Asia
Record turnout for gay pride march in Mumbai
Some 5,000 people turned out for the first LGBT pride march in the country held after the Supreme Court in December reinstated a colonial-era law that criminalises gay sex It was a record turnout for Mumbai’s seventh gay pride parade where some 5,000 people marched from August Kranti Marg to Girgaum Chowpatty on Saturday afternoon,… Read more »
Kyrgyz Mufti Issues Fatwa Against Gays, Challenges HRW
Bishkek – Kyrgyzstan’s acting grand mufti, Maksat Hajji Toktomushev, has issued a fatwa against same-sex relations and challenged the findings of a new report by Human Rights Watch (HRW). In a statement placed on the Kyrgyz Muslims’ Spiritual Directorate website on January 30, Toktomushev said Islam absolutely forbids same-sex relations. Homosexuality was decriminalized in Kyrgyzstan… Read more »
Kyrgyzstan: Report documents widespread physical and sexual abuse of gay men by police
A report by a leading human rights group has claimed that gay and bisexual men in Kyrgyzstan face extortion, beatings, illegal detentions and even rape from the police force. Although sex between men was decriminalised in the state in 1998, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report released today found that gay men face regular oppression… Read more »
Police raped us with hammers and electric shocks, say Kyrgyzstan gays
Human Rights Watch have called on the country’s government to deal with the ‘nightmare’ for LGBTI people Gay men are reportedly facing extreme abuse by police, including at least one instance of ‘hammer rape’, in Kyrgyzstan. International charity Human Rights Watch is urging authorities in the Central Asian country to acknowledge the police brutality and… Read more »
Gay Sex Is a Crime and Will Stay a Crime, Says India’s Top Judges
The Supreme Court rejects an appeal to overturn a ban India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected petitions from the government and gay rights activists to review an earlier decision that recriminalized gay sex in the country. In December last year, the court overturned a historic 2009 Delhi High Court judgment decriminalizing homosexuality. It said that… Read more »
Indian Supreme Court refuses to review decision to ban gay sex
India’s Supreme Court has refused to review its decision to reinstate a 153-year-old law that criminalises homosexuality. Justice HL Dattu and Justice Sudhansu Jyoti Mukhopadhaya issued a brief order declaring, “The Review Petitions are dismissed.” The ruling is seen as a huge blow to LGBT rights and has been criticised by activists and government ministers. The… Read more »
Azerbaijan loses an LGBT human rights defender
Strasbourg – “I am deeply disturbed and saddened by the sudden death of Isa Sahmarli, the chairman of the Azerbaijan Free LGBT group (Azad LGBT), who took his own life on 22 January in Baku,” said Robert Biedron (Poland, SOC), General Rapporteur on the rights of LGBT people for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council… Read more »
Police Violence In India Drives A Gay Couple To The U.S. — And A Detention Cell
“We are feeling like homosexuality is a crime everywhere … there is not any protection here,” said one of the men.Their yearlong journey across more than 10 countries to seek asylum in the United States. Millions of gay Indians suddenly became criminals when the Indian Supreme Court restored the country’s sodomy law in December. But… Read more »
Bangladesh gets first magazine for LGBTI people
Bangladesh’s first magazine for LGBTI people was launched in Dhaka on Saturday in an event attended by the British High Commissioner Bangladesh saw the launch of its very first magazine for the LGBTI community on Saturday at an invite only event. The magazine is named Roopbaan – after a character from a Bangladeshi folk tale… Read more »
The Shadow of The Dalai Lama
Sexuality, Magic and Politics in Tibetan Buddhism CONTENTS Introduction: Light and Shadow Plato’s Cave Realpolitik and politics of symbols Part I – Ritual as Politics 1 – Buddhism and Misogyny (historical overview) The “sacrifice” of Maya: the Buddha legend The meditative dismemberment of women: Hinayana Buddhism The transformation of women into men: Mahayana Buddhism 2 – Tantric Buddhism… Read more »
Introduction to Buddhist Sexual Ethics: Having Sex with Someone Else’s Partner
Dorfgemeinschaft Bordo, Italy, 1995 -lightly edited transcript- I’ve been asked to speak today about Buddhist sexual ethics. Sexuality is obviously a topic that is of great interest to a lot of people. Especially when living in a close community in the countryside, as you are here, there can be a lot of confusion about sexuality… Read more »
Tibetan Buddhism and comments by the Dalai Lama:
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and temporal head of the exiled government of Tibet, and is a member of the leadership of the Gelug – the largest of the four sects of Tibetan Buddhism. He is revered by millions of Buddhists and non-Buddhists worldwide. His comments on homosexuality have been very widely reported –… Read more »
Will politcians change law on gay rights?
