Asia
Seoul Student Rights Ordinance passes with sexual orientation, gender identity protections
The Seoul Student Rights Ordinance that contains sexual orientation and gender identity protections, which are strongly opposed by religious groups, was passed on Monday. The Seoul Student Rights Ordinance with all its sexual orientation and gender identity-related (SOGI) clauses has been passed by the Seoul Metropolitan Council with 54 votes in favour, 28 against, and… Read more »
The Maybe-Gay Son of Kim Jong-Il Definitely Won’t Be North Korea’s Next Leader
As the world watches North Korea to see what will unfold next following the death of its “Dear Leader” Kim Jong-il, one thing is for certain: The country’s next ruler won’t be Jong-il’s second son, Kim Jong-chul, who the Dear Leader reportedly often boozily bemoaned was too effeminate to lead. Like most things North Korean,… Read more »
Inside North Korea’s First Family
The bizarre family psychodrama at the heart of North Korea’s brutal government is entering a new chapter with the death of Kim Jong il and the succession of his youngest son. The question now for many Korea-watchers: Will the new, untested, twenty-something leader, Kim Jong-un, declared today as “the Great Successor,” face a threat from… Read more »
Risk Factors for Taiwanese MSM Men Visiting Gay Saunas
Abstract: Since the global outbreak of HIV/AIDS, HIV has been transmitted among different vulnerable populations. According to a recent review, the global trend of HIV-1 infection among men having sex with men (MSM) has continued to increase, especially in East Asia, Africa, and Russia. As of September 2011, there were 22,335 known cases of HIV… Read more »
Gay S. Korean conscript wins refugee status in Canada
Seoul (Yonhap) – Canada awarded a South Korean man refugee status after he objected to the mandatory military service in his home country for being a pacifist and a homosexual, a local human rights group said Thursday. The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (IRB) granted the status in July 2009 to Kim Kyung-hwan, 31,… Read more »
First Edition of the China Rainbow Media Awards Announces Results
Beijing, China – Initiated by the Aibai Culture & Education Center and the Beijing Gender Health Education Institute, and organized by a consortium of social organizations, the first annual China Rainbow Media Awards announced the winners on 9 December in Beijing. They include Southern Weekend & Phoenix TV (LGBT Salute Award) and Li Yinhe (Special… Read more »
Pune’s first Gay Pride parade inspires many people
Pune’s gay community held its first ever Gay Pride Parade in the city on Sunday. The community has previously hosted other such events. The second annual Queer Fest also took place over the weekend. The theme for this year’s Queer Fest is ‘Being seen, Being heard.’ The parade is expected to become an annual event… Read more »
Can you be gay and Muslim?
Insisting that same-sex relations are actually compatible with religious beliefs would almost certainly challenge mainstream perspectives. Within the context of Indonesia, as the country with the largest Islamic population, you cannot be a gay or lesbian, for example, and a good Muslim at the same time because most Islamic teaching bans same-sex practices. I do… Read more »
Indian Transgender Rights Activists talk about Love and Relationships
Transgender rights activists from different parts of India speak candidly about their life, love and relationships. Produced and directed by Chennai based activist Kalki Subramaniam, as part of Project Kalki initiative. Source – Orinam.net
Higher HIV Rate in Chinese MSM Who Also Have Sex With Women
Nearly one third of Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) also have sex with women, according to results of a large meta-analysis. MSM who had sex with women had higher HIV and syphilis rates than MSM who had sex only with men. MSM have a high risk of HIV acquisition and transmission in… Read more »
First “Gay Community” HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing Clinic
Yesterday morning, northbound at North Beach, the capital of a separate area of the hospital, we put a Chaoyang District CDC VCT (voluntary counseling and HIV testing) clinic of the golden brand, where the main face of the male homosexual population, provision of HIV voluntary counseling and testing services. Will receive free screening assay Here,… Read more »
Sri Lankan activist Rosanna Flamer-Caldera
Rosanna Flamer-Caldera has been active in the struggle for queer rights in Sri Lanka and internationally since 1999. She was a founding member of Women’s Support Group (1999), the only organization for lesbians, bi women and trans people in Sri Lanka; and Equal Ground (2004), a mixed LGBTQ organization Source – Orinam
Accept us as we are, says LGBT community
Amidst the humdrum of the city, around 500 people – all clad in multicoloured robes, turbans and flags – came together to demand equality for the LGBT community at the 4th Delhi queer pride parade on Sunday. The parade, which began at 3pm from Barakhamba road and culminated at Jantar Mantar at 6pm, witnessed great… Read more »
‘Without equality, tolerance is just a myth’
