians, human rights, law and activism

Abstract

Advocacy for sexual rights, including the application of international human rights to sexual orientation and gender identity, has seen many gains but has failed to protect and promote lesbian rights adequately. This article explores some of the obstacles to making visible in international human rights law and activism women who transgress social norms around gender and sexuality: specifically, gendered understandings of privacy, the slow realization of the indivisibility of rights, and the limits of the violations-based protectionist model of human rights. A return to the affirmative discourse of sexual autonomy may offer a means to overcome these challenges in the long term.

Keywords:

• lesbian
• gender
• human rights
• sexual rights
• autonomy

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kate Sheill

Kate Sheill has worked on issues of sexuality, gender and human rights for many years, and since 1999 she has worked at Amnesty International's International Secretariat on issues of identity-based discrimination, primarily focusing on sexual rights. This work has entailed documenting human rights abuses, developing campaigning strategies and undertaking advocacy at the United Nations. In some cases the views expressed here go beyond Amnesty International's policy positions and as such reflect the author's informed opinion. They are included here in order to foster further debate. Email: [email protected]