On January 3, 2014, it was reported that the United States ( U. S.) granted asylum to a gay couple, Jagdish Kumar and Sukwinder who fled India in June 2012 because of pressure on Jagdish to marry a girl. They did not try and sneak into the U. S. but surrendered to the U. S.… Read more »
Malaysia bans leading human rights coalition for ”promoting gay rights”
Malaysia’s Home Ministry has banned and accused the country’s leading human rights coalition of pursuing gay, lesbian and transgender rights which “run contrary to Islam” In a move that has been denounced by human rights groups including Amnesty International, Malaysia’s Home Ministry on Wednesday issued a statement declaring the Coalition of Malaysian NGOs (Comango) illegal… Read more »
Creating a safe space for queer youngsters
[Letter to the editor] South Korea has one of the highest rates of suicide among developed (OECD) countries, reaching 28.4 per 100,000 people in 2011; the rate of teenager suicides was 9.4, also among the highest. Hidden among these tragedies are Korean LGBQT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Transgender), whose sexuality is often condemned by our… Read more »
Homophobia vs Homosocialism: The Fear of Being Perceived Gay
In India, in Italy, In China, in fact all around the world it is perfectly acceptable for men to hold hands in a show of affection. For a society that advertises itself as a paradigm of acceptance, and it is, men in Britain and the US are scared, nay petrified of bodily contact lest they… Read more »
Concern over rising HIV infections among youth
Colombo (IRIN) – Sri Lankan health officials have called for a greater focus on youth in the battle against HIV as they become more sexually active and the percentage of young people contracting the virus rises. “Youth and the risk of infection are two particular areas that we are paying greater attention to now,” Sisira… Read more »
Taiwan has first same-sex Christian religious weddings
A university chapel has hosted Taiwan’s first Christian religious marriage services this week – though the marriages will not be legally recognized by the state Three Taiwanese couples married in a Christian chapel on the grounds of Tunghai University in the city of Taichung on Tuesday in what are believed to be the first Christian… Read more »
Taiwan releases first picture book with gay families
A Ken’s Happy Home features nine men of different traits living under the same roof A social-minded government primary school teacher has teamed up with an illustrator to produce a picture book to promote equality education in gender and sexual orientation. The children’s book, whose title translates as ‘A Ken’s Happy Home’, is based on… Read more »
Japan revises law to protect against same-sex sexual harassment
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare acts on rising reports of sexual harassment by colleagues of the same gender Japan has taken a small step towards better gender equality by banning same-sex sexual harassment in the workplace. From July 2014, a female boss who keeps asking subordinates of the same sex to dine with… Read more »
20,000 attend Taiwan gay marriage concert
20,000 people attended a free concert by Taiwanese pop star A-mei in Taipei on Sunday aimed at showing support for efforts to legalize same-sex marriage in the Asian nation 20,000 people attended a free concert in support of Taiwan becoming the first Asian nation to legalize same-sex marriage on Sunday. The concert was held by… Read more »
Delhi High Court judge who legalized gay sex saddened by Supreme Court ruling
The Delhi High Court judge who legalized homosexuality in India in 2009 has spoken out against the Supreme Court ruling that overturned his decision, saying he feels deeply sad for India’s LGBTI community Former Delhi High Court judge AP Shah who legalized homosexuality in India in 2009 has spoken of his disappointment at the decision… Read more »
Taiwan: Thousands attend concert in support of equal marriage
Almost 20,000 people attended a free concert in Taipei on Sunday, in support of Taiwan’s passage towards legalising same-sex marriage. Organised by pop singer A-mei, the concert was attended by many holding rainbow pride flags, and kicked off at 6pm in the pouring rain with thousands already queued outside the venue. According to Focus Taiwan,… Read more »
Korean star supporting trans student faces vile attacks
Jonghyun’s display of solidarity with a transgender student drives a conservative group to post nude photos on fan sites A week ago, Jonghyun of South Korea’s leading boy band SHINee switched his Twitter profile picture to the image of a hand-written poster. The poster was written by Kang Eun Ha, a trans student studying social… Read more »
Religious leaders laud gay sex ban in India
Local Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Christian chiefs say the court prevents India from ‘going on to the path of destruction’ In a rare display of unity, six leaders of different religious hues in India have released a joint statement to commend the apex court’s decision to reaffirm the country’s colonial anti-sodomy law, and warn… Read more »
Gay writing in India – a first collection of queer poems by Shaleen Rakesh
At a time when queer rights are being debated vociferously in the media, Shaleen is set to release his first collection of queer poetry ‘The Lion and the Antler’ in January 2014. Shaleen lives with the memory of creation and destruction, as forces he has acutely experienced, and of having been spared. In his early… Read more »
Asia’s most popular gay parties, after-parties and pillows
