World Bank halts new loans to Uganda over anti-gay law

WASHINGTON -- The World Bank is pausing approval for new public finance projects in Uganda over the country's adoption earlier this year of a widely criticized bill criminalizing same-sex conduct.

"Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act fundamentally contradicts the World Bank Group’s values," the development lender said in a statement Tuesday, adding that "no new public financing," would be presented to the bank's board of directors for approval for the time being.

The move comes after pressure from human rights organizations and members of the US Congress to take a tougher line with Kampala over the law, which is among the harshest of its kind in the world.

Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023 contains provisions making "aggravated homosexuality" a capital offense and imposes penalties for consensual same-sex relations of up to life in prison.

"Our goal is to protect sexual and gender minorities from discrimination and exclusion in the projects we finance," the World Bank said Tuesday, adding that it was in discussion with the Ugandan authorities over the issue.

At the end of July, several members of the US Congress called on World Bank President Ajay Banga to "immediately postpone and suspend all current and future lending to Uganda" until the law was struck down.

Following the passage of the bill, the US State Department updated its travel advisory, telling citizens to "reconsider travel to Uganda due to crime, terrorism, and anti-LGBTQI+ legislation."

Agence France-Presse

Everyone welcome? Gay football fans prepare for Qatar

World Cup 2022 host Qatar has given the clearest indication yet that LGBT fans will be welcome, engaging with gay supporters as it hosts the Club World Cup — despite criminalizing homosexuality.

Organisers of the 2022 soccer spectacle travelled to Britain in recent months to meet Liverpool fan clubs including the side’s gay supporters’ group, individuals briefed on the meeting have told AFP.

Paul Amann, founder of Liverpool’s LGBT supporters’ club Kop Outs, then undertook a fact-finding mission to Doha along with his husband in November at the invitation of the World Cup organisers.

“I’m very satisfied that their approach is to provide an ‘everyone is welcome’ ethos that does include respect, albeit through privacy,” he told AFP. “I’m not sure if rainbow flags generally will ever be accepted ‘in-country’, but maybe in stadia.”

Amman said he felt “paranoia is not needed as people will not pry into your personal business”.

“There was clearly some apprehension, indeed my husband said on the eve of flying that he wished he had not agreed to go,” the 50-year-old council worker wrote in a report for Kop Outs that he shared with AFP.

– ‘Being gay is haram’ –
The Kop Outs boast 150 full members and thousands of followers on social media. It is unclear how many LGBT fans from Liverpool and the other six teams participating in the Club Cup will make the journey to the Gulf for the tournament.

Club chief executive Peter Moore said in November that Liverpool had “received a number of assurances” on the issue from Qatari authorities.


There are no openly gay or bisexual players in the English men’s Premier League, but major clubs have implemented zero-tolerance policies for homophobia and embraced the “rainbow laces” campaign against discrimination.

Openly LGBT players are well represented in the English women’s game however, with former Lionesses captain, the defender Casey Stoney, the best known.

The chief executive of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Nasser al-Khater said in September that “any fan, of any gender, (sexual) orientation, religion, race (should) rest assured that Qatar is one of the most safe countries in the world — and they’ll all be welcome here”.



However he stressed that “public displays of affection are frowned upon, it’s not part of our culture — but that goes across the board to everybody”.

Amann said that “if people basically observe the no PDA advice, then I can’t see them being necessarily identifiable”.

Though there are no openly gay venues in Doha, a handful of bars are known to be more gay-friendly and attract a loyal clientele of airline staff, hospitality workers and other expatriates.

Web users do not face restrictions accessing gay dating apps like Grindr in Qatar, unlike other Gulf countries, although users rarely display identifiable pictures.

“We are living in a society where gay people are not recognised yet. Being gay is haram to their religion,” said a gay barman from the Philippines living in the conservative Muslim country who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“I think Qatar is not ready for it yet.”

He shared a commonly held fear that police monitor gay apps and periodically deport homosexuals — although there is limited evidence for this.

During a recent visit by the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, three independent experts did however warn that at least one transgender person had been detained “until they changed their behaviour”.

The experts, who are independent of the UN, also reported the detention of individuals because of crimes linked to their sexuality.

“No one should be detained because of who they love,” said group member Elina Steinerte, a Latvian human rights expert.



– ‘Police yourself’ –
A gay choreographer visiting Qatar from South Africa described the country as “challenging”.

“The hardest thing is not being able to show any public displays of affection,” said the man who also declined to be named.

“You don’t quite realise how difficult it is to police yourself until you have to.”

During the last World Cup in Russia, international anti-discrimination network FARE opened a match-screening area for gay and ethnic minority football fans in Moscow.

The LGBT-friendly venue opened despite queer activism being severely restricted in Russia under a 2013 “gay propaganda” law forbidding the promotion of “non-traditional sexual relationships” to minors.

Neither FIFA nor the Qatari Supreme Committee organisers have so far publicised any special measures for gay fans ahead of the World Cup.

Pavel Klymenko of FARE said “we do have in mind something similar (for 2022) but need to see what is possible”.

“Qataris are good at engaging with people, assuring them all is fine — like with the Liverpool LGBT group. But in reality the level of tolerance for these issues might be way lower than in Russia.”

source: sports.inquirer.net

New York’s huge Gay Pride fest launches with star-studded concert

New York’s highly anticipated World Pride festivities officially opened Wednesday with a benefit concert hosted by performer Whoopi Goldberg and featuring headliner Cyndi Lauper.

The event at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center arena launches days of celebrations including more concerts, exhibitions, movie screenings, theatre shows and workshops as the city pays homage to those who took part in the 1969 Stonewall riots, a week-long protest against police harassment of the New York gay community at the time.

