Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards

Back from a long holiday absence I will resume today my blog on Human Rights Defenders and do with a quote from one the most outstanding HRDs, Bishop Tutu, who bettered the new Pope’s more conciliatory tone on gay rights: Speaking at the United Nations launch of its “Free & Equal” campaign to promote fair treatment of LGBT persons on 26 July in South Africa, former archbishop and South African anti-apartheid activist Desmond Tutu declared that the issue was so close to his heart that : “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. No, I would say sorry, I mean I would much rather go to the other place.” He added, “I would not worship a God who is homophobic and that is how deeply I feel about this.” Tutu went on to compare his advocacy for LGBT persons to his fight against apartheid, saying, “I am as passionate about this campaign as I ever was about apartheid. For me, it is at the same level.” A video recording of Tutus partial remarks can be viewed on YouTube. The United Nations “Free & Equal” campaign is a year-long effort led by the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, OHCHR, to focus “on the need for both legal reforms and public education to counter homophobia and transphobia.”

via Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu Says He Would Choose Hell Over Homophobic Heaven.

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/FreeAndEqualCampaign.aspx

This entry was posted on July 30, 2013 at 15:10 and is filed under human rights, Human Rights Defenders.

Tags: apartheid, Archbishop, Desmond Tutu, equality, gay rights, homophobia, LGBT, Navanethem Pillay, non-discrimination, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, South Africa, Tutu, UN