SOMOSGAY and the Paraguayan LGBT Federation held the sixth edition of the Besat&oacute;n (Kiss-In), in order to gain visibility for the LGBT community, in addition to urge local authorities on passing laws to protect people from homophobia and discrimination.

For this event, all LGBT and straight couples who support equality and love were invited, claiming the right to love without this being cause for discrimination. In social networks, people who want to join can share a selfie with their partners or loved ones with the hashtag #MismoAmor (#SameLove).

The International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) is celebrated annually on May 17, when the World Health Organization stated that homosexuality is not a disorder or a mental illness, but a legitimate expression of human sexuality.

Over the years, the IDAHOT has received the attention of a large number of media and institutions, including the majority of UN agencies and official recognition of the European Parliament, many States and local authorities throughout the world.

In Paraguay, as in many other countries, homophobia is characterized by the fear and hate towards LGBT people, based on negative stereotypes and misconceptions that generate hatred, discrimination and violence. For many years and even today, the idea that if two people of the same sex kiss or hold hands in public spaces is summarized in that they are violating the law or "breaking the moral and traditional values".

It is known that public demonstrations of affect are not illegal, that there is no law stipulating a ban, but rather, that the Article 9 of Paraguay&rsquo;s National Constitution clearly states that "nobody is forced to do what the law does not command or deprived of what it does not prohibit&rdquo;.

With the Kiss-In, SOMOSGAY joins this global initiative with actions to banish discrimination from our society, to change hearts, minds, policies and laws to protect LGBT people and their families.

Kiss-In

KissIn

The information and data contained in the report provided by SOMOSGAY, were included from a review and analysis of existing documentation regarding health in general (laws, regulations, policies, plans, programs and projects), and in this specific case, the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT).
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As a second part, a comparative analysis of the existing documentation and the actions that were projected and/or carried out or not, in full compliance to it, so as to identify gaps in the availability, accessibility, acceptability and quality of services, products and sanitary facilities, human rights related to health, in the primary care and the medical attention towards LGBT people.
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<cite>The status and rights of LGBT people, has become more visible in Paraguay in recent years.</cite>
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The National Plan for Sexual and Reproductive Health includes non-discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity. During the visit of the rapporteur, the Senate held a debate on the situation of transgender women and met with several senior officials who are aware of the specific characteristics of this group.
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However, LGBT people face significant obstacles to the full enjoyment of their right to physical and mental health, especially because of the deeply entrenched discriminatory attitudes in society at large, which carry stigma, violence and abuse. The situation of LGBT people living far from major urban areas is of particular concern, since they are isolated from the main networks of support and living and working in difficult environments, they face discrimination by health personnel and lack of comprehensive health services tailored to their needs.
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<cite>Moreover, a confidential health service is not always guaranteed.</cite>
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The rapporteur has noted that many people do not use health services for fear of stigmatization and rejection, which can lead to concealment of many health problems with negative consequences for their health and that of society in general.
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Finally, in his press conference, held last October 6th, the reporter said: "I encourage the promotion of the participation of all people without exception, including those in situations of greatest vulnerability. This will strengthen accountability and transparency of the system, which are crucial to the realization of the right to health and related rights. "
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Dainius Puras, the Special Rapporteur is an independent expert appointed by the Human Rights Council of the UN to assist States and other stakeholders, to promote and protect the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (right to health). It is a medical professional with considerable experience in mental health, the health of children, and public health policies.
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Photo: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ONUDHParaguay" style="font-family: Karla, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.7px; line-height: 19.2px;">UN Human Rights in Paraguay</a>

Health Special Rapporteur urges the Paraguayan State to remove barriers to LGBT people

Health-Special-Rapporteur-urges-the-Paraguayan-State-to-remove-barriers-to-LGBT-people

The films scheduled for exhibition in October are: "Peyote" on 22 October and a special for the day before Halloween on October 29 with "The Rocky Horror Picture Show"; cult classic movie where a couple returns from a wedding, when a violent storm starts and their car is damaged. They have no choice but to take refuge in a castle, where Dr. Frank-N-Furter lives given to making a sort of Frankenstein.