Ticket proceeds from Wednesday’s concert will go to three New York-based organizations supporting LGBTQ rights in the city.

Also set to perform are singers Chaka Khan and Ciara as well as Billy Porter, known for his showstopping red carpet looks and role on “Pose,” a television series about the primarily Black and Latino underground drag ball scene of the 1980s and early 1990s.

On Friday, a large crowd will gather outside Greenwich Village’s Stonewall Inn where on June 28, 1969 hundreds of gay and transgender people pushed back against the latest police raid on the establishment, sparking six days of unrest.

The weekend celebrations will feature concerts by Madonna and Grace Jones, winding up with a giant World Pride Parade on Fifth Avenue. It will be the sixth edition of World Pride, which began in Rome in 2000 and brought together droves of people from across the world.

New York’s Gay Pride is regularly one of the largest such events globally, but for this year’s milestone anniversary, authorities expect an additional two to three million visitors to attend.

Source: Agence France-Presse

Taylor Swift makes surprise performance at gay bar Stonewall

Taylor Swift made a surprise performance at an iconic gay bar a day after releasing a song supporting the LGBTQ+ community.

Swift celebrated Pride Month by appearing at New York City’s Stonewall Inn on Friday night, June 14.

She released her new tune Thursday, June 13, called “You Need to Calm Down”, where she calls out those who attack the LGBTQ+ community.

The song is the second single from Swift’s seventh album “Lover” which will be released on Aug. 23.

Swift sang her hit song “Shake It Off” at the New York City bar with “Modern Family” actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who hosted the event.

Ferguson is working on a documentary about Stonewall Inn, where patrons resisted a police raid in 1969 and helped spark the gay rights movement. The bar is marking 50 years since the riots. HM/JB

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Gay couples plan mass weddings after Taiwan legalizes unions

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Gay couples in Taiwan plan a mass wedding registration after lawmakers voted to legalize same-sex marriage, a first in Asia and a boost for LGBT rights activists who had championed the cause for two decades.

Legislators pressured by LGBT groups as well as by church organizations opposed to the move on Friday approved most of a government-sponsored bill that recognizes same-sex marriages and gives couples many of the tax, insurance and child custody benefits available to male-female married couples.

That makes Taiwan the first place in Asia with a comprehensive law both allowing and laying out the terms of same-sex marriage.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, a supporter of the law, tweeted: “On May 17th, 2019 in Taiwan, LoveWon. We took a big step toward true equality, and made Taiwan a better country.”

“It’s a breakthrough, I have to say so,” said Shiau Hong-chi, professor of gender studies and communications management at Shih-Hsin University in Taiwan.

Thousands of people, including same-sex couples, demonstrated Friday morning in the rainy streets outside parliament before the vote. Many carried rainbow-colored placards reading “The vote cannot fail.” About 50 opponents sat under a tent outside parliament and gave speeches favoring marriage between only men and women.

Taiwan’s Constitutional Court in May 2017 said the constitution allows same-sex marriages and gave parliament two years to adjust laws accordingly. The court order mobilized LGBT advocacy groups pushing for fair treatment, as well as opponents among church groups and advocates of traditional Chinese family values that stress the importance of marriage and producing offspring.

Religion, conservative values and political systems that discourage LGBT activism have slowed momentum toward same-sex marriage in many Asian countries from Japan through much of Southeast Asia, although Thailand is exploring the legalization of same-sex civil partnerships.

“This will help spark a debate in Thailand, and hopefully will help Thailand move faster on our own partnership bill,” said Wattana Keiangpa of the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health.

Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said Taiwan’s action should “sound a clarion call, kicking off a larger movement across Asia to ensure equality for LGBT people and pro-active protection of their rights by governments throughout the region. No more excuses!”

At least 20 same-sex couples are planning a mass marriage registration in Taipei on May 24, a spokesman for the advocacy group Marriage Equality Coalition Taiwan said. The newlyweds and hundreds of invitees will hold a mass party a day later on a blocked-off boulevard outside the presidential office, the event organizer said.


The law will give a boost to Jay Lin and his partner, who hope to marry and assume joint custody of their two 2-year-old sons. They plan to register after May 24.

“A lot of gay parents are excited about that already,” said Lin, a Taipei-based online streaming service founder.

“I think once more people are married and more families are more comfortable being out in public, that will naturally have a beneficial impact on society and on people’s minds,” Lin said.

Taiwan’s acceptance of gay and lesbian relationships began in the 1990s when leaders in today’s ruling Democratic Progressive Party championed the cause to help Taiwan stand out in Asia as an open society.

Although claimed by China as its own territory, Taiwan is a self-governing democracy with a vibrant civil society dedicated to promoting rights for sexual and ethnic minorities, women, the handicapped and others.

Mainland China, ruled by the authoritarian Communist Party, remains much more conservative and officials have repeatedly discouraged even the discussion of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Despite that, news of Taiwan’s new law was a major trending topic on social media in China, with more than 100 million views on the Twitter-like microblogging site Weibo.

Opponents in Taiwan raised fears of incest, insurance scams and children confused by having two mothers or two fathers. Both sides of the issue have held colorful street demonstrations and lobbied lawmakers.

“This is going to cause a lot of morality problems,” said Lin Shih-min with the Taiwan political action group Stability of Power, which opposed the law. “From the point of view of the children, they have the right to grow up with both a mother and a father.”

In November 2018, a majority of Taiwan voters rejected same-sex marriage in an advisory referendum. However, legislators favoring the bill, and voting separately on each item largely along party lines, said it followed the law as well as the spirit of the referendum. 



