Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights in Iran: Analysis from Religious, Social, Legal and Cultural Perspectives

In 2014, the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) brought together scholars, lawyers, activists and experts from diverse backgrounds and fields to explore new approaches to improve the human rights situation for LGBT Iranians. Our overall goal was to open a window onto new views of LGBT rights in Iran, along with practical strategies to improve advocacy for LGBT rights in Iran. Held in Düsseldorf, Germany, the 2014 conference was the second of its kind hosted by IGLHRC, with the focus on the human rights of LGBT Iranians. The first conference in 2012 resulted in developing legal strategies and resources, including booklets to support advocacy for LGBT rights within the Iranian court system. These booklets are available at http://www.iglhrc.org/iran. This volume presents the participants’ diverse approaches to the question of LGBT rights in Iran. The articles range from a scholar’s exploration of whether the Qur’anic concern for justice should be interpreted to include the human rights and dignity of LGBT people; and a journalist’s focus on the neglected question of bisexuality in Iran; to a lawyer’s analysis of recent reforms to the Iranian criminal code on the rights of defendants in same-sex criminal proceedings. Most of the articles presented in the current booklet were originally submitted in Persian.