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.

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

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/

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.

i have been gay for five years. i'm fifteen so thats about a third of my life. i'm a male, some would call ginger, but the main reason why i am here is because i haven't told my parents yet. the reason why is because my father said he would disown me! i know i shouldn't keep something like this a secret, but i still do. plus i can't have a relationship! this really bothers me because i live in a small town in indiana and there aren't many dateable teens out there for me. i still haven't found anybody, and i'm starting to lose hope. i keep leaving major hints lying around, but know one seems to care! i feel like if i shouted at everyone the truth they wouldn't even hear me! i'm sick and tired of being alone. i need someone, but i just can't find the poor sod!

Hi, allow me to introduce myself as "Lei" (definitely not my real name), a young gay guy software engineer working in the Philippines.

I'd like to share to you my first ever true gay love story. I say "true", because it was my first time to experience being loved back as who I am. :-D
This happened during my second year of working as a professional. I remember during my elementary and high school days I've always had male crushes in all the schools I've been into.
Again, I say "all the schools I've been into", because starting from 1st grade, my family have always been moving from place to place, all around the Philippines,
from Luzon, to Visayas, and then Mindanao. And in all those places, I've always had at least one crush from among my classmates. :-D
But anyway, to get to that love story, let's just cut this short.

It was the Christmas season of the year 2012, I was all alone in our home - my family had to go somewhere else for the Christmas break,
but I decided to just stay at home and enjoy the holiday season just by myself. It was 23rd of December, I was online in FB, sending greetings to my friends,
since I've nothing to do. And then all of a sudden, there was this guy who chatted me, just making kumusta (asking how I am doing).
And then, of course, as friendly as I am, I did not ignore his message and I told him that I'm just at home, etc.
Let's just call him "Ken" (not real name). This guy added me as his FB friend two years ago, and for that span of two years,
I never really had a talk with him except for some few instances. One instance I remember was year 2011, when he asked me what type of work I am doing,
and from that conversation he told me that he is an electronics engineer, and then he asked me if I know C++ (a programming language),
because he, as an engineer, has been studying it too as a course. And then that conversation just ended there which I think was not really something memorable at all. :-D
By the way, Ken and I graduated from the same high school, and, the reason I added his as a friend was that his name is familiar,
even if I didn't really remember his face. However, during that Dec23 2012 chat of ours, he reminded me that we were actually high school batchmates,
and, all of a sudden, he told me that I was his high school crush. I could not believe what I was reading on my chat box that time.
Never in my life it crossed my mind that some guy would have a crush on me. I was really impressed with his guts to tell me that on our first interesting chat hahaha. :-D
He went on to tell me that after graduation, there was a Sunday afternoon when he accidentally met me inside a bookstore,
and we exchanged numbers simply because I recognized him as my high school batchmate, a guy from the other section, just a few doors away from my classroom.
And yes, I forgot to mention that we were not classmates - he belonged to another section, and he used to peek from their classroom's window just to see me.
Ahm, please do take note that Ken is not a feminine gay - in fact, no one believes him whenever he tells his friends that he is gay hahaha!
And, according to him, I am a good-looking and intelligent person. Graduated Magna Cum Laude from the university.
But anyway, he recalled that when a committee was looking for someone who would collect contact info of every class officer for the yearbook, he volunteered to do the task,
because I was the class president of our class, and by him doing so, he'd have a reason to go to our classroom to finally meet me in person.
When he told me this, I did not want to believe, but even if those events happened six years ago in Cagayan de Oro city, it was still very kilig for me! :-D
By the way, year 2012, I was in Cebu, and Ken was in Manila for work. To proceed with the story, we kept on talking via fb chat for the entire night.
We exchanged numbers, and immediately we were textmates. He asked me then if we could have a date.
In my mind I was saying, oh this guy's so fast huh? Asking for a date on the first night, but anyway, it was his birthday just a few weeks ago at that time,
and when he teased me for some birthday present, I don't know why I did it, maybe because I got overwhelmed by the feeling that some guy out there has ever liked me,
I offered to get him a round trip to Cebu, thanks to Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare. I told him that if you'd like a date with me and come here in Cebu,
then let's make it a good one - I take you to Cebu beaches. He thought that I was just joking but I really meant that one.
I mean, if for all the guys I liked before, it has been customary for me to be extra kind to them, how much more for someone who likes me for who I am?
I'd be willing to buy tickets for him. I told him that I just want to make him happy, because his my friend, and i just wanted his company,
that's why I wanted to buy him tickets. So January 2013 I did buy him plane tickets.

So, that was the first night of our reunion. The succeeding events came by so fast. We were so grabe in texting one another,
I remember consuming my P500 worth of text messages in less than four days. We just talk about anything - from high school memories,
to our common interests like music and me playing piano and him playing violin, etc. We used to talk about traveling -
me having gone to many places for residency and vacation, also his plans to go to different places in the Philippines.
I talked to him about my barkada, how we spend our nights together partying,looking for fun things to do as a group, or even chatting the night away.
I remember us sharing our dreams - him becoming an excellent IC engineer, me becoming a software engineer in a research-based facility and going to the academe to teach.
It was also fun to know that he is studying French, and me studying Japanese.
I don't know if by coincidence or fate, we shared a lot of things in common. He was also a geek - I remember one time we were talking on the phone,
he was talking about physics but we were both having fun because we both can relate. There were also those days when he would "interrogate" me -
ask me about my family, my attitude in life, my insecurities, my preferences, everything. It was my first time to have somebody interested in me that much.
Although yes, I've had a girlfriend when I was in college, but this was different, because this time, I felt like I was the girl :))

This friendship thing we had, went on for many weeks. One particular thread of conversation we had which I can never forget was when i was telling Ken that,
if ever I'd buy my own house in the future, I'd choose to be in Cebu. Then he asked me, how about Europe? Then I asked him, why Europe?
He replied, because that's where I want to be. I was struck with those words. My understanding was that, he wants me to be in Europe with him.
Ken is good-looking and intelligent and a good-hearted person, but I fell in love with him for those lines.
In a romantic sense, no one has ever made me feel important the way he did. We were already like lovers during that time.
The only thing lacking was the official status that we are boyfriends. I loved him, and I knew that he loved me.
In such happiness of mine, I finally told my friends that I have a "suitor".

