ComingfromAustralia，whichdatesitsmodernnationalhistorytoafoundationlittlemorethan200yearsago，thethoughtofasociety32，000yearsagoisspeciallydifficulttoconceive.Whatwasparticularlyamazingwasthatthejadeobjecthadnoutilitarianvalue.Noneatall.Itwasnotconnectedwithfood，shelter，protection，orprocreation.Itwasjustanobjectofbeauty，createdbythemakerandpresentedtothewearersolongago.Itindicatedthat，eveninsuchancienttimes，inChina，humanbeingsenjoyednon-utilitarianfeelings.Theymanifestedadevelopedspiritualandaestheticsense.Theytriedtomaketheirliveshappierandricherinfeelingsaswellasinpossessions.
Withexcitement，Itelephonedmypartner，Johan，inAustraliatotellhimofmyjadediscovery.Tosharewithhimmysenseofhumilityandwonder.TocometoChina，withsuchalongcivilisation，tocontributetonewthinkingaboutdiversity，equality，andharmonyinthematterofsexualitymightseemapresumption.Tocomefromamuchyoungercountrytoonesoancientandlongestablished，mightseemoverlyambitious.
Mypartnerencouragedmetostaythecourse.Theself-samequestforbeautyandspiritualfeelingsillustratedbytheancientdiscofjadecannowbeinvokedtohelpinanunderstandingthathumanityisalwaysexploringitsfeelingsforloveandbeauty.Humanbeingsaremorethantheirmeansofsurvival.Theyarecomplexcreaturesinanever-continuingprocessofevolution.Theyarerichindiversity.Tovirtuallyallofthem，loveforself，forfamily，forspecialfriends，andfornatureisimportant-aconstantsourceofexplorationandyearning.
SoIovercomemyfeelingsofinadequacy.Ioffermythoughtsonthesubjectsofthisworkshop.Idosofromaperspectiveofalawyer，ajudgeinanindependentcourt，apersonwhohasbeeninvolvedintheinternationaldevelopmentofhumanrightsandmorerecentlyinthestruggleagainstHIV/AIDS.Butaboveall，asahumanbeingwithinalienablehumanrightsanddignity.Andonewhoishomosexualinsexualorientationandthusabletospeaktotheworkshopdirectly，frompersonalexperience，whichIamreadytoshare.
Infantileregressions：Observationofchildrenintheirearliestyearssuggeststhatmanyofthem，perhapsmost，haveafear，ordislike，ofthosewhoaredifferentfromthemselves.Thisis，indeed，aninfantiledisorder.Mostofthosewhohavetheblessingofeducationgrowoutofthisdisorder.Theycometoacceptthediversityofhumanbeingsandofotherformsoflifeontheplanet.Butsomeneverdo.
Thesourcesofinfantilediscriminationagainstthosewhoaredifferent，thestrangers，aremanyandvaried.Sexualorientationisonlyonesuchsourceofdifference.IncountriesinfluencedbyJudeo-Christian-Islamicreligioustraditions，scripturaltextsmaybefoundtosuggest，intherevealedreligion，thatpeoplewho“choose”asexualorientationotherthanthatofthemajorityheterosexualone，areevil-doers，alientoGod’sloveandtotheverypurposeofsexualfeelingsastheyexistinthenaturalorderofthings：theprocreationofthespecies，thebirthofnewgenerations，andthefurtheranceofnaturalevolution.
Chinaisnot，forthemostpart，greatlyinfluencedbysuchreligiousdogmas.True，therearesuchreligionsinChina.However，theoverwhelmingmajorityofthepeopleofChinaarenotadherentstosuchbeliefs.Tothisextent，Chinaseemstoanoutsideracountrysusceptibletoscientificandrationalargumentsaboutrevealedvariationsinhumansexuality.WhereGodorreligionarethoughttorejectsuchvariations，thejobofthescientist，sociologist，andlawyer，seekingtosecurechangesofattitudesandinstitutions，ismuchmoredifficult.
However，China，althoughnotreligiousinthissense，hasstrongtraditions-especiallyofthefamilyandoftheimportanceofmarriage，ofbegettingchildrenandcontinuingthefamilyname.Suchconsiderationsmakeitdifficulttoachieveacceptanceoftheexistenceandrightsofsexualminorities-ofexclusivelygayandlesbianpeople；bisexuals；transgenderandintersexminorities.Suchpeopleappeartodefythebinaryassumptionsofpastculturalnorms，includinginChina：thatallhumanityisneatlydividedintoheterosexualmenandheterosexualwomen，leavingnospaceforthosewhosedesires，physicalandpsychicneedsandsexualorientationaredifferent.
Someofthechiefdifferentiatingconsiderationsthatgiverisetotheinfantiledisorderoffearofdifferenceincludesexorgender.Buttheyalsoincluderaceandethnicity，skincolourandculture，religionandpoliticalphilosophy，disability，HIVstatus，mentalimpairment，andsoon.
Traditionaldiscrimination：Between1993and1996，IservedasSpecialRepresentativeoftheSecretary-GeneraloftheUnitedNationsforHumanRightsinCambodia.Mytask，intheaftermathoftheWarthathadafflictedthatcountry，wastoencouragerespectfordiversityonalloftheforegoinggroundsandtopromoteprotectionofthefundamentalrightsanddignityofeveryone.
Inperformingmyfunctions，Ifoundracialdiscrimination，andfeelingsofalienationorracialsuperiority，arenotconfinedtopeopleofEuropeanethnicity.Thisisaworld-widephenomenon.Doubtlessitexistseverywhereelseontheplanet.
WhenIwasyounginAustralia，wehadanationalpolicyof“WhiteAustralia”.Itwasreinforcedbythelaw.Peopleofnon-EuropeanethnicityfounditextremelyhardtoenterAustralia，stilllesstobecomecitizensandtolivethere.Atthetime，thepolicywassupportedoneconomicgroundsaswellasbecauseoffeelingsofracialandculturalsuperiority.FreshfrommyvisittotheShanghaiMuseumandthediscofjade，itisdifficulttoexplainthis.ButitwastherealityofAustraliaintheyearsbefore1966.