Hirschfeld Eddy Foundation

The Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation (Hirschfeld-Eddy-Stiftung) was founded in Berlin in June 2007. It is a Foundation for the Human Rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender People.

Background

The initiative came from the Lesbian and Gay Federation in Germany (LSVD). LSVD is one of three gay and lesbians organisation which was formally granted consultative status at the United Nations in 2006 and is giving organizational support for the Foundation.

Aims

The purpose of the foundation ist "to foster respect for the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people, contribute to international human rights advocacy, provide active support to human rights defenders, promote awareness-raising and dismantle prejudices." The foundation is unique. It is worldwide the only foundation who focusses on the human rights of homosexuals.

The Name

The Foundation's name remembers two personalities who are important for the worldwide struggle for the Human Rights of queer people: Dr Magnus Hirschfeld (1868-1935), after the German physician, sexologist, sexual reformer and civil rights activist and Fannyann Eddy (1974-2004), the prominent lesbian human rights activist from Sierra Leone, who was murdered in 2004.

The Idea and Concept

On its website the Foundation explains:

"The combination of the names of the founding father of the gay rights movement in Germany and the modern-day human rights activist from Africa is intended to reflect that the struggle for the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people began in Europe but is now being waged in every continent of the world. It is a global issue which concerns universal principles. The work which began in 1897 with Magnus Hirschfeld, who established the world's first homosexual rights organization, is now being carried forward by countless people on every continent – often at great personal risk. The Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation also aims to raise awareness of, and counteract, this threat to human rights advocates through international publicity campaigns. The name of FannyAnn Eddy symbolizes this brave dangerous struggle against oppression which often puts the lives of those involved at risk."

Founding Council Members

• Boris Balanetkii, Executive Director of Information Center GenderDoc-M, Moldova;

• Gloria Careaga, El Closet de Sor Juana, Mexico and Latin American board member, (ILGA), Faculty of Psychology in the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM);

• Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, Executive Director, Equal Ground, Sri Lanka and Co-Secretary General, ILGA;

• Muhsin Hendricks, The Inner Circle, South Africa, first open gay Iman;

• Joey Matale, ANZAPI (Aotearoa/New Zealand, Australia and Pacific Islands ) board member, ILGA, Tonga Leiti’s Association;

• Juliet Victor Mukasa, SMUG (Sexual Minorities Uganda);

• Gaya Nusantara, IndonesiaDede Oetomo Founder and Trusteer;

• Dede Oetomo, Founder and Trusteer;

• Arsham Parsi, Executive Director, IRQO (Iranian Queer Organization);

• Carlos Perera, Equal Ground Pasifik, Fiji;

• Belissa Andía Pérez, Instituto Runa, Peru, Trans Secretariat, ILGA;

• Toni Reis, President of ABGLT (Associação Brasileira de Gays, Lésbicas e Transgêneros - Brazilian LGBT federation).

Links

• The Hirschfeld-Eddy Foundation
• Article on gay news platform Queer.de about the Foundation
• Social Times about the Foundation
• Lesben.org about the Foundation