The concept of universal human rights has been debated for centuries, but it was not until the twentieth century that it began to gain traction in international politics.
Even today, there is still much debate about what constitutes human rights and how they should be applied globally. One area where this debate is particularly heated is in relation to LGBTQ+ issues. In the Global North, human rights are often seen as being centered around individual freedoms such as freedom of speech, religion, and expression.
In the Global South, different perspectives emerge which challenge these assumptions. This article will examine some of those perspectives and explore how they reshape discourses on universal human rights and queerness.
Universal Human Rights
Universal human rights refer to a set of fundamental principles that all people are entitled to regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion, political beliefs, or other characteristics. These include the right to life, liberty, security of person, equality before the law, equal protection under the law, and freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. While these rights are generally considered to be universal, there is considerable variation in how they are interpreted and implemented across different cultures and countries.
In the Global North, human rights tend to be seen as inherent to individuals rather than societies. This means that they are not necessarily tied to any particular culture or tradition and can be claimed by anyone who feels aggrieved.
If an individual believes they have been denied the right to free speech, they may take legal action against the state or organization responsible. The focus is on protecting individual liberties, with little attention paid to collective rights or responsibilities.
This approach has been criticized for being too narrow and failing to recognize the ways in which societal factors influence individual choices and behaviors. It also tends to privilege Western perspectives over others and ignore local contexts.
Many cultures view homosexuality as immoral or unnatural and criminalize it. As such, LGBTQ+ individuals face persecution and violence in these countries despite having the same basic human rights as everyone else.
Perspectives from the Global South
Perspectives from the Global South offer a more holistic understanding of human rights that takes into account social structures and collective identities. In this approach, rights are seen as belonging to all people but are also shaped by their cultural backgrounds and experiences.
The concept of ubuntu (a African philosophy) emphasizes interconnectedness between individuals and communities, which leads to a broader definition of human rights that includes economic justice, access to education, healthcare, and other resources.
Asian philosophies such as Confucianism and Buddhism stress community harmony and compassion towards others, which translates into policies that prioritize public welfare over individual interests. This approach recognizes the importance of balancing personal autonomy with collective responsibility for creating safe and just societies.
These perspectives have implications for how we understand queer identity and relationships. Instead of focusing on individual freedoms, they encourage us to think about how relationships impact society at large. They also challenge Western notions of gender and sexuality by highlighting different ways of being that may be equally valid.
Challenges to Universal Human Rights Discourses
While there is much to learn from perspectives from the Global South, there are also challenges to applying them in global contexts. One issue is that many of these perspectives focus on collective rather than individual rights, which can be difficult to enforce globally.
They tend to prioritize certain groups over others, leading to tensions between marginalized communities who do not see themselves represented in these frameworks.
Some argue that universalizing these approaches would lead to cultural homogenization and erode local identities and traditions.
It is important to recognize that these challenges must not stop us from engaging with these perspectives. By doing so, we can broaden our understanding of what human rights mean and promote more equitable outcomes for all people. We need to continue to explore how different cultures view queerness and its relationship to society as a whole if we want to create truly inclusive and just societies.
How do perspectives from the Global South reshape discourses on universal human rights and queerness?
Perspectives from the Global South challenge Western frameworks of gender identity and sexuality that are often centered around the experiences of white cisgender individuals. The concept of "queer" is particularly problematic because it has been used by white gay men in the West as a way to erase non-white LGBTQIA+ identities and experiences. In contrast, many cultures in the Global South have long histories of recognizing diverse expressions of gender and sexuality outside of the binary.