From free vodka nights to rooftop infinity pools at skyscraper level, we lead you to most popular gay circuit parties, club nights and hotels from Bangkok to Taipei Travel Gay Asia shows us the hottest gay parties, after-parties and pillows in the region. Photo by: Richard Frost. If you want disco balls and flashing lights… Read more »
Radio Station for Gay Indians Faces Uphill Battle to Draw Listeners
Bangalore – Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that the Indian law against homosexuality cannot be overturned except by Parliament, gay sex is illegal once again, making it that much harder for young gay, lesbian and transgender Indians to identify themselves as such. This makes the staff of Q Radio, the only Internet radio… Read more »
In Thailand, a Tough Life for Burma’s Male Sex Workers
Chiang Mai, Thailand — Sex work is seen as a taboo subject by much of Burmese society, but over the border in Thailand, Burmese migrants make up a large share of male sex workers. In the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai, Burmese migrants sell their bodies for sex at “show bars” or other entertainment… Read more »
Indian Government says it will fight to decriminalize gay sex
Leading members of India’s ruling Congress party say they will fight the Supreme Court’s decision to reinstate the country’s Section 377 anti-sodomy law as the party explores the best options to move forward with towards reform The Indian Government has indicated that it will move to re-decriminalize homosexuality despite Indians going to the polls in… Read more »
Gay sex verdict: Shock, disbelief, dejection; mood sours across India
New Delhi: It was supposed to be a day of celebration, with screens and even balloons put up at offices of various LGBT groups in anticipation of a verdict that would help uphold gay rights. But the SC ruling re-criminalising homosexuality came as a shocker instead. It caused disbelief and deep disappointment across the country… Read more »
India bans gay sex in Supreme Court shock ruling
India’s highest court has upheld a colonial-era law which criminalises gay sex, in what activists have described as a “black day” for gay rights. The Supreme Court threw out a 2009 New Delhi High Court decision that ruled the law was unconstitutional. The law change could see gay people jailed for up to ten years.… Read more »
Activists send complaints about shocking gay conversion therapy in China
‘Psychologists’ use force, electric shock or even medical operation to convert gays and bisexuals Two LGBTI campaigners have sent complaint letters about extreme gay conversion treatment found in 10 cities. The activists reported the malpractice to health and business authorities in cities including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Changsha on Wednesday (Dec 4), the Chinese news… Read more »
Homosexuality ‘Against Spiritual Civilization,’ Hunan Government Says
When the government refused a request by Xiang Yuhan, a gay rights activist in the central province of Hunan, to set up a nongovernmental organization for homosexuals, he demanded an explanation under freedom of information rules. Stamped with the red star of the state, the response came: Homosexuality was “against spiritual civilization construction” and “in… Read more »
Indian cops give flowers to Pune LGBTI pride marchers
Police in the Indian city of Pune distributed roses to LGBTI pride marchers last Sunday to show them they have nothing to fear from them as long as they obey the law Around 200 LGBTI pride marchers in the Indian city of Pune got a pleasant surprise last Sunday when a contingent of the city’s… Read more »
Gay marriage suporters and opponents rally in Taiwan
Pro and anti equal marriage protests in Taipei highlight controversy around legislation that would make Taiwan the first Asian country to recognize gay marriage Opposing groups for and against gay marriage rallied in Taipei today, as the legislature examines a draft amendment that could legalize gay marriage. The Taiwan Alliance to Promote Civil Partnership Rights… Read more »
The battle for gay rights in Burma
Loud dance music, strobe lights, vodka shots and cocktails: the fare at Rangoon’s Flamingo Club doesn’t stand out from what’s on offer at any number of nightlife spots around the city. But on the last Saturday of the month, things are slightly different. As of this month, FAB, the “the first party for lesbians, gays… Read more »
LGBT: What is a marriage but for ourselves?
Four women are living under the same roof, but each of them has a husband elsewhere who they are not living with. The documentary film called “Our Marriages”, describing how LGBT minorities suffer from the conventional Chinese concept of marriage, was shown at a screening event held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC)… Read more »
Delhi: Gay rights activists hold march
New Delhi: Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community on Sunday held a march in the city demanding an end to the discrimination which is still being faced by them despite the decriminalisation of gay sex. Carrying rainbow-coloured flags, the demonstrators marched to the beat of traditional Indian drums, calling for equal… Read more »
China’s First Lady hears call from mothers for greater acceptance of LGBTIs
China’s First Lady Peng Liyuan, a World Health Organization (WHO) Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, has received a plea for more tolerance for LGBTIs in China from a group of Chinese mothers with gay children The wife of People’s Republic of China President Xi Jinping has received a letter from a group of Chinese… Read more »
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