But that was what I believed.

Our relationship, whatever it was, went on until early February. Now he is making me aware that he's got some friends from out of the country.
And when he said "friends", I started to have a doubt. I was beginning to sense something weird - whenever he needs assurance from me,
I lavished it upon him, but if it's me finding assurance from him, ahem, no crystal-clear answer came to me.
All he said was, don't be jealous, but if asked why, he won't tell me why.
And then I told myself that this is it, I knew it, either he has a boyfriend already or he has somebody whom he loves better than he loves me.
From then on, our friendship turned sour. I started to get jealous whenever he talks about any "friend" that he has,
and then there were weeks when I would not hear any word from him may it be text of fb chat or gmail chat or email.
Sometimes he'd send me messages but in my anger I won't reply immediately and just make him wait and ignore him.
It was very sudden, and it was painful for me. Really painful. At first I convinced myself that it would be ok, maybe he was just busy,
or maybe, well, the kilig moments are not meant to stay all the way, and at least the commitment from Ken is still there.
But later on I just moved on with my life, and chose to prepare myself to hear that Ken is with some other guy already, and not me.
I was really affected by those turn of events - during times like these I tend to be easily irritated and grumpy, and I dive into overworking.

So, one week more to go, and it's gonna be our schedule for our first date. In my mind I wanted to cancel our date,
but decided not to, because I wanted to know for sure if my doubts are real. So during that week, miraculously, our friendship was somehow restored,
we get to laugh whenever we call each other.

And finally, our long weekend began. He arrived to Cebu early morning, so I went to the airport to fetch him and take him home,
good thing family's not in town again ahaha. Made him sleep because the day before he was in NAIA for the entire day too excited waiting for the plane
that he waited for 10 hours ahead of schedule. At first it was awkward at the airport and at the taxi. But at home, after we had our breakfast,
we lied at the bed, and he hugged me, and I just hugged him in return. It was like all the pain I've had was suddenly gone.
We talked and talked for the entire day. Embraced one another, kisses here and there ahahha.
But take note, he did not want us to have sex because he doesn't want me to think that he came to Cebu just for sex.
So I was just ok with it. I prepared lunch and dinner for the two of us and it was a nice feeling to take care of somebody who also cares for you.
On the following day, I took him to a beach far from the city. We had fun, swimming in the beach, eating exotic food, taking pictures.
And finally, we talked about our status. I was right. There is another guy whom he loves and loves him in return.
He did not hide from me the details. He even showed me pictures of the guy from his cellphone.
He met that guy just a few months before we had our first chat in fb.
That was the other reason he did not want to have sex with me. That was the reason why he could not give me any assurance before.
Although I was emotionally prepared for this, I was not able to take it so I cried, while he was embracing me, and I was leaning on him.
He told me that he's guilty of giving me false hopes, and I admitted that I gave in too quickly. Although it really did hurt me a lot,
for me our date was still worth it all, because I felt free from having to believe in an illusion that we can be together.
So, for the last night, we slept together, now only as special friends. But the hugging and kissing were still there ahha!
On the following day, we went back to the city and I sent him to his long-time-no-see uncle,
which was out of our original plan and sort of took away our precious time together and became a reason of our quarrel and I felt really bad about it but still
I decided to send him to the airport before him boarding the airplane back to Manila.
He apologized for his mistake of allowing our time together to be cut short by his sudden meeting with this uncle,
but anyway, I forgave him, and we were ok before we parted.

From then on, Ken and I became special friends and kept in touch with one another. Special, in the sense that, although the two of us could not be together
because he's got somebody to love who also loves him, the two of us have left a mark on each others' lives.
He thanked me for everything and told me that no one has ever done what I have done for him - love him the way I did,
bought him a round trip ticket, prepared every detail of our date without expecting anything in return,
and treated him as a gay friend unto whom he can just be himself, without pretensions.
I also thanked him for accepting me with all my imperfections and insecurities, for making me feel loved,
even if it all ended so soon, at least it's way much better than loving someone who will never love you in return,
just like all the other guys I've had a crush on.

MEGALOMANIA IN A HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANISATION: THE CASE OF NEPAL’S BLUE DIAMOND SOCIETY AND SUNIL BABU PANT
Kedar Maharjan
1. Issue
As a Nepalese-born gay man who’s suffered discrimination – and watched others close to me also suffer because of that – I’ve everything to gain from supporting a local gay rights NGO as well as a South Asian gay games that this NGO is organizing for Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu. What compels me then to call on the international lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender identified (LGBTI) community across the globe to boycott the games and why should I denounce their chief organizer as a phony?
The NGO concerned is Nepal’s Blue Diamond Society (BDS). This organization was spawned a decade ago in a whirlpool of national politics when overnight the small Himalayan kingdom was precariously yet peaceably transformed, not just into a republic, but an inclusive one could potentially embrace the country’s remote populations, its multiple ethnicities, its women, and its social minorities.
The BDS was the brainchild of Sunil Babu Pant (nicknamed ‘Panties’ behind his back) the objects of which were dedicated ostensibly to attainment of civil equality for Nepal’s historically oppressed sexual minorities. Given the reality that vestiges of feudalism and patriarchy would persist in Nepal’s national psyche long after the monarchy’s removal, it was predictable that the BDS would court controversy. Although political modernisation has successfully unpeeled layers of tradition in several areas of Nepalese life, the country’s LGBTI people are still largely ignored and unrepresented.
The political activism of the BDS has frequently caught spotlights in international human rights advocacy circles. It’s also heightened Nepalese awareness of the existence (and plight) of sexual minorities. Paradoxically, the everyday quality of life for Nepal’s LGBTI people stays unchanged – in fact, their oppression might be worsening. While this turnaround can be partly attributed to the fragility of Nepal’s neonate democracy, the organization’s corporate dysfunction, disturbing reports of which are published with increasing frequency, is rapidly sabotaging both the public credibility of the BDS and the cause of Nepalese LGBTI rights.
The picture of the BDS that has latterly emerged is sickening. The organization has degenerated into shop-front of drag-queens who camouflage Pant’s parasitic pursuit of political ambition. The most obvious of several unanswered questions is why the BDS’s record in protecting Nepal’s LGBTI people is so abysmal when overseas funding in support of its objects seems limitless? Another is why only a coterie of transgendered (TG) people, who are also on the BDS payroll and beholden to Pant for their jobs, seems to comprise the organization’s main beneficiaries?
2. Background
At first glance, reasons for the BDS’s scant effectiveness in achieving LGBTI rights could be multiple. There are indications that the organization wants for strategic vision and agenda, this being attributable to inadequate leadership and managerial skill. There is likelihood that BDS research and field workers are unqualified for their roles. It’s probable that there’s too often a mismatch between noble objects of donor-backed projects and grass-roots needs which a majority of Nepalese LGBTI people faces on a daily basis.
Fingers also point to the corporate governance of the BDS, together with its underpinning culture which, contrasted with NGOs in the advanced democracies of the West, is characteristically autocratic, hierarchical, and secretive. In such an environment, it’s expected that harassment, abuse, falsification of data, financial manipulation and sham services will flourish. As with many a dysfunctional organization - be it entrepreneurial or eleemosynary - the cronyism and nepotism metastasizing within the BDS are ineradicable cancers.
Pant, who’s unchallenged as the public face of the BDS, has successfully marketed Nepalese LGBTI people and causes abroad among writers, activists, journalists, and lawyers. Prey to a glamorous but superficial media charade of fabricated case stories, presumably spun from Pant’s pen, these generous and sincere international donors back the movement, gullibly believing that their largesse will enable delivery of positive societal outcomes.
From my experience of the past year, the BDS has become wholly ambivalent to the oppression of gay, lesbian and bisexual people and now focuses its attention largely on the TG community, which the Indian subcontinent euphemistically calls the ‘third gender’. This is the face of same-sex engagement with which Nepalese in particular are traditionally comfortable, the notion being that a homosexual man is a woman who’s coffined in a male body. As it utterly defies modern scientific understanding of same-sex attraction to the point of denial, the concept of ‘third gender’ is not only farcical; it's also one that I steadfastly refuse to recognize.
3. The ‘Spice Girls’ and their ‘Panties’
‘Panties’ professes to be gay with a liking for silver-maned sugar-daddies. While presenting himself to the global press as Nepal’s first openly homosexual parliamentarian, he stops at nothing to keep his homosexual ‘daddy-son’ liaisons hidden from the gaze of the Nepalese public, for whom an unscientific world view still holds sway.
Rumours abound among his gaggle of bisexual lovers that his political drive compensates for an underperformance on the mattress. So dependent is ‘Panties’ supposed to be on poppers and potions, the joke among his detractors is that the BDS is no more than a paper contrivance through which he can clandestinely exchange ‘blue diamonds’ for ‘blue pills’.
In my own associations with the BDS and Pant, I’ve hardly met any gay, lesbian or bisexual person but I’ve certainly seen trains of TGs approach BDS for various kinds of services. It was the case that the BDS organised a beauty contest for Nepalese TGs as a publicity stunt but, by not advertising the event nationally, Pant’s payroll puppets ensured that contestants were confined to BDS employees and their hangers-on.
Many TGs who are on the BDS payroll are paid a monthly wage of US $40, which is scarcely enough to cover rent, let alone buy food and clothes. I was therefore unperturbed when one underpaid TG employee blatantly boasted that he/she frequently tricked from BDS headquarters and other public venues to support himself/herself.
BDS has provided vocational training to certain of its staff in the fields of beautician, three-wheeler tempo driving, and basic frontline management. There’s no apparent evidence of providing entry-level employment skills to other LGBTI people. Given the paucity of professional qualifications, broad-based job-enriching experiences, and attested skill among current BDS employees, my personal summation is that none would win a post in any other NGO involved with human rights advocacy or public health promotion.
In such an environment it’s those BDS employees who pander to Pant that are rewarded with promotion and appointments to better paid jobs. As it’s comprised of meaningless foreign material that’s mechanically translated into Nepali – with no cultural contextualization or tailoring to address local challenges, empowerment training he currently provides to his lackeys is yet another device in Pant’s propaganda toolbox by which he entices his foreign audience to loosen its purse-strings. Rather than generate enduring empowerment, the training will inevitably sabotage Nepal’s LGBTI human rights cause.
Employees have claimed that, under Pant’s watch, the BDS introduced two sets of accounts, one set yielding a financial report for overseas donors’ benefit and the other for that of local employees. The donors’ report perpetuates the myth of the BDS’s commitment to social justice, as shown in the comparable salaries ostensibly paid to all staff members. The employees’ report reflects a totally different situation.
4. Child Abuse Allegation
Pant’s Jekyll-and-Hyde character surfaced when Nepalese TV news broadcast an allegation that he’d physically and psychologically abused an underage male domestic. As Pant was a sitting MP at the time, the news was of public interest. Despite repeated denials and attempts at its suppression, this particular allegation continues to dog Pant.
The allegation was repeatedly aired on Nepalese TV news but was kept from Pant’s international donor network. If the veracity of the allegation were judicially tested, the child rights organisation that represented the victim holds sufficient evidence to confirm the incident.
5. HIV/AIDS Prevention
In the crucially pivotal area of HIV and STD prevention, the BDS does little to promote safe sex practice amongst LGBTI Nepalese. Workers engaged to distribute condoms and lubricants, as well as perform outreach education trick whilst on the job. BDS management is aware of this practice but does nothing to prevent it.