Paisarn Likhitpreechakul, The Nation’s columnist on gay affairs since 2001, has been honoured by the National Lesbian and Gay Federation (NLGF) of Ireland with the GALA International Prize for Gay Rights Activist of the Year. Paisarn, a defender of gay and other rights, accepted the award over the weekend on behalf of the Sexual Diversity… Read more »
Gay India News & Reports 2011 Sept- Dec
1 Campuses Lead Gay Rights Struggle 9/11 2 Sex and The Church 9/11 3 Gay sex on rise in South 10/11 4 Indian TV soap operas step out of the closet 10/11 4a Sahodaran 2012 calendar launch 10/11 5 Eunuchs have two choices… 10/11 5a October 2011 Issue of Pukaar Journal 10/11 6 The reluctant… Read more »
Queer Politics and Tibet
Headlines of the current decade reflect significant interest toward various kinds of emancipatory politics and their effects, with a particular gravitation toward LGBTQ rights and democratization in non-Western nations. An interesting feature emerges when contrasting the notions of LGBTQ rights and democratic values– the latter represents a majority-rule paradigm, while the former calls for minority… Read more »
Eurovision 2012: Azerbaijan’s Gays Not Welcome at Home
Officials in Azerbaijan insist gay visitors are welcome to the 2012 Eurovision song contest when the event, which has an enthusiastic gay following, is hosted in the capital, Baku. However, such assurances jar with those who have had first-hand experience of how homosexuals are treated in Azeri society. “My brother has vowed to kill me,… Read more »
Eurovision 2012: Azerbaijan’s gays not welcome at home
Officials in Azerbaijan insist gay visitors are welcome to the 2012 Eurovision song contest when the event, which has an enthusiastic gay following, is hosted in the capital, Baku. However, such assurances jar with those who have had first-hand experience of how homosexuals are treated in Azeri society. “My brother has vowed to kill me,… Read more »
Homosexuality in Turkmenistan
Summary Officially nonexistent and a taboo topic, Turkmenistan’s gay population is finding partners with greater frequency. Men will first meet in public places and then clandestinely continue seeing each other, although the shame and social stigma attached to being gay leads to frequent self denial. Some see gay sex as subversive resistance to a strict,… Read more »
Gay Malaysia News & Reports 2011
Also see: More information about Islam & Homosexuality al-fatiha-news Queer Muslim magazine Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men LGBT muslim Queer Jihad Bi-muslims Trans-muslims Lesbian muslims 1 Malaysian transsexual fights for rights 1/11 2 Sexual risk behavior among MSM in Malaysia 1/11 3 Being gay and okay 1/11 4 China announces high-speed rail link… 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 »
Your husbands are gays!
VietNamNet Bridge – There are women who fell into adversity: getting married, having baby and knowing their husbands are gays. Is it time for accepting same-sex marriage in Vietnam? A research on male homosexuality in Vietnam released in July 2011, by the STDs/HIV/AIDS Prevention Center, which releases a lot of interesting information about gays in… Read more »
Heart & Seoul
Twenty-four stories above Seoul, I drape my arms over the the vertical ledge of a swimming pool like no other. Enclosed by glass walls, blinded by city lights and foreign symbols, I descend into the latest feat of Korean modern design and slowly resurface, savoring my last moments at the Park Hyatt Seoul. It is… Read more »
An Open Letter to the Health Minister of India Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad
Dear Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad, Health Minister of India It appears you need a dose of enlightenment since your recent statements on homosexuality smack of either ignorance, misinformation or rank prejudice. I hope that this missive serves that purpose, although I am doubtful. On the other hand, I hope that it shames you. I know… Read more »
Coming Out in China: The True Cost of Being Gay in Beijing
This post is in partnership with Worldcrunch, a new global-news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. The article below was originally published in Economic Observer. After he left Tianjin last year, Zhang Xiaobai realized that homosexuals are not “rare birds.” When he was still in primary school, Zhang (not his… Read more »
The Bible is Propaganda–Bring Me Science
Ya gotta love the old guy who said this: “We should not accept religious literature instead of scientific report.” The Delhi High Court bench headed by Chief Justice A P Shah remarked in response to a Solicitor General who cited an article condemning gay sex by quoting the Bible. “These are not scientific reports. These… Read more »
Beijing’s Gay Community Fights Censorship
When the Beijing LGBT Center screened a prerecorded lecture on gay-themed movies last year, the venue was so packed that latecomers had to jostle for a spot on the windowsills of the rented classroom doubling as their makeshift theater. This year, however, a similar event attracted only a handful of people, leaving much of the… Read more »
North Korea defectors take to the “Underground Railroad”
The 3,000-mile journey can take months and the path is lined with informants. Bangkok, Thailand — In the beginning, they arrived in ones and twos across the Mekong River. They were dirty, skeleton-thin and scared to death. Sugint Dechkul, a small-town lawyer in Thailand’s far-northern Chiang Rai province, had no idea what to make of… Read more »
Gay India News & Reports 2011 Jan-Aug
0 Law Like Love: Queer Perspectives On Law 1/11 1 Gay magazines in India hint at quiet revolution 1/11 1a Gay love is no different 1/11 2 LGBT march dismantles closets, one step at a time 1/11 2a Dear Reader… 2/11 3 Men who have sex with men for money 2/11 4 Gay sex law… Read more »
Gay Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan News & Reports 2011
Gay Middle East Web Site More information about Islam & Homosexuality al-fatiha-news Middle East Youth These Everyday Humiliations: Violence Against Lesbians, Bisexual Women, and Transgender Men Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men LGBT muslim Queer Jihad Bi-muslims Trans-muslims Lesbian muslims 1 Gay Activists in Central Asia Train Professional Defenders 4/11 2 New Gender Marker… Read more »
Gay Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan News & Reports 2011
Gay Middle East Web Site More information about Islam & Homosexuality al-fatiha-news Middle East Youth These Everyday Humiliations: Violence Against Lesbians, Bisexual Women, and Transgender Men Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men LGBT muslim Queer Jihad Bi-muslims Trans-muslims Lesbian muslims 1 Gay Activists in Central Asia Train Professional Defenders 4/11 2 New Gender Marker… Read more »
Gay Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan News & Reports 2011
Gay Middle East Web Site More information about Islam & Homosexuality al-fatiha-news Middle East Youth These Everyday Humiliations: Violence Against Lesbians, Bisexual Women, and Transgender Men Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men LGBT muslim Queer Jihad Bi-muslims Trans-muslims Lesbian muslims 1 Gay Activists in Central Asia Train Professional Defenders 4/11 2 New Gender Marker… Read more »
Gay Taiwan News & Reports 2011
1 Some religious groups and parents oppose equal rights 4/11 2 No death penalty provision in Uganda anti-gay bill 4/11 3 Groups clash over new gender equality school curriculum 5/11 4 Parents of LGBT children in Taiwan launch official group 7/11 5 Taiwan denies gay foreign diplomats immunity for their spouses 7/11 6 Taiwan To… Read more »
Afghanistan’s accidental gay pride
The embarrassment over the trend for rainbow flags on cars in Kabul reminds us how far Afghanistan is from the liberal west If you are gay and proud, Afghanistan is quite likely the last place on earth to show it publicly. How, then, are we supposed to make sense of the recent very conspicuous appearance… Read more »
Kyrgyzstan: Can a Gay Man Get a Fair Trial?
An appellate case involving a young homosexual man convicted of distributing pornographic films is shaping up as an important test for gay rights in Kyrgyzstan. Local rights activists contend that that the defendant, Mikhail Kudryashov, was entrapped and is a victim of gender-related bias at the hands of police and prosecutors. Kudryashov’s appeal is currently… Read more »
Gay Philippines News & Reports 2011
1 Personal Essay: Never too late 4/07 2 In Southeast Asia, no longer silence on LGBT issues 5/11 3 AIDS advocates use social networking to educate high risk sector 5/11 4 The Courage Unfolds Campaign 5/11 5 An emerging epidemic 6/11 5a 103 suspected anti-LGBT hate crime deaths 7/11 6 The 2011 Philippine National LGBT… Read more »
Gay men murdered in Mongolia
Two brutal murders of Gay men have shocked Mongolia’s small LGBT community. The Mongolia LGBT Center, based in Ulaanbaatar, the country’s capital, identified the first victim as ‘A Gay male of 40 to 50 years of age who went by the nickname ‘S’ in the community, a dentist by profession who had a practice in… Read more »
Gay Thailand News & Reports 2011
1 The first Thai ‘Tom’ movie 1/11 1a Semi-official gay website undergoes revamp 1/11 2 New Thai airline recruits transsexuals as flight attendants 1/11 3 Bangkok Post goes gay 2/11 3a Mental health of MSM and Transgender on blind spot 2/11 3b Michel Sidibe’s fight against prejudice 2/11 4 Global Commission Reviews Legal Barriers Obstructing… Read more »
Gay Indonesia News & Reports 2011
Also see: More information about Islam & Homosexuality Other articles of interest Queer Muslim magazine Gay Islam discussion groups: Muslim Gay Men LGBT muslim Queer Jihad Bi-muslims Trans-muslims Lesbian muslims Gay Bali Rainbow Travel Agency 1 Transgendered group wants no violence 2/11 2 Jakarta’s Working Ladyboys 3/11 3 Anti-Gay Stigma Hampering HIV Treatment 3/11 4… Read more »
Gay Mongolia News Reports 2011
1 Felipa de Souza Award Goes To …3/11 2 Murders of LGBT people 4/11 3 The Luxury Frontier 6/11 (non-gay background story) March 2011 – Queerty 1 And IGLHRC’s Felipa de Souza Award Goes To These Wonderful Mongolian LGBT Activists The Mongolian LGBT Centre is this year’s awardee of the International Gay and Lesbian… Read more »
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