It is hard enough to be gay when your parents do not support it and act differently towards you. I used to be extremely close with my parents, until I told them I was a lesbian. They changed the way they acted, they don't treat me the same and it is absolutely ridiculous. I am still the same person, why do they not see that? Now on top of struggling with my parents not supporting me, my girlfriend of 3 years lives in England. So as if it weren't hard enough we now have to deal with trying to get a visa to live together. In my country they don't see same sex marriage, there are no visas for it. So even though my girlfriend wants to come live here with me she can't. Love is love. There is no difference if it is a woman and a woman, or a man and a man. We should have the right to be able to apply for a same sex visa. I will most likely end up going to live in England and leaving my country because England has same sex visas and their country supports it a lot better then my own. I personally think the situation is bullshit. Were all people who cares what the gender is of the person we love. Its love and it's not right to deny rights for loving someone of the same sex.

GAY RIGHTS ADVOCACY IN SIERRA LEONE

My work and activities with different local and international organisations raised my awareness about people’s rights, especially gay (homosexual) rights. There is no law that prohibits gay practice in Sierra Leone. Our politicians do not do a thing to promote gay rights.

The very few, like me, who are brave enough to advocate for gay right expose ourselves to persecutions, threats, attacks, provocations and ridicule.

I became embolden in the fight for gay rights when David Cameron, the British prime minister issued a statement at a world summit to let African leaders support gay rights or risk losing funds from the UK Government. I realised that the advocacy for gay rights has reached international proportions. I intensified my gay rights activities but came under more pressure from people who hate gays.

Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association (SLLAGA) who was brutally raped and murdered in her office on the 28/29 September 2004. She had spent time in Southern Africa as a refugee from hostilities in Seirra Leone where she used her time to learn how to ‘mobilise in a hostile environment’ This is what she did on her return home, setting up SLLAGA.

Fanny Ann made a submission to the UN Committee on Human rights at the Geneva meeting in April 2004 which discussed the Brazilian Resolution, which would have acknowledged sexual orientation as a legitimate human right. In her presentation she highlighted the violence and state-sponsored oppression that lesbian and gay people face in many parts of Africa. She concluded:

I now realised why people and groups that try to advocate gay rights quickly abandon their programs and activities.

There are many vigilante religious fundamentalists so be very careful.

ДО
НАРОДНОТО СЪБРАНИЕ
ДО
ПРЕЗИДЕНТСТВОТО НА РЕПУБЛИКА БЪЛГАРИЯ
ДО
МИНИСТЕРСКИ СЪВЕТ
ДО
СРЕДСТВАТА ЗА МАСОВА ИНФОРМАЦИЯ


ДЕКЛАРАЦИЯ

от
ГЛБТ „ИДЕА-БГ”, съдебна регистрация: № 1/18.03.2010-СГС – ФО,
Седалище и адрес на управление: гр. София, кв. „Суха река”, бл. 41, ап. 3
представлявано от Христо Петров Христов - Председател на УС
телефон +359885975963, E-mail: ideаpress@abv.bg


ОТНОСНО:
Злонамерени действия на служители от Министерство на образованието, младежта и науката в Република България, на Регионален инспекторат по образованието София – град и Министерство на вътрешните работи на Република България по време на управлението на партия ГЕРБ 2010-2013 г.