For the month of November, the bill includes such films as "Floating Skyscrapers&rdquo; on November 5,&rdquo;Xenia" on November 12,"House of Boys&rdquo; on November 19 and, on November 26, to mark the International Day of the Fight against HIV/AIDS, a film that describes how American society was absorbing the expansion of large HIV / AIDS in the early '80s, "The Normal Heart" will be presented.
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In December, ending the year the films that will be screened are: "Going Down in LA-LA Land" on December 3, "The birdcage" on December 10, and "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar&rdquo; on December 17.
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SOMOSGAY invites everyone to participate in this artistic-cultural space where entertainment and knowledge about the diverse world of the LGBT community are combined.

Every Thursday, the best LGBT films at the SOMOSGAY Community Center

Every-Thursday-the-best-LGBT-films-at-the-SOMOSGAY-Community-Center

&ldquo;It is important to outline that this campaign is not only aimed at a specific population, it is aiming to vanish stigma from HIV testing at the country level. The idea of the campaign is to add to the general public and have the support of cultural and communication icons of our country, they are people who talk about getting tested for HIV as paramount&ldquo; stated Simon Cazal.
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Dr. Tania Samudio added: "When we decided to join to support this campaign, we found a sensational initiative from the outset we wanted to join, especially by the fact that for PRONASIDA work together with civil society opens many doors that allow us to reach all populations, in terms of information and services the program provides. "
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Finally, Simon Cazal gave the following words: &ldquo;A few days ago SOMOSGAY started to represent the &ldquo;Communities of Latin America and the Caribbean&rdquo; on the Board of UNAIDS, the lead agency in the global response to HIV. The world is talking about reaching 2030 with a controlled epidemic and sustainability to end HIV through various strategies, one of which is what is done in our country with this campaign.&rdquo;

Innovative fast and free HIV testing campaign in Paraguayan health services was launched

Innovative-fast-and-free-HIV-testing-campaign-in-Paraguayan-health-services-was-launched

The accumulated experience of leaders and activists from the region that will attend the event aims to create a more effective design of concrete answers to the problems that gay men in Latin America continue to face and the event will serve as a forum for dialogue starting point to a new regional activists articulation with that goal. All news coverage, updates and information will be published through social networks, Facebook, Twitter and live broadcasts via Periscope.
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During the start of the new GayLatino Network, various topics will be addressed, from the macro cultural analysis regarding Latino masculinity and barriers of homophobia and hegemonic foundations. In addition, the meeting will be opportunities for discussion from the experiences and visions of renowned activists throughout the region and the world in the response to HIV and the struggle for human rights of LGBT people as well as good governance practices of their organizations and networks.
&nbsp;&nbsp; During the three-day meeting, which is already established as an innovative and extremely important for the Latino gay movement in daily work space to curb HIV as a public health problem, the program calls different teams dedicated to analyzing the situation regional in order to propose strategies for effective action.
&nbsp; "Our Latin American region needs to rekindle the community leaders to ensure that no one is left behind in the response to HIV.&rdquo; Mentions Simon Cazal, executive director of the organization SOMOSGAY which co-organized the meeting with the Dignidade Group, the Brazilian Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bissexuais, Transvestites and Transexuais (ABGLT) and Argentina LGBT Federation (FALGBT) with the support of UNAIDS America, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), Robert Carr Foundation and AIDS and Hepatitis Program of the Brazilian Government.
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With this starting point, the GayLatino network intends to make its operation dynamic and steady, recognizing that the strength of the global movement of response to HIV in the last 30 years and human rights movement of LGBT people is that they have It has been and continue to be open and dynamic, continuously integrating new participants, policy makers and community leaders.
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Official hashtags: #gaylatino #soygaylatino

Noticias

Kiss-In

11 feb 2016

Health Special Rapporteur urges the Paraguayan State to remove barriers to LGBT people

09 feb 2016

Every Thursday, the best LGBT films at the SOMOSGAY Community Center

09 feb 2016

Innovative fast and free HIV testing campaign in Paraguayan health services was launched

09 feb 2016

GayLatino: Activists and gay Leaders meet in Curitiba

09 feb 2016