Original version
International Journal of Human Rights. 2020, 24 (10), 1681-1700, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2020.1763961
Abstract
While LGBT people are generally protected by a number of basic human rights, such as the right to privacy, freedom of expression and association, and the right not to be discriminated against, LGBT rights are repeatedly presented as contrary to freedom of religion. However, taking into account how religion has always been both condemning and embracing various forms of same-sex sexuality and transgenderism, and how an increasing number of religious people and whole denominations consider LGBT equality in accordance with their beliefs, one finds that freedom of religion relates just as much to LGBT people who live according to their own religious pro-LGBT convictions and to other people with pro-LGBT beliefs, as to those with anti-LGBT beliefs. As freedom of religion also protects the right not to believe and not to be forced to live according to other people’s religious beliefs, the general claim that LGBT rights must be limited because of the religious freedom of those with anti-LGBT beliefs also represents a direct attack on the negative freedom of religion of LGBT people. The awareness of this may in various ways affect both the legal and more general discussion on both LGBT rights and freedom of religion.