East Timor, Asia

East Timor is Asia's newest and probably poorest country. Indonesia relinquished control of the territory and East Timor became the first new sovereign state of the twenty-first century on May 20, 2002. It's just south of the Equator, has the usual requisite tropical landscape of palm trees, mountains and sometimes sandy beaches. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor and for tourists it's also expensive. The gay 'scene' in Dili is small, slow and mostly quiet. A few men are more or less open about their sexuality and a much greater number of "hidden" men, who take what chances are offered. There is very little knowledge about HIV, other sexually transmitted infections and safer sex.

 

 

Here are the 21 best photos from East Timor’s second Pride parade

Lead by a trans marching band, East Timor’s Pride parade stopped traffic in the streets of Dili The young nation of East Timor held its second ever Pride parade over the weekend and it was a rousing success. About 1500 people hit the streets of the capital, Dili, to celebrate the LGBTI community but to… Read more »

Asia’s youngest nation offers glimmer of hope for LGBT rights

Some 500 people took part in East Timor’s first-ever pride parade: “The sense of euphoria … It reminds me of Independence Day in 2002” Kuala Lumpur (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Marching through the streets of East Timor’s capital Dili with a rainbow flag in his hand, Natalino Guterres was overwhelmed with emotion, reminding him of… Read more »

Tiny war-torn island holds first Pride parade as Prime Minister comes out in support of LGBT rights

A tiny war-torn island in Asia has taken two huge steps forward in promoting LGBT rights. East Timor, which only declared its independence in 2002 after a traumatic, deadly struggle, held its first Pride parade last week. The celebration in the capital of Dili was attended by several hundred people, according to The Associated Press.… Read more »

They say God punishes people with HIV’: experiences of stigma and discrimination among adults with HIV in Dili, Timor-Leste

Little is known about the experiences of people with HIV in the small island nation of Timor-Leste. This study explored the HIV-related stigma experiences of adults aged between 18 and 40 living with HIV in Dili, Timor-Leste. Participants were interviewed on topics related to living with HIV, both as key informants describing the experience of… Read more »

Young Timorese Women Clear Up Confusion around LGBTI

How does a woman have sex with another woman? Can a transgender person change both their internal and external sexual organs? Why would a gay person marry someone of the opposite sex and have children with them? A lot of “awkward questions” came out into the fresh air at JASS’ discussion in East Timor about… Read more »

HIV-AIDS and Homophobia in Timor-Leste

In its Comments on the U.S. Department of State Country reports on Human Rights Practices for 2008, the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network (ETAN) and West Papua Advocacy Team (WPAT) noted that, in East Timor: There is pervasive bias against homosexuals, keeping nearly all closeted. People with HIV/AIDS are largely unidentified due to lack… Read more »

Timor Leste Red Cross exludes homosexuals from HIV-AIDS Reduction Program

ETLJB 19 September 2009 Before the undemocratically-formulated Constitution was adopted in East Timor in 2002, constitutional protection for homosexuals in East Timor was expunged from an early draft. The then Constituent Assembly (the prototype of the present National Parliament) voted to remove gay protections from the new nation’s draft constitution. Fifty-two of the Assembly’s 88… Read more »

Homosexuality in East Timor

ETLJB 25 April 2009 Sydney – The rights of the homosexual citizens of East Timor have proven to be a fertile ground for virulent anti-gay vilification by some of East Timor’s political leaders. Discussion of the issue in the public domain has also provided an opportunity for the persecution of gay men and women in… Read more »

Gay East Timor News & Reports

1 East Timor Assembly Rejects Gay Protections 1/02 2 Catholic propaganda obscures the true toll of HIV in East Timor 12/09 Gay Today January 2, 2002 1 East Timor Assembly Rejects Gay Protections by Rex Wockner, International News Report The new Constituent Assembly of East Timor voted to remove gay protections from the new nation’s… Read more »