“We need to take responsibility for the referendum last year and we need to take responsibility for people who have suffered from incomplete laws or faced discrimination,” ruling party legislator Hsiao Bi-khim said during the three-hour parliament session.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Gay sex ruling to free India’s ‘pink economy’

Mumbai, India – From LGBT nightclubs to “gaycations” and more, a court ruling legalizing homosexuality in India is set to unlock one of the world’s largest “pink economies”, experts said.

The Supreme Court’s historic decision last week to scrap a colonial-era ban on gay sex sparked joy as activists held rainbow-colored celebrations across the country.


Now the community can expect to see businesses lining up to offer a range of tailored products, in fashion, health and other industries, providing a massive boost to Asia’s third-biggest economy.

“It can bring billions of dollars to the Indian economy if they can activate the spending of gay people in India,” Keshav Suri, a hotelier and petitioner in the landmark case, told AFP.

“There is business to be done, real estate to be bought and sold, holidays and all the services that go with that.”

“The value of the pink economy and the social aspects of the LGBT community are too large now for us to ignore,” added Suri, executive director of the Lalit hotel group.

India is home to more than 55 million LGBT adults, according to Out Now Consulting, a marketing agency that helps businesses target gay and lesbian consumers.

Their nominal income is around $113 billion annually, the firm estimates. LGBT couples have fewer children than other groups and higher-than-average salaries, meaning plenty of disposable cash.

“They represent one of the world’s largest LGBT markets,” Ian Johnson, founder of the Australia-based Out Now Consulting, told AFP.

He made a prediction that drinks brands and travel companies will be the first to target the LGBT community following the scrapping of Section 377, which was introduced 157 years ago.

LGBT bars, clubs and cafes will provide new employment and boost sales in the food and alcohol industries while people will be able to attend holidays designed specifically for the gay market without fear of legal reprisal.

Nakshatra Bagwe, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, runs The BackPack Travels, a company specializing in organizing trips for LGBT tourists.

He said it has been profitable since it was set up in October 2016 but he expects to see an increase in revenue following the law change.

“With legality and freedom on our side businesses will invest in the community and opportunities will increase in the coming years,” he told AFP.

Legal and free

Inder Vhatwar, another businessman based in India’s financial capital, also hopes to profit from the ruling by judges who said members of the gay community deserve an apology for the treatment they have suffered.

Shortly after gay sex was briefly decriminalized before by the Delhi High Court in 2009, Vhatwar opened a store called D’Kloset in Mumbai’s trendy neighborhood of Bandra, where several Bollywood stars live.

He sold glitzy clothes, handbags and party masks, but after the ban was reinstated in 2013 Vhatwar was evicted by his landlord.

“I faced a lot of challenges due to Section 377 and had to shut down but with this recent judgement I am planning to start the store again,” the 37-year-old told AFP.

Gay sex has long been a taboo subject for many in socially conservative India, with religious groups in particular fiercely opposing any liberalization of sexual morality.

The World Bank said in a 2014 report that homophobic attitudes and a reluctance to hire LGBT people hampered India’s economic growth by up to 1.7 percent annually.

Research shows that LGBT-friendly policies in the workplace, such as equality training and non-discriminatory hiring practices, can boost profitability.

Activists expressed hope the court ruling will help shift attitudes and boost the LGBT community’s economic engagement as the commercial benefits are realized.

“The LGBT community is definitely an untapped market. The business potential is huge and set to grow,” Parmesh Shahani, who heads up the cultural arm of India’s Godrej conglomerate, told AFP.

“The verdict will catalyze change and more companies will invest in products and services catering to the community. I hope the judgment creates more jobs and companies vie for LGBTQ talent,” he added. /kga

source: business.inquirer.net

Twitter blocks ‘bisexual’ search results, draws flak from netizens

Social media site Twitter faced a blunder as it accidentally blocked the word “bisexual,” irking LGBT activists for the mishap.

Netizens first noticed that no search results yielded upon typing the word, unlike “gay” and “lesbian.”

This led to the social media site to tweet saying it was working to fix the problem.

The move caused a backlash from netizens, with one UK-based BiPride saying it was a “bi-erasure” to filter-block results relating to the word “bisexual.”

The Bisexual Index campaign manager, Kate Harrad, told BBC Newsbeat that Twitter should be careful in filtering bisexual content.

“Every bi-activist knows the problems of trying to search for bi-content on the web and some public wifi systems block it altogether, even when it’s nothing to do with sex, because bisexual is seen as a dodgy word in itself,” Harred said in the report.

It is unclear if this is in line with updating Twitter’s Terms and Services, which enforces stricter protocol against content showing self-harm, violence, abusive behavior and the like.  Katrina Hallare /ra

source: technology.inquirer.net

Australian leader says gay marriage could be law this year

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s prime minister said Tuesday that Parliament could legalize gay marriage this year if the nation’s voters endorse it in a rare nonbinding poll in November.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said he expected the public would support marriage equality in the so-called plebiscite, and that he would personally campaign for a ‘yes’ vote. It would be only the fourth time in Australian history, and first time in 43 years, that the government puts a legally nonbinding question to the electorate.

“I have other calls on my time as prime minister, but I will certainly support a ‘yes’ vote,” Turnbull told reporters.

The conservative Liberal Party-led coalition was narrowly re-elected in July 2016 with a promise to let voters decide whether Australia should recognize same-sex marriage through a popular vote. But the Senate in November blocked the plebiscite, which would cost 170 million Australian dollars ($135 million) and promote a divisive public debate.