УВАЖАЕМИ ДАМИ И ГОСПОДА,

Сдружение ГЛБТ „ИДЕЯ-БГ” е организация имаща за цел да защитава правата на хора с различна сексуална ориентация, да спазва и опазва демократичните процеси в Република България. Да извършва контрол и информира властите за извършени нарушения.
За съжаление от 2010 г. насам се забелязва сериозно увеличаване на нарушения спрямо правата на хора с различна сексуална ориентация. Такива действия има и срещу граждани, които подкрепят тези членове или групи от обществото ни.
В доклад на международната неправителствена организация за защита на човешките права „Амнести Интернешънъл” се сочи, че България се възприема като страна с висок процент на дискриминация на малцинства, лош стандарт в затворите и хомофобия. Нашата организация е убедена в истинността на тези факти (можем да ги подкрепим с конкретни случаи).
Най-фрапиращ е случая срещу член на нашата организация и защитаващ го директор – работодател на потърпевшия, започнал от началото на 2010 год. и продължаващ до този момент. През месец юли 2010 год. Министерство на образованието, младежта и науката провежда конкурс за директори. За едно от столичните училища участват Христо Светославов Птухин и Верка Николова Русинова. От този момент нататък започват и техните проблеми. Председателят на комисията по конкурса г-н Лазар Додев след събеседването с Христо Птухин пред цялата комисия му задава въпроса дали го познава. Птухин в момента не успява да се досети за какво му се задава този въпрос. В последствие разбира, че някой се е опитал да го дискредитира, като му е приписал интимни отношения с г-н Додев. След спечелването на конкурса от г-жа Верка Русинова, която е назначена за директор на Първо помощно
училище – София, г-жа Латинка Борисова Ковачева тогава експерт „Интегрирано обучение и специални училища в Регионалния инспекторат по образование София – град, я кани на разговор при началника на РИО София - град Ваня Фердинандова Кастрева. Същата уведомява директор Верка Русинова, че нейния служител, старши учител Христо Птухин е хомосексуалист и има досие в СДВР. Г-жа Кастрева изисква от директор Верка Русинова да уволни незабавно старши учителя Христо Птухин. Русинова отказва с претекста, че няма законово основание за такова действие. Ваня Кастрева и отговаря, че ако Птухин не си отиде то Русинова ще си отиде.
В началото на 2011 г. се засилват атаките срещу директор Верка Русинова. От нея се изисква да отстрани от работа нашият член. Провеждани са събирания в МОМН, на които директорката е канена. На тези срещи са присъствали още представители на Синдиката на българските учители към КНСБ, тогава зам. министър Милена Дамянова, Пенка Иванова – директор на Дирекция „Достъп до образование и подкрепа на развитието” от МОМН, както и представител на СДВР от дирекция „Детска престъпност”. Полицаят най-обстойно е представил всички данни за старши учителя Христо Птухин, които били съхранявани в СДВР, независимо от факта, че сме изискали от министър Цветан Цветанов след лична среща с него и с писмо да бъдат унищожени досиетата на хората с различна сексуална ориентация от масивите на полицията. Представителя на СДВР е настоявал члена на нашата организация г-н Христо Птухин да бъде уволнен, защото бил „опасен”. След като директора на Първо помощно училище г-жа Верка Русинова на една от поредните срещи отказва да го уволни е заплашена, че ще бъде отстранена, като я уволнят дисциплинарно и на нейно място ще бъде назначен друг директор, който да извърши този акт. Тъй като не помагат заплахите, през месец септември се изпраща проверка от МОМН и на базата на същата се иска дисциплинарно уволнение на директорката г-жа Верка Русинова. Тя се разболява и излиза в отпуск по болест. На нейно място е назначена за временно изпълняващ длъжността директор Латинка Борисова Ковачева. На 20 февруари 2012г. същата вика полиция от СДВР дирекция „Детска престъпност”. Девет човека начело с Виолета Аланджийска (директор на дирекция „Детска престъпност“ - СДВР) нахлуват в часа по география воден от старши учителя г-н Птухин, без да представят заповед и без да присъства временно изпълняващия длъжността директор на училището Латинка Ковачева. Учителя е отстранен от бюрото, на което има настолен служебен компютър, и една жена от полицаите започва да търси в компютъра, без да даде обяснение какво. Това действие трае около час и половина. През това време учениците, които са с умствени увреждания, предимно момчета, са разпитвани от полицаите - без присъствие на педагог, психолог или родител. На разпитите не е присъствала и временно изпълняващия длъжността директор на училището г-жа Латинка Ковачева, което е грубо нарушение на законовите разпоредби. Учениците са разпитвани дали г-н Птухин им прожектирал порно, пускал ли им е такова на компютъра, знаят ли къде живее, идвали ли са му на гости, опипвал ли ги е, дали ги е бил или заплашвал. На всички въпроси децата са отговорили отрицателно. Докато трае проверката на полицията на нашият член г-н Христо Птухин му е прилошало и сам е извикал „Бърза помощ“ на тел. 112. След идването на „Бърза помощ“ го откарват в УМБАЛ „Царица Йоана”. По същото време временно изпълняващия длъжността директор Латинка Ковачева провежда неправомерно Общо събрание, на което предлага мястото, на което е назначен старши учителя Христо Птухин, да бъде преобразувано на такова за бременни или за инвалиди. За това той не е и уведомен. През следващите дни в медиите се пускат заглавия и статии, в които г-н Птухин е представен като гей и педофил, уронват му авторитета и достойнството. Училището се посещава от журналисти от в. „Телеграф” и „Монитор”. Временно изпълняващата длъжността директор Латинка Ковачева вместо да се погрижи да успокои децата и да ги закриля, дава с охота интервюта. Многократно е молена от г-н Христо Птухин да спре допускането на журналисти в сградата и да обърне внимание върху провеждането на учебния процес, но отговорите и са били: да си влиза в час, да не се занимава с неща, които не са негова работа. По телевизиите ТВ7 в Новините и предаването „Бодилник”, по БТВ Action и БТВ Новините са излъчени репортажи с участието на директора на дирекция „Детска престъпност” Виолета Аланджийска, която го нарича гей, педофил и престъпник.
Г-н Министър-Председател, от всички тези действия срещу старши учителя Христо Птухин достигаме до извода, че през цялото време се е се целяло неговото дискредитиране, оклеветяване и унижаване пред обществото. Набеждават го за да бъде отстранен от работа и в бъдеще същият да не може да бъде преподавател в системата на образование.
Същевременно здравословното състояние на г-н Птухин се влошава и той излиза в болнични от 27 февруари 2012г. В деня на неговото излизане в отпуск по болест временно изпълняващия длъжността директор Латинка Ковачева обявява мястото му в сайта на РИО за свободно и при завръщането му на работа пред всички колеги връчва заповед за освобождаването му. Неговото място е заето от студент по това време, който е с 100% инвалидност. Този човек е неправоспособен съгласно Инструкция № 2 от 29.07.1994 г. за изискванията за заемане на длъжността “учител” или “възпитател” съобразно придобитото образование, професионална квалификация и правоспособност.
С тези действия, ние членовете на ГЛБТ „ИДЕЯ-БГ” се убедихме, че старши учителя Христо Птухин е преследван и дискриминиран от служителите на МОМН - зам. министър Милена Дамянова, Пенка Иванова - директор на дирекция „Достъп до образование и подкрепа на развитието” - МОМН, Ваня Фердинандова Кастрева - началник на РИО София-град, временно изпълняващ длъжността директор Латинка Борисова Ковачева и от Виолета Тодорова Аланджийска - директор на дирекция „Детска престъпност” при СДВР.
Дами и господа, за съжаление сговористите от МОМН и РИО подкрепящи политиката на партия ГЕРБ не спират до тук. След отстраняването на нашия член Христо Птухин е издадена заповед за дисциплинарно уволнение на човека, който е защитавал законно от преследване старшия учител, директора на Първо помощно училище „Проф. дпн Георги Ангушев” – гр. София, Верка Николова Русинова. Един честен и достоен човек попада под ударите на хора, узурпирали властта в образованието, смятащи се за незаменими и извършващи „лов на вещици”. Ето защо, се обръщаме към Вас с искрена молба за следното:
1. Изискваме от новия министър на образованието на Република България г-жа Анелия Клисарска да анулира заповедта за дисциплинарно уволнение на директор Верка Николова Русинова и да я възстанови на предишната и длъжност в Първо помощно училище „Проф. дпн Георги Ангушев” – гр. София.
2. Да бъде отменена заповедта за отстраняване от работа, като Старши учител и и да се възстанови на работа г-н Христо Светославов Птухин.
3. Поради хомофобско отношение и омраза към учители с различна полова ориентация и подкрепящите ги хора преследвани заради това ние изискваме отстраняването от длъжност на началник на РИО Сфия-град, Ваня Фердинандова Кастрева.
4. Настояваме министър Цветелин Йовчев да отстрани от длъжност директор на дирекция „Детска престъпност” при СДВР Виолета Аланджийска за хомофобия и злоупотреба със служебна информация.
5. Изискваме да се предприемат действия, с които да се прекрати дискриминирането на хора с различна сексуална ориентация или с различна партийна принадлежност, както и преследването на техните поддръжници в Република България. Настояваме Народното събрание да внесе промени в НК, с които да се инкриминира хомофобията и действията и последствията свързани с нея, като бъде налагано наказание подобно за престъпление срещу личността.
6. Ако държавните органи не изпълнят нашите искания ще бъдем принудени с всички законни средства да изразим своя протест включително сезиране на международни организации в ЕС и ООН за правата на човека и изискване спрямо Република България да бъдат наложени санкции.


12.06.2013г. Председател на ЛГБТ „ИДЕЯ-БГ”
София / Христо Петров /

Where are u from ?

I have tried to meet some LGBTI community member's to help the work we have started in northern Nigeria in spite of the anti gay bill yet there has not been a voice that want to help us I mean from Nigeria.
LGBTI should not be of a parochial interest. blizprince@yahoo.com

All have the right to live

GAY RIGHTS ADVOCACY IN SIERRA LEONE
My work and activities with different local and international organisations raised my awareness about people’s rights, especially gay (homosexual) rights. There is no law that prohibits gay practice in Sierra Leone. Our politicians do not do a thing to promote gay rights.

The very few, like me, who are brave enough to advocate for gay right expose ourselves to persecutions, threats, attacks, provocations and ridicule.

I became embolden in the fight for gay rights when David Cameron, the British prime minister issued a statement at a world summit to let African leaders support gay rights or risk losing funds from the UK Government. I realised that the advocacy for gay rights has reached international proportions. I intensified my gay rights activities but came under more pressure from people who hate gays.
I now realised why people and groups that try to advocate gay rights quickly abandon their programs and activities.

Hi everybody,

A few weeks ago in Croatia an initiative called ''In the name of the family'' launched a petition for a referendum to amend the Croatian Constitution so that it would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. To achieve this, they had to collect ca. 450,000 signatures (10% of the electorate). They have collected more than 700,000...

Gay people have never had it easy in my country, which is mostly Catholic and extremely homophobic. Now I'm afraid they don't stand a chance. Although this is only an online petition and it won't affect the referendum at all, please sign and share this to show the Croatian LGBTQ community that there are still people in this world who believe in love, tolerance and human rights.

Thank you!

Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/croatian-citizens-and-all-supporters-show-support-for-family-and-marriage-equality-in-croatia

IM 25 GAY AND I GREW UP IN THE ANTI GAY BAHAMAS. USUALLY I CAN BE QUITE POIGNANT WHEN TRYING TO GET MY POINT ACROSS BUT RIGHT NOW IM MAD, NOT MAD FURIOUS!!! GAY MARRIAGE, GAY RIGHTS, WHY ARE WE BEGGING FOR RIGHTS THAT WE WERE BORN WITH, WE LET SOCIETY TAKE FROM US AND WE HAVE NO RECOURSE....IM SICK AND TIRED OF IT. 200,000 FRENCH PROTESTING GAY MARRIAGE, U.S SUPREME COURT CANT DECIDE. SO GAY MEN AND WOMEN ALL ACROSS THE GLOBE LISTEN UP PLEASE CAUSE HERES WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IF WE'RE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

1. IF YOU LIVE IN A HOMOPHOBIC COUNTRY, LEAVE!!! DONT HOLD ALLEGIANCE TO A COUNTRY THAT COULDN'T CARE IF YOU WERE DEAD OR ALIVE.


2.DONT GET INVOLVED WITH PEOPLE LIVING ON THE DOWN LOW- IF THEY WANT TO HAVE SEX LET THEM FIND ANOTHER PERSON ON THE DL TO DO IT WITH. DONT LET THESE INDECISIVE FOOLS BELITTLE YOUR WORTH JUST TO GET OFF.

