The United States has reversed its position on a formal stance by the United Nations to universally decriminalize homosexuality.

Last December, the UN General Assembly held a symbolic vote on a thirteen-point resolution “to ensure that sexual orientation or gender identity may under no circumstances be the basis for criminal penalties, in particular executions, arrests or detention.” At the time, Bush officials did not support the resolution, citing legal technicalities.

However, at the the “Durban Review Conference” currently underway in Geneva, the new Obama administration has come out in support of a policy against “all forms of discrimination and all other human rights violations based on sexual orientation.”

United Nations Dispatch reports:

According to UN Watch, “The Czech Republic on behalf of the E.U., with the support of New Zealand, the United States, Colombia, Chili on behalf of the South American states, the Netherlands, Argentina and a few others, took the floor in support.”

The efforts to include language on discrimination based on sexual orientation ended up failing for lack of support from non-western countries. Still, it’s relieving to see that the United States is now back on the side of the enlightened on this issue of basic human rights.