The Liberal Party held a crisis meeting late Monday to resolve infighting and rejected a push to allow lawmakers to decide the issue now.

The government on Tuesday endorsed the party decision to ask the Senate this week to reconsider allowing the plebiscite, which would be held Nov. 25. Voting would be compulsory and failure to vote would be punishable by a fine, though a voluntary vote would be held if the Senate again rejects the measure.

The result would not be legally binding and some lawmakers have already declared it would not sway their vote on gay marriage legislation.

If most Australians want gay marriage, the Parliament would vote on legislation before the last two-week session of Parliament of the year ends on Dec. 7.

“Strong leaders carry out their promises, weak leaders break them,” Turnbull told reporters.

Gay-rights advocates say enough lawmakers already back marriage equality to make same-sex marriage legal in Australia now. For the first time in Australian history, both the prime minister and opposition leader back the reform.

Rights advocates see the plebiscite as both a delaying tactic forced by a hard right-wing minority and a strategy to undermine political support.

Opponents of the plebiscite argue that the government-funded advertising campaigns for the cases for and against would give authority to bigoted and homophobic arguments. Supporters say it would give ordinary people a voice in a debate dominated by activists.

If the Senate again blocks the plebiscite, the government intends to hold a voluntary postal plebiscite by Nov. 15. Voters would mail in their opinions instead of using ballot boxes at a cost of up to AU$122 million. Responses would be voluntary and therefore less indicative of public opinion.

Opponents argue that the postal plebiscite would also need Senate approval, and have threatened a court challenge if it proceeds. Turnbull said he is confident that the postal option did not need Senate endorsement.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann, the government’s deputy Senate leader and an opponent of same-sex marriage, said some type of plebiscite is essential if Parliament is to decide the marriage equality question.

Sen. Nick Xenophon said his minor party’s opposition had not changed since they opposed the plebiscite in the November vote.

Lyle Shelton, managing director of the Australian Christian Lobby, said his advocacy group had collected 55,000 signatures on a petition demanding a plebiscite.

Sheldon handed the petition to Sen. Cory Bernardi, leader of the minor Australian Conservatives party, to present to the Senate. Bernardi has said he would vote against gay marriage regardless of what the plebiscite found.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker dead at 65

LOS ANGELES—American artist Gilbert Baker, who created the rainbow flag recognized around the world as a symbol of gay pride, has died, close friend and rights activist Cleve Jones announced Friday.

Baker, who was 65, came up with the iconic eight-colored banner for San Francisco’s 1978 gay freedom day, a precursor to the modern pride festival, having taught himself to sew in his 20s.

The former soldier was heavily involved within the San Francisco LGBT rights movement and was a close friend of murdered activist and politician Harvey Milk.

“I am heartbroken. My dearest friend in the world is gone. Gilbert gave the world the Rainbow Flag; he gave me 40 years of love and friendship,” Jones posted on Facebook.

“I can’t stop crying. I love you forever Gilbert Baker.”

He didn’t reveal the cause, but the San Francisco Chronicle said the artist had died in his sleep at his home in New York late Thursday.

Jones urged San Francisco friends to gather for an evening vigil under a rainbow flag in the city’s Castro district.

The news prompted an outpouring of tributes and expressions of grief on social media.

“Rainbows weep. Our world is far less colorful without you, my love,” tweeted filmmaker Dustin Lance Black, who won an Oscar for the screenplay to the 2008 biopic “Milk,” starring Sean Penn as the gay politician.

Baker, born in Kansas in 1951, served for two years in the army, according to his website, and was stationed him in San Francisco just as the gay liberation movement was gathering momentum.

“I just talked to Gilbert last month. He gave us his best and the rainbow flag will be an even more treasured keepsake of our history,” posted Robert York, a senior director at healthcare lobby group the National Quality Forum.

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Pearl Jam, Boston cancel North Carolina concerts over new LGBT law

RALEIGH, N.C. — Two rock bands have become the latest to cancel concerts in North Carolina because of the state’s new law on LGBT rights.

In a statement issued Monday on the band’s website, Pearl Jam called the law “a despicable piece of legislation that encourages discrimination against an entire group of American citizens.”

The statement says the band has communicated with local groups and will give them money to oppose the law.

Pearl Jam was scheduled to perform April 20 at PNC Arena in Raleigh.

Earlier Monday, the rock group Boston also announced plans to cancel concerts because of North Carolina’s new law regarding the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Guitarist Tom Scholz announced the group’s decision on its Facebook page. Concerts were scheduled for Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh early next month. TVJ

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Pacquiao attacker references LGBT controversy

HOLLYWOOD—Security is going to be tight for Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas from now on after a man attacked the eight-division champion at a parking lot of a Japanese restaurant Sunday afternoon.

Pacquiao had just finished lunch at Kabuki Restaurant on Vine St., here and greeted well-wishers before heading for the parking lot where his Ferrari was stationed. According to some witnesses, all of a sudden, a tall, decently dressed man around 35 to 40 years old lunged at the boxer and tried to throw a punch.

Fortunately, Edward Lura, Pacquiao’s longtime friend, was able to ward off the Caucasian-looking attacker.

Other members of Pacquiao’s security detail joined the fray and subdued the man, according to David Sisson, Pacquiao’s personal assistant, who witnessed the incident that occurred around 3 p.m.

The attacker continued screaming at Pacquiao, referencing the LGBT controversy he sparked with his comments about same-sex marriage.

“F**k you, f**k you Pacquiao. You homophobic…”

Pacquiao remained calm and told his security not to hurt the man.

