Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Human Rights, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Revised version – please note change in lecture dates

LW 548: 5 credit course, examined by means of an essay.

Professor Michael O’Flaherty

In this course we will first examine the experience of human rights violationperpetrated against members of sexual minorities and then locate the international human rights legal protection framework. Following an examination of such intellectual categorisations as "sexual orientation" and "gender identity", attention will be paid to the application of the international human rights treaties and the operation of the international (especially of the United Nations) supervisory mechanisms. We will also review current developments at the UN Human Rights Council regarding the protection of the human rights of members of sexual minorities. The course will include examination of the development and the operation of the “Yogyakarta Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law regarding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity”.

Seminar 1: Monday, January 12: 13:00-15.00

Human Rights Violations as Experienced by Members of Sexual Minorities; the issue of labels (sexual orientation, gender identity, etc.) and why it matters.

Reading:

Report of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, UN Doc A/HRC/19/41 (17 November 2011).

O’Flaherty and Fisher, ‘Sexual Orientation,Gender Identity and International Human Rights Law: Contextualising the Yogyakarta Principles’ (2008) 8 HRLR 207 (just read the Introduction for this seminar).

Waites, ‘Critique of ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ in human rights discourse: global queer politics beyond the Yogyakarta Principles’, available at:

Seminar 2: Monday, January 12: 15.15-17.15

The Evolving Law in the Practice of the Human Rights Committee and other International Instances.

Reading:

P Gerber and J. Gory ‘The UN Human Rights Committee and LGBT Rights’ (2014) 14 HRLR 403

O’Flaherty and Fisher, ‘Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and International Human Rights Law: Contextualising the Yogyakarta Principles’ (2008) 8 HRLR 207 (just read the section, “Review of law and Jurisprudence” for this seminar).

Toonen v. Australia, Human Rights Committee, CCPR/C/50/D/488/1992, available at:

Joslin v. New Zealand, A/57/40 at 214 (2002), available at:

Young v. Australia, CCPR/C/78/D/941/2000 (2003), available at:

Fedotova v. Russian Federation, Human Rights Committee, CCPR/C/106/D/1932/2010, available at:

www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrc/.../CCPR-C-106-D-1932-2010.doc

Seminar 3: Monday 2nd February 13:00-15:45

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and the Politics of the United Nations

Guest lecturer: Not yet confirmed.

Reading will be indicated in due course.

Seminar 4: Monday 9th February 13:00-15:45

Bringing it all home: the Yogyakarta Principles.

Reading:

The Yogyakarta Principles, available at:

O’Flaherty and Fisher, ‘Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and International Human Rights Law: Contextualising the Yogyakarta Principles’ (2008) 8 HRLR 207 (the remainder of the article).

The Impact of the Yogyakarta Principles on International Human Rights Law Development - A Study of November 2007 – June 2010, available at: