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/

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/

Today, gay people in France can get married in law. On the other hand, gay people in South Korea can't even make boyfriends in the army due to having just passed the gay-ban law Today! What an ironic country I'm living in. What a worse thing is that the prohibition law on gay discrimination has been cancelled by left party yielded under pressure of Korean christians and homophobic people. Please, help my homophobic country. ps. sorry for my English grammar in advance.

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

Dear Sir and Madam

It is good that you are initiated some activities to know the realities of LGBTIQ issues in Nepal but I am sad to say that this is not relevant since 90% of LGBTIQ are computer illiterate and rest do not give a damn about LGBTIQ activism.

My recent research on LGBTIQ findings shows that Blue diamond society who is working towards HIV/AIDS has failed in number of ways;
1. it has hardly done anything to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS,
2. The staff members are too busy falsifying services given about HIV/AIDS awareness, treatment and prevention and research.
3. BDS has successful trafficked transgender people from around the Nepal into sex trade which has caused heavy budget to bile out illegal sex workers from the police,
4. BDS supports this because Sunil Babu Pant ( president of blue diamond society) as misued these community for his benefit including becoming a CA member 2008-2012.
5. BDS has mis-infromed international activists about HIV/AIDS status of LGBTIQ people to secure further funding.
6. 99% of LGBTIQ people neither trust BDS nor visits BDS to take any service because of its corrupt leadership.
7. Even 90% staff of BDS hates its key leader of BDS and leadership but unable to raise the voice simply because of fear of losing job and livelihood ( they are neither qualified to do anything apart from working here for tokenism)
8. BDS has focused its activities on unnecessary projects which raises more hype (internationally) than impact.
9. BDS recruits its key staff not based on merit but on his (sunil Babu Pant) link so that he can manipulated further international activist and donors,
10 Any news or research came from the orgnisation is 99% fulsified which is not related to the field stories and issues.
11. I can challenge and prove that HIV/AIDS data represented by BDS is untrue.

11. The government not willing to renew the organization not because the government of Nepal is homophobic because our government have enough evidence of corruption, misused, Human rights abuse and falsification occurring at the current leadership.
12. Sunil Babu Pant is powerful because he has formed sexual relationship with powerful people like Peter O' Neal and other UN staff who can not be challenged by average people.

This is all for this I will update further later when I have time.

Kind regards

K Maharjan

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.

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

ILGA is an education in homofascism. ILGA discriminates against people based on sexual orientation - the ultimate hypocrisy. ILGA sucks.

Though law does not expressly condone same sex marriage and/or relationships between women, it does expressly make it illegal for men and have also been used on a couple of occasions to harass lesbians in Zimbabwe. It is usually used as a political campaigning tool by politicians, despite the fact that a lot of politicians are in fact gay. a number of times people have been victimised for being lesbians and deemed worse that commercial sex workers. Families force women into marriage because they fear being in turn victimised by society for harbouring gay people or merely being related to lesbians. A number of women have been displaced from home and have often been left stranded by families who have found out about their sexuality and unfortunately some have turned into sex workers for survival. a lot have not been trained, educated or supported by family and the society at large for being gay and some even lost their jobs. Because there is no law protecting lesbians, there is no protection against such harassment and person embarassment. i was arrested, beaten, lost my job, and family threw me out after finding out about my sexuality.

Hi. Am going to use the name *ANNA* am 30 years old woman, working and living the life am expected to live by society.Am i lesbian woman who is married in order not to bring, what my father calls shame to the family. i even have a child.

My country bans and makes it unlawful to be gay and it saddens me that am in the legal sector and i watch as this law that affects me operate.

I live in a closet, afraid of each day that someone somewhere will report me and if am caught. I have refrained from having any relations with other women for fear of what repercussion maybe involved.

Am thinking of living my marriage and relocating because i do not want to live this fake life anymore, my husband has no clue as to my sexual orientation and my father made me swear never to ever reveal it. My mother pretends like she does not know yet she does.

i live a life of solitude, praying each day that my day will come when i will live free to love who i want and how i want. I teach my child every day not to judge people yet i live a lie.

My life,my story, my everyday routine.

SOS NEED URGENT HELP!!!
Everyone has the right to happiness and to be free to live their own lives. But for every moment of happiness there is a price to be paid. We are Anna and Anya, a gay couple, one of us was born in the UK + the other from Russia. In July of this year, we fell deeply in love, when we met in Athens, Greece. We decided from that moment we will always be together, but we were not prepared for what lies ahead. Since one of our nationalities is British, we decided we would apply for a UK visa and go back together to England to start a family. But the UK visa was denied. It was a terrible blow and shock to us. In ordet to make a new application for a UK visa, we have to wait after 6 months from date of refusal. In Greece, we could not stay because Anyas visa in Greece was due to expire. Since Anna ( who'd from UK) has dual citizenship by birth and family is Greek Cypriot from Cyprus, we decided to go there. In Cyprus, we are faced with new challenges related to the fact that only one of us is European. Cyprus is in a very homophobic Country where Gays face persecution beatings and being killed. Also the Global crisis has hit badly here and the Cypriots are losing their jobs every day, shops offices and factories closing every minute. We tried many different ways past few months, but in vain asthere is no work here for locals let alone foreigners. According to the law of Cyprus, to have a job you need to have a work permit. A work permit can only be obtained from the employer, another vicious circle. However, if we were a heterosexual couple, or had gay rights marraige and equality here then this problem, would not have arisen for us. We could get married, and Anna and I would have the opportunity to live and work in Cyprus. To date, we morally, psychologically and financially exhausted. Because of the inequality of rights, to be together, we are forced to move from country to country, as if we are outcasts. We now have only 6 days left in Cyprus. After 6 days, the visa expires (for Russians visa-free entry is for 3 months). We are now desperate and an urgently need to leave this country. We cannot go to England, because Anya didn't get a UK visa. We cannot go to Russia, because there is the terrible laws for gays and human rights there, which are viruslly non-existent. We recently learned that Argentina is the only country where marriages between foreigners and Gays are allowed. This is our only chance now! So we decided to go to Brazil as it's next door and we have friend there and then to marry in Argentina, to increase our chances for a UK visa in March as they cannot refuse us if we are married as they do have some equal rights there. If we don't leave Cyprus on 20th December, Anya will be blacklisted and this will affect all future European visa applications especially the one we need to eventually live in the UK! But sadly we now have no funds to leave this country, as we have 2 Euros left. Friends and family have helped as much as they could, but we are not out to everyone we know being Russian and Greek Orthodox being Gay is the worst sin against our religion! We have tried everything we can to raise funds to leave here and have now realized it is time to tell the world and the public about our situation. As we desperately need help! We have both helped so many people in our past and are owed monies we cannot collect, we wanted to borrow it but have been let down, so now we are on our knees and need all the help we can get! We really need money to buy tickets to Brazil and the means of life for the first time. This is not such a big amount, but it affects our future. As Christmas is the season of good we are praying for an act or acts of kindness and a miracle so we can spend this Christmas and the rest of our lives together! We hope that in this big wide world there is someone for whom the two people, (women) who love each other and want to be together mean something. It's time to find out if anyone really cares and if anyone is prepared to help us!!! Please... Please... please... Support us!
We are grateful for any help and support!!!
contact us
Tel:00357 96491327
Email: annamkyr@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/sosgayrights
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SOSGayRights

http://klug.cfsites.org/custom.php?pageid=38064

Speaker Kadaga promises to revive shelved gay Bill

The Speaker’s promise follows her experience in Canada, where foreign officials asked her to block the bill.


Entebbe

Days after her defence against a Canadian minister’s attacks on Uganda over homosexuality, Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has promised to expedite the debate on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

Ms Kadaga made the assurance while addressing religious leaders and journalists at Entebbe International Airport on Monday. “They said I should stop the debate on the Anti-Homosexuality Bill but I assured them there is no way I can block a private members Bill,” she said.

At the Inter-Parliamentary Union meeting in Quebec, Canada, Ms Kadaga was involved in an altercation with that country’s Foreign Affairs minister, Mr John Baird, after the latter accused Uganda of trampling on human rights.

The accusation saw Ms Kadaga tell the minister to stick to the day’s theme and respect Uganda’s sovereignty. “I will not accept to be intimidated or directed by any government in the world on matters of homosexuality,” she said, adding that she was not aware she was speaking for many people in the world, some of whom were in the conference.

“I was surprised when colleagues came and thanked me saying that’s what they have always wanted to say but they had never gotten the courage to. That when it came to me that I had spoken for the whole of Africa, for the Arab world and Asians,” she said.

The welcome ceremony and press briefing was organised by religious leaders, former Ethics and Integrity Minister Nsaba Buturo and the mover of the Bill, Mr David Bahati, all of whom are pushing for the enactment of the anti-homosexuality Bill.

A large procession comprising members of different Pentecostal churches, Makerere University students and boda boda cyclists camped at the airport from 10am to after midnight when Ms Kadaga emerged to greet them as they ululated and waved placards appreciating her boldness in Canada.

“You are our saviour, we want the bill now,” one of the placards read.
Pastor Michael Were, who spoke on behalf of the religious leaders, called on other national leaders to follow Ms Kadaga’s footsteps for the sake of the country’s culture and traditions.

Asked whether she was not mindful of Uganda being denied aid and her being denied entry visas to pro-gay countries, Ms Kadaga said such countries were welcome to keep their aid and visas.

BREAKING FREE is a landmark film project that attempts to bring in change for the LGBT community in India by highlighting the pain & trauma as well as hope & happiness.

With more than 100 interviews across India of LGBTQH persons as well as activists, advocates, changemakers, etc; the film weaves poignant personal stories with the landmark events and huge changes in the community space.

Post production is now in progress and we NOW NEED YOUR SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER to complete the project.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT. Every small bit help. And there are fabulous incentives.

Please contribute to our project through below links. EVERY CONTRIBUTION IS VALUABLE and greatly helpful.

International Supporters: http://www.indiegogo.com/breakingfreeindia

Contributions can be ANONYMOUS too. There is also facility for paying by CASH OR CHEQUE through GharPay option. See right hand top on the site.

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WATCH TRAILER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3uRelpzJIM

i wish that the LGBT community come to our country (Kuwait) bec. we really need help and we need some people to understand us bec. we're being hated by our friends and family and goverment and everyone when we tell them the truth and we can't show our love relationship to the people that's why we're keep hiding our true feeling so we can live a nice life with people around us !

I moved to London 7 years ago, only 6 months after moving here I came out to myself and others as a lesbian. Now being here and feeling free about who I am, I now look back in horror of how closeted Latvian LGBTI community has to be to survive. I remember Gay pride in Latvia couple years ago when I was visiting. Protestors would throw eggs at pride’rs, not to mention gay bars being monitored by straight no-lifers ready to unleash their anger and confusion onto people who just want to be themselves. There is no mention of LGBTI in school systems and most of grownups see being gay as lifestyle choice, as some kind of perverted lifestyle; if anything kids there might live most of their lives feeling that there is something wrong with them for years, simply because there is no guidance. Exploring your sexuality is considered as something perverted even with straight couples. I think Latvia needs a big massive rainbow slap :) I think it is getting better as Latvia now is more and more influenced by Europe and it is getting more and more diverse. So there is sunshine behind that rainy cloud which hopefully then creates an amazing rainbow :)

Hi, I'm Turkish and a lesbian and it really bothers me to see others of my ethnicity act like this towards the LGBT community. I have to wait at least 2 more years until I can even tell my parents about my sexuality...my girlfriend's mom already knows about her sexuality and all of my friends know that we're together, except for my parents. It's just not right when you can't go to your parents for help. They're your PARENTS. They're supposed to have your back no matter what you're like. Your parents are supposed to love you no matter what...what if that prosecutor had a gay child? Would he arrest his own child or beat him or something of the like? It's just unbelievable how homophobic someone can be...I recently watched a Turkish movie called Zenne Dancer that was made as a tribute to a gay man who was killed by his own father for being gay. We need to get some in the closet homosexuals into the Turkish government...

TRANSQUAT, A GENDER NEUTRAL BATHROOM FINDER APP
Now available for download in Apple iTunes Store


TranSquat is a gender neutral bathroom finder for iPhone users that locates bathrooms that are gender free relative to the users current location. It uses the phone’s current GPS location to search, add and share nearby safe locations with other users.

TranSquat was written by and for the trans community and is powered by data from safe2pee - a nationwide directory of gender neutral bathrooms. There are currently close to 4000 locations across the United States, Canada and the U.K. with more locations being added everyday.

This app is useful for transgender and gender variant individuals because sometimes finding a safe, discreet and comfortable restroom can be a challenge and or safety issue depending on where one is in their own transition or geographic location.

The app itself is community driven. Users can help build it by downloading it and sharing safe locations from their own communities. In that sense, a user can download the app and build a network of safe locations no matter where in the world they reside.

TranSquat can currently be downloaded from the Apple App Store at the following URL.
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/transquat/id521546602?mt=8

You can also follow TranSquat on Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter.
https://www.facebook.com/TranSquat
http://transquat.tumblr.com/
https://twitter.com/TranSquat

###

If you would like more information about TranSquat please e-mail Billy at transquat@rocketmail.com.

“WE” TOO ARE THE EARTH
When shall we be freed totally?
Will the freedom ever come to express our feelings without discrimination?
Who is going to free us from this societal bondage?
What a cruel world full of cruel people!

We live our everyday lives under fear and discrimination
Walking on the street in broad day light is a curse
Not to talk of the fear of the unknown at night
Abuse, mobbing and killing are order of the day
All in the name of societal beliefs, values and norms

I wonder if we are part of the earth
Since we cannot express our sexual feelings just like any other person on the planet
Society relied mostly on the biblical explanation of creation and approval of men and women unions
Some people often make jest of us and say God created “Adam and Eve” not “Adam and Steve”
Who says intimate unions/marriage should be between only men and women?
Who says such relationships is better than same-sex intimate relationships?
Some often say our sexual expression is a trend caused by westernisation and modernisation
They forget that this has been in existence since the time immemorial
Even past great men and women were attracted to same gender
Whether biblical or not biblical, what I know is that, this is who we are and society must accept us

We are treated like outcasts in our own land where there is freedom,
Freedom and equality irrespective of your sexual orientations
I wonder if this freedom will happen in reality
Due to continuous discrimination against our sexuality
I wonder if we are part of the social order of the earth
All I know is that, irrespective of how society sees us
We too are the earth

ILGA is fascist.

Duality can explain Homosexuality
Whether you are right handed or left handed, most people will agree that everyone has a preference, of which they choose to use when writing a letter. This is similar to how I understand one being homosexual or heterosexual, there appears to be a dominant natural preference involved. Although the majority of people are right hand dominated, it is universally acceptable to be left handed; whereas the majorities, who are heterosexual, don’t as easily accept someone who is homosexual. This raging controversy has propelled many scientific studies in genetics to search for a relevant answer, and has fueled many religious factions to take up some firm moral stands, with an appalling effect. Overall popular acceptance has changed dramatically in recent history but the fact remains, neither Science nor Religion can give us a definite explanation for the reality of homosexuality.
The theory I am about to present, can help make it understandable to the probable cause of how homosexual preference in an individual can be connected to their natural state of being. I will not entertain such definitions as the term “Turning Gay”, for I believe it is an inborn attraction to the same sex, and not one that was developed by some physical or mental malfunction. There are Spiritual laws that govern our world through cause and effect, and what I am about to explain has little to do with scientific study or religious values. This goes much deeper and to the heart of our physical world, and does require some spiritual insight. First of all, I am a heterosexual Male who is attracted only to the opposite sex (females). This should alleviate anyone’s concern that my understanding may show favoritism or have any justifiable purpose for my conclusion. My understanding comes from the basic principles that we are all one in God’s eye.
We must incorporate some belief, that there is a reason for everything we see in nature to truly make sense of things. To really grasp what I am saying, there must be some concept of a higher self or true being. To really understand the spiritual concept of cause and effect or law of attraction, there is one piece to the puzzle that can explain where we have come from, pertaining to who we are (the cause), and why we are here (the effect) that is vital. This is the spiritual understanding of the “Duality in nature”. Many may not be able to understand anything beyond their physical appearance, but the self-seeker and spiritually minded individual should not find it hard to comprehend. As we explore who we really are as individuals, we gain the wisdom of acceptance for others.
This duality in nature can be defined as what perpetuates our physiological reality. This duality is the process by which nature evolves and creation exists in our world. It is with purpose, and its function is the division and multiplying from the one omnipotent source, or God. Duality is a continual process for equalizing or balancing nature’s own well-being. Everything that we know of in this three dimensional world has been divided from one source, the cause of everything. There is an opposite of everything in our physical world. It is the opposites that link dualities necessity of balance; as we view the relationship between man-woman, light-dark, hot-cold, and positive-negative. It is the opposites that create the cycle of continual reunification from which it came from. What can better interoperate dualities magical sequent of events, than the rain that fills the lakes that becomes a body of water, which then is evaporated by the Sun to replenish the clouds, so it may return once again? Without duality nothing would exist of this reality we live in. Because of this perpetual cycle, nothing comes to complete rest, so it remains in infinite motion, continually dividing, constantly expanding and creating. Everything is elegantly made in retrospect for the sequence of continual rebirth, as you see in the nature of our four seasons, and in the way the Earth rotates from day to night.
To understand nature’s connection to us it helps to understand the division, and why there is such division. For example; electricity would not exist if there were no positive and negative fields. One cannot be the other, and yet they are both important to create the power needed. Man is physically opposite from a woman, but the two combined represent the human character. I believe man and woman is the division from the one total being. This is often described as the Yin and Yang, masculine/ feminine. Understanding this will also explain why some people are born to be homosexual. There is nothing wrong per say with these individuals; it is just a different division of the dual nature from which we all came from. The hard part for anyone to grasp with a three dimensional viewpoint, is that the opposites are really a division from the one source. Nature is a continual cycle in motion that is constantly seeking to return to the source from which it came. This is the same for the desire for man to find God; he is seeking the divinity he knows is in his heart. Duality in nature is how our physical reality is portrayed to us. Water cannot be vapor, and vapor cannot be water, but the duality in nature is the cause of division from any one element, and it insures a continual cycle for enhancement of life.
To explain this even further in relevance to ourselves, we must first consider ourselves to be something much more than just another product of nature, but entities that can develop a greater potential that can expand our universe. We must believe that in the raw form of our higher consciousness, duality will no longer exist, and there will be no separation. We will inhabit total awareness, and our instinctual physical senses will no longer be needed. The animal desire to administer sexual pleasure will be extinguished along with the purpose for our physicality. We will then recognize our masculine and feminine qualities as one entity. We will realize our physical bodies were only a manifestation produced from the duality that exists on the physical plane, and then know that it was the duality in nature that created our physicality, and the gender we were to be. If we have come here in a predetermined form, could it just be possible that homosexuals are another form of division to help us to better understand our commonality from which our true being resides? This being said; the procreation aspects in Duality is ignored in the sense to portray a spiritual understanding of a divine interpretation.
To reference what has been spoken of in spiritual terms as the Light. The Light can be considered the source, or God. Everything has been manifested from the one light of God. To be enlightened is the knowing of this Light. This light is the Bliss; it is where we find Rest. God has manifested his expression by dividing this light. In essence, everything is connected to the one light from which it has been divided from. Everyone and everything is seeking to return to the source from which it was created. It is by witnessing the synchronicity found in nature one can understand this evolution taking place. It will help in bringing the understanding that we are all One.
As we grasp and understand the importance of duality in our world, we begin to realize the divine intervention in place. It points to the precision of all we witness in nature, and gives so much more purpose to the world. It shouts the meaningful cause that has produced such wondrous effects. It proves that God provided everything that was needed to sustain life. Developing this insight of duality in nature, may bring strength to our spiritual perception and reason for our faith. It can bridge our divided misconceptions and align our common direction. There is a definite connection with everything and everyone, and is evident within the duality of nature. Duality has provided the continuation of the well-being for all in nature, and proves there is a law that cannot be denied. Everything is reborn, everything is replenished, and everything is bound by this law, which is evident in the duality of nature.
The evidence is in the soul and heart of man. No one can gift us any understanding of what we come to know and believe within ourselves. There should be no outside influence or persuasion that detours the performance of our individual thought. When we understand that it is our individual right to adhere to such principles, then we will gain the knowledge and wisdom that we truly deserve. Individuality has much more importance than a mere independent choice or preference; it is the expression that enables humanities growth and expansion. There are limitless boundaries society will be able to overcome, by a collective agreement sprouted from one individual idea.
I believe this theory can enable humanities answers to some of the most complex questions that have ever been conceived. It may even eliminate our physical limitations and open the door for a unified consciousness that can accept our higher awareness of certainty. Much of this article has been taken from a chapter in my ebook, “Thinking is Spiritual (We are All Spiritual)”. I want everyone to understand their own self-worth. I hope to help spread the word of this wondrous time of Awakening we are experiencing today. We are at the dawn of a new age, and a unified higher state of consciousness. We are all connected, and it is all Good!
Written by Rolley Hurley ©2012
http://reachyourdreams.weebly.com/duality-can-explain-homosexuality.html

Greetings,

LGBT community

Please allow this letter to introduce you to OKK Fashion Studio, LLC and the N’BTWN Fashion Event for which we seek your support.

Our mission at OKK Fashion Studio, LLC and our subsidiary, Just US Designs, is to provide a diverse and inclusive shopping experience for the Metro Detroit LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) Community. OKK Fashion Studio will provide a variety of LGBT clothing at competitive prices. We will give our customers the kind of customer service that is respectful, prompt, friendly and all-encompassing.

On September 22, 2012 we will be hosting the “N’BTWN” fashion event, to be held at the Detroit Institute of Arts in Downtown Detroit, Michigan for the Metro Detroit LGBT Community and its supporters. Featured will be some trend setting creations from local designers, as well as a grand finale from Just US Designs creative director and OKK Fashion Studio LLC CEO, Ms. Ouida King.

This is a great opportunity for your company or organization to receive exposure, and help to support a worthy cause. The attached sponsorship package includes benefits to all sponsors, as well as the types of specific sponsorships that are available to you. In addition, your generous sponsorship will be highlighted during our event, so that we may publicly thank you for your support.

We appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you soon. If you have any questions, please contact publicist, Mrs. Lacretia Rogers at 313-758-1366 or via email, at info@sapphire-rose.com.

Sincerely,

Ouida K. King
Ouida K. King
Creative Director
OKK Fashion Studio, LLC
okkfashionstudio@ymail.com
Lacretia L. Rogers
Chief Executive Officer
Sapphire Rose Enterprises
www.sapphire-rose.com

Hey, I'm a 15 year old Canadian girl who sadly lives in Lebanon. I'm bisexual and my mother is a homophobe. She doesn't know about me. I'm a lipstick lesbian and I'm pretty good looking :) I wanted to say that its fucked up to be living here in Lebanon because of this law against LGBT thingy, and I don't understand why its would be that hard to change all that?

On the other hand, Its been 2 years already that I'm sure I like girls, and I've made out and kissed girls when drunk :). I've done worse when sober. The day when I realized I was interested in girls..we were at a party and my friend was drunk.. She just came to me sat on my lap and started kissing me. That's when I said to myself.. Damn dude, girls are hot. I was pretty lucky that there weren't any police or shit like that when it happened. But for all the people out there who are scared to approach the same gender.. I don't think its hard.. Even in Lebanon! Just do it in private for god's sake.

Life of a Kenyan Lesbian

In kenya sex is a social taboo topic to speak about. The community is so christian and makes it hard to adress the day to day lie of lesbians.
Sexual acts between two women is illegal and is penishable under Section 162 of the penal code states that “any person who has canal knowledge of another person against the order of nature is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for fourteen years� Any person – includes both male and female.
How ever if an elderly woman can not have children she is allowed under the customary law of kenya to marry other young women for thee purpose of having children. No sexual intercoures is involved
Lesbians can not join the amy forces and they can not get married or adopt children.
In Kenya many lesbians hide from the public and the few bold ones like sylvia, pouline, faith, yvonne,jounior,akinyi, kathrine, maryanne anome others are harrased by the public, police, family. Some are extorted money, detained, beaten,jailed with but the charges are altered.
Its a hard life of a kenyan lesbian.

we needs some help coz non law for us!

The rest of the world should help look into the situation in Uganda and the current bill against gays that is being tabled in parliament.Problem also is that many of the gay people are just talkers.They talk the talk but cannot walk the walk.People are so scared about losing their lives and being discriminated that they are forced to live double lives.So many are depressed and have nowhere to turn to and with time,i will not be surprised if there is a high rate of suicides occuring in my country Uganda.Anyway,i hope the situation gets better soon which i really do not think will happen but hey,what can one do other than stay positive even in a negative situation?

We'd like to share a variety of experinces articulated in Digital Stories on the www.rainbowfamilytree.com project! Let us know what you think about sharing everyday stories for social change ; )

Kini Cosma (541)880-4534 P.O. Box 7918 Klamath Falls, Oregon 97602

MEMORANDUM OF UPDATED FACTS

TO: HONORABLE MEMBERS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES, CASE NO.: P-878-09:
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
FROM: KINI COSMA
DATE: FEBRUARY 22, 2012
REGARDING: UNLAWFUL EVICTION AND EXCESSIVE HARASSMENT

I was profiled as a lesbian and arbitrarily arrested excessively since 1989-1995 (approx 40 times-landing in prison on July 4th, arrested on Martin Luther King Day, arrested 1st business day of 2011, sent to a mental institution on March 1, 2011: my birthday). When I was wrongfully convicted of "stalking", the status was enhanced to include a "sex offense" after I was sent to prison. Branded a “sex offender,” I lost custody of my two sons. The officer has since been charged with excessive force by another attorney.

All legal activities others are entitled to have become illegal for me. All my business ventures were deliberately destroyed and frustrated and they have left me to languish resulting in loss of liberty, civil rights, productive lifestyles, financial and personal ruin, mental anguish, social condemnation and personal and family embarrassment.

I have appealed to the Federal courts since 1995 and ALL of my cases were dismissed without review. All of the difficult and dedicated work I've done was ignored while federal judges demanded that I complete more work. Even though Federal judges know I am not the “Betty Crocker” type girl, they have become obsessed with “curative rape” by forcing their disregard on me making me an object of ridicule and scorn in order that I submit to and service their American Men.

As a result of my legal battles against the U.S. Government, I have become an extremely unfavorable person subjected to and having to suffer severe retaliation. I noticed my $100k rightfully inherited trust fund was wrongfully pilfered/seized after I asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to suspend the powers of the trustee. I also noticed that at least two attempts to entrap me in illegal ponzi schemes occurred while I was suffering brutality at the hands of the Lassen County community in California.
I have also lost other real property and vehicles wrongfully seized and confiscated by the states of California and Oregon authorities.

The state and federal courts, in both California and Oregon, deliberately set me up to fail refusing to grant me asylum or protection from persecution and using me as a human battering instrument for others in the community to abuse, physically and emotionally. Those in the community banter me because they just want me to shut up and go away and endure the sexual harassment. Because of the selfish reasons of those who conspired for my false imprisonment, other malicious prosecutions and judicial injustice has taken place. Impropriety, prosecution for the sake of prosecution, lack of funds for legal aid to prove my innocence and/or other errors of one kind or another, has occurred.

All of the excessive government entanglement running afoul of civil and human rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution without legal support has deeply affected my health. Even though I have brought separate §1983 and §2254 actions against the police and other officials on the grounds that labeling me as a sex offender based upon a policy enacted after my criminal conviction violated my constitutional rights. And, the infringements of the Due Process and Ex Post Facto Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination constitutes cruel and unusual punishment and is in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

The U.S. Government endorsed this cruel and unusual punishment by continuing to identify me as a sex offender, allowing me to be defined as someone who has been convicted, at any time, of any sex offense or [who] engaged in sexual misconduct during the course of an offense. They have continued to recommend that I receive disparate treatment making it their constitutional duty to inculcate cruel and unusual punishment by portraying me to the public that “sexual assault is a heinous crime committed by Offenders with deviant behavior patterns that cannot be controlled by incarceration alone.”

Still no remedies available for these violations or the disparate treatment set forth under Title VII while retaliating and conspiring against my rights under 18 USC §241, there is now substantiated evidence that I am being been tortured to premeditate my murder using their power of abuse to maliciously disintegrate my health.

Just recently throughout August and September 2011, I diligently sought housing. Finally relying on the verbal agreement made by manager's Christopher John and Ericka Little of Wiseman's Mobile Home Park at 6800 South 6th Street in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Previously managers Christopher John and Ericka Little declared to me that they made a visual inspection of my residential travel trailer at another location and approved thereof, preserving the certain space for me to move into on October 3, 2011. Relying on said verbal agreement, I halted any other effort to seek housing else before the winter's debilitating freeze that caused my health breakdown (including hearing loss) the previous season.

I paid the rent and moved my residential trailer in. When I relocated my residential travel trailer to Wiseman's Mobile Home Park at 6800 South 6th Street in Klamath Falls, Oregon, on October 3, 2011, said management used bantering and forcible hostilities1 against me to unlawfully evict me without proper legal notice making the excuse that my trailer was not in compliance to their standards. Said management had a limited contractors license that definitely did not include having the authority to inspect the electrical components in my trailer.

Coincidently, the Klamath County Sheriff's department was right there to assist in these civil matters2 by forcibly running me out of the mobile home park regardless that rent was paid. As a result, I have been housed in an illegal concentration camp type setting with barbed wire all around while staff of the Klamath County Sheriff's Department are, coincidentally, tenants in the immediate vicinity asking me to secure their property.

These actions also have interfered with all of my legitimate home office based businesses. (disconnecting electrical utilities, forcing me to spend money to seek resources the government will block, excessive late fines and fees) The pattern of abuse goes on and on with constant patterns for propensities of humiliation always setting me up in an illegal manner to justify their means for, yet, another malicious prosecution. Having to urinate in buckets and defecate on newspapers prove their successful effort for making me live like an animal unworthy of attention or exposure to their pattern of consistent horrific human right violations.

Regardless of the well-founded fears of persecution on the grounds of my being a member in a particular social group demonstrating my political opinions... I remain ignored and undefined as an disenfranchised, elderly, sex offending-stalker, Caucasian, Jewish, lesbian, woman vulnerable to U.S. Government abuse and oppression suffering their prevailing patterns of consistent years and years of physical and emotional abuse in both California and in Oregon.

While others qualify as refugees to be granted asylum or protection somewhere in the United States, the harm feared is being inflicted by the this government...and by persons and organizations that the government is unable or unwilling to control. I have contacted 1000's of agencies connected only in the legal industries relying on those agencies for answers. While they were asleep, I was sent to mental institution for several months on bogus charges, again, my civil rights were violated. Anonymous people are coming out of the woodwork who I do not know, nor should have any information regarding my civil and human right violations in the communities I am transient in. So, why are they hostile and derogatory using such efforts to intimidate and harass me?

I, Kini Cosma, hereby declare under penalty of perjury that all of the foregoing statements, records on file with this case is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Kini Cosma Dated: February 21, 2012
http://judiciary.zoomshare.com

Dear All,

In the ILGA website it states that male-to-male relationships are "illegal" which in fact is wrong. Homosexual relationships have been decriminalized in PerĂş since 1921 and the law makes no distinction on the legality of a homosexual relationship between males and females. No consensual relationship between adults is illegal. There is a total absence of any legally-recognized union aside from the 'traditional' marriage between one man and one woman, where a long way still needs to be walked, but a "relationship" per se is LEGAL.I would appreciate it f you could correct the data accordingly in the website. Moreover, the laws regarding service in the armed forces were revised in 2009.

Lastly there are laws which prohibit ALL forms of discrimination for sexual orientation and transexual individuals can change their names and gender on legal documents through a legal process and application. While it may be true that the laws regarding discrimination for sexual orientation may just be de jure as opposed to de facto, the fact is that they exist. Consequently, this would need to be updated as well in the ILGA map.

Many thanks!

SORRY. TRY THIS ONE:


Cast the Last Stone
or
I Got Your Civil Union Hangin’

Do you take this man and this woman
Do you take this woman and man
To love and to honor and cherish
The way only a good Christian can

Will you throw a few stones at the heathens
Will you tell ‘em all where they can go
Will you hate everyone who’s not like you
For the Bible tells you it’s so

Or will you listen to that old hippy Jesus
Who said Leave all the bullshit behind
And let two dear sweet lesbian lovers
Enjoy all the love they can find

{chorus}

I’ve always loved you
And you’ve always loved me
You’d think love would be easy
In the land of the free
In a world full of bitterness
Hatred
And stone
Why don’t you leave all the lovers alone?

The love police say we can’t marry
The thought police say we can’t think
While the lawmakers locked in the closet
Say we can’t watch them buy the boys drinks

I love you like your soul is my soul
I’ll stay till the end of the world
But the minister ran from the altar
When he found we’re a couple of girls

Tradition can be a real mother
Those weren’t cruise ships in the triangle trade
And the two dear sweet lesbian lovers
Know it’s time to make history fade

{chorus}

Money is nice if it’s decent
And handy when push comes to shove
But the two dear sweet lesbian lovers
Know everything’s lost without love

They say Jesus he died for the sinners
And he fought so that true love will win
But the two dear sweet lesbian lovers
Were told they should read the small print


Charlie Manson can legally marry
Any woman that’ll give him the time
But the two dear sweet lesbian lovers
Were told that their love is a crime

{chorus}

Yeah, Charlie Manson can legally marry
Any woman that’ll give him the time
But the two dear sweet lesbian lovers
THEY KNOW THAT THEIR LOVE IS SUBLIME

hank ezralily@ca.rr.com 714 915 5814

Being a homosexual in Pakistan means being a criminal, a person who is in complete violation of laws and culture. Gay people get killed just by being gay, our friends abandon us, families disown us, all because we choose to like a certain person. People wouldn't even talk about this topic. This is how bad we are considered in our own country. I wish i could have a way to change this. I wish i could give people hope and freedom. I wish i could save people from hiding their identities and their love for someone. The situation in Pakistan is especially sad because of the religious extremism. Islam is a beautiful religion and people are corrupting it by saying it forbids homosexuality. There is no such thing like that and i want people to know. We need a change and its time we started working on it.

LGBTI in Malaysia is not treated well. They have to face ridicule and are bullied. To make things worst, there are LGBTI who sexually harassed or raped younger straight people and trying to seduced other people to became LGBTI causing LGBTI to be shunned from the society even more. But they can also be the nicest people on earth (especially the trans). I pity them. But I believe LGBTI can be normal. I can. I always wish Im a boy since Im a little kid. I nearly turned into a lesbian but I choose not to. I pray and fast and keep myself away from other girls. Im cured. Love is not those you saw in movies, love grows, so its your choice if you want to pamper that crush you had into something else. Our body (that includes your feeling and stuff) is under our control. It is our responsibility. So, take control. Stop the madness. Its your right.

in my country same sex marriage is accepted in i think 3-5 states.unfortunately it is not accepted where i reside.in fact, my girlfriend and i have to be very discrete.another word:
'HIDE"! so we are preparing to move to another state.

I would like to point out the contradictory statements found in the ILGA 2008 and 2010 reports entitled "State-Sponsored Homophobia: A world survey of laws prohibiting same sex activity between consenting adults."

In their 2008 report the ILGA states on page 10: "Penal Code of 1996: Article 88: 'Anyone who commits an indecent act or an act against nature with an individual of the same sex will be punished with 1 to 3 years prison and a fine of 100,000 to 500,000 francs.'"

Whereas in the 2010 ILGA report we find on page 44: "Note that same-sex activities never have been criminalised in Benin...."

I am a currently serving US Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin and my supervisors go by the same information found in the ILGA's 2008 report. However, an acquaintance at the US Embassy in Benin seems to believe the law against homosexuality has been repealed as is evidenced by Benin's approval of his and his husband's visas to serve at the US Embassy here as diplomats; their visas were denied by the Cameroonian government when they applied as a married couple to work at the US embassy there. Additionally, an American lesbian diplomat couple's visas were recently approved by the Beninese government and the women will be arriving in the coming weeks. This is progress and indicative of a change in an official change in stance on homosexuality on the part of Benin (and the US State Dept. who fought for these two couples).

Regardless of what is codified, homosexuality here is very unacceptable. The respect for the rule of law in Benin is weak (and weaker the more rural you endeavor) and people cling to traditional customs and often fear strong changes like an acceptance of homosexuality, even though such changes are towards a recognition of basic human rights. Just as in most African countries, Beninese find homosexuality to be a Western phenomenon that might be infiltrating the country but is nonetheless un-African, un-Beninese. However, most Beninese are extremely undereducated and do not know what critical thinking is--let alone how to implement it in their daily lives. Thus, there is hope for homosexuality in Benin, but not until the institution of secular education is strengthened and made free and made as mandatory as for children in the West.

I might add that here in Africa in general but Benin in particular (and Zambia, as my experience there allows me to comment) some men will engage in same sex acts but will not define their acts or themselves as homosexuals. I have even heard of some men seeing only anal penetration as characteristic of homosexuality, but actions less "invasive" are not. Furthermore, Westerners like to attach labels to what they observe. An American who just stepped off the Brussels Air flight will look around and might see a bunch of queer men: men here hold hands as a sign of friendship and will even be quick to call another man beautiful/handsome. The continuum on which an American perceives a person's actions as heterosexual, questionably homosexual, or blatantly homosexual will be different from that of a Beninese continuum with respect to the area in between the two extremes (heteronormative behavior and blatantly homosexual activity).

Regardless of being able to hold hands with another man, hold his waste, and embrace him (here, assuming he is my boyfriend), openly expressing that we are a gay couple would put his and my personal safety at risk; violent reprisal is a real danger.

Benin is in high need of strong willed, well educated, tactful citizens to form an organization without Western leadership (so as to be viewed as more organic) that will conduct outreach to raise awareness about the existence of homosexuals--and their right to exist--and how such a change in cultural views will not entail an eroding of personal values or morals. As I like to say: homophobia exists in Benin, but homophobia does not make a Beninese a Beninese.

Ah, Jordan, homophobia to its fullest. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is anonmous, and Im a 14 year old straight boy living in Amman, capital of Jordan. Now lately ive been interested in guys so i guess Im Bi-Curious? Anyway, Ive been living here all my life, except for a couple of years I lived in the states for. And being gay, lesbian, trans, inter, is not anything to be in Amman. There is no law about it, so yes its not illegal, but if you are found out to be any of the above, expect to possibly be: Hated on, harrassed, physically hurt, maybe killed. In Jordan, an islamic country, being gay is forbidden in there religeon, so its not gonna be cool for the people is it? Th funny thing is, if you are caught with your girlfriend dating somewhere public, you will be mocked, but Ive seen guys hold hands, embrace and even kiss on the cheek randomly and no one says anything about that.... Help me.

As an American girl in her college years, I meet people from all over the world and of all different religions. Although America tends to have some horrendous issues on the subject of gay marriage, they are, overall, quite accepting. Since one of my majors in college is religious studies, I have made a lot of Muslim friends and have learned a lot about Arabic countries. It saddens me to hear of countries where you can be put in jail for life or even put to death for being gay. I simply cannot, whatsoever, understand such ignorance and hatred towards a person simply due to a basic part of their personnage that does not harm anyone else! I'm glad to say though, that everyone single one of these Islamic friends, who come from countries such as Morocco, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, are all open-minded! Whatever their typical religious or cultural beliefs, they all believe in freedom of expression and a person being aloud to be who they are as long as they don't harm others. This, to me, sounds like a major step. Not only are they spreading Arab and Muslim culture that will spread Gay Tolerance here in America, but most of them even hope to do so in mother countries. I can only wish them the best of luck as they attempt to do so, hoping that I too can do something to aid the situations of those countries where gays are put to death simply for being themselves. I've begun to learn a lot about the Qur'an (Koran) and have learned to speak Arabic. I hope to start various online and in-person groups to continue the spread of positive LGBT outlook from the Muslim/Arab community.

Velvet Milestones:

2008- Conceptualization of Velvet to create a safe space for LBT community which was absent in kolkata specially. People needed a friendly environment with privacy and security where they can discuss their day to day life and ask for help if needed.
2009- Velvet Facebook group launched. Base shifted to Delhi. More than 300 members joined. Regular nteraction, discussion and exchange of ideas started actively on facebook.
2009- Took part in Delhi Queer Pride 2009
Organized community based programs
Active participation in queer scenario of Delhi
2010- Took part in Delhi Queer pride 2010
2011- Networked with Mumbai queer community actively
Back to kolkata to focus dedicatedly on VELVET along with Alka Kedwal
Actively participated in KOLKATA RAINBOW PRIDE FESTIVAL 2011
Introduced LBT participation in Kolkata Pride walk 2011, 17th july for the
first time.
Velvet Became support group for LGBT
Velvet became recognized by ILGA
Started personalized counseling for LBT community
Started close interaction with Sangini to have them as Mentor to Velvet
Sonali and Alka came out in FEMINA ANNIVERSARY ISSUE 14th October
2011 as lesbian couple
Took part in IBN7 Zindegi Live talk show as Lesbian couple- to be aired on
November 2011
More than a dozen individual ongoing cases handled and still getting requests
everyday.
Creating Network between LGBT community in Kolkata to fight loneliness
among queer population
FUTURE PLANS:
To register Velvet as a trust by January 2012.
To start mainstream activities to build and spread awareness and eliminate Homophobia

employed in gay/lesbian/transexual movement and pride organization in Sicily.

