New York – Summit of the Future

23 September 2024

Excellencies,

Distinguished participants,

The Nazis arrested an estimated 100,000 gay men.

Between 5,000 and 15,000 of them were sent to concentration camps.

Forced to wear an inverted pink triangle to mark and dehumanise, many were subjected to gruesome torture, and a majority were killed or died.

Transgender people and lesbian women were not spared horrific abuses under Nazi rule either.

For decades afterwards, survivors were still subjected to discrimination – criminal records were maintained, and some were sent to prison to continue their sentences.

The LGBTIQ+ community has since reclaimed the pink triangle, in honour of the victims of the persecution at the hands of the Nazis. From one of the darkest periods of history has emerged a symbol of resilience and a reminder to remain vigilant about the danger of dehumanising others based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Because threats to the rights of LGBTIQ+ people are, alarmingly, once again on the rise today.

While there has been a significant global shift towards decriminalization, new laws are being adopted or considered to establish or expand criminal sanctions for consensual same-sex relations in many countries.