THREAD: The US @StateDept released its annual #ReligiousFreedom report today. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, here's where #LGBT issues come up in this year's reports.
#LGBT issues feature in this year's reports on Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Costa Rica, Greece, Indonesia, Israel, Jamaica, the Maldives, Mauritania, New Zealand, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sudan, Syria & Turkey. (And I probably missed others.)
The report on #Australia stays pretty neutral in its discussion of the legalization of same-sex marriage and subsequent push for religious exemptions under Australian law. state.gov/documents/orga… 
It also highlights threats and violence against opponents of same-sex marriage and a private company's firing of a woman who opposed same-sex marriage on social media.
The report on #Argentina notes the introduction of a conscientious objection bill in the legislature, which sparked concerns about discrimination against #LGBT people, women, and others and ultimately did not pass. state.gov/documents/orga…
The report on #Bolivia describes how Catholic and Evangelical groups successfully challenged the country's gender identity law, dealing a blow to transgender rights. state.gov/documents/orga…
#Canada's report is a triple whammy, flagging Ontario's law allowing child welfare authorities to consider a child's gender identity and expression in their work...
...a case filed by an evangelical couple in Alberta who alleged they were not allowed to adopt because a home stay raised concerns about their ability to help children with issues related to sexuality and identity...
...and the Trinity Western case, which involves the accreditation of a law school that required students to abstain from same-sex activity. state.gov/documents/orga…
(For anyone playing along at home, the adoption case in Alberta was resolved at the beginning of this month when the provincial government reversed its decision - you can read about that here: ctvnews.ca/canada/alberta….)
The #CostaRica report flags that, in the same-sex marriage debate, disparaging comments about Catholicism and Christianity were made on social media. (I'm a little skeptical that this rises to the level of a religious freedom violation, but there you go.) state.gov/documents/orga…
The #Jamaica report is a little more neutral, noting that the media gives space to talk about religious matters, including #LGBTI rights. state.gov/documents/orga…
The #Philippines report just parrots the Philippines Council of Evangelical Churches' opposition to the #SOGIEBill - there's not much in the way of critical analysis of the bill or acknowledgment that antidiscrimination legislation there is long overdue. state.gov/documents/orga…
To @StateDept's credit, a lot of the reports describe instances where religion is used to license discrimination and violence on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, by state and non-state actors alike.
The #Greece report flags how members of an #LGBTI group were arrested for blasphemy against Orthodox Christianity, though the charges were dropped. state.gov/documents/orga…
The #Israel report notes threats against #LGBTI pride parades and the marginalization of LGBTI youth. state.gov/documents/orga…
The #Indonesia report notes the use of caning to punish men who have sex with men under the sharia laws in Aceh. (For more information about the worsening climate for LGBT people in Indonesia, follow @knightktm.) state.gov/documents/orga…
The reports note that the #Maldives criminalize same-sex activity...
...#Mauritania criminalizes same-sex activity...
...and police in #Sudan arrested a journalist who wrote satirical articles about religion and said it was not wrong to be a lesbian, charging her with apostasy. state.gov/documents/orga…
The report on #Syria notes abuses by #ISIS against those accused of apostasy, blasphemy, and homosexuality. state.gov/documents/orga…
In one of the truly puzzling ones, @StateDept flags that religious leaders didn't care for #Seychelles decriminalizing same-sex activity and having a public debate on #LGBT rights. (I'm very curious where the religious freedom concern is in that one.) state.gov/documents/orga…
And finally, the report on #Turkey says a newspaper published an article claiming the #LGBTI movement was financed by "Satanist Jews." (Which reminds me that I need to wrap this up and get back to following the fallout from #Roseanne.) state.gov/documents/orga…
