The fight for bodily agency, human rights and lived experiences of LGBTIQ+ persons should be celebrated every day

Received 11 April 2022; Accepted 28 April 2022 Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Journal of the International AIDS Society published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of the International AIDS Society. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

He gave an example of how, when people think about accessibility, they often imagine building a ramp to a building. He noted "a ramp facilitates entry into a building, but it doesn't necessarily make a space 'accessible.' What makes the space accessible is the freedom, the sense of belonging, the agency and the dignity of that space." "It is important we think about accessibility, beyond the built-in environment in the context of disability justice and think about access to self-actualisation, bodily autonomy, and access to be able to be regarded as sexual beings. Often disabled people are de-sexualised and it's a broader manifestation of the dehumanisation we experience on account of able-ism." He challenged everyone to rethink what intersectionality means for those who may be excluded from the common discourse around sexual rights and discrimination.
A 2021 report [2] on the LGBT+ situation in Ukraine found that far-right groups continued to "purposefully monitor and attack LGBT+ events, organizations and individual activists." However, despite opposition from the country's religious and some political leaders, on 19 September 2021, it was estimated that some 7000 people had demonstrated in Kyiv, Ukraine, in the annual March for Equality to show support for the country's LGBTIQ+ community [3].
The last 5 months have been a far cry from the colourful costumes and rainbow flags that characterized the march, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and a refugee crisis of LGBTIQ+ Ukrainians and those of other nationalities who had found refuge in the country. After the invasion, Ambassador Bathsheba Nell Crocker, the U.S. Representative to the Office of the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva, had given a warning [4] that Russian forces might target gay Ukrainians specifically. "These acts, which in past Russian operations have included targeted killings, kidnappings/forced disappearances, unjust detentions, and the use of torture, would likely target those who oppose Russian actions, including Russian and Belarusian dissidents in exile in Ukraine, journalists and anti-corruption activists, and vulnerable populations such as religious and ethnic minorities and LGBTQI+ persons," she said.
This warning highlights the continued government oppression of sexual and gender minorities all over the world, especially in Eastern Europe and Africa, with the rise [5] of populism and neo-hatred groups. When war further breaks families and livelihoods, it is important to put a spotlight and support LBGTIQ+ persons who face multiple levels of oppression.
Public interest litigation is increasingly being adopted by activists around the world to push for the protection of human rights of LGBTIQ+ persons. This is nowhere clearer than in Africa, where advocates in Ghana [6], Botswana [7], Mozambique [8], Namibia [9], Kenya [10], Angola [11] and Senegal [12] are seeking juridical interpretation of equality laws, demanding broader protections and overhauls of legislation used to oppress their communities.
Colonial-era laws in most African countries stipulated harsh prison terms, varying from years to a lifetime, for displays of same sex affection and acts. Other violations stipulated in law include forced anal examinations [13] and HIV testing. After decolonization, some of these countries proceeded to introduce subsidiary legislation in a bid to further criminalize and target persons who identify as LGBTIQ+. Organizations that were LGBTIQ+ led or that supported LGBTIQ+ rights were also targeted, which has recently occurred in Uganda [14], Nigeria [15] and Ghana [16].
What is clear is that enactment or even public campaigns around such subsidiary legislation ultimately leads to violence, extortion and, at worst, murder. However, it has been shown that indeed the courts can be a source of justice for not only LGBTIQ+ communities but also communities of women living with HIV who have been sterilized without their consent [17] and other marginalized groups.
Hate is oppressive, especially against sexual and gender minorities. No one country or community is immune from it. Be it in South Africa and Ukraine, or in Asia, Latin America, North Africa and other regions where homo-and trans-phobic laws persist, the right to exist and the need to be loved and appreciated is often not guaranteed. Many LGBTIQ+ persons were lost, and more are living difficult lives in complex environments. Some stories will never be known. Others will be forgotten. Often, examples of resilience and hope may seem small and unassuming, but they do make a difference. It is these small "pockets of change" that add up to the big change that are so desired.
May 17 is a day when all of us can again renew our commitment to stand up for human rights, promote bodily autonomy, agency and expression, and celebrate the diverse lives of the LGBTIQ+ communities.

A U T H O R ' S A F F I L I AT I O N
Denis Nzioka News Agency and Service, Activist, Nairobi, Kenya

C O M P E T I N G I N T E R E S T S
None noted.

A U T H O R ' S C O N T R I B U T I O N S
DN developed and wrote the Viewpoint.

A C K N O W L E D G E M E N T S
None.