I don't think it's correct to say that Male to male relationship's are not legal in the country. There's no law making them illegal, so I don't know where that came from. This country merely has no provision made for LGBT people. There are however only laws that protect the people, and they count for ALL people in Namibia. Being LGBT in Namibia is not legal, or illegal. There's just no enforcement in it at the moment.

PRESS RELEASE 03/10/2011


Subject: The Red Universitaria de la Diversidad Sexual (University Network of Sexual Diversity of the University of Guadalajara, Mexico) promotes local manifestation in the local Congress in opposition to the popular initiative to "shield" the family. The demonstration will take place peacefully, giving its arguments and positions.



The Red Universitaria de la Diversidad Sexual of the University of Guadalajara, in the Mexican State of Jalisco, invites media, NGOs, human rights activists and the general public to rally against the citizen initiative promoted by the neoconservative organization "Mexicanos por la vida de todos" chaired paradoxically by a citizen minister of the Commission on Human Rights of Jalisco, Norma Edith Martinez Guzman.

We believe that such citizen initiatives contravene the general principles of law and the essence of the legal framework for the extension of civil liberties and human rights recognition. The proposed amendments to the Civil Code of Jalisco, far from ensuring the prevalence of a traditional family model, provide the basis for the law to exclude and inhibit the different expressions of human relations that exist today.

The Red Universitaria de la Diversidad Sexual will held that peaceful and orderly manifestation in the Legislative Palace during the presentation of the initiative to the local House of Congress at its regular meeting on Wednesday October 5 at 11:00 am. It will inform the development of the manifestation and the session in the accounts on Twitter @RedUdeG and in the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/233889565232/



Contact: Karina Michel Velasco, President of the University Lesbian Collective
Twitter: @ karina_michel

Contact: Nahum Hernรกndez Gallegos, Public Relations of the Red
Twitter: @ NapsterX4

I am a 28 year old woman, in love with a 30 year old woman from Finland. I've always felt that gay and lesbian communities deserve the same rights as heterosexual couples, but to be honest, the issue has never been more personal. I would do anything to be with the woman I love, even move to Finland, but sadly, my entire life will change in a big way. Im studying clinical psychology and I want to help people. I have a large family I will leave behind, and great friends. Im writting this story because I want others to know the pain of being a second class citizen causes. Its not about rights, its about love, and no one deserves to be treated different because the love someone. I will leave my country knowing that Im different and under our federal law, undeserving of love. I love you Emma

I never came out to myself that i am a "bisexual" i am really highly attracted to lesbians.... Some of my friend knew this but my sister overreacted with who i am... i hated her a little bit, she cant understand that i am so madly in love with my lesbian friend... she called me immoral, but i dont care...

In Tanzania being LGBT is an offence that one can face up to 35rs in prison, though no one have been jailed so far but the life is not that good.
religious houses and leaders are againist LGBT, this makes the whole community go againist us.
We are not accepted, not recognized, stigmatized and discriminated. We really have no support from NGOs both local and international, not even human rights activists.
We are crying for help from our fellow friend worldwide join us we want our rights in Tanzania.
WEZESHA work to promote and protect the rigbhts of LGBT in Tanzania

In Tanzania being LGBT is an offence that one can face up to 35rs in prison, though no one have been jailed so far but the life is not that good.
religious houses and leaders are againist LGBT, this makes the whole community go againist us.
We are not accepted, not recognized, stigmatized and discriminated. We really have no support from NGOs both local and international, not even human rights activists.
We are crying for help from our fellow friend worldwide join us we want our rights in Tanzania.
WEZESHA work to promote and protect the rigbhts of LGBT in Tanzania

2 Belgian women are planning a travel to Chile and Argentina to make a documentary on lesbian women.
in Belgium we have absolute freedom to be who ever we want to be, same sex marriage is legal.
we wish to explore life as a lesbian in South America.
who can help us with information on local organisations who might wish to support us?

We demand Equal rights for everyone, whomever they love!

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that " All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights�.

We, the undersigned, call on the UN to eliminate the threats, harassment and attacks on any individual due to their actual, or perceived, sexual orientation.

Gay rights are Human rights and we urge you to you reaffirm an individual's right to enjoy safety and security regardless of their sexual orientation.


http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/stop-lgbt-oppression-in-africa.html

Regards
African Gay Youth Foundation

The Honolulu Pride Festival Foundation is starting to kick off this years 2011 Hawaii State Pride Fest hosted in beautiful Honolulu Hawaii September 15 - 17, 2011 and encourage all to come and participate as this year we strive to bring PRIDE AROUND THE WORLD!

As Hawaii and the rest of the United States takes pro-active choices in sharing in the equality and justice for all with long roads ahead the little steps we take will lead to bigger victories for all of our LGBT brothers and sister who do not have the same freedoms we do in America. Help our politicians to understand that PRIDE is one way of showing that we are equal and we do not have to fear the hate and discrimination from the world around us which view us as a minority community who is filled with so called "Sinners". Take a stand and support all of your PRIDE organization around the world as we work hand in hand to creating peace, equality and justice for all!

Dear friends all over the world here in Tanzania life is becoming more difficult for LGBTI community.
There is an increase of stigma and discrimination especially to Gays/ MSM. We Gay people now hide our identity due to fear of stigma and rejection.
Religiuos leaders are fueling the stigma and rejection they are actually making things worse. It is evidend that Gays are being mocked when they pass around, are not need in the neibourhood and are not welcome in any religious house.
Our efforts to fight stigma are being tramatized by the laws and poliecies that criminalize LGBTI people.
All HIV/AIDS interventions discrimiante LGBTI comunity, no one is ready to support prevention initiatives among LGBT comunity. Yesterday I was talking to an officer who is incharge oh HIV at CONCERN and She said they can not give their funds to people who do not know God.
It is sad,

I am Shame to be from Barbados... Read this article http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/too-much-sex-on-television/