IF YOUR LOCAL POLITICIAN DOESNT SUPPORT THE GAYS DONT VOTE FOR THEM.

IF YOUR IN THE CLOSET COME OUT, EACH DAY SOME KID TAKES THEIR LIFE BECAUSE WE FEEL BEING GAY HAS TO BE HIDDEN AWAY UNTIL THE TIME IS RIGHT, THE TIMES ALWAYS RIGHT ITS JUST THOSE SMALL MINDED PEOPLE WHO AREN'T EDUCATED ENOUGH.

BOYCOTT MOVIES,TV, BUYING MUSIC, WATCHING SPORTING EVENTS AND PAYING TO SEE THEM UNTIL WE SEE GAYS AND LESBIANS HONESTLY REPRESENTED MORE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

BOYCOTT VISITING ANY COUNTRY THAT DOESNT SUPPORT YOUR RIGHTS.

PETITION LEGISLATION BE PASSED THAT MEN OR WOMEN WHO CANT PROCREATE NOT BE ALLOWED TO MARRY.

DONT PRAISE CELEBRITIES WHO COME OUT OF THE CLOSET MID WAY THROUGH THEIR CAREER, IF THEY WERENT BRAVE ENOUGH TO TELL THE TRUTH FROM THE START WHY ARE WE COMMENDING THEM FOR MISLEADING US.

GIVE UP RELIGION IT ONLY DIVIDES US FURTHER. LET YOUR BELIEFS BE YOUR OWN, WORSHIP YOUR DIVINITY IN SOLITUDE INSTEAD OF WEARING RELIGION LIKE A BOY SCOUTS BADGE.

THERE ARE GAYS AND LESBIANS WHO STAND UP TO BE COUNTED AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO BURY THIER HEADS IN SAND FOR FEAR OF BEING REALIZED. IF EVERY OPENLY OUT GAY AND LESBIAN PERSON JOINED IN THIS EFFORT AND TOOK IT SERIOUSLY WE WOULD BE A FORCE TO RECKON WITH BUT IF THOSE OF YOU OUT THERE STILL LIVING IN THE SHADOWS DONT WANT TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE TRYING TO PLEASE EVERYBODY BUT TRULY YOURSELF, HAVING TO PRETEND TO BE SOMETHING YOUR'E NOT, TO CONSTANTLY NOT HAVE TO WORRY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOUR FAMILY DISOWNED YOU WOULD JOIN US WE WOULD BE AN UNSTOPPABLE TITAN OUR WORDS WOULD HAVE MEANING AND WE COULD DEMAND AND SEE CHANGE HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY INSTEAD OF HAVING TO WAIT A GENERATION FOR BASIC HUMAN DIGNITIES TO BE UPHELD AND RESPECTED.


BLACKS USE TO BE CONSIDERED SUB-HUMAN TO CAUCASIANS BUT THINGS CHANGE WITH TIME. CHANGE IS SOMETHING THATS INEVITABLE YOU HAVE TO SWALLOW THAT FACT OR DIE CHOKING..I JUST HOPE IT DOESNT TAKE THE DEATH OF MANY GAYS AND LESBIANS BEFORE WE SEE OUR EMANCIPATION. YOU'LL HAVE TO FORGIVE ME IF I DONT POST MY EMAIL, ALTHOUGH I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR RESPONSES I CAN DO WITHOUT TAKING THE CHANCE OF OFFENDING SOME RIGHT WING/LEFT WING LIBERAL IDIOT AND BEING HUNTED DOWN. KNOW IT SOUNDS PARANOID BUT THEY CAN HATE US JUST FOR EXISTING I BELIEVE THOSE BASTARDS CAPABLE OF ANYTHING.....

ITS A HUMAN ISSUE NOT A POLITICAL ONE. WAKE THE HELL UP MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS UNDER THE RAINBOW SUN. WERE A STRONG MAJORITY LETS START ACTING LIKE ONE INSTEAD OF A BUNCH OF SCARED WHINING FAGS. much love.

Please help!! My country Georgia is under severe homophobic backlash, there is a hunt on LGBT people here after IDAHO day on may 17th, the government is NOT doing anything to protect us, LGBT community people are afraid to go out into the street because they are being attacked for the way they look, there have been over 20 cases of attacks on women and men with severe consequences!!! Please join out protest near the embassy in Berlin and pass this on to those who could join you too, for more information please visit: https://www.facebook.com/notes/zaal-andronikashvili/pressemitteilung-gegen-die-homophoben-ausschreitungen-und-f%C3%BCr-einen-s%C3%A4kularen-un/10151495475028773

Protecting Transgender Rights in Hong Kong: Equal Marriage Rights

This morning Hong Kong took a giant leap forward in protecting transgender rights in a judgment of the Court of Final Appeal which will allow a trans* woman to marry her partner. In a judgment that some Irish politicians could do well to take note of the Court concluded that in multicultural jurisdiction such as Hong Kong, the nature of marriage as a social institution had undergone many alterations in that the importance of procreation as an essential constituent “has much diminished”. In a 4-1 running, the Court held that it is “contrary to principle to focus merely on biological features fixed at the time of birth and regarded as immutable” and held in favour of the Appellant.

Full Article: http://humanrights.ie/gender-sexuality-and-the-law/protecting-transgender-rights-in-hong-kong-equal-marriage-rights/

Hello! My Name is Victoria Jones, but people who love me call me V.v., and I am 20 years old. I am going into my third year at Azusa Pacific University, but in order for me to register for the Fall Semester (where I will be a Resident Advisor), I need to pay the school an outstanding balance of $19,280.00. The reason why this has just arisen is because for my first three semesters, my mother paid for school. But at the beginning of this year, I just came out to her as being a lesbian. She cut me off. I work over 35 hours weekly now, but sustaining myself AND paying off my balance is actually impossible. I am asking that you good people PLEASE help me. APU is my life, and if I can’t go back, I don’t know what I will do.

Thank you so much!!!
I have a page where you can donate funds. Anything counts!!
https://www.youcaring.com/lgbtquniversity

