““The veil of social morality cannot be used to violate fundamental rights of even a single individual.” ”

— ~ India's Supreme Court Justices striking down Section 377 of the Penal Code that criminalized being gay

"I hope that one day all young gay people can fall in love and still dream of a future"  ~Former PM of Iceland, Johanna Siguroardottir

"When I came out I knew I was going to have bullies, and I knew people were not going to be OK with it. But I never expected it to be from the people who were supposed to protect you from the bullies."  ~ Austin Wallis, 17 year old on being to

"The veil of social morality cannot be used to violate fundamental rights of even a single individual." ~ India's Supreme Court Justices striking down Section 377 of the Penal Code that criminalized being gay.

“It is my freedom, my self-expression. If I don’t fight for that, then why am I living here?” ~ Sasha, Lebanese fashion model and transgender activist

"You don’t have to approve of their lifestyle. There is no compulsion for this, but you cannot deny the fact that they are humans entitled to the same dignity stipulated in every religion, Islam included. They are human beings." ~ Malaysian AIDS

"We are all different, but we share the same human spirit." ~ World-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking

“Ke nako ya gore re amogele gore re na le batho ba mohuta oo mo Botswana. Go thola re ganetsa selo se re se itseng kgotsana re se bone ga gona go re thusa ka sepe. It is time we accept that we have these people in our lives. To continuously deny t

"As variation in sexual identities and orientations has always been part of a normal society, there can be no justification for attempts to ‘eliminate’ LGBTI from society. The Academy of Science South Africa report "Diversity in Human Sexuality:

"We need open mindedness about sexuality, about sex and about sexual health. Only then we can empower young people and give them confidence." ~  Reina Buijs of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking on sex rights and education a

"I've become disillusioned and even passive since the Supreme Court's 2013 ruling on Section 377. I'm just tired of speaking up. People don't realise how the law fuels social prejudice." ~ Onir, Indian filmmaker as the Supreme Court reconsiders Sec

From age 12 to 16, I shamed myself for having different feelings from my heterosexual classmates. I didn’t treat myself as I should have. I didn’t say, It’s OK to be different. There weren’t any people in my South African community who validated my

““I will voice our strongest wish to live a life based on equal citizenship, not positive discrimination.””

— Hasan Atik, Openly gay activist and HIV-positive candidate for office in Turkey

"Despite our achievements and contributions to India in various fields, we are being denied the right to sexuality, the most basic and inherent of fundamental rights." ~ Businesswoman Ayesha Kapur, dancer Navtej Singh Johar, journalist Sunil Mehr

“We want you here to be a light to the millions of LGBT people in our country, so that wherever they are, they might know that they are not alone that they are quite normal and that they should live their lives unafraid. For that is the kind of coun

“It is absolutely sickening and ridiculous that in the 21st century a homosexual act gets a person in Cameroon six months to five years imprisonment.” Barrister Walter Atoh

“With love for all of those who are positive and are afraid to speak, to all of those who know the horrible taste of rejection, to all of those who at least once have rejected or turned down someone just because of HIV status... and to the gay comm

“Their struggle for a more inclusive world where the dignity of trans and gender diverse persons is upheld and their rights respected should inspire all of us. I call on everyone to reciprocate that courage, challenge rigid social constructions of

"I believe that my school isn't special. I believe that there are places like Hillsboro all over the county where young people are hurting, feeling alone, and being discriminated against because of who they are. And I believe it's important, now tha

“The world cannot allow itself to be silenced by some members of parliaments who are driven by hatred, torture, discrimination, and persecution of innocent LGBTI people.” ~ Edwin Sesange, African Equality Foundation responding to the Assembly of

“This bill criminalizes homosexuality. Basically you can’t even come out anymore. You can’t even hold hands. This bill gives the green light to attack us. Violence and discrimination and hate against the LGBT community will increase.” ~ Activist i

"I felt helpless, I felt hopeless, and I asked myself some really hard questions: am I doing enough work as an advocate? Is the work that I have been doing really making an impact and is it really worth it?" ~ Maureen Luba, African Regional Advocac

If God wanted just another heterosexual, God could have created one, but instead God created me fabulous. My sexual orientation is something I cannot change.” ~ Johann De Joodt, after his years spent engaged in ‘conversion therapy’ in Australia

From Zimbabwe, journalist Wongai Zhangazha explored the challenges faced by gay sex workers who are doubly discriminated against for their sexuality and their profession, leaving them with very little choice when seeking HIV prevention and other hea

“Will I prioritize [rights] over finding money for food? Labor issues, issues of the workforce are issues of LGBT people. And the sooner we recognize that, then the sooner we can provide responses to the needs of members of our community who need proper attention”

— Claire, a transgender woman, on the striking workforce at Tanduay Distillers Inc in the Philippines