“Let him go. Don’t hurt him.”

Other eyewitness accounts, however, said the attacker merely verbally abused Pacquiao before he was whisked away by security personnel.

Security personnel heeded his call and just pushed the man away as Pacquiao left the premises of the Japanese restaurant where members of his entourage usually had lunch after attending church service.

Sisson, son of American missionaries based in General Santos City, added that Johnny Bantilan, a former boxer and Pacquiao’s friend, had to be restrained from going after the attacker.

The commotion, which drew the attention of restaurant personnel and customer, was apparently an offshoot of the LGBTbrouhaha involving Pacquiao last February.

Pacquiao remained calm throughout the incident and even joked that the attacker was not an enemy but a fan.

“He’s a fan. He was saying Pacquiao, not f**k you,” Sisson quoted Pacquiao as saying.


source: sports.inquirer.net

Say ‘Konichiwa’ to ‘Ototo no Otto': Japan’s gay-themed manga

Literature on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) is still blossoming in different areas of the world. Although LGBT literature is not a mainstream labyrinth compared to women’s literature or Shakespearean literature, glistening stories of struggles and joys of the queer society mesmerize many avid readers.

LGBT in the country is a vibrant topic in movies and novels, such as J. Neil Garcia’s “Philippine Gay Culture: the Last Thirty Years” and the popular movie “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros (The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros).” Melodramas such as “My Husband’s Lover” and the first lesbian soap opera “The Rich Man’s Daughter” sprouted an aisle of opportunities for Filipinos to conceptualize LGBT-themed literature and drama.

In Japan, LGBT-themed manga is tepidly gaining popularity among readers. One of the newest gay comic series, “Ototo no Otto (My Brother’s Husband),” joins transgender manga “Wandering Son” and other yaoi (a manga depicting male-to-male relationships) and yuri (the female counterpart).

Ototo no Otto narrates the life of Yaichi, a single father who lives with his primary-school daughter, Kana. Ryoji, Yaichi’s twin brother, died in Canada after staying there for ten years. Mike Flanagan, Ryoji’s same-sex partner, travelled to Japan to visit his partner’s family.

Feeling estranged from his twin brother for a long time, Yaichi was uncomfortable with the reality that Ryoji was a member of the LGBT community and that his daughter Kana is happily bonding with his “brother in law.”

The manga’s artist Gengoro Tagame is a notable artist in Japan’s gay-themed literature. His manga would be the first he would publish before a general audience, according to The Yomiuri Shimbun (The Japan News). The manga brews a different home setup as the partner of the protagonist’s brother is not a woman but a man. The crucial point of the series is how Yaichi would understand and totally accept his twin’s brother’s personality, his partner and Western gay culture.

Since the Japanese LGBT, which comprises 7.6 of the population, is not as open as compared to Western countries, this manga can be a tool for people to fully comprehend the LGBT community and empower them, politically and socially. RAM

source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

Bowie lauded as an artist who made it OK to be different

NEW YORK — It’s perhaps not so surprising that the word “androgynous” was spiking on the Merriam-Webster online dictionary after David Bowie’s death was announced, as people looked up a word so commonly mentioned in connection with the rock star’s blazingly unique style.

But while the word aptly describes much of Bowie’s chameleon-like appeal, there was another, deeper association being mentioned by some in the aftermath of Bowie’s death: the idea that the singer was a crucial source of support — perhaps even to the point of saving lives — for youngsters uncertain about their identity or sexuality in an era when gender fluidity was much less accepted than it is today.

“David Bowie showed this queer kid from Baton Rouge that gender outlaws are cool,” wrote singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier on Twitter. “Androgyny=rock&roll, not a reason to kill myself.”

Gauthier, 53, explained in an interview that she’d stumbled upon Bowie’s famous Ziggy Stardust persona — the flame-haired, body-suited, sexually ambiguous alien rock star from his 1972 album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars” — when she was 14 or 15. “I was clearly aware that I was a gender outlaw,” she said. “Being androgynous didn’t sit well in Baton Rouge in 1974 or 1975. I hung out with outsiders. Bowie gave them hope, and me hope.

“I do think his work saved thousands of gender-different kids,” Gauthier said. She added: “It wasn’t a matter of what he was saying or arguing, it was a matter of how he was appearing. It may have been a show, but it was authentic.”

“He showed us there was a bigger world out there,” Gauthier said.

While the specific words may have been different, similar thoughts — the idea of Bowie making those who felt somehow different feel more welcome — came from far and wide on Monday, a day after Bowie died at age 69 following an 18-month battle with cancer that was not publicly disclosed.

One of those expressing such thoughts was Madonna, who spoke of Bowie’s androgynous image as easing the way for her as a young person.

“I never felt like I fit in growing up in Michigan,” the pop star wrote on Facebook. “Like an oddball or a freak. I went to see him in concert … We got caught after, and I was grounded for the summer. I didn’t care. I already had many of his records and was so inspired by the way he played with gender confusion. Was both masculine and feminine. Funny and serious. Clever and wise.”

Actress Evan Rachel Wood wrote on Twitter that Bowie “always made me feel less alone in this crazy world.” And filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, also on Twitter, wrote that “Bowie existed so all of us misfits learned that an oddity was a precious thing. He changed the world forever.”

As many pointed out, it wasn’t about Bowie’s own orientation — he made a few contradictory statements over the decades about his sexuality, but the father of two had been married to wife Iman for more than two decades at his death and was previously married to a model/actress — but the sense of liberation he gave others.