Press Release to ILGA from LGBTI Uganda
The month of May started on a tough note concerning LGBT rights for gay Ugandans. Two groups of athletes registered to participate in Gay Sports in France and Germany were denied visas in spite of fulfilling all requirements established by both embassies.
LGBTI Uganda had registered a women’s volley ball team to compete in the Saaleperlen Games in Leipzig, Germany, between the 15th -20th May 2013. Out of the 8 applicants; including a Badminton Team for men, only 3 persons were granted visas! These included two men, for Badminton, and 1 woman, the captain, for the Volley Ball Women’s team.
This was a great shock to the 5 women who had spent weeks under intense training. The team immediately hired a lawyer to help with the appeal process, since the games were about 2 weeks away. To the team’s surprise, the embassy insisted the appeal process would last 4 weeks, a time frame which wouldn’t allow them participate in the games and a workshop organized for them on: How to Survive in an Extremely Homophobic Environment.
As expected, the organizers too where not impressed by the decision. But to their further surprise, most of their protest emails got no feedback except one that made it categorically clear that the embassy ‘deals with applicants, not third parties’. Protest letters to the German Foreign Affairs ministry were met with excuses too; all authority, with regards to visas is handled by local embassies.
In earlier correspondences between the organizers and the LGBTI Uganda team, one of the organizers noted that there could be some local staff at the German embassy that were opposed to Gay Rights and that the team should exercise the necessary precautions. Unfortunately, the team didn’t take the caution seriously until a senior native employee at the German embassy called some of the female players and preached to them for several minutes begging them “in God’s name to repent”. At the end of their submission, another called one of the two male players and told him that the team was not “presentable enough”.
The reasons given for the denial of visas were:
1. Lack of sufficient proof of means to sustain themselves while in Germany.
2. Lack of proof that the team would leave Germany upon completion of the games.
3. Lack of sufficient attachment to their country to enable them return home etc….
But team LGBTI Uganda has been to Sweden, Netherlands and in several parts of Uganda. This team had gotten a local sponsor for the German games who offered to buy return air tickets and 200 Euros per participant in pocket money. The organizers in Leipzig too, sent letters confirming the availability of meals and full accommodation for the team. Besides, every team member had health travel insurance worth the required 30,000 Euros.
Then, with the help of the team’s lawyer, affidavits were sworn by all athletes pledging to leave Germany upon the end of the games. And family photos were attached together with properties, birth certificates of dependants, personal bank statements etc…
Up to today, however, there is no word on the fate of the 5 female volley ball players from the German Embassy in Kampala. Why is this so? We are sure they are waiting for the mandatory 4 weeks to expire.
On the side of the French Embassy, all three LGBTI Uganda athletes were turned down. The same reasons were given like the Germans. Yet even after proving that 2 of the 3 were student finalists who couldn’t just abandon their studies, the embassy remained adamant. Even when the remaining athlete proved that he had a stable job with a very good remuneration package and assets, the answer was a resounding no!
The 3 had been registered by LBTI Uganda to participate in Mountain Biking and Squash in the Tournoi International de Paris 2013 happening between 14th -20th May 2013 in Paris. The organizers gave full proof of accommodation and meals, and the participants equally proved their capacity to attend, return home and continue with their life here in Uganda. The team’s sponsor too accepted to offer air tickets and ample pocket money on condition that LGBTI Uganda guaranteed participants would honor their obligations.
It’s a pity that the German and French Embassies have turned their backs on gay Ugandans despite of the fact that they are in full knowledge of the high levels of homophobia in this country. The teams strongly believe, that in sports, they would interact with their like; exchange ideas and draw support from one another. The teams believe that participating in these sports would be a huge blow to homophobia in Uganda. The teams strongly believe that sports would defeat hate with love, condemnation with compassion, discrimination with understanding.
And while the teams remain in the depths of the dark corners of homophobia itself; they remain strong in spirit and forever indebted to the organizers in France, like Antoine Le Blanc and Hubert Quarantel-Colombani together with Matthias Lendner of Germany. Thank you for all your efforts.

Elvis Kiwanuka
National Coordinator
LGBTI Uganda

The information contained in the world-wide homophobia is wrong. Homosexuality was decriminalised in 1977, along with the rest of Yugoslavia. This is a significant oversight of the author's part and should be fixed.

Madagascar has no law against homosexuality, however the age of consent for same-sex intercourse is different of that of heterosexual relations (21yrs vs 16yrs).
Despite this, homophobia is still very present in the general population which consist largely of low or non educated very poor people viewing homosexuality as a "fady", a "forbidden" state of things. At best it is ignored, shunned and not recognised, homosexuals are often married with children and have hidden intercourse. At worst it is despised and homosexuals are banned from society.
Police forces play a large role in this state of things as well, not paying attention to the fact that homosexuality is not against the law.

Hi, I just began blogging about my experience as a USA Olympic Style Boxer at http://ProBoxingFitness.Net the blog is for LGBTQ and allies.

The blog will soon offer postings that target the physical, mental, and emotional well being of it’s readers.
The content will specialize in general fitness, the Sport of Olympic Style Boxing, and the topic of “Winning In Life.”
Blog visitors benefit from free fitness tips, advice, and an opportunity to get their fitness or boxing related questions answered by a Licensed Coach at no cost and NO DISCRIMINATION.

Stay Encouraged,

Allied NATO Government is hiding millions of infectious NON HIV AIDS cases (like mine) under the "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)" ICD-code.

My case goes up through the White House, NIH, CDC, WHO, to the United Nations. I recently testified on a federal-level in Washington, DC, and have been published 12 times on 4 continents.

UK PROGRESSIVE published one of my letters about NON HIV AIDS. This topic has been censored from mainstream media since 1992 (i.e., circa Gulf War I).

www.ukprogressive.co.uk/the-aids-like-disease-seldom-mentioned/article20891.html

I hope that you will support this humanitarian issue, and spread-the-news too (e.g., write a story, add to your e*Newsletter and/or post on Facebook/Twitter).

In the fight for humanity,
k



My life with NON HIV AIDS (including my federal testimony):

www.cfsstraighttalk.blogspot.com


Or simply google "NON HIV AIDS"

I am a documentary filmmaker, gay, and have just completed a film called STRAIGHT LINE CURVE. It showcases seven successful gay men of the USA Southwest who do not fit the stereotypes often associated with homosexuality. Each man has a high profile and is fulfilled, optimistic, inspirational and proud.

I believe this film offers the world a wonderful and motivational look at the gay journey, which few people in the general populace knows exists...but it does! This 32-minute film is available on DVD.

Ed Breeding, Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA
email: breeding4051@comcast.net
www.ed-breeding.artistwebsites.com

I'm a openly homosexual male, currently studying to become a teacher (ages 16-19) in the city of Gothenburg, Sweden. I have been adviced by other students to not make my sexual orientation public in my profession.
I feel that teachers are seen as heterosexual until proven otherwise. Does that meen I need to go back into the closet as long as I'm a teacher? I want to be free to say things like: "I was discussing the topic of corrective eye surgery with my boyfriend last week and he told me that..." and not having it be a big deal (which it is as long as teachers are kept in the closet.

Very interesting film depicting the passing of same-sex marriage legislation within London and the UK in 2013. Worth a look!! http://youtu.be/NZaBse2hrQU

Ethiopian LGBTs need help to halt abuses

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Rainbow Ethiopia

Ethiopia has one of the world’s most restrictive laws governing attempts to protect the rights and health of women, children, LGBT people, the sick and the disabled.

As a result, those people’s rights and health are endangered, and too little is being done to change that.

A law called the Charities and Societies Proclamation (CSP) 621/2009 bans any advocacy and human rights work seeking to end violence against women and children or to promote the rights of people with disabilities, people living with HIV, or other marginalized populations.

Further, grassroots organizations and front-line activists working for the rights and sexual health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Ethiopia are in danger both because of CSP 621/2009 and because of anti-homosexuality Proclamation No. 414/2004.2012, which provides for prison sentences of up to 15 years for consensual same-sex sexual activity.

As a result, little progress has been made in suppressing violence against LGBT individuals, which is inflicted both by police and by mobs. LGBT people tend to keep their sexual orientation a secret to avoid arrest and social stigma. LGBT activists fear for their safety, because a number of them have been detained, interrogated and tortured.

The U.S. and other countries don’t do enough to push for an end to such violations. Although they know that change is needed, they don’t make it a priority. Every year the U.S. State Department copies and pastes the same two paragraphs in its Ethiopian Human Rights Report under the heading “Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” This is the wording from the newly released 2012 report:

Consensual same-sex sexual activity is illegal and punishable by imprisonment under the law. There were some reports of violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; reporting was limited due to fear of retribution, discrimination, or stigmatization. Persons did not identify themselves as LGBT persons due to severe societal stigma and the illegality of consensual same-sex sexual activity. Activists in the LGBT community stated they were followed and at times feared for their safety. There were periodic detainments of some in the LGBT community, combined with interrogation and alleged physical abuse.

The AIDS Resource Center in Addis Ababa reported the majority of self-identified gay and lesbian callers, the majority of whom were male, requested assistance in changing their behavior to avoid discrimination. Many gay men reported anxiety, confusion, identity crises, depression, self-ostracism, religious conflict, and suicide attempts.


Ethiopia’s location in East Africa

A first step toward would be for the U.S. embassy and U.S. human rights missions in the country to work closely with local LGBT activists and community leaders to flesh out the 2013 report. It’s important to record the specifics about the degrading and so-far-unreported human rights violations that Ethiopian people experience on the basis of their sexual identity and gender orientation.

A similar shortcoming applies to the U.K.’s 2012 Human Rights and Democracy Report, which mentions nothing about the human rights abuses targeted at LGBT people in Ethiopia.

Along the same lines, a conference of African Union health ministers is being held this week in Addis Ababa to discuss ways to combat the continent’s diseases. The pressing issue of LGBT people and HIV in Africa is not in their agenda.

It’s not because the foreign governments don’t know what’s going on. HIV activists and LGBT human right workers continually report incidents of social justice and human rights abuses to the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hope is that international organizations such as those will investigate and work with the Ethiopian government to address the issue.

For more information visit our website:

http://www.rainbow-ethiopia.org/

Ethiopian LGBTs need help to halt abuses

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Rainbow Ethiopia

Ethiopia has one of the world’s most restrictive laws governing attempts to protect the rights and health of women, children, LGBT people, the sick and the disabled.

As a result, those people’s rights and health are endangered, and too little is being done to change that.

A law called the Charities and Societies Proclamation (CSP) 621/2009 bans any advocacy and human rights work seeking to end violence against women and children or to promote the rights of people with disabilities, people living with HIV, or other marginalized populations.

Further, grassroots organizations and front-line activists working for the rights and sexual health of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in Ethiopia are in danger both because of CSP 621/2009 and because of anti-homosexuality Proclamation No. 414/2004.2012, which provides for prison sentences of up to 15 years for consensual same-sex sexual activity.

As a result, little progress has been made in suppressing violence against LGBT individuals, which is inflicted both by police and by mobs. LGBT people tend to keep their sexual orientation a secret to avoid arrest and social stigma. LGBT activists fear for their safety, because a number of them have been detained, interrogated and tortured.

The U.S. and other countries don’t do enough to push for an end to such violations. Although they know that change is needed, they don’t make it a priority. Every year the U.S. State Department copies and pastes the same two paragraphs in its Ethiopian Human Rights Report under the heading “Societal Abuses, Discrimination, and Acts of Violence Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.” This is the wording from the newly released 2012 report:

Consensual same-sex sexual activity is illegal and punishable by imprisonment under the law. There were some reports of violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals; reporting was limited due to fear of retribution, discrimination, or stigmatization. Persons did not identify themselves as LGBT persons due to severe societal stigma and the illegality of consensual same-sex sexual activity. Activists in the LGBT community stated they were followed and at times feared for their safety. There were periodic detainments of some in the LGBT community, combined with interrogation and alleged physical abuse.

The AIDS Resource Center in Addis Ababa reported the majority of self-identified gay and lesbian callers, the majority of whom were male, requested assistance in changing their behavior to avoid discrimination. Many gay men reported anxiety, confusion, identity crises, depression, self-ostracism, religious conflict, and suicide attempts.


Ethiopia’s location in East Africa

A first step toward would be for the U.S. embassy and U.S. human rights missions in the country to work closely with local LGBT activists and community leaders to flesh out the 2013 report. It’s important to record the specifics about the degrading and so-far-unreported human rights violations that Ethiopian people experience on the basis of their sexual identity and gender orientation.

A similar shortcoming applies to the U.K.’s 2012 Human Rights and Democracy Report, which mentions nothing about the human rights abuses targeted at LGBT people in Ethiopia.

Along the same lines, a conference of African Union health ministers is being held this week in Addis Ababa to discuss ways to combat the continent’s diseases. The pressing issue of LGBT people and HIV in Africa is not in their agenda.

It’s not because the foreign governments don’t know what’s going on. HIV activists and LGBT human right workers continually report incidents of social justice and human rights abuses to the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hope is that international organizations such as those will investigate and work with the Ethiopian government to address the issue.

For more information visit our website:

http://www.rainbow-ethiopia.org/

Allied NATO Government is hiding millions of infectious NON HIV AIDS cases (like mine) under the "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)" ICD-code.

My case goes up through the White House, NIH, CDC, WHO, to the United Nations. I recently testified on a federal-level in Washington, DC, and have been published 12 times on 4 continents.

UK PROGRESSIVE published one of my letters about NON HIV AIDS. This topic has been censored from mainstream media since 1992 (i.e., circa Gulf War I).

www.ukprogressive.co.uk/the-aids-like-disease-seldom-mentioned/article20891.html

I hope that you will support this humanitarian issue, and spread-the-news too (e.g., write a story, add to your e*Newsletter and/or post on Facebook/Twitter).

In the fight for humanity,
k


My life with NON HIV AIDS (including my federal testimony):

www.cfsstraighttalk.blogspot.com

Or simply google "NON HIV AIDS"


My federal testimony about NON HIV AIDS from a recent CFS/ME advisory committee meeting (Washington, DC via conference call) posted (5 minutes):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubjGm5dILpY&list;=PL600CB038194B4593&index;=11&feature;=plpp_video

Being gay in my country is same as being a sheep in a pack of wolves. If you are not an open gay, and you are a classic lesbian (NO ONE RECOGNIZES YOUR SEX ORIENTATION BY LOOKING AT YOU)Then you are fine. But if someone knows what kind of sexual relationships you have, well the picture in this case is different. The government tries to be fine towards them,well they are tying to integrate to Europe and adopt its culture and belongings, it is quite an open fact, but People, hmm , society is wild about this. Now a very strong Islamization is spread, those Mollas are washing up people's brain with different religious stuff, not letting people think independently and democratically. I remember me being a schoolkid, wearing like a boy, my classmates used to call me in different ways, like homo idiot, hermaphrodite or the stuff like that. There are some gay people killed and abused over there too. It is not a safe and good place to be gay, not at all

Hi I'm a lesbian from Yemen Aden,I'm a lawyer and i know what punishment waits for lesbians and gay people if they had sex .. i know whats my punishment.
its men world even when it come to this gay people get less punishment than lesbians i can get to 2 years in jail when gay can get to one year..of curse that if you weren't married and that if you could escape from your family's punishment ,they have a right by the law to kill me for having sex.
i loved a girl who's lesbian too but married if any one of her family knew she will be dead,i try to be careful but shes not,I'm afraid to cause her pain or something worse .. i cant ask for asylum unless i traveled to another country that support lgbt rights .. and i can't continue living like this without right to have the woman i love n protect her.

First off, this story is not about me. It involves me, but you should focus on the other persons involved. This person is a friend. Let's call her Danielle.

Danielle is bisexual, and openly so. People gossip about her, but nobody hates her openly, because thankfully, many people from my school are neutral about LGBTs. But, she had a crush on someone in the school. Who was well. Me.

She confessed, and I had to tell her that I didn't feel the same way. A normal rejection, and a promise to remain good friends. But people heard, and people judged. That is what I'm angry about today.

Is it wrong to have a crush? Is it wrong to feel? Would you look down on a girl who had confessed to a boy instead and gotten rejected? Is it wrong?

And this was in a mono-gender school. My co-ed school is much worse now.

PS I am a tomboy and they charged me as a man!!!

My girlfriend and I was in Beijing club today on 19 April 2012 and we had a very bad experience. They didn't charge my girlfriend but only me to the club and we were stuck on the 3rd floor and did not let us down to the 2nd floor. It is ridiculous when they tell us it is crowd control when it is just homophobic shit!!! If their practice is not have girls to pay should this not be for all girls?? I do not understand the logic behind this... And we have videos to prove it as we asked for a receipt and they asked us to go home!!!!! We need to spread the word for this!!

Making Our Struggles Visible: Advances in LGBTI rights demand courage and solidarity

These weeks of early spring 2013 gay rights have made the headlines in newspapers across the globe. Equal marriage bill is being debated in United States, Brazil, Colombia and Finland.
12 countries have granted the equal right to marry to same-sex couples after Uruguay's decision to legalise same-sex marriage. Earlier this week the French national assembly approved "Marriage to all" bill increasing expectations of equal marriage.

At the dawn of a brighter future, I was reminded of the importance of providing media coverage to these advances; for worldwide the battle for equality is nowhere near to be finished. LGBTI rights are a question of survival and a pending human rights issue. I will share you a story which happened to me this late March in 2013. The event took place on diplomatic grounds in Finland, hence, beyond the reach of local anti-discrimination measures.

I had written a solid application for a job, and was soon called for a round of interviews. I made it to the last stage. At first it seemed very promising. I was being congratulated for an excellent application, my broad experience and language skills. Soon the awkward question popped up: "Are you married?" I answered simply "No, I am not." This led my high-ranking interviewer onto the follow-up: 螯覚 you have a boyfriend?The seemingly obvious response "Yes, I am in a relationship" did not occur at that instant. Instead, I opted for the gender-neutral choice "Yes, I have a life partner." My interviewer got slightly confused. After confusing the pronouns him/her in his speech, he looked at me and said: "So, you do have a boyfriend or what?" Feeling puzzled about what my relationship actually had to do with the position in question, I decided to be frank and not lie about who I am. He had, in fact, asked me a straight-forward question and deserved an honest response: "I have a girlfriend", I said.

From there on, my interview turned into an odd quiz about [my] sexual orientation. Despite my ongoing efforts to steer the conversation back into the topic, my experience and professional strengths, I found myself with no resorts. Over the next 45 minutes, I was directed with questions that ranged from the age in which I had discovered my orientation (if I knew what was meant with it) to the citizenship and life interests of my girlfriend, and further along to whether I had preferred female or male teachers, if I got along with people regardless their gender, if I held grudge against some women, and which one of us two was the dominating one in the relationship.

My interviewer kept on assuring me that my sexual orientation was not a decisive factor. Yet, in the midst of it, I was never given the chance to defend myself for the job. Somehow, my private life had become the factor that defined me as a professional. I could have interrupted him. But I knew that this was a well-educated bigot who was not going to offer me the job. Instead, this was my chance to set some miss-guided presumptions straight.

This experience forced me to ask myself a question, pondered by many others before me: where should we draw the limit between acting professional and being political? How far can we go in respecting our privacy? Can we actually afford to stay quiet?

I am someone who considers private life private. I firmly believe that our personal lives should have no bearing over how we are perceived as professionals. That it is no concern of our employer's with whom we share our lives. I also think that office hours are office hours, and that personal issues are best left outside. However, we are social beings and sooner or later one of your colleagues will want to know a bit more about you. Then if an acquaintance assumes you straight, is it alright for us to stay quiet?

Recent evidence in United States shows that people seem more willing to support equal right to marriage if they know personally someone who is gay. I know this. Still, I am ashamed to confess that I have confided in separating the private from the public and hidden behind my deceiving appearance as a straight woman. Twice have I found myself cornered up and closeted at work. This has made me feel like a liar and a cheat. It has really made me question my values and beliefs, for I know that the advances in LGBTI rights have come about because ordinary people have had the courage to stand up and fight. I know that if we want to improve our status as equal, worthy and capable citizens and professionals, we must make our lives and battles visible. We must turn the private into public.

In contrast to the 12 countries with equal right to marriage, a third of the countries world-wide consider homosexuality a crime. In nine countries it is punishable by death. Many others have approved anti-discrimination measures to varying degree. No matter which end of the spectrum, there are no guarantees that we are not discriminated against.

My story is not unique. Around the world people are killed, attacked, harassed, bullied and many are at risk of losing their work because of their sexual orientation or gender. The denial of equal rights and the lack of effective anti-discrimination measures threaten the lives and livelihoods of many people like me. Being outspoken probably cost me the job. Paradoxically, it made me more determined to make my life count. I was reminded that LGBTI rights are human rights. They are a global issue. And that advances towards equality can be achieved only through tremendous acts of courage and solidarity.

the following is my friend Tom's story, in his own words

I committed statutory rape with a 15-year old male when I was 51. He was my student. I loved and love him whole-heartedly and completely, and promised him unconditional love, long before any sex took place. Human behavior is complicated and has many varieties. This is an unusual story. The government told a cartoon story with broad strokes of black and white.

I was imprisoned without bond, and had my freedom of speech taken away before I had been convicted of any crime. Newspapers printed government press releases without any checking of any facts. If necessary, I will submit to a polygraph on any statement I make, from any independent administrator. Ask those who contradict my statements if they will do the same. If a statement was proved by evidence or the victim's statements, I will put (P). I have discovered that the police falsify information, and distort and manipulate facts and testimony. My belief in the United States has been shaken.

The young man, a South American adopted into an Orthodox Jewish family, was cutting himself in September of 2009 when we met. He told me it was from the frustration with his home life, and not being allowed to be Latino or social, and being forced to observe a religion he found oppressive. He said one sister attacked him physically several times. He is a remarkable, bright, witty, and kind human being, with a fierce urge for freedom. I found him to be extraordinary. He came to see me most days, even more often after he was warned by his parents that I was homosexual, I found out later.(P) He brought a chess board in for lunches when he found out I played chess. We talked about history, religion, politics, psychology. He eventually he told me about the cutting.

I called his father, talked to the rabbis, called a psychologist, put him in touch with a former student with whom I thought he might click (heterosexual), gave him a copy of The Road Less Travelled, the best book I thought on how one gets happy. He kept cutting. I was frantic to help. I promised to love him unconditionally, forever. We loved talking, and I hoped I could make up whatever he lacked. I promised to do anything in my power to help him be happy. I sent him affirmation texts. (Know you are loved, you are great as you are, say "I am a wonderful person," etc.)

Some months later, on the phone, he said we should have sex. I told him that was a "really bad idea."

Some time later, he said he was playing tennis next to my building, and he would come by to work on a project. He came up, and said he was not there to work on the project, but to have sex. I tried to talk him out of it. (P) I said I could love him without sex. (P) He said I didn't have to. I said he did not owe me sex for love. He said he knew he did not owe, he wanted it, and he said I did too. I said sex was not that important, that he should not ask such a thing just for sex. He said it was for true love, that we were soul mates, we would be together forever. I said if we were soul mates then, we would be so in a few years. He said, true, but since we were we did not have to wait. Many times, he said he needed it to live. He confirmed at trial that he believed that. (P) He believed he loved me and that I loved him. (P) I said he should be with someone his age. He said he was attracted to older men. (P) I said everyone would assume it was my fault when it came out (even years later if we were together). He said he would tell them he picked me, and besides, we would be together. He said he had known what he wanted for a long time. He said such things happened all the time. Nothing happened that day (Feb,. 13 2010) We agreed to work it out. The conversation continued the next day with many more reasons for no on my part. He finally said if it was not me, it would be some other older white guy. (P) I agreed on February 14.

I have tried to be a good person my whole life. I try not to manipulate people. I love people without sex; sex and love are not the same thing. I do not even like to have sex with someone drunk, even a boyfriend because of the consent issue. I have always tried to tell the truth. Even in teaching, I would tell students the reason I was doing something (quizzes are designed to force you to read, etc.) I have tried to help the outcasts, with chess and theater. Many students said I saved lives, saved souls.

No combination of things could have made me give in like those. I had to save the life of someone I loved, a soul mate with love so true that 35 years made no difference, and if I didn't do it he would go do it somewhere else. I justified it by saving his life, not denying true love, and protecting him from those who did not love him. It was clearly wrong, but has anyone been subject to such arguments in such a situation? He said, trust me, believe me.

I thought that rejection just might kill him. I thought he wanted to be trusted and believed. I rationalized that the release of sex with someone he loved might stop the cutting. I let myself believe. He said in a statement later he did it for power and control. (P) The cutting stopped for four months until another fight with his sister.

Once I agreed I did whatever I could to make him happy. He was very advanced sexually. He claimed that I was the first, but close examination of his statement excluded from trial makes that claim dubious. He wanted to try light bondage and spanking. I always did what he asked. The prosecutor loved to say "penetrated with objects." I was the far more often penetrated. Everything done was done mutually. He was very happy, almost giddy. Only he could arrange meeting times. I came when he called, and did what he asked. He estimated 50 to 60 times in 5 months. The frequency with which he chose should have been proof of a loving if wrong relationship; I had no ability to arrange to see him. The schedule was his. He repeatedly texted and told me "You saved my life."

