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ju st out ▼ oc to bur « . 1999 ▼ 17
U.N. C onference
Continued from page 15
An estimated 4,000 observers from the NGO
forum—includingTinker—participated in the con
ference in an effort to shape the final platform. She
and lesbian activists from several countries were
part of a Lesbian Caucus, including representa
tives from 30 accredited organizations, that weighed
in with a list of demands. The cardinal tenet of the
caucus’ list was that all women—regardless of
sexual orientation—have an inalienable claim to
human rights guarantees and protections.
The phrase “sexual orientation” was included
in brackets in the draft platform; the brackets
indicated that some delegations objected to the
text. The U.S. delegation was reportedly the first to
propose removing
the b rack ets— a
move which caused
a stir among oppos
ing delegations. Ac
cording to media
reports, Geraldine
Ferraro, head of the
Human Rights sec
tion of the U.S. del
egation, was “liter
ally booed by some
of the other coun
tries” for her sug
gestion that the
brackets be re
moved.
Lesbian rights
activ
ists
also
Palesa Beverley Ditsie
deemed “the right to
o f South Africa
determ ine o n e ’s
sexual identity; the right to control one’s own
body, particularly in establishing intimate rela
tionships...; [and] the right tochoose if, when, and
with whom to bear or raise children as fundamental
components of the human rights of all women,
regardless of sexual orientation.”
“At the last World
Conference on Women
10 years ago, only one
country—The Netherlands
spoke out in favor of
lesbians, and at this
conference more than 30
countries have done so,
says Rachel Rosenbloom
of the International Gay
and Lesbian Human Rights
Commission.
—
”
“Lesbians were out there fighting for reproduc
tive and birth control rights, but they were also
letting others know that women could actually
enjoy their sexuality and have pleasure for
pleasure’s sake. That was very exciting to me,”
says 21-year-old Sabrina Godfrey, a student at
Lewis & Clark College in Portland. Godfrey, who
is a lesbian, attended the NGO forum.
“I think perhaps the most important thing about
the forum is that it is so grass roots oriented,” she
says. “Women were able to talk with each other on
a one-to-one basis. They have made connections
and have had experiences they will remember their
whole lives.”
Portland resident Isabel Villar, who was bom
and raised in Chile, agrees: "The thought of being
with thousands of women from around the world at
the largest gathering of women anywhere, to me
that was incredible.”
The 52-year-old Villar, who is a lesbian but
doesn’t consider herself a political activist, says
many of the stories she heard moved her with
emotional ferocity.
“I went to one workshop talking about how
[Burmese women] are being forced into prostitu
tion. Poverty in that country is very bad, and
women are being tricked into going to Thailand by
people who say there are good jobs there,” says
Villar. “The women would go, and there would be
no high-paying jobs. Instead they would be taken
away, put into places surrounded by barbed wire,
and made into prostitutes. It’s so painful to hear
these stories, but the women’s courage to speak out
is astounding. It inspires so much.”
(Above) Women at the plenary
session o f the U.N. Fourth World
Conference on Women in Beijing
tents. The tent served as a center for
lesbian networking, information and
activities.
“It was incredible to see lesbians
from around the world who gathered
at the tent,” says Godfrey. "How many
times do we get an opportunity like
that?” Lesbians also held a march
through the forum site that included
500 participants from 30 countries.
esbian and bisexual women were speaking
According to wire reports, marchers
out in a variety of ways. For instance, for the
chanted “Lesbian rights are human
first time at an NGO forum an official Les
rig h ts” and “ L iberté, ég alité,
bian Tent was included among several diversity
homosexualité.” They also read their
list of conference demands.
Before the lesbian march a group
of Muslim women protested homo
sexuality and adultery, and through
Bella Abzug waits outside the U.N. security office as two
out the U.N. conference some partici
Canadian lesbian demonstrators are questioned
pants—particularly Islamic and Chris
tian fundamentalists— expressed their opposition
that discriminate against lesbian and gay families
to extending human rights protections to lesbians.
by denying them legal protection and social recog
Despite the opposition, Tinker says, bridges were
nition; and employment laws that permit discrimi
built.
nation.
“There had supposedly been an incident where
“I told them about my family, about my grand
two lesbians stood in front of Muslim women and
child,” she says. “They were silent initially but
kissed. Apparently they felt the lesbians had been
later asked questions. Some were curious as to how
deliberately antagonistic,” she says. “I don’t know
lesbians could have children, and one woman
if that was the case, but I wanted them to know that
wanted to know how I could go against God. I said
this [alleged attitude] didn’t represent the views of
I was a Christian and God wanted me to be a
the Lesbian Caucus.”
lesbian. She would [repeatedly] ask, 'This is what
Tinker jumped at an opportunity to speak be
God wants? God wants this?’ She finally said, ‘Oh.
fore a group of Muslim women. As she had done
this is your religion.’ It seemed like she could
throughout the conference, she talked about the
accept [my lesbianism] when it was cast as my
ways that children of lesbian and gay parents are
religious convictions. It was very interesting.”
affected by sexual orientation discrimination, par
Tinker adds: “After that dialogue, when I would
ticularly by educational systems that refuse to
Continued on page 19
recognize and respect their families; marriage laws
Theresa Enrico o f Portland
L