In mobilising support for LGBTI rights across the nation, the BDS has had a woeful impact. Project and program evaluation is an anathema to BDS leadership. Tragically, while the LGBTI community has had only a handful of confirmed HIV/AIDS cases, those sufferers who are other than TG have been too embarrassed to approach the BDS for advice on treatment and support. The BDS has never explicitly refuted claims that it has actually processed only about 300 HIV sufferers instead of the published throughput of 5,000. There are allegations of the BDS providing HIV clinical and support services to heterosexual people (sometimes to the disadvantage of LGBTI sufferers) so as to conflate BDS statistics.
By excluding stakeholder interests in BDS governance and resisting external scrutiny of organizational activities and finances, Pant’s intransigence has led the local reputation of the organization to irreversibly nosedive: in the eyes of local LGBTI people, the BDS is an object of ridicule, and its leadership, embodied as it is in Pant’s duplicitous personality, a laughingstock. Pant’s ‘my way or the highway!’ style of control, typifies corporate megalomania and organisational psychopath (who often cling on the position for financial benefits rather than making organisation grow as a credible and accountable one same time knows how to falsify testimonies towards donors to gain sympathy, knows how to disconnect from donors to other staff, very savvy to talk in languages to persuade his position and have sex drive which he conduct even at his office).
6. Kathmandu’s LGBTI Games
For some time, the BDS has advertised LGBTI games as a South Asian-wide event. Even though none pursues any kind of sport day-to-day, the BDS has sponsored several of its own employees as prospective competitors but failed to enable, engage, encourage or welcome other LGBTI sports people (especially those with natural sporting prowess or talent) to join the event. This is yet another strategy designed to impress donors and, at the same time, quarantine Nepal’s LGBTI people who aren’t on the BDS payroll.
The reality will be that the games are a private event that’s depicted across the airwaves of the wider world, not only as a public one, but also as one which is inclusive of all LGBTI athletes and competitors from Nepal, as well as other Asian countries.
7. Lesbians
The BDS has never repudiated the allegation that a lesbian organization, Mitini Nepal, made concerning its plan to organize an event as part of the LGBTI games. In Mitini Nepal’s case, Pant is alleged to have blatantly rejected the plan for the laughable reason that lesbian competitors would ‘dishearten’ BDS employees.
BDS indifference to the plight of Nepal’s lesbians is pitiless. In September 2012, a violated mother and self-identified lesbian, Rajani Sahi, endured indescribable trauma that also entailed multiple violations of universal human rights. Owing to widespread ignorance of human sexuality that prevails in Nepal, her extended family and caste community had Rajani forcibly restrained, institutionalised, medicated and deprived of liberty. Whereas the BDS ignored Rajani’s case, the Maiti Nepal organization came to her aid. This response aligns with what most international aid workers have long known: it’s a developing country’s most vulnerable women who often provide quality leadership in times of crisis.
Another instance of the BDS’s appalling mistreatment of lesbians was recently shown when, in response to a sexual assault on a BDS lesbian worker by a senior female employee, the victim was dismissed because she sued the perpetrator. No action was apparently taken to eliminate future workplace sexual harassment within the BDS. Worse, the BDS provided no special protection or support to the victim. Recently one of the prominent member of BDS and a key person (Badri Pun) of board member has been sacked because she has been asking for transparency and accountability towards LGBTI community of Nepal. According to Badri Pun, She has been emotionally traumatised and pressured to get a third gender citizenship without understanding the real implications of having third gender identity in the country as well as internationally. The real question arise here is has Sunil acquired third gender identity himself? Probably not because he is a savvy communicator who has successfully enticed global LGBTI funders by their not because he leadership is credible just because he knows how to sell his ass to so called industrialised ass holes of the international aid business, the real culprits of the human rights who not only blatantly funded such organisation without scrutiny but also trying to suppress the LGBTI movement who are asking for transparency and accountability. Although these donors did try to meet the concern people or victims of BDS in reality these were act of showing teeth not the munching teeth.
8. Suicide
In many countries, the oppression of vulnerable LGBTI people leads to their suicide; Nepal is no exception and here the incidence appears to be rising. Although most of these deaths are reported as intoxication, cirrhosis of the liver and other alcohol-related abuse, the BDS has been spineless in investigating the extent of this trend and its underlying causes.
9. Research
Over the decade of its existence, the BDS has neither produced nor supported nor funded any independent systematic credible research into Nepal’s LGBTI communities. The BDS has no links to any Nepalese university or overseas research centre which specializes in gender studies or human rights. The view that’s widely shared among BDS critics is that the organisation’s leadership clique is paranoid over what shams, scams, and related racketeering independent researchers might expose. With no employment security or ethos of protected disclosure, the numerous BDS employees who fear Pant are terrified of retribution should they dare criticize his leadership.
In televised presentations (especially on Nepal’s NTV ‘Pahichan’ - ‘identity’ – program), Pant has had ample opportunity to openly share struggles stemming from his own sexuality and has never done so. He avoids debate and discussion with notable local and global commentators and experts involved with the politics of sexuality and gender identity. With financial support from international activists, Pant has mounted a challenge in Nepal’s Supreme Court seeking removal of a range of civil disabilities under which the LGBTI population labours. The Court is still awaiting (and may wait yet for a long time) for the submission of population and other relevant data that confirm claims of inequality.
This delay stems from Pant’s incompetence and inability to commission any credible project that would enable collection and analysis of the material that Court has predictably requested. As these data would need to include statistics pertaining to oppression suffered by lesbians and female-to-male TG people, Mitini Nepal would necessarily become involved, a prospect which Pant strenuously wants to avoid.
The rampant practice of intimidation and bullying that’s become a byword for BDS management and operations has eroded the BDS ‘brand name’ to a point where it would destroy the credibility of any research or investigative report published under its auspices.
This leadership of Sunil Babu Pant if not corrected will pulverised not only the organisation itself but also the burning activism of LGBTI people in this country. The leadership and contribution of Sunil Babu Pant towards LGBTI people is very trivial if analysed properly. He is merely a high class sex worker within international industrialised assholes who has skilfully directed his ass towards powerful people nationally and internationally to get the wealth and fame accordingly. The poor TG community who are supporting his leadership are merely scapegoats of his psychopathic nature to retain the position unconditionally forever.
10. Appeal
I earnestly request those in the media and civil societies to press the Nepalese Government to instigate a public inquiry into alleged abuses occurring in the BDS and lobby for urgently needed organizational reform. For the donors, I request them to cross-check all the testimonies presented in the documentaries made by TV channels, news articles and radios. I am agreeable to discuss these issues and where possible verify allegations mentioned.
For further information, see:
• Khoj Khabar (search news, 14 August 2012): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn4otTu_VDs
• Khoj Khabar (search news, 15 August 2012): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2FQXDoQQxI
• Khoj Khabar (search news, 27 September 2012): Why so? Where is our right? -- Nepal's LGBT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmziIhz7j1I.
• Khoj Khabar (search news, 24 December 2012): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC-iswA0Jh8
• Khoj Khabar (search news, 25 December 2012): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcIN83_egFc
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Kedar Maharjan attained a bachelors degree in Medical Sciences from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a masters in International Public Health from Sydney University.
In 2011, Kedar was awarded a European Union scholarship to complete Sydney’s innovative masters’ degree in Human Rights and Democratisation in Asia and the Pacific. He’s Nepalese born and belongs to the country’s minority Newar community. Kedar has worked professionally for NGOs in Dhaka, Bangladesh and Katherine, Australia.