“David Bowie will always hold a special place in the hearts of many LGBT people,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO and president of GLAAD, in an email message. “He was a beacon for all those who felt alienated because of their gender identity or sexual orientation, helped many to understand and accept themselves, continually challenged gender norms, and proved that being different is not only okay — it is something to be proud of.”

Gauthier, the singer, noted that for her, Bowie’s key message had nothing to do with sexual orientation.

“It’s about gender,” she said. “He shattered the binary idea of gender — as being male or female — and he created that middle. He showed us what a man looked like in a dress, and it was beautiful. There was an inner femininity, but it was masculine, too.”

And he was the essential outsider, she said; in fact, he gave the impression of coming from outer space, so other-worldly was his ethereal appearance.

“But he was MORE than human,” Gauthier added, “and not less than human. That’s an important difference.”

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Hong Kong LGBT protesters say city lags behind in gay rights

HONG KONG, China—Hong Kong’s streets were a sea of rainbow flags on Saturday as protesters marched in the city’s annual gay pride parade to call for equality and same-sex marriage.

Around a thousand demonstrators paraded through downtown Hong Kong, with many complaining that the city lags behind other major Asian hubs in terms of LGBT rights.

“There’s still a lot of room to improve, compared to Taiwan and even to Japan,” Carol Yung, a 40-year-old marketing officer in the music industry, told AFP.

“These days they are … already discussing about same-sex marriage, but in Hong Kong we’re still very far behind,” Yung said.

Taiwan, which held a massive pride parade attended by nearly 80,000 people last month, is one of the most progressive Asian countries when it comes to homosexuality, but a bill to make same-sex marriage legal has been stalled in parliament since it was first proposed in 2013.

Hong Kong’s LGBT community has for years sought a ban on discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation.

LGBT issues are in the spotlight again this month after comments from the city’s Catholic bishop, which angered many in the community.

Cardinal John Tong, in a letter published Thursday, said concepts of marriage and family were being “challenged” by what he called “the gay movement.”

If a Sexual Orientation Discrimination Ordinance were enacted, or gay marriage legalized “this would force our society into undergoing a change that would turn it upside-down,” Tong said.

In another development, the judgement for a landmark court case, in which a gay British woman challenged the government’s refusal to grant her a visa to live in the territory with her partner, is expected in November.

QT, as she is referred to in court, had called the authorities’ decision to be “discriminatory.” She entered into a civil partnership in Britain in 2011 and moved to Hong Kong in the same year after her partner was offered a job in the city.

One of Saturday’s marchers, Mark Green, 54, who works in the city’s fashion industry, told AFP however that things were progressing.

“I think Hong Kong is making enormous progress. We’re seeing changes … in the way that people react and respond to gay people in the work place and society,” Green said.

But “the government is really a little bit behind the times when it comes to recognizing LGBT rights,” he said, adding that even China recognizes the need to give same-sex couples dependent visas.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Illinois same-sex couple set to be first to wed

CHICAGO—Illinois’ new same-sex marriage law hasn’t taken effect yet, but the first gay couple to take their vows in the state could do so as early as Wednesday.

Vernita Gray and Patricia Ewert met five years ago. The women, both in their 60s, have been engaged for several years but Gray is terminally ill. She has cancer in her brain and bones and has undergone numerous treatments. Her partner fears she won’t make it until June 1 when the same-sex marriage law goes into effect.

Earlier this week a federal judge allowed the Cook County clerk to issue an expedited marriage license after Lambda Legal and the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois filed a lawsuit.

The wedding ceremony will be private and could be held as early as Wednesday.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

Lady Gaga supports LGBT people in Russia, invites arrest from authorities

US superstar Lady Gaga has revealed her support for LGBT people in Russia, after it was recently revealed that she had been accused of spreading 'gay propaganda' in the country during her 2012 visit.

The 'Marry The Night' singer has been criticised by Russian politicians of promoting homosexuality during her 2012 Born This Way ball tour, as well as travelling to the country without the appropriate paperwork. The country has also come under scrutiny in the press recently concerning its treatment of gay and lesbian people, where homophobia is still a widespread issue among the population.

Lady Gaga took to Facebook and Twitter to address the Russian situation, and the accusations levelled at her.

"Sending bravery to LGBTs in Russia," she wrote on Facebook. "The rise in government abuse is archaic. Hosing teenagers with pepper spray? Beatings? Mother Russia? The Russian government is criminal. Oppression will be met with revolution. Russian LGBTs you are not alone. We will fight for your freedom.

"Why didn't you arrest me when you had the chance, Russia? Because you didn't want answer to the world?"

She also took to Twitter to repeat her message.




An investigation has recently been launched into Gaga's time spent in Russia following the second allegation that she broke the law by possessing the incorrect visa.

The star has been accused of performing in the country on a tourist visa, another illegal act, as the singer was making money.


A statement from Russia has been released claiming "The visas issued were of the basic cultural exchange sort, which does not grant their bearers the right to engage in any commercial activity."

The cases will now be forwarded to the Foreign Ministry and the Federal Migration Service for further investigation.


source: gigwise.com

LGBT Fil-Ams hail same-sex marriage triumphs

SAN FRANCISCO—Darwin Dayan and his husband, Deo Patrimonio-Martin, who have been together for 18 years and wed five years ago, screamed with delight when they heard that DOMA had been struck down.  Their union in 2008 remains valid because they luckily wed during the brief period when same-sex marriage was legal in California.

The United States Supreme Court on June 26, the last day of its session this term, issued two stunning decisions on same-sex marriage that were heard around the world.

