Peter Tatchell is leading a protest for gay rights for LGBT+ people in the Commonwealth.
With the Queen in attendance for Commonwealth Day, leading LGBT+ and human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell will be heading a protest outside Westminster Abbey to bring awareness to the homophobic laws which exist within 37 of the 53 countries in the Commonwealth.
The vigil will include human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and LGBT+ people from across the Commonwealth, some who have fled homophobic persecution and is due to take place on the 12th March from 2:00PM to 2:30PM.
Over 100 million LGBT people are “are persecuted on a daily basis”
Mr Tatchell said, “In sixty years of Commonwealth summits, LGBT+ issues have never been discussed by leaders, not even once. Surely in 2018, as London plays host to the summit, we can at least have a discussion with the Commonwealth Heads of Government? 100 to 200 million LGBT+ people are persecuted on a daily basis and treated as criminals in 70% of Commonwealth nations”.
A Commonwealth of Inequality
Out of the 53 countries in the Commonwealth, 37 criminalise homosexuality. Nine of those have life in imprisonment for same-sex relationships. In parts of two countries, there is even the death penalty for being homosexual or for having same-sex sexual relationships.
