CoronaPrideness – What does it mean to celebrate pride month in 2020
Updated: Jun 7, 2020
If only pride can spread faster than the speed of hate and discrimination, we will have a better world today. No more social distancing but social acceptance.
Is 2020 a year of progression or regression for the LGBT rights and equality?
With COVID19, social distancing forces many of the annual Pride events and festivals either be cancelled or turn into virtual. 2020 will likely be a quiet year to promote the visibility of LGBT people and a missed opportunity to voice against stereotypes.
With the coronavirus outbreak, religious leaders have wrongfully blamed LGBTQ community as vectors of disease during the pandemic, holding the group responsible for COVID19 and sparking hate and perpetuating stigma across the world. Fake news and information on social media have incited violence and discrimination against minorities across the world.
Adding the more immediate struggles with both the global economy and political dilemma, it is makes it even harder for others to show support to family and friends who are queer.
Protests in June will no longer be focusing only on the continue injustices in the LGBT people faced around the world, but rather a month to protests about the deep-rooted problems against the black community (#BlackLivesMatter) and many others:
Hong Kong Security Law
India’s Citizenship Law
COVID19 Related Lockdowns
Two Recent Cases of Persecution in Indonesia
These two recent cases of persecution have shown the world the cruel reality people within the community is still facing within Indonesia.
In North Jakara, the murder of Mira, a transwoman who was burned to death by a mob in Cilincing.
In Bandung, West Java, Ferdian Paleka, the YouTuber, delivered “care packages” full of garbage to transwomen.
COVID19 Related Violation against LGBT Community
Countries with oppressive regimes, which have impose contact tracing apps and internet-based technologies during the lockdowns, have a risk of pushing LGBT individuals to the edge of being targeted, outed and penalized for being queer.
This is a threat to both the privacy and confidentiality of LGBT individuals.
With COVID19, it comes the idea of social distancing. For LGBT people living at homes with unaccepting family members, it can be rather challenging and dangerous to perform isolations and physical distancing measures.
The wave of COVID-19 have stunned communities who face repression and are denied equitable access to resources – blacks, indigenous people, people of colour, people living with disabilities, migrants, refugees and LGBT people.
June 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the annual LGBTQ+ traditional Pride Month, but this hustle make continue for the road to equality. Looking at where we stand today:
Source: Human Dignity Trust
73 countries, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, still penalizes LGBT people for being who they are
12 countries still impose the death penalty as punishment for private, consensual, same-sex sexual activity
In Uganda, 20 LGBT people were arrested in a raid on a shelter, which police authorities claimed was due to their disobeying social-distancing procedures
In Philippines, 3 LGBT people were publicly humiliated as punishment for breaking the curfew
In light of all the controversial topics surrounding us in the month of June this year, we must continue to wave our rainbow flag and remind the world to be a bit more humane during these difficult times.
Source: WeForum