It overturned the Defense of Marriage Act’s (DOMA) federal ban on same- sex marriage as unconstitutional, thus allowing married same-sex couples in states where same sex-marriage is legal to receive federal benefits. The highest court of the land also ruled that proponents of California’s Proposition 8, banning same-sex marriage, had no standing or right to appeal the district court’s ruling that the initiative violated the state Constitution, thus facilitating the resumption of same-sex marriages in the country’s most populous state.

Elated

Like Dayan and Patrimonio-Martin, other members of the Filipino LGBT community were elated by these historical rulings, which brought them a step closer to achieving full equality.

Dayan welcomes the ruling, which not only recognizes their marriage on the federal level, but also makes it easier for him and Patrimonio-Martin, a pharmacist, to handle their estate and file taxes like any straight couple. Dayan, a consultant for a human resources firm in San Francisco, has had a long history of activism in the LGBT community. In the 1990s, he served as co-chair of the board of directors of the Gay Asian Pacific Alliance and the Filipino Task Force on AIDS.

Jay and Shirley Mercado, who are advocates for marriage equality and the comprehensive immigration reform bill, were watching the morning news on TV when they heard the Supreme Court decisions.

“We jumped for joy, tears in our eyes, and could not believe what we were hearing,” Jay Mercado recalls. Jay, who works in the insurance industry, and Shirley, who manages a day care center at their home, have been together for 27 years and married in San Francisco in 2004 when same sex-marriage was legal for a few months in California.   However, the passage of Proposition 8 in 2008 invalidated their union. The Mercados have 16-year-old twin sons, Jashley and Joriene.

Jay says, “The decisions brought our family honor and dignity, and now we do not have to worry about Shirl’s immigration status in the future.”  The Department of Homeland Security has already issued an official statement confirming that in view of the DOMA decision immigration visa petitions may now be filed on behalf of a same-sex spouse in the same manner as an opposite-sex spouse. Mercado, who is a US citizen, will be able to file a petition for US residency for her wife, Shirley.






Far-reaching effects


The Supreme Court’s decisions will have far-reaching effects throughout the rest of the country. The demise of DOMA paves the path for legal challenges against the remaining 37 states that still ban same-sex marriage. But the Court ruling, which only allows federal benefits to married same-sex couples that reside in states that allow such unions, still poses a real dilemma for couples that decide to move to states that do not allow them.

The Supreme Court’s decision on California’s Proposition 8, which was based on technicality rather than its constitutionality, also promises to trigger a tsunami of lawsuits from same-sex couples living in those 37 states. Though the Court fell short of declaring a sweeping endorsement of same-sex marriage in the two cases, it is clear that the country would never be the same again.

As same-sex marriage is now legal in 13 states, including California and the District of Columbia, 30 percent, or about one-third of the country’s population, now lives in states where same-sex marriage is allowed.  David Boies, a lead attorney in the challenge to Proposition 8, said in a statement published in the San Francisco Chronicle, “The principles the court articulated today mean that we are going to have marriage equality in all 50 states. It’s just a question of time now.”



Unfinished fight
Nevertheless, the LGBT community and its supporters are aware that there is still lot of work ahead. Anti-same-sex marriage groups and individuals, including Republican politicians like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, have vowed to continue their crusade against marriage equality. Graham was quoted as declaring, “Today’s Supreme Court ruling will not change South Carolina law, and I will continue to fight for and defend the traditional definition of marriage.”

In view of this polarizing political landscape, Jamie Manson, an award-winning columnist for the National Catholic Reporter, issued a cautionary tale. Manson stated, “If right-wing lawmakers are successful in restricting voter eligibility among the disenfranchised, LGBT civil rights will be as vulnerable as government entitlement, civil liberties, collective bargaining and protections for immigrants.”

Manson notes that a mere 24 hours before announcing the same-sex marriage decisions, the Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act that had subjected states that have historically practiced racial discrimination and want to amend their voting laws to strict scrutiny.

Voting rights and gay rights

Manson says, “The fight against voter suppression laws and the fight for LGBT rights share some deep connections. At the most fundamental level, both are civil rights battles for equal protection under the law.”

Thelma Estrada, a San Francisco attorney and Filipino community activist, agrees with Manson. Estrada, who is the current president of a local union of attorneys and a longtime supporter of gay rights, states, “The struggle of the LGBT community for equal protection under the law is part of the civil rights struggle. Just as we demand for equality for gay rights, we should also demand for equality at the voting booth. We need to affirm our commitment to fight discrimination of any kind.”

Fighting for equality is something that the Mercados, Dayan and many members of the Fil-Am LGBT community have shown they could do very well. They campaigned tirelessly against Proposition 8 and supported the battle for marriage equality by fundraising, making speeches, joining rallies and lobbying Congress. While pledging to continue the struggle for LGBT rights, they also see the need to defend other civil rights issues.

Jay Mercado says, “The LGBT and other communities should fight for any issues that will make us all equal.” Dayan echoes Mercado, stating, “As minorities, we need to watch out for laws and edicts that affect each of us. That’s why it’s often perplexing to me when people of color would make homophobic comments or be against marriage equality when we are all fighting for fairness and equality under the law.”

source: globalnation.inquirer.net

For gay travelers: Sights to see in Vienna in 48 hours

VIENNA - Vienna's opulent Habsburg-era coffee houses, architecture, palaces, operas, and other cultural institutions give the city an air of imperial grandeur.

Yet the Austrian capital with 1.7 million residents is not stuck in the past, regularly topping quality of life lists and hosting numerous large-scale gay events such as the Life Ball, Rainbow Parade, Rainbow Ball, and Identities Queer Film Festival.