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

I am in process of sorting out some rather complicated info about my past, I came across some records (surgical) of mine that refer to some info that is typical to males, I am female (though these surgeries where when I was very young) and a mother of one (biological was pregnant and carried to term) Both myself and my daughter have some pretty big health issues in terms of my pelvic formation and my daughter has some issues that appear to have started in utero as a result of my shape, I delivered naturally (with epidural freezing) and the birth was quite traumatic for both of us, we have had very little success with doctors, and family disclosing information or solutions. I am feeling like we need to have the support of a community of people that not only understand more on this subject, but can offer suggestions of where to find good people who can and will help, with legal, medical advocacy.

Kirsty tries out different looks at the early stages of her transexual transition

<a>http://www.livingwithatransgender.com/transexualkirsty-experiments-2/>/a></a>

Read about the story of Steven transitioning to Kirsty

<a>http://www.livingwithatransgender.com/why-transexual-steven-preferred-barbie-to-ken/</a>

the story i am going to say is related to three years ago on the 3rd Friday of July (23rd July 2010) in Iran.
It was long before that, that my friends and I had conversation on how we can have a National LGBT day in Iran while it is quit dangerous and riskful. we planed to announce a day for this (which is 3rd friday of July and its celebrated 3 times now). we had an small party in a friends apartment full of rainbow stuff that we created ourselves and we published the news and anonymous pictures on the net after.
you can see some of the pictures of it here: http://chrr.biz/spip.php?article10324
although we faced lots of risks after and some of us was blackmailed but it was a hopeful story that i liked to say which can be a hope among all dark story from the country i live in.

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

I'm 40, professor, and live in a State capital city in southern Brazil. I "came out" in 1992, all my family, my friends, the people in the University know about my condition. I experienced a minor episode of homophobia in the University in 2003, when I was excluded from an evaluation comission, but in general the conditions are very positive. The students are more tollerant than the professor, because young people grew up in more tollerant times. But I never faced any overt manifestation of homophobia. In my city the general attitude about LGBTI people is relativelly positive. Of course, there are some hostile attitude, but you can see [not so common, but you can see] gay couples with hand in hand, and kissing. Some months ago, I young man related in Facebook that he suffer a verbal menace, when he kissed his boyfriend in a mall, from a straight man. I would say that is not so safe to kiss in public... My region is more conservative than Rio de Janeiro, for example, but we have much less urban violence. In any case, you must not see to Carnaval scenes in TV and believe that common people in the streets behave like that. That's very far away from the reality...

International Summer School
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The five day non-residential course will be held in central London and is aimed at counsellors and psychologists and others engaged in mental health support work across the world who wish to update themselves in contemporary thinking around work with LGBT people.

Places are strictly limited and early application is advised as we expect this course to be filled up quickly. We welcome people of all genders and sexual orientations from across the World.

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Sex and Gender Diverse” discussion paper on terminology
By Morgan on 9 January 2013.

Summary

A view has been developing within OII Australia that the terms “sex and gender diversity” (SGD) and “diverse sex and gender” (DSG) are confusing the media, activists, lawyers, politicians and the public about intersex.

We believe they do this because the terms are euphemistic, abstracted, conflate identities and biology, and lack legibility. We believe that misconceptions are partly generated and perpetuated through the poor use of umbrella terms, often by third parties. They are misused in ways that elide differences between intersex and trans groups.

We believe that a move away from obscure innovative terms would make information more intelligible to a general audience, and an international audience. We believe that consistency and clarity in terminology would help us to talk more effectively about intersex, and more easily help us work together on areas of common concern with trans and other communities.

The purpose of this discussion paper is to illuminate some of the issues, and help to agree a way forward that promotes clarity, simplicity, and consistency, in a way that help achieve positive change.

It concludes by suggesting that a single, unifying umbrella term is not actually required. Terminology could vary, in the order of words to describe joint actions by/for intersex and trans communities, but it should use the term “intersex” to refer to intersex.

Download in PDF format

Download this discussion paper in PDF format: Discussion paper on SGD/DSG (updated 9 Jan 2013).

Evidence of confusion about “SGD”

Evidence of confusion about the nature of SGD and DSG is widespread, and is not limited to OII Australia. Peter Hyndal said, at the launch of the DSG Health Report:

There’s been all this talk of “sex and gender diversity” this evening. It seems to me that very few people really understand what that term actually means. “Sex and Gender Diversity” is a term that describes two different groups of people.

The first are intersex…
Being intersex is a biological reality.
It has nothing to do with a person’s gender identity. And It has nothing to do with a person’s sexuality.

The second group of people we refer to as part of the term “Sex and Gender Diverse”, are people whose gender identity happens to be different from cultural assumptions of ‘normality’. This includes (but certainly isn’t limited to) people like me – who were born female, but who identify and present in the world as male… [1]

Particularly egregious examples of a lack of understanding can be seen in the press coverage of that launch. The SX/GNN report referred to intersex twice, in opening and closing the article (our emphasis):

The Diversity in Health: Improving the health and well-being of transgender, intersex and other sex and gender diverse Australians report was launched at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday, November 27 at an event sponsored by the convenors of the Federal Parliamentary LGBTI Friends Group

Alliance Chair, Susan Ditter, said… “The recommendations … provide a solid foundation … to improve the health of transgender, intersex and other sex and gender diverse Australians.”

