贝瑞是一位公开的男同性恋者，已婚，是两个孩子的父亲。他最近被任命为美国新设立的LGBTI（男女同性恋、双性恋、变性者和跨性别者）人权事务特使。贝瑞是第一位在美国国务院(Department of State) 担任这个独特职位的官员。

作为一名职业外交官，贝瑞于4月份接手这一新职务。他将前往世界各地大力传播这一信息：尊重LGBTI的权利是美国对外政策议程的一个重要组成部分。

他说，“ LGBTI的权利属于人权，人权也是LGBTI的权利。
这是指导我们工作的原则。既简单又明确。”。

这也是国务卿克里(John Kerry)所强调的信息。他为纪念每年5月17日的 “反对同性恋恐惧症、跨性别恐惧症和双性恋恐惧症国际日”（ International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia） 发表声明指出，美国强烈反对对LGBTI群体的暴力和歧视，“我们将继续向实现正义和人人平等的目标迈进”。

作为特使，贝瑞将代表国务院主导这项工作，要求实现下列关键目标：

• 鼓励世界各国政府废除以自愿同性性行为(same-sex conduct)入罪的法律条文。

• 与其他国家的有关方面合作，建立对LGBTI群体采取暴力的行为作出快速反应的能力。

• 通过全球平等基金会(Global Equality Fund) 与政府、公民社会及民营部门合作，支持有助于提高全世界LGBTI群体人权的各类计划。

• 帮助和鼓励各国政府和其他机构采取措施，强调人人拥有普遍的人权，无论其性倾向或性别认同如何。

 同性性行为在近80个国家依然被视为犯罪行为，处罚方式从监禁到死刑不等。LGBTI群体还很容易受到骚扰、威胁、殴打和歧视。

副总统拜登(Biden)最近表示，歧视LGBTI群体的状况在很多地方实际上越来越差，人们遭受暴力袭击而施暴者可以逍遥法外，人们被警察虐待，无法获得医疗护理，或受到宗教谴责和受到社会的孤立。

这些歧视性做法很显然是对人权的侵犯，这也是美国将支持LGBTI群体的人权作为如此重要的一项工作的原因。

贝瑞会讲西班牙语和阿拉伯语。他说，他打算按照国家顺序采取逐个解决的方式完成使命，并且他意识到在世界的某些地区，变化会来得比较缓慢。但是，他断然反驳这样一种论点：支持LGBTI群体的权利是文化帝国主义的一种形式或是将西方价值观强加于人。

他说，“我们所面临的是一个人权的根本问题，基本人权不随时势变化，不受文化影响，也不应该任意解读”。

“全世界大多数国家都已签署《世界人权宣言》(Universal Declaration of Human Rights)―― 这是一个明确无疑的陈述：平等待遇是指导我们所有人的一项原则。这并不是从西方进口的事物，也不是西方强加于人的观念”。

“这一观念并不是说LGBTI群体拥有一种特殊类别的权利；而是他们享有与其他任何人一样的权利”。

循序渐进出访各国

6月，贝瑞将以美国特使的官方身份前往牙买加、智利、阿根廷、巴西、乌拉圭和多明尼加共和国。届时他将会见社会活动家、维权人士、政府官员和民营部门的代表，倾听他们所关注的问题，并在每一个国家制定促进LGBTI权利的战略。

他期望讨论的一个主题是LGBTI群体的法律保护问题。

贝瑞表示，“首先，我们正在与全世界许多国家的公民社会和维权人士一起努力，以确保反歧视立法和反仇视性犯罪立法符合最佳国际惯例，为人们提供充分的保护 ―― 不仅仅为LGBTI群体，也保护可能面临歧视的所有少数群体”。

“我们也正在与许多国家的公益律师和律师事务所一起合作，要求保证社会活动家能够获得充足的法律资源和指导，从而推动这些国家对有关问题的讨论。”

“许多拉美国家长期以来努力推进有关平等的议程。… … 我期待着能够与一些志同道合的朋友”就LGBTI的人权问题进行一些非常热烈的讨论。

贝瑞以前曾在新西兰、尼泊尔、埃及、乌干达和荷兰等地工作。与许多地区相比，拉丁美洲对LGBTI权利的态度更友好。但在他工作过的有些地方对美国支持普遍人权的工作有抵制情绪。

但是，无论去什么地方，他都会强调“无论在什么地方，LGBTI群体都享有与任何人一样的人权和基本自由”。

他谈到，自己作为孩子的父亲，为迎接新工作的挑战提供了强大的动力。他认为他3岁的女儿、2岁的儿子以及世界各地的儿童都有权利在一个比较平等的世界中长大。

他表示，人权毕竟属于所有的人，不论种族、民族、性别、残疾状况、性取向或性别认同如何。



Why are LGBTI rights a foreign policy priority for the U.S.? Ask Randy Berry.

Diplomat Randy Berry is a man on a mission, one that he approaches with passion and pragmatism. He knows his message will be warmly received in some places, but not in others.

An openly gay, married father of two young children, Berry was recently appointed as U.S. special envoy for the human rights of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) persons. He is the first person to hold the newly created position, which is unique to the U.S. Department of State.

A career foreign service officer, Berry took up his new duties in April and will be traveling far and wide to amplify the message that respect for LGBTI rights is an essential part of the U.S. foreign policy agenda.

“LGBTI rights are human rights, and human rights are LGBTI rights,” he says. “That is the principle guiding our work. It’s simple and it’s sound.”

It’s also a message underscored by Secretary of State John Kerry, who issued a statement in honor of International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, observed annually on May 17.

The United States strongly opposes the “rising tide of violence and discrimination” against LGBTI people, Kerry said, “and we will keep moving forward toward our goal of justice and equality for all.”

As the special envoy, Berry will lead the State Department’s efforts to achieve these key objectives:

• Encourage governments to overturn laws that criminalize consensual same-sex conduct in countries around the globe.

• Work with partners in other countries to build their capacity to respond rapidly to violence against LGBTI persons.

• Work with governments, civil society and the private sector through the Global Equality Fund to support programs that advance the human rights of LGBTI persons worldwide.

• Help and encourage governments and other institutions to take steps to affirm the universal human rights of all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Same-sex conduct is still a crime in nearly 80 countries, with penalties ranging from imprisonment to death, and LGBTI people are also vulnerable to harassment, threats, physical assault and discrimination.

Vice President Biden recently remarked that anti-LGBTI discrimination “is actually getting worse” in many places, with individuals “facing violence with impunity, mistreatment by police, the denial of health care, or religious condemnation and social isolation.”

These discriminatory practices are clear violations of human rights, and that’s why supporting the human rights of LGBTI people is such a priority for the United States.

Berry, who speaks Spanish and Arabic, says he intends to take a country-by-country approach to his mission, and he realizes that change may come slowly in some parts of the world. But he rejects the argument that supporting the rights of LGBTI persons is a form of cultural imperialism or imposed values from the West.

“The issue we’re dealing with is a fundamental one of human rights,” says Berry. “Fundamental human rights are not situationally defined; they are not culturally defined; they are not subject to interpretation.”

“Most countries around the world have signed on to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights — that’s a very clear statement that equal treatment is the principle that guides us all. That’s not a Western import; it’s not an idea that was imposed from the West.”

“The idea is not that there’s a special category of rights for LGBTI persons; it’s just that they are entitled to the same rights as anyone else.”

Moving forward, one country at a time

In June, Berry will travel to Jamaica, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic in his official capacity as U.S. special envoy. He’ll meet with activists, advocates, government officials and private-sector representatives to hear their concerns and to develop strategies to advance LGBTI rights in their respective countries.

One subject he expects to discuss is legal protections for LGBTI people.

“First of all, we’re working with civil society and with advocates in many countries around the world to ensure that anti-discrimination legislation and hate-crimes legislation conforms to international best practices and provides adequate protections — not only for the LGBTI community, but for all minority communities that may face discrimination,” says Berry.

“We’re also working with pro bono attorneys and law firms in many countries to make sure that activists have adequate access to legal resources and guidance as they forward the discussion on these issues in their countries.”

“Many countries in Latin America have long been at work on the equality agenda. … I’m looking forward to some really robust discussions with some very like-minded friends” on LGBTI human rights.

While Latin America is more hospitable to LGBTI rights than many regions, Berry — whose previous postings include New Zealand, Nepal, Egypt, Uganda and the Netherlands — also recalls that he’s served in places “where there can be resistance to U.S. support for human rights for all people.”

But wherever he goes, he’ll reiterate that LGBTI persons are entitled to “the same human rights and fundamental freedoms as anyone, anywhere.”

He’s cited fatherhood as a strong motivator to take on the challenges of his new job, believing that his 3-year-old daughter, 2-year-old son and children everywhere deserve to grow up in a world with fewer inequalities.

After all, he says, “human rights belong to all people, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, sexual orientation or gender identity.”