I had to move to Virginia to make more money. He said he wanted us to be together, so I remained faithful. I saw him that Christmas break, once, and it was clear he was no longer interested. He had been sleeping with a number of other older men. (P This is factual from his statements, not speculation.) I did not know that until my arrest. He called me to officially end the relationship in January. I was heart-broken, but I never raised his vow of eternal love. I tried to continue loving him as a friend. We soon emailed, and I never asked to renew the sexual relationship. I offered to be a best friend (my choice) or never talk to him if that was what he needed. (P) His emails say things like "Thank you...for everything," and "Not worry about you? Not possible." The emails are available.

He broke contact in early June of 2011. I heard by email from someone claiming to be him in October of that year, but it was not him. I denied the sex, thinking it was his family. I promised to do anything to help him if HE asked, and ended contact with the impostor. It was a Florida law enforcement agent. That was my first offer to turn myself in.

He got in trouble for his sexual contact with men. He refused to cooperate with police. (P) He was locked in psychological facilities for a year. He was brainwashed into changing the facts of what happened, (P) and his attitude was reversed. As far as I can tell, he was locked up for being actively gay. He was 17 for most of that time. In May 2012 he cooperated with police, and contacted me. When he called, I said I was ready to come tell the truth if that was what he needed. My second offer. He said he wanted me to come see him (reversed by police) and that he could not wait until he was 18. (P) I was confused by his previous rejection and now reversal. The policeman, as the young man, sent me sexually suggestive texts and emails, begging for me to renew the relationship, and made me promise to say something on the phone. It was the young man on the phone. I promised, and the young man initiated phone sex at the behest of the police. (P) I tried to decline; he said he had "needs." (P) I came to Florida and was arrested, after telling him twice more on the phone I would come and tell the truth. He was three months away from his 18th birthday at this point. The federal age of consent is 16, but they charged me under the Florida age of 18, but using a federal charge that carried a sentence of 10 to life.

The young man's police statement on which the indictment was based was largely disproved at trial. (P) The federal government charged me under an internet predator law, convinced that there were other victims. The police directed or suggested the false testimony. (P) They said I showed him child porn, which makes no sense. This was dismissed on sentencing, but they used it twice in trial to disgust the jury. They kept hinting at trial and sentencing about other victims, who do not exist, in spite of running a hotline number that was carried in the US and England. I find men from the age of maturity to 30ish more attractive sexually than older men, though not exclusively. Do heterosexuals do this as well? Does a 50 year old heterosexual fantasize about 50 year-ld women? I tried NOT to see students outside of school. I would never seduce anyone; the greatest attraction for me is someone's desire for me.

When the other victims did not appear, they brought in the FBI grooming expert to say I groomed him, since the evidence of persuading, enticing, inducing or coercing was slim. No grooming scenario exists in which the "groomer" waits for the "victim" to ask for sex, and then tries to dissuade the "victim." As unlikely as my story sounds, at trial he admitted that he, not I, proposed sex, that I tried to talk him out of it (and thus he talked me into it), that he BELIEVED he needed it to live, that I said I could love him without sex, and that he said he would find another older white guy if I said no. He AFFIRMED these at trial.

The interpretation of the law for induce as "cause" is to "allow to happen," when it should mean force. Under this absurd reading, this law has a LOWER threshold of guilt than statutory rape; a text message saying "OK, I will pick you up," would convict, without any contact. If every gay teen who texted an older lover were to be found in South Florida, there would be an army in prison. Statutory rape under federal guidelines carries a 41-51 month sentence. I was given 200 months under the persuasion statute. I had offered to plead guilty to statutory rape and it was rejected; they blamed me at sentencing for putting him through the trial.

Most heterosexual women in the same situation are sentenced to probation to two years. The application of this statute was arbitrary and unequal. The prosecutor announced to the jury that he granted that the "sex was consensual." The age of consent in Israel is 15, so in that civilized a country I would not even have committed a crime at all. The rich are sued for this. Where is the moral fairness?

Why was I prosecuted this way? Conservative politics and homosexuality. The family is Orthodox Jewish, the investigator who fashioned the testimony is Catholic, the prosecutor is Republican, and the judge voted for Rick Santorum.

I believed saving his life, or both of us believing it, would mitigate the statutory rape charge. I believed telling the truth and offering to turn myself in would mitigate. Telling the truth was the worst thing I could have done. Had I denied him when he called, and lied, nothing would have happened. I tried to be honest; rejecting him seemed to violate my vow of love.

I do not "blame" him for sleeping with other men. I do not love him less. I would have done anything for his happiness. I would have gladly NOT slept with him. I rationalized that I was being courageous to save his life and risk my own. I felt he was testing to see if my vow of eternal, unconditional love was real. He convinced me we were breaking convention for our mutual happiness. I thought I could serve some years to save him. If it truly saved his life, I wish I could say that knowing what I do now, I would still have been loyal enough to say yes. I would not have had the courage. I am sorry it happened either way.

Does love matter? Does fairness matter? Does the truth matter? When does a person have sexual and religious freedom? Can a conservative family change those by locking someone in psychological units, to change attitudes and alter facts? Does gay sex justify any level of charges, and any lying by the government?

I hope the young will save my life some day.

Please tell my story.

Thomas Patrick Keelan 98219-004
FDC Miami

Hi to everyone,

My girlfriend and I has been together since 2010; however she went to her country to get a turist visa, in order to be legal in USA where I am leving at this moment, the cituation is getting very bad, because she did something that were not suppos to do, and she follow other people to get fake papers, in order to obtain turist visa to enter USA, however in the embassy they figure out that all the papers presented in the embassy were fake, so since them she could not return to USA and the sad part she wanted to comit sucide.
I was able to see her for two weeks I went to her country, but the moment I left she was very sad and she does not want to see me till everything is ok, I decide to star looking for a job in Canada for two reasom since and her country and where I leave in USA are not allow to get marry.
Since I am USA citizens,I could have better opportunity, I am try very hard in order to go over there and take my girlfriend with me, since we want to get marry in the near future, I am getting a little desperate, if some one please could help me or to oriented me where to go I will apreciated. my email is ebo6966@yahoo.com

well I am a young Moroccan gay, I die of loneliness, I try my solmate, here in my country gays are not acceptable, I hide my truth, I want to find my travel solmate, I give all my life to study and work, and now I'm organizing my life, and I do not know how? help me,? I want a real relationship with a love sex do not have essential by that when you talk to someone, automatically, the sex talk, but most love, I do not like relationships in the Vertuel, ,

my email: secteur.pro@gmail.com

The NZ government is about to have voted in LGBT marriage. There is 100% chance that this will be passed! Good on you NZ

john, if you want to see homophobias then let invite you to my country cameroon where i live.
you certainly will be served.
if you are interested then let me know through this same forum and we will exchange ids and get to venture together
witing to read from you as soon as received.
fleur

hi ilga,i will not like to be identified.
i am a caameroonian, female i have always had difficulties in sharing my identity for fear of repraisals. but since i grew older i have developed some courage which makes me express my views without fear or favour. but about my sexual orientation, i am receiving alot of discrimination of recent. it is affecting my job as a journalist. something very complecated to manage. i sometimes am compelled to think of going on exile but, how do i do it? i realy wish i would feel free in my nature and interact with others normally, why not find someone to love and live with. but i don't know how to go about it. can someone help me please...
in my country cameroon there is alot of discrimination towards people of complicated nature like gays, lesbians... i was last week witness to a humiliating confrontation visa vis a gay who openly dmitted his sexual orientation. i felt bad but sad to note that somoany cameroonians are in asimilar situation but do nothave the courage to declare. others areforced into marraige which ends up being a lifetime uneasiness.
but i will not like to do something forcfully but, i don't know how to go about it...

in my society i can not tell anyone i am a lesbian, because i live in a society where the islam control people`s mind . i`m afraid not be accapted by the people,

I left the UK in 2011, to travel around the world with my civil partner, we are still on the road and there is no end to our journey. I must say we have not experienced any hate crimes or homophobia on our trip so far. You can see the countries we visited and follow our journey around the world at our travel blog http://flashpackatforty.com/

Denuncia Fundacion Remar Colombia y Remar Internacional por Corrupcion, Percurio, Fraude, Evasion de Capital, Contrabando Internacional y HOMOFOBIA.
http://jusremar.blogspot.com/

