Asia

 

 

 

Kyrgyzstan: Focus on gay and lesbian rights

Bishkek – Kyrgyzstan is known as an island of gay tolerance in an otherwise oppressive region. Some gay people come here from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, where homosexuality is punishable by law, in search of a more favourable and accepting environment. The number of gay and lesbian groups in the country is growing as a consequence.… Read more »

Tajikistan: Gay rights face uphill struggle

Dushanbe,(IRIN) – Efforts to advocate the rights of the gay community in Tajikistan, including HIV/AIDS awareness, face an uphill battle given traditional Islamic values and a general intolerance towards homosexuality. “Tajikistan is a conservative Muslim country. Such subjects are not easily spoken about,” Kiromiddin Gulov, coordinator for the local NGO, Legal Support for Youth, one… Read more »

Do Monks Have Sex?

This essay is a shorter version of a talk given to GBF When I agreed to speak to the Gay Buddhist Fellowship in February, I hoped for a topic which offered listeners support for their Buddhist practice. I told my teacher, Geshe Yeshe Phegey, that I’d decided to pose the question, “Do monks have sex… Read more »

“According to Buddhist Tradition”: Gays, Lesbians and the Definition of Sexual Misconduct

Leaving the Fairmount Hotel in San Francisco, having just met with the Dalai Lama, the words, “according to Buddhist tradition” reverberated in my head. Stepping out into the June sunlight, I felt tired, calm, enormously grateful-and disappointed. I was grateful for the Dalai Lama’s willingness to meet with gays and lesbians to discuss their concerns… Read more »