The bulk of the article was given to two interviews of trans people, and a summary statement by the Alliance Chair.

The publisher identified the report’s key concerns:

It recommends reforms and greater protections for DSG people in five key areas, including health, education and community services, identity recognition, health care, legal protection as well as greater research and evidence about the issues commonly faced by those in the community.

One of the major recommendations is for the Commonwealth to direct Medicare to remove the gendering of medical procedures and rebates, so that people can gain access to rebates for procedures which are appropriate for their bodies, regardless of their gender. According to the report such coverage should include, but not be limited to, medically necessary transition processes. [2]

The Star Observer titled its coverage “Trans issues back on national agenda”. The word intersex was mentioned twice (our emphasis):

Top transgender and intersex advocates refreshed their lobbying efforts in Canberra…

The National LGBTI Health Alliance organised the roundtable with transgender, intersex, queer and Indigenous sister girls from most states and territories. [3]

The issues that the press coverage expanded upon were solely based on an interview with Sally Goldner:

“I feel like we are at a cusp but I think public understanding of what transgender is is certainly increasing all the time.”
Goldner said Australian transgender people were still missing out because they faced a “shortage of social justice” despite increasing public awareness around gender diverse issues.
“Going back to last year when the passports improvements were announced there was barely a backlash,” Goldner said.
In September 2011, the Australian Government announced new guidelines for transgender people applying for passports. Before the change, transgender people were forced to undergo sex reassignment surgery before their gender could be changed on their passport which severely limited travel overseas.
The government relaxed the standards by allowing transgender people to present a statement from a medical practitioner supporting their gender. [3]

Both press reports presumed the existence of a homogeneous “DSG people”, or “DSG community” of interest, and the issues expanded upon are about transition, which strongly implies that transition is a DSG issue, rather than primarily a trans issue. Some of the issues mentioned in the interview with Sally coincided with changes to guidelines for intersex people, but that was omitted.

An uninformed reader of both articles would likely assume that trans, intersex and DSG are synonymous. A little informed reader would likely assume that transition is a, perhaps the, intersex issue [4].

Outside the LGBTI communities, the Australian Human Rights Commission published the Sex Files report in 2009, as part of a “sex and gender diversity project”:

The biological definition of sex is based on whether a person is male or female. However, there are also people who are born not exclusively male or female and are intersex. The phrase sex diversity as a term recognises the complete spectrum of sex identity.

For people who define sex as biologically determined, gender is viewed as socially constructed. From this perspective, gender can be determined by how a person looks, dresses or acts. People can express a gender identity that is masculine, feminine or something else. Gender identity does not necessarily match with sex. [5]

The use of “sex diversity” appears to be an unnecessary case of mirroring the use of “gender diversity”. The document establishes a reasoning for discussion of “sex identity” that appears dated and inaccurate. Further, the Sex Files report did not take account of existing practices in some States whereby intersex people can obtain identity documentation on the basis of administrative correction to birth registration details.

In its submission on the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill Exposure Draft (HRAD), in December 2012, the AHRC has found it necessary to use more explicit language around intersex, in an effort to ensure inclusion in the proposed bill:

Recommendation 6: The Commission recommends that, in addition to protection against discrimination based on gender identity, the Bill also provide protection more directly against discrimination on the basis of a person’s sex characteristics, intersex status, or gender expression. [6]

Self-descriptions of intersex within intersex communities

When intersex groups self organise, or speak, the terminology of “sex and gender diversity” is never used. It’s clear that “SGD” or “DSG” are terms used by others to include us, not terms that we use ourselves.

An example that demonstrates this is the seven demands of the second International Intersex Forum, held in Stockholm in December 2012. These also show what are actual intersex issues:

Between 9-11 December 2012, the second International Intersex Forum took place in Stockholm. This event brought together 37 activists representing 33 intersex organisations and supportive institutions from all continents.

The Forum agreed to affirm the principles of the first International Intersex Forum and extended the demands aiming to end discrimination against intersex people and to ensure the right of bodily integrity and self-determination:


To put an end to mutilating and ‘normalising’ practices such as genital surgeries, psychological and other medical treatments, including infanticide and selective abortion (on the grounds of intersex).
To ensure that the personal, free, prior, and fully informed consent of the intersex individual is a compulsory requirement in all medical practices and protocols.
Creating and facilitating supportive, safe and celebratory environments for intersex people, their families and surroundings.
In view of ensuring the bodily integrity and health of the intersex child, psycho-social support and non-pathologising peer support be provided to parents and/or care providers and the child`s immediate family instead of surgical or other medical treatment unless such interventions are live-saving.
The provision of all human rights and citizenship rights to intersex people.
The provision of access to one`s own medical records and any documentation, and the affirmation of the intersex person`s right to truth.
The acknowledgement and redress of the suffering and injustice caused in the past. [7]
A similar example can be seen in the open letter on intersex to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, signed by Australians Gina Wilson and Tony Briffa. It begins:

We are writing to discuss the grave situation of human rights abuses of intersex people worldwide. We are concerned about the specific uses of prenatal Dexamethasone (DEX), nonconsensual medically unnecessary surgeries on infants and minors, the gross mistreatment of Pinki Pramanik, and the recent addition of intersex people under the language of “DSD” (Disorders of Sex Development) to the DSM-V. [8]

Further examples are the submissions on the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill (HRAD), Exposure Draft, by OII Australia , AISSGA , Tony Briffa . OII Australia state, in the first paragraph:

OII Australia is a national body by and for intersex people. We promote the human rights of intersex people in Australia, and provide information, education and peer support. OII Australia is a not-for-profit company, recognised by the Australian Taxation Office as a charitable institution. We are not publicly-funded; we rely on the contributions of our members. [9]

The AISSGA state in their first paragraph:

The Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) Support Group Australia Inc. (A0041398U) is a peer support, information and advocacy group for people affected by AIS and/or related intersex conditions, and their families. [10]

Tony Briffa states:

Thank you for the opportunity to provide feedback on the exposure draft of the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012 (Cth). I am particularly pleased the Bill aims to include people born biologically both male and female; otherwise known as intersex. I am one such person. [11]

Further, the terms SGD and DSG are not in general use on the websites for OII Australia or AISSGA, except where quoting or critiquing works using those terms.

