Tory MEPs have voted against the withdrawal of gender identity from the the International Classification of Diseases' list of mental and behavioural disorders.
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Tory MEPs have voted against the withdrawal of gender identity from the the International Classification of Diseases’ list of mental and behavioural disorders.
Daniel Hannan and Nirj Deva voted alongside the likes of the BNP’s Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons in opposing Labour MEP Richard Howitt’s amendment to human rights legislation, with other Tories abstaining.
The amendment, which was passed by 353 votes to 268 with 52 abstentions:
• Commends the Council, the EEAS, the VP/HR, the Commission and the Member States on their engagement in favour of LGBT people’s human rights in bilateral relations with third countries, in multilateral forums, and through the EIDHR;
• Welcomes the reintroduction by the UN General Assembly of sexual orientation as grounds for protection from extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary execution, and welcomes the EU’s efforts to this end;
• Calls on the Commission to advocate the withdrawal of gender identity from the list of mental and behavioural disorders in the negotiations on the 11th version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and to seek a non-pathologising reclassification;
• Reasserts that the principle of non-discrimination, also embracing grounds of sex and sexual orientation, must not be compromised in the ACP-EU partnership;
• Reiterates its request that the Commission produce a comprehensive roadmap against homophobia, transphobia and discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity, also addressing human rights violations on these grounds in the world;
• Calls on the Member States to grant asylum to people fleeing persecution in countries where LGBT people are criminalised, taking into consideration applicants’ well founded fears of persecution, and relying on their self-identification as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.
• London Mayoral elections: Livinstone launches LGBT manifesto 13 Apr 2012
• Cameron must speak out against Canada’s anti-gay marriage ruling 13 Jan 2012
• Equal love: Time for the UK Parliament to recognise gay marriage 19 Dec 2011
• Time for the Commonwealth to stop the criminalisation of sexuality 28 Oct 2011
• Tory MEP’s false claims on gay rights 7 Oct 2009
Following the vote, Howitt attacked Tory views on LGBT issues as “neanderthal”, “whatever [David] Cameron claims”, with fellow Labour MEP Michael Cashman, co-chair of the European Parliament’s LGBT Inter-group, adding:
“These Tories should explain why they refused to support an engagement in favour of LGBT people’s human rights when the EU negotiates with countries outside the EU and in multilateral forums. It’s important we use our trading power to encourage reform in countries where LGBT people are persecuted.
“We called for the reintroduction by the UN General Assembly of sexual orientation as grounds for protection from extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary execution also embracing grounds of sex and sexual orientation – this is human decency and every British MEP should fully support it.
“So why did the Tories abstain?”
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44 Responses to “Tory MEPs vote for gender identity to be on list of mental and behavioural disorders”
Daniel Hannan
I’m guessing your headline is a joke. And I’m sure you know the real reason that we opposed this measure. Nice try, though. http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danielhannan/100152092/against-the-eu-youre-plainly-a-homophobe/
Marina Yannakoudakis
Please note that I did not abstain on this vote. I voted for the amendment. Could you please correct the article to reflect this?
Marina Yannakoudakis MEP
Brumanuensis
So this gist of your response is: ‘Some of my best friends are gay/lesbian and I don’t like homophobia. Except when it happens in a far-away country between people of which we know [almost] nothing, in which case I’ll look the other way and pretend that my indifference is a form of moral superiority’. In which case you are, indeed, not a bigot, but merely someone who turns a blind eye to the behaviour of bigots.
I thought libertarians believed in individual freedom, but apparently state-backed discrimination is acceptable, just as long as the EU stays out of the picture.
Brumanuensis
*the gist
Dnptyf
How can gender identity be a mental disorder? It’s a fundamental property of all human beings as much as a sense of self. Perhaps your reporter should do his/her homework?