I am a keralite. i am persuing my master of social work in a well known institution of our country. As all of us know that lesbianism is treated as a sin or which is against the will of the society. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE I DONT THINK THAT WHAT I AM DOING IS NOT RIGHT. i only feel sad when i think of telling about it to my parents. may be they will beat me or punish me.it wil break down all those dreams they had seen regarding my marriage and future.they may at their best hide this fact and marry me to another man. after all how many years they wil be with me? do they be a part of my life for ever? isn't it a cheating that i am doing to my husband by being physically satisfying him and keeping another person in my heart? i chose this because i am more satisfied physially as well as mentally with another lady than that of a MAN. as i am a student of MSW i know the other aspect of my ORIENTATION. Our sexual orientation is channelised during our teenages.
it is an individual right and freedom its not a society that is affected. like other love marriages happens in our society the same happens in this case too. when i cohabit with my partner i am not fighting against the society.if two people are happy in living together without disturbing the other societal people, what is the problem in that? the only 'UNNATURAL" that is happening is that the pocreation aspect is not happening in that particular relationship.we all are human beings. we have our own likeness and wishes.. so let us be what we are.. we are not curtailing anybody's freedom ,not harming anybody..as anyother human beings we just want to live a happy normal life. what is the point in living life without happiness???

Why is being yourself so wrong? Lesbian, gay, bisexual, straight, and transgender will always find love no matter how much it is hated upon. You are you, I am me, and everyone is who they are, not what they choose. Is our society really that crooked that its thought of as a choice and we can be "saved" because its not a choice, we don't want or need to be saved. We are happy the way we are. I can honestly say I live and love that I am lesbian. I have been me through all the crap I have been put through. I lost a relationship with my mother, that one person you so desparately want to understand and be there for you no matter what. She wasn't there for me. She hated that I was and will always be lesbian. It hurts to lose someone, but It kills to lose your very own mother. I move forward though because I know that I need to make my life MY life. We will always have those people who won't understand, but if we stand together and never stop fighting for our rights and own love they can't do anything to stop us. We will be the ones sleeping comfortably at night.

Con Francisco I la Iglesia Católica ha perdido una oportunidad histórica para realmente renovarse y abrirse a la inclusión e igualdad.

Como colectivo latinoamericano en la defensa de los derechos humanos nos alegra el reconocimiento a una región mayoritariamente católica. Pero al tiempo, con tristeza, debemos registrar la elección del Cardenal Jorge Mario Bergoglio - ahora Papa Francisco I -como conductor de una de las principales aglutinadoras de fe en el Mundo.

Estamos en la obligación de recordar que en un pasado no muy lejano cuando se desempeñaba como Arzobispo de Buenos Aires, el nuevo Papa fue un injusto opositor que uso su investidura cardenalicia para emitir conceptos contrarios al matrimonio entre parejas del mismo sexo y al otorgamiento de derechos plenos a ciudadanos pertenecientes al sector poblacional de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales, transgéneros e intesexuales (LGBTI).

El ahora Sumo Pontífice, dijo que legalizar uniones homosexuales era "movida del Diablo”; mensaje a todas luces homofóbico e injusto sobretodo viniendo de una institución fundamentada en la tolerancia, la comprensión y el amor.

También preocupa su cómplice silencio sobre el robo de menores en los tiempos de la dictadura argentina y otras posiciones fundamentalistas contra la autonomía de la mujer, que en nada contribuyen a la sana convivencia en los tiempos actuales.

Con su elección, el cónclave Vaticano insiste en sembrar el prejuicio y odio contra unas personas que más que el repudio, merecemos la comprensión y la inclusión social en condiciones de igualdad.
Daremos un compás de espera a las acciones del recién elegido Papa, y esperamos que en vez de ver la paja en el ojo ajeno, vea la viga en el propio, y reconozca los errores de una institución eclesiástica sumida en escándalos de abuso sexual por cuenta de curas pederastas.

Ojalá esas virtudes de caridad, austeridad y servicio que dicen tiene el nuevo Pontífice primen frente a sus comprobadas acciones conservadoras en contra de la libertad, la igualdad y la diversidad sexual.

RICARDO MONTENEGRO VÁSQUEZ
Abogado, Director Orgullo LGBT Colombia


Bogotá DC, 13 de marzo de 2013
@r_Montenegro www.orgullolgbt.net
cel 3126707269 fijo (1) 4704371

Hello ILGA friends, I wonder if you could help my 2 girlfriends gain some support and attention by posting the following link to your webpages and any social networking page you oversee. They are about to marry each other and have invited someone special to their wedding!!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152635449140554&set;=o.26012002239&type;=1&theater;&notif;_t=photo

The more attention we get the more exposure and chance of the girl's dreams come true! Please read. Thank you for taking interest, as this is in all our interests!

Kind regards,
Leigh Johnston

My firm, www.mazzeschi.it, successfully assisted a same-sex US partner of an Italian national in obtaining one of the first long term Permits of Stay issued by the Italian authorities to same-sex couples. The application was filed pursuant to Decree 30/2007 and, to avoid any challenge with the authorities and expedite the processing time, was supported by the Directive of the Ministry of Interior of October 26th validating same-sex marriages as well as the recent judgement of the Reggio Emilia’s Court. The Permit of Stay, valid for five years, has been issued in less than one month. Marco Mazzeschi

it happened to me: i am stadying in a school in 12 th standard. allthe in our g had arranged for a party in whihc i was also invited. i also went to the party. All the girls were given cool drinks. were enjoying the chatting and suddenly i felt giddy after some time. i was made to lie in the sofa near by
after half an hour i got to see my pantees were taken and all the girls were kissing me one by one

read your story , was interesting would love to chat with you....if you would too then leave a sign or a message - la

Hi Saudi Gay guy...personally I wish for a world where one day we did not have borders, division & hatred among people & where all LGBTQI people were free, accepted & respected...but until that time, have you thought of the idea of marrying a lesbian in Saudi? Read these posts & in many places on the internet & you will see your troubles are shared by many in your country. This is sometimes a solution for some people in similar situations. I wish you well.

Hope I like naughty!!!contact this cutie at 678 850 1097!!!!

I love to go party but whdn I was lil I saw gay guys and lesbians and just normal boy and girls so I didn't know what I wanted to be so I'm both

HIV-Negative AIDS: CFIDS or AIDS?

Allied NATO Government is hiding millions of infectious NON HIV AIDS cases (like mine) under the "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS)" ICD-code.

BEST GAY NEWS published one of my letters about NON HIV AIDS.

This marked it’s 12th publication on 4 continents. This topic has been censored from mainstream media since 1992.

www.bestgaynewsmagazine.com/2013/02/17/hiv-negative-aids-disease-vs-chronic-fatigue-syndrome.aspx?ref=rss

I hope that you will support this humanitarian issue, and spread-the-news too (e.g., write a story, add to your e*Newsletter and/or post on Facebook/Twitter).

In the fight for humanity,
k


Or simply google "NON HIV AIDS"

Hello my name is Daria and I am a producer in the NYC area, I am currently working on my latest project which I believe may interest you! I am currently in pre production of my latest film called "The Honor" this film is a heart wrenching, dramatic story about the love of a bi racial lesbian couple, whom despite the scrutiny from their peers and family they pursue their relationship anyway. After much tirany the protagonists mother ends up having her lover and soul mate killed, this story goes through the very struggles of bi racial and homosexual couples do today, and ends with a triumphant and revelating reveal. I am personally a huge advocate for gay/lesbian rights as well as bi racial and bi ethnical rights, this movie is my baby and the script was given to me along side of a dozen others and I immediately knew which story I would then make come to life. If you could be of any assistance with this project I would be more then happy to mention your organization in our film and of course give you credits. This is a story very close to my heart and getting this film the recognition it deserves is my number one priority. If you would like a copy of our script I would be more then happy to send it to you, or any more information! I truly truly hope to speak with you soon! Thank you for you time.

Sincerely, Daria
Producer of "The Honor"
Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?
-Ernest Gaines