While all submissions by intersex people and organisations to the HRAD use the same language, “intersex”, the terminology has historically been contentious.

Historically, the term hermaphrodite was used in educated western contexts. That term now has a specific meaning in biology to indicate biological entities that have what, in mammals, are sexually dimorphic reproductive parts. The term intersex has been used since the early 20th century. Since 2006, medical discourse has used a term that most intersex groups in most countries find problematic and contentious: Disorders of Sex Development.

Disputes around language in intersex communities focus on the use of intersex rather than DSD, the validity of the term hermaphrodite, and differing perspectives on the use of the medicalised language, such as the word “condition”.

Intersex is an umbrella term

SGD or DSG are often described as an umbrella term. For example:

Sex and gender diversity is an “umbrella term” that describes two different groups of people – intersex people and gender diverse people. [12]

It’s rarely recognised that intersex is an umbrella term, just like trans, or gender diversity. It’s an umbrella term for a broad range of very different medical diagnoses, and what medicine currently calls “disorders of sex development”.

A good demonstration of how Intersex is an umbrella term or abstraction, is given in the AIS Support Group HRAD submission:

The Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (AIS) Support Group Australia Inc. (A0041398U) is a peer support, information and advocacy group for people affected by AIS and/or related intersex conditions, and their families… We also provide support to those with related intersex conditions like Partial and Complete / Gonadal Dysgenesis, MRKH (also known as Vaginal Agenesis), 5a-Reductase Deficiency, 3b-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Deficiency, 17-Ketosteroid Reductase Deficiency and 17b-Hydroxysteroid Deficiency. (The previous name for AIS was Testicular Feminisation Syndrome). [10]

Because intersex is an umbrella term, it’s already an abstraction. It should not be abstracted further into “sex diversity”, and then further into “sex and gender diversity”.

Trans as an umbrella term

The search for new terminology appears to come from within the trans community, and is seen in the desire to acknowledge the inclusion of transgender people, transsexual people, genderqueer, sistagirls and other identities. Terms used to refer to the broader trans community include “gender diverse” and “trans*”.

In practice, reporting of the Diversity in Health report launch also demonstrates that “sex and gender diversity” is typically represented in the LGBT/LGBTI media as a new term for trans.

It’s essential that trans people feel included in terms that are designed to include them. Nevertheless, intersex people should not need to be drawn into a debate about terminology to describe trans.

Mixing identity terms and biological terms

The dovetailing of identity terms with a biological term is unhelpful, and it results in presumptions that intersex is also an identity term.

An example of this is the HRAD submission by A Gender Agenda, Canberra which states:

A Gender Agenda works with the sex and gender diverse community which includes transsexuals, transgender people, intersex people, cross-dressers and other sex or gender variant or gender non-conforming people as well as their partners and other family members.[12]

In this particular case, intersex is sandwiched between transgender people and cross-dressers, both forms of gender diversity. We believe that this placement of the term intersex should be discouraged as it contradicts A Gender Agenda’s assertion that sex and gender diversity refers to two distinct groups. See also the submission by the ANU College of Law “Equality Project” [13].

Legibility to third parties

The word intersex is not commonly understood. There are multiple reasons for this, including:

lack of resourcing for any intersex-specific organisations or communities.
a pathologising medical environment.
deliberate obfuscation by some trans groups who define trans as intersex for political objectives [14].
increasing societal familiarity with trans issues, and a tendency to see intersex through that perspective.
In this context, consistency and clarity are critical to ensure that intersex voices are heard. Linguistically mashing intersex with trans, sex and gender diversity does not do this.

In an international context, “Trans” and “Intersex” are the terms that are most commonly recognised, even in documents where both distinct groups are discussed. A model report showing how the two distinct groups can both be discussed in a report without obfuscating intersex issues can be seen in the European Commission report “Discrimination against trans and intersex people on the grounds of sex, gender identity and gender expression” [15]:

European societies are based on norms derived from the simplistic idea of a dichotomy of two mutually exclusive and biologically defined sexes to whom different roles and behaviour are traditionally ascribed (the binary gender model). People who do not easily fit these norms, such as trans and intersex people, encounter numerous difficulties, both at the practical level of everyday life and at the legal level. Obviously, this is not acceptable in a legal union such as the European Union whose founding Treaty, according to Art. 2 TEU, is founded on respect for human dignity and human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities…

With the present report, the European Commission’s Network of Legal Experts in the Non-discrimination Field wishes to contribute to the European Union’s efforts to combat the disadvantage suffered by trans and intersex people. The report examines the legal treatment of discrimination against trans and intersex people on the grounds of sex, gender identity and gender expression, in particular in EU law, against the background of the difficult position of trans and intersex people in our societies. [15]

New terminology: objectives and suggestions

We believe that it’s ok not to require a single, fixed umbrella term. Given that trans and intersex are already both umbrella terms, it’s ok to talk, for example, about intersex people, and trans/gender diverse people.

In terms of naming common joint actions, such as an LGBTI Health Alliance working group, proposed terminology should:

Recognise that intersex and trans are two distinct communities and avoid presumptions of a homogeneous commonality of interest and needs.
Not erase the needs and issues of one community, but promote visibility and understanding of both communities.
Promote clarity about what it means and who it refers to.
Be legible to a broad audience, including Australian but also internationally.
Be concise.
Be easy to disambiguate.
Avoid abbreviation in ways that imply a homogeneous community of interest.
Not necessarily be a single fixed phrase: terminology could vary, both in the order of words to describe intersex and trans communities, and even in descriptors for trans communities.
Most importantly terminology should:

Reflect usage within the communities it refers to. In the case of intersex communities and organisations, this will involve clear use of the word “intersex”.
Suggested possibilities depend on the preferences of trans representatives but might include, for example:

“Intersex, and gender diversity working group” (note Oxford comma)
“Trans/gender diversity, and Intersex working group”
“Intersex, and trans*/gender diversity working group”
“Working Group on Gender Diversity Issues and Intersex Issues”
Download in PDF format

Download this discussion paper in PDF format: Discussion paper on SGD/DSG (updated 9 Jan 2013).

