UN Report Scares Conservatives and Fox News by Acknowledging That Gender is Fluid
posted by: Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux 65 days ago
Usually, my reading of UN reports is not extensive - which is why I'm so glad that Jos on Feministing posted about the new report on "Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism" by Special Rapporteur Martin Scheinin. The report focuses on gender (and mostly on the impact of counterterrorism efforts on non-transgendered women), but also has this remarkable section, in which they point out that gender is not a static concept and that transgendered people are also hurt by these counterterrorism techniques. From the report:
"As a social construct, gender is also informed by, and intersects with, various other means by which roles, functions and responsibilities are perceived and practiced, such as race, ethnicity, culture, religion and class. Consequently, gender is not static; it is changeable over time and across contexts.Understanding gender as a social and shifting construct rather than as a biological and fixed category is important because it helps to identify the complex and inter-related gender-based human rights violations caused by counterterrorism measures; to understand the underlying causes of these violations; and to design strategies for countering terrorism that are truly non-discriminatory and inclusive of all actors."
The report has some great points on how counterterrorism techniques have hurt women. For instance, checkpoint delays cause childbirth risks for Palestinian women, there is a disproportionate impact of displacement and eviction for women in Colombia, and in Algeria, in women have been arrested and detained as potential terrorists after they report sexual violence and humiliation by armed Islamists.
But the report also highlights how counterterrorism efforts can hurt men who don't seem "male" enough: "In Nepal, the counter-insurgency campaign that was defined with reference to terrorism was characterized by attacks on meti (effeminate males or transgender persons) by both sides, with reports that the Maoists were abducting meti24 and the police were taking advantage of the counter-terrorism environment to attack meti as part of a “cleansing” of Nepali society." This and other horrifying examples show that governments can sometimes cause severe human rights abuses when terrorism is defined too broadly. Militarization plays a large role in this: in the Philippines, women are exposed to rape and sexual assault by the ramping up of armed forces. Thus the report is absolutely right in pointing out the need for a "gender perspective" in creating counterterrorism operations.
Sadly, not everyone is happy about the progressiveness of this report. Fox News had an extremely sarcastic article last Wednesday where writer Joseph Abrams snarkily claimed that the report was trying to "redefine gender and hamstring actual counterterror efforts."
Redefining gender doesn't sound too bad to me, but more seriously, it's scary to think that people are so concerned about "combating terrorism" that they refuse to take actual human rights abuses into account. Apparently the UN is engaged in a "stealth effort" to change international law and the meaning of gender.
"As a social construct, gender is also informed by, and intersects with, various other means by which roles, functions and responsibilities are perceived and practiced, such as race, ethnicity, culture, religion and class. Consequently, gender is not static; it is changeable over time and across contexts.Understanding gender as a social and shifting construct rather than as a biological and fixed category is important because it helps to identify the complex and inter-related gender-based human rights violations caused by counterterrorism measures; to understand the underlying causes of these violations; and to design strategies for countering terrorism that are truly non-discriminatory and inclusive of all actors."
The report has some great points on how counterterrorism techniques have hurt women. For instance, checkpoint delays cause childbirth risks for Palestinian women, there is a disproportionate impact of displacement and eviction for women in Colombia, and in Algeria, in women have been arrested and detained as potential terrorists after they report sexual violence and humiliation by armed Islamists.
But the report also highlights how counterterrorism efforts can hurt men who don't seem "male" enough: "In Nepal, the counter-insurgency campaign that was defined with reference to terrorism was characterized by attacks on meti (effeminate males or transgender persons) by both sides, with reports that the Maoists were abducting meti24 and the police were taking advantage of the counter-terrorism environment to attack meti as part of a “cleansing” of Nepali society." This and other horrifying examples show that governments can sometimes cause severe human rights abuses when terrorism is defined too broadly. Militarization plays a large role in this: in the Philippines, women are exposed to rape and sexual assault by the ramping up of armed forces. Thus the report is absolutely right in pointing out the need for a "gender perspective" in creating counterterrorism operations.
Sadly, not everyone is happy about the progressiveness of this report. Fox News had an extremely sarcastic article last Wednesday where writer Joseph Abrams snarkily claimed that the report was trying to "redefine gender and hamstring actual counterterror efforts."
Redefining gender doesn't sound too bad to me, but more seriously, it's scary to think that people are so concerned about "combating terrorism" that they refuse to take actual human rights abuses into account. Apparently the UN is engaged in a "stealth effort" to change international law and the meaning of gender.
"There might have been value in a report that addressed how counterterrorism efforts interact with the rights of women," said Peter Sprigg, a senior fellow at the Family Research Council. "But by burdening this report with these extreme forms of social engineering, it makes the report kind of laughable."
Laughable. Right. It's so funny when people who are already vulnerable to harassment, discrimination, and human rights violations get caught in the crossfire of escalating violence, especially when the violence may not actually be necessary and may in fact be a misguided effort to stop phantom terrorist threats.Steven Groves, a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told CNS News: "Instead of the Human Rights Council focusing how the human rights of people who are blown apart by terrorists impact people's human rights they created a new office for someone to go and make sure that the terrorists' human rights, and the human rights of almost everyone else - except for the victims of terrorism - are being protected, and so that is (Scheinin's) mission."
So now people who don't identify with the gender binary are probably terrorists? This would be actually be laughable - if it weren't so scary.
Scheinin presented his findings to the U.N.'s 3rd Committee, which helps set policy on social and cultural issues and oversees the Human Rights Council for the world body, this morning. Let's hope they listen to him.Read more: gender, transgender, civil rights, womens rights, trans rights, un report, counter terrorism
comments
Fox has a few real news people, the Fox organization is an arm of the Republican party. I've caught them in too many LIES to give them any credibilty. CNN is center left and MSNBC is left, BUT they don't lie! The current populace in US has too much ignorance and has been manipulated by propaganda to appeal to their most base instincts. BTW, I have many disagreements with Ron Paul of TX, but he is so RIGHT in many of his views. Problem is he's ahead of the times and is minimized. "US has 700 bases in 130 countries and that is unsustainable". AIPAC is an enemy of US and world interests. US presence in ME and the lack of banging heads for a 2 state solution with Israel helped lead to the 911 attacks. Sadly, the FBI intel didn't reach Bush - wonder why. It likely would have prevented 911 and Bush/Cheney's war of choice against Iraq.
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It sounds to me like the UN got it right. I am sickened by the sexism, homophobia and intolerance being practiced so widely in fundamentalist regimes. We shouldn't be afraid to call a nasty, barbaric thug like Ahmedinejad what he is.
As for Fox...
God forbid anyone not prostrate themselves before the OBAMA.
You hate Fox because it isn't 90% hard left zealots like the GE wage slaves on the establishment news channels or the Soros employees at the Koz and the Huff Post. It would be nice if the tolerant left stopped acting like fascist book burners at a clan rally when someone dares to criticize someone they are on the same political page with.
Why do I HAVE to watch Fox to find out that ACORN appears to be engaged in voter fraud, extortion and facilitating criminal activity? Doesn't that rate a little investigative reporting?
Why is it wrong to point out that the head of the Federal reserve is a tax cheat.
That a congressman in charge of writing tax laws blatantly ignores and violates them.
That same congressman is then defended to the hilt by the Speaker of the House who promised the most open and ethical congress in history.
Why is this same speaker opposed to allowing vigorous examination and debate of a 1000+ page bill that will fundamentally change society as we know it.
What if Bush were doing this?
Why does asking difficult questions make me unpatriotic?
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Fox gets a great deal right and unlike so many others, has the courage to speak truth to power. Bush got criticized by Fox many times but since they have a diversity of opinions instead of 90% left they got labeled lap dogs. Now the shoe is on the other foot and Chris Mathews who used to be a fair, honest and hard hitting pundit is so love struck he probably has the O symbol on his speedos. Most of the rest of the establishment media also bows lower to Obama than he did to the Saudi King!
Stop the lame ass caterwauling just because Glenn Beck actually dares to point out that proud and admitted Marxists are proud admitted Marxists. If you want a revolution show me why it's a good idea and better yet show me where it's worked instead of telling rediculously obvious lies in the face of overwhelming evidence against you. I like Obama's buddy Reverend Wright. He doesn't lie about who he is or what he believes and he has no shame in telling you to your face.
Obama should have been to more of Wright's sermons..
That said, yeah it definitely sounds like terrorism is being used as an excuse by repressive regimes and homophobic religeous extremists to persecute and torment these vulnerable people.
Kudos to the UN for actually working to do the right thing!
Lets see more of that...
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Felicia, ain't that nice to know. Since when does Fox news tell the truth?
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Ricky, your reference to news agencies or people that you politically disagree - thus they are the preachers of anger and hate. Is it possibly that you might be incorrect and that you and your ilk are promoting anger and hatred????
Really, do you believe all of the UN positions or do you pick and chose???
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Nothing Fox News attacks surprises me at all. It's so sad how they (and Rush on the radio) contributes to so much anger and hatred.
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Selwyn, talk about being brainwashed - do you have something constructive to say??
Since when are UN reports even worth the paper they were written on?? The United Nations has become an enabler/supporter of all that is wrong with our world.
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Thank you for including a link to Abrams article.
It seems that the actual paragraph cited reads -
Those are some of the conclusions of a United Nations report on counterterrorism that is intended to promote human rights — but that critics say is designed to redefine gender and hamstring actual counterterror efforts.
So, he is just stating the opinion of those critcal of the report's findings and not actually "snarkily" claiming anything. The article contains a link to the report so anyone interested can read it. The individual then can see some of the opposing views as stated in the article and make up their own mind.
I can't see how this is "extremely sarcastic".
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considering that foreign soldiers are now using religion & it's hatred of all that is not hetrosexual this is no surprise, in Iraq the police have been targeting transgenders/homosexuals, & the police have been trained by American Forces.
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Alice B."s post (8:51pm) speaks to the heart of the matter, as well as speaking of the reality of its consequences in her personal experience. The core of the problem is hatred. Fear/hatred arise in many forms, of which hatred & cruelty linked to concepts & perspectives about gender is only one. Correct concepts & debate are not enough to solve the problems, if there is underlying an emotional construct wanting expression.
I thank Jessica and those who've made comments here, especially Alice B. My contribution is to suggest that going forward means growing more conscious of the emotional component and dynamic as well, and considering how we address that. It also means considering if our language & attitude express or support hate or ill-will.
All of us are working with what we have been taught by others and the world around us. We can only start from where we are. I mean to say, rather than feel animosity for those who seem to hate, we need to find out how we, in our families, societies, country, etc., are supporting this emotional stance & response. More importantly, we need to find out how we can create a new emotional dynamics & defaults.
How do we stop supporting anger and hatred? How do we even in our own behaviors hear and respond in ways that don't perpetuate but begin to undo the underlying emotional/interrelational patterns that have gotten so fixed?
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