Countdown Time! The 5 Worst Countries to Be Gay

Hello, blogosphere! I'm back with another countdown on this chilly Friday afternoon! Today I'm going to explore international gay rights, a completely new topic for me. As a pro-gay rights East Tennessean, I'm pretty in tune with gay rights within the United States. I love where I live but we are one of the least progressive areas in the nation when it comes to sexual equality; our state senator Stacey Campfield's recent hateful remarks about the gay community have set us back even further.

That being said, gay rights have been on my mind a lot lately.Through my reflection, I came to the realization that I am completely uninformed about sexual equlality in other nations. The way I see it, the right to love anyone you want is a fundamental human right. And as a professed human rights junkie, I decided that its time to read up on global pro and anti gay legislation and sentiment. So without any further ado...

The 5 Worst Countries to Be Gay:

1- Uganda: A 2007 Global Attitudes Poll revealed that 96% of Ugandans believe that homosexuality should be rejected by society; that's the highest rate of homophobia in the world. In 2010, strict anti-homophobia legislature was intensified, adding the death penalty as a punishment for "repeat offender" homosexuals. In 2005, President Yoweri Museveni added a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage; Uganda is one of two nations with such legislation. Gay activists are shunned, harassed, and beaten to death in their own homes. Talk shows have been fined for having gay commenters on air. This blatant violence and discrimination gives Uganda the title as the worst country to be gay.

2- Iran: It is illegal to be an open homosexual or cross-dresser in Iran. In the past year multiple men and women have been beaten and killed for homosexual behavior. Men are specifically targeted for harsh corporal punishment. This violence is enforced and encouraged by the Iranian authorities. Meanwhile, people claim that gay Iranians do not exist. The UN Human Rights Commission has taken a stand by issuing a report about LGBT intolerance in Iran and strongly recommending that the government take action. The report carries international legal significance and represents an act of desperation to stop alarming injustice.

3- Cameroon: Any gay and lesbian behavior is outlawed in Cameroon. "Same-sex acts" have a penalty of 5 years in prison and a ludicrous fine. Cameroon authorities are also infamous for their mass arrests of gay men. In May 2005, 11 gay men were arrested and the government proceeded to threaten them with medical experimentation designed to "prove" their homosexual activities. In 2006, a number of tabloids published the names of at least 50 very prominent people they claimed were homosexual. A 2010 poll revealed that only 2% of the population favored the passage of progressive legislation regarding gay rights.

4- Sudan: The Shari'a law system in Sudan threatens capital punishment for any man or woman partaking in homosexual acts. Gays and lesbians are given thousands of lashes or buried up to their neck and stoned in the face. Harsh reactions to homosexuality conflict with several highly homoerotic tribes within the Sudanese tribal system. Transvestitic and homosexual figures are common within the traditions of several such tribes. This has clashed with Sudan's anti-gay policies over the past several years and several Sudanese religious institutions have become heavily divided.

5- Burma: Although the authoritarian nature of Burma makes it difficult to obtain data pertaining to LGBT life, existing evidence paints a grim and disturbing picture. Ten sections of Burma's penal code deal with the punishments for various sexual acts. Harsh measures are in place to prevent homosexuality and all other percieved sexual indecency. It is illegal to spread a sexually transmitted disease, distibute or make "obscene" material, engaging in homosexual activity, or doing anything that may affect the morality of an individual or society as a whole. This sexually restrictive legislation and attitude has resulted in intense fear and violence throughout Burma.

Playing the Culture Card

When I research any human rights issue in the world today, I usually run into the issue of culture. Proponents of a controversial behavior or practice use culture as an excuse for their actions. The first example that comes to mind is female genital mutilation (FGM). Millions of terrified girls and women are forced to undergo this process every year to "purify" their genitals. It is a woman's right to do to her body as she wishes; therefore, she is within her rights to mutilate herself in the name of culture. The trouble comes when cultural purification is forced upon girls too young and terrified to make the choice for themsleves. Culture is not an adequate excuse for permanently maiming an unwilling child.

Why do we treat culture as if it's infallible? Cultures of the world, just as the humans who create them, are flawed. Whether it be sloth, greediness, extreme materialism, persecution or abuse, culture breeds some of the worst parts of society. Therefore, the "culture-made-me-do-it" defense isn't really viable.

Don't get me wrong: I love exploring mine and other cultures. It is through culture that we discover some of the most beautiful creations that society has to offer (art, music and literature among them). However, no culture is perfect; that's part of what makes it genuine.

Note- I've just scratched the surface on culture. Expect more on this note soon!