Feedback

We welcome feedback on this discussion paper at info@oii.org.au, or on our Facebook post about this article.

References

[1] Peter Hyndal speech to Parliamentary Friends of LGBTI, 27 November 2012, supplied by author.
[2] SX News, 3 December 2012, Report sheds light on how to improve DSG health, http://gaynewsnetwork.com.au/news/national/9866-report-leads-to-hopes-for-change-for-diverse-sex-gender-community.html
[3] Star Observer, 27 November 2012, Trans issues back on national agenda, http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2012/11/27/trans-issues-back-on-national-agenda/90110
[4] We’re aware that some intersex people, including OII members, change gender documentation, but transition is not an intersex issue, as can be seen from the demands of the second International Intersex Forum, following.
[5] Australian Human Rights Commission, 2009, http://humanrights.gov.au/genderdiversity/sex_files2009.html
[6] Australian Human Rights Commission HRAD submission, https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/comittees/viewdocument.aspx?id=6c5b537d-5f1b-4032-88b3-2676906599d9
[7] ILGA Europe, 12 December 2012, The Second International Intersex Forum concluded, http://www.ilga-europe.org/home/news/for_media/media_releases/intersex_forum_2012_media_release
[8] Hida Viloria et al, 20 December 2012, Open Letter on Intersex to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, http://oii.org.au/21442/open-letter-un-high-commissioner-human-rights/
[9] OII Australia submission, direct link: https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/comittees/viewdocument.aspx?id=3954ffb3-5e39-4b64-a490-a05cbf045294
[10] AISSGA submission, direct link: https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/comittees/viewdocument.aspx?id=6bd0e894-f22d-410d-b680-7d1992695893
[11] Submission by Councillor Tony Briffa JP, direct link: https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/comittees/viewdocument.aspx?id=26df272d-4f77-492f-80c6-aa81c9734a1e
[12] A Gender Agenda, HRAD submission, direct link, https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/comittees/viewdocument.aspx?id=c1aa64fb-0cdf-4cca-b65a-72c68f14d479
[13] See, for example, the HRAD submission by the ANU College of Law “Equality Project” direct link https://senate.aph.gov.au/submissions/comittees/viewdocument.aspx?id=91a173b8-0238-4d67-83d0-d5c9bd8a307a
[14] See “Trans as intersex, crossing the line” by Tracie O’Keefe, http://www.thescavenger.net/isgd/trans-as-intersex-crossing-the-line-56934-369.html, and the rebuttal by OII Australia, http://oii.org.au/13651/isgd-and-the-appropriation-of-intersex/
[15] European Network of Legal Experts, 15 June 2012, Discrimination against trans and intersex people on the grounds of sex, gender identity and gender expression, http://www.migpolgroup.com/publications_detail.php?id=356

Hello!
Creo que lo primero que debes hacer, es aceptarte como eres, amarte a ti mismo y saber como quieres que la gente te vea... Lucha por lo que tu eres y nunca dejes que nadie cambie eso, lamentablemente estamos lejos de un mundo donde todos seamos aceptados...
Pero por algo siempre se empieza, Saludos desde MĂŠxico (I`m Gay)

Good, at least if I'm in hell, I'll be warm and far away from your homophobic ramblings. Many people on other country's pages have explained personal experiences or supported one another, you however choose to tarnish the UK's page with bigotry and hate.

As for caring about me, I don't want/ask you to and I certainly do not need it. I do not believe in any God(s) either and reject your beliefs which you attempt to force upon me.

The UK is on the whole a tolerant country for LGBTI people (although not perfect, like many countries).

Well, this is novel
A small contribution.
A look neat and without prejudice.
A love story, I hpe You like.
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/267216#longdescr

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

they can say all they want about us tg to be honest they can point and stare at us all we have to do is ignore them and hold our heads high and walk tall . same for l,g,bs ignore the comments no matter what people say hold your haeds high and walk tall . eventually it will stop because they will get bored .

all my best holly tgirl

you have done a good and brave thing coming out and showing in public especcially with the way people are about us transgenders. all i can say to them is we are human to and we are not going anywhere so they had best get used to it .

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.

Get regular updates about the film at www.facebook.com/breakingfreeindia

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

I cant find any support groups for transgeder persons in Potchefstroom South africa

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 prideâ&euro;&trade;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 ! this is masbah from bangladesh and as a MSM people,i faced lot of social and family stress without any friendly help.Still i dont know how i pass my life,what i want to do.Can i stay with my lovers or not,can i get family support or not? i really don't know.Who can help me?I dont know.

My name is Yangfa, & I've put together a collection of real-life stories from LGBT people in Singapore.

It's called "I Will Survive: Personal gay, lesbian, bisexual & transgender stories in Singapore".

I'd like to invite you to know a bit more about Singapore and the stories of some of the LGBT communities here, through the website:

http://iwillsurvivesg.wordpress.com/

Take care,
LEOW Yangfa
Editor, I Will Survive
Singapore

This Sunday, a burning concern from urs trully: It’s so depressing having to live behind the smoke screen of another person, seein’ him take over your physical features bit by bit till you are completely lost and cannot see yourself any more. Growing up, I had many a suicidal thoughts, as every moment that passed I came to see, more and more these hard masculine features of this pubescent boy…while the tender supple skin, curvaceous body and beautiful face of the gurl in me, receded behind the curtains only to arise and shine over tones of make-up..I curse the day I told ma mom about ma boobs, stupidly thinking it was cancer, and I was gonna die..i wish I knew then, like I know now that the hormones they were giving me were actually testosterone and they would destroy