International Lesbian and Gay Association

International Lesbian and Gay Association is a worldwide LGBTQ+ federation that campaigns for LGBT rights and supports LGBT organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, and PFLAG. The organization was co-founded by Curtis Dewees, Steve Endean, and Vernon A. Wall, among others, with the goal of promoting LGBT equality and combating homophobia and transphobia globally, in collaboration with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations. The association has worked closely with European Parliament members like Ulrike Lunacek and Sophie in 't Veld to advance LGBT rights in Europe. It has also partnered with organizations like the International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association and the National Center for Lesbian Rights to promote LGBT tourism and provide legal support to LGBT individuals.

● History

The International Lesbian and Gay Association was formed in August 1978, at a conference in Coventry, England, attended by gay rights activists from Europe, North America, and Australia, including Peter Tatchell, Ian Campbell Dunn, and Guy Hocquenghem. The organization's early years were marked by campaigns against Section 28, a UK law that prohibited the promotion of homosexuality in schools, and in support of LGBT rights in the United States, particularly during the Stonewall riots anniversary and the March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights and Liberation. The association has also worked with ILGA-Europe, a regional branch, to advance LGBT rights in Europe, and has collaborated with European Commission officials like Věra Jourová and Frans Timmermans to promote LGBT equality.

● Organization

The International Lesbian and Gay Association is a membership-based organization, with a World Conference held every two years, which brings together LGBT activists and human rights defenders from around the world, including Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Louise Arbour, and Navanethem Pillay. The organization has a Secretariat based in Geneva, Switzerland, and a Board composed of representatives from LGBT organizations in different regions, including Asia, Africa, and Latin America, such as the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women, the African Human Rights Coalition, and the Asociación Internacional de Lesbianas. The association works closely with UN agencies like the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Development Programme to promote LGBT rights and support LGBT communities.

● Activities

The International Lesbian and Gay Association engages in various activities to promote LGBT rights and support LGBT organizations, including advocacy work at the United Nations, European Union, and other international institutions, such as the Council of Europe and the Organization of American States. The organization also provides capacity building and technical assistance to LGBT organizations in different regions, and has partnered with organizations like the Global Equality Fund and the Dignity for All initiative to support LGBT human rights defenders. Additionally, the association has worked with media outlets like The Guardian, The New York Times, and Le Monde to raise awareness about LGBT issues and promote LGBT visibility, and has collaborated with celebrities like Elton John, Lady Gaga, and Cher to support LGBT rights.

● Membership

The International Lesbian and Gay Association has a diverse membership base, comprising LGBT organizations from over 150 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Spain, United Kingdom, and the United States. Member organizations include The Trevor Project, GLSEN, PFLAG National, Human Rights Campaign, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and Lambda Legal, among others. The association also has a youth wing, ILGA Youth, which focuses on promoting LGBT youth rights and supporting LGBT young people worldwide, in collaboration with organizations like the Youth Coalition for Sexual and Reproductive Rights and the Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS.

● Controversies

The International Lesbian and Gay Association has faced controversies over the years, including criticism from some LGBT activists who argue that the organization is too focused on Western perspectives and does not adequately represent the needs and concerns of LGBT communities in the Global South, such as those in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The organization has also faced challenges in its work with UN agencies, particularly in the face of opposition from some UN member states that have anti-LGBT laws and policies, such as Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Despite these challenges, the association remains committed to promoting LGBT rights and supporting LGBT organizations worldwide, in collaboration with human rights organizations like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the International Commission of Jurists. The association has also worked with UN Special Rapporteurs like Victor Madrigal-Borloz and Michel Forst to promote LGBT human rights and support LGBT human rights defenders.