This month Vienna reviewed its gay and lesbian tourism strategy and is now promoting its music, culture and imperial history to LGBT travellers with money to spend.

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most out of a short stay in Vienna, once home to the likes of Sigmund Freud, Austrian author Arthur Schnitzler and Empress Elisabeth, known as Sisi to her family and friends. Friday

4:30 p.m. - Start with a visit to Schloss Belvedere, the former residence of Prince Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736),that houses the world's largest Gustav Klimt collection. The baroque palace is a showcase of the prince's power in Habsburg Austria, after he repelled the Turks who were laying siege to Vienna.

Rumoured to be gay, his sister-in-law is reported to have said: "He doesn't trouble himself with ladies, a nice couple of page boys would be more his thing." The palace is home to Klimt's most famous painting, "The Kiss".

6:30 p.m. - Time for some food and philosophy at a Viennese coffee house. Legend has it that when the Turkish army was repelled in 1683, they left sacks of coffee beans behind, thus sparking the coffee houses for which Vienna is famous. For an expensive coffee try Cafe Central, whose patrons included Freud, Adolf Hitler, Vladimir Lenin, and Leon Trotsky in 1913 alone. (http://www.palaisevents.at/cafecentral.html)

7:30 p.m - Attend a concert in the golden hall of the Wiener Musikverein but be sure to buy tickets in advance as the philharmonic orchestra tends to be booked months out.

10:00 p.m. - Wind through the narrow medieval streets of the first district to find the wine bar Santo Spirito. Frequented by local performers and a gay favourite, the bar plays classical music with baroque and camp flair. (http://www.santospirito.at/)

Saturday

9 a.m. - Grab a snack and coffee in one of dozens of cafes in the Naschmarkt, an open-air market stretching between the Karlsplatz and Kettenbrueckengasse U-bahn stations. An established gay haunt, Cafe Savoy near the end of the Naschmarkt has chandeliers, statues and wood paneling, enlarged by one of largest single-piece mirrors in Europe. (http://www.savoy.at/)

10:30 a.m.- Take the U-bahn to the south-west of the city to the 1,441-room rococo Schoenbrunn, the Habsburg imperial palace and summer residence of Viennese icon Empress Elisabeth. Known as one of the most beautiful queens in Europe, she maintained a 19 inch waist through strict diet and a workout routine unique for the 19th century. (http://www.schoenbrunn.at/en.html)

12:30 p.m. - Head north to grab a book at the Loewenherz Bookstore, one of the largest gay bookstores in Europe with over 12,000 titles, and have lunch at neighbouring Cafe Berg.

Loewenherz is named after Richard the Lionheart. As the story goes, Vienna's original city wall was built from ransom money gained from the release of Richard the Lionheart in the 11th century. The ransom was only made possible because his male lover Blondel heard his love song coming from Castle Duernstein.

2:00 p.m. - Meander along the Ringstrasse, the imperial circular boulevard which replaced the city walls and is lined with a wealth of beautiful buildings. Enter the Albertina Museum in the Hofburg Palace, which boasts the largest and most valuable graphic collections in the world. The 18th century founder, Archduchess Marie Christine, is reputed to have been in a lesbian relationship with her sister-in-law, Isabella, the first wife of Emperor Joseph II. (http://www.albertina.at/en

4:00 p.m. - Continue to the gothic Stephansdom Cathedral in the centre square and climb the tower for an excellent view of the Austrian capital before heading down Kartnerstrasse, making a short detour to Kaiserbruendl sauna, Vienna's best known gay sauna harking back to days of Habsburg grandeur. The sauna was frequented by one of Emperor Franz Joseph's brothers who had a special entrance made for incognito access.

6:00 p.m. - Any visit to Vienna involves having a Wiener Schnitzel, a cutlet of breaded veal or pork, served with potato salad. Gaesthaus Ubl in the Wieden district with simple wood tables, white walls, and a traditional menu is a local favourite.

8:00 p.m. - Dress to impress and enjoy the grandeur of the Vienna State Opera House. Two gay architects, Eduard van der Nuell and August Sicard von Sicardsburg, designed the building, but Van der Nuell committed suicide in 1868 before its completion after criticism of the building. (http://www.wiener-staatsoper.at)

Sunday

9:00 a.m. - Start the morning with breakfast at any of the number of cafes in the trendy and artsy MuseumsQuartier (MQ). These former Habsburg stables have been transformed into a plaza of culture that features museums, galleries, restaurants and shops. (http://www.mqw.at/en/)

10:00 a.m. - A favourite in MQ is the Leopold Museum, which houses the largest collection of Expressionist artist Egon Schiele's works. It recently drew the crowds (including naturists in a special viewing) with the exhibit "Naked Men", a homage to male nudity. (http://www.leopoldmuseum.org/en)

11:00 a.m. - See the pomp and majesty of the Lipizzaner horses as they perform a classical dressage at the Spanish Riding School inside the Hofburg palace. The school has been practising the art for over 440 years. (http://www.srs.at/en/)

1:00 p.m. - A catholic country, most stores are closed on Sunday so do as the Viennese and head to Prater for an afternoon in the park. Grab a sausage from a food stand and head to Riesenrad, featured in the Orson Welles film "The Third Man".

3:00 p.m. - End your stay in Vienna at a traditional wine tavern, or Heuriger, in Grinzing or Doebling districts on the outer edges of the city. Vienna has 1,680 acres of vineyards located inside the city limits. Enjoy some hearty Austrian food like Schweinebraten (roast pork) and Kaiserschmarrn (strips of pancake served with fruit compote) and say "Prost!" with a glass of Gruener Veltliner, a popular local white wine. - Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com