Desmond Tutu Speaks to Queer Crowd

SAN FRANCISCO, CA  --  Comparing the importance of speaking up for human rights to the basic act of breathing, Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave an historic speech to the lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual and intersex (LGBTI) community at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco last night.

A crowd of 500 people heard the Nobel Peace Prize recipient condemn the persecution of LGBTI people, apologize on behalf of his Church for ostracizing gay people, and challenge China to improve its human rights record—all in the first ever direct address by the Archbishop to a large gathering of the LGBTI community in the United States.

Archbishop Tutu's speech was the highlight of A Celebration of Courage, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission's (IGLHRC's) annual gala awards ceremony, where Tutu was presented with an OUTSPOKEN Award recognizing his leadership as a global ally of the LGBTI community whose outspokenness has contributed substantially to advancing the rights and understanding of LGBTI people everywhere. The importance of speaking out on human rights was also underscored by the context of the evening's event, overlapping with a candle-lit vigil for Tibet in United Nations Plaza, and occurring only hours before anticipated protests as the Olympic touch journeys through San Francisco on its way to Beijing, China, host of the next Olympic games.

"When IGLHRC invited Archbishop Tutu to come to San Francisco to accept its OUTSPOKEN Award, we had no idea that our event would coincide with such a momentous time in the history of human rights activism," said Paula Ettelbrick, IGLHRC's executive director. "The Archbishop's speech at this unique historical moment affirms that human rights apply to each and every human being—in South Africa, in the United States, in China, and around the world. Activists and governments alike should heed the Archbishop's words. He is a moral luminary whose inclusive approach to human rights advocacy paves the way for a better world."

In his 30-minute address, Archbishop Tutu said that for his part it was impossible to keep quiet "when people were frequently hounded...vilified, molested and even killed as targets of homophobia...for something they did not choose—their sexual orientation." In the face of this ongoing persecution, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient praised LGBTI people for being "compassionate, caring, self-sacrificing and refusing to be embittered." He spoke critically of his Church, apologizing for the way it has ostracized LGBTI people, and for making them feel as if God had made a mistake by creating them to be who they are. "How sad it is," he said, "That the Church should be so obsessed with this particular issue of human sexuality when God's children are facing massive problems--poverty, disease, corruption, conflict..."

In a pertinent commentary on human rights in China, the Archbishop said he would pray for that country to do the right thing, use its clout to bring positive change in Tibet, Burma and Sudan, and improve its human rights record. He suggested that world leaders boycott the opening ceremony of the Olympic games to protest China's record on human rights. He praised the US Congress and the First Lady in particular for being "on the side of angels" for their work on Burma.

In an interview with IGLHRC prior to the awards ceremony, Archbishop Tutu noted that although he has taken a strong stance on LGBTI rights for many years, IGLHRC's A Celebration of Courage event marked the first time that an organization had acknowledged his position on this issue.

"Archbishop Tutu is a rare and special individual who embodies human rights and morality," said Ettelbrick. "He recognizes that all human beings are valuable, that we are all interdependent, and that our struggles are shared. We are so honored that he has chosen to attend our event tonight and accept IGLHRC's OUTSPOKEN Award."

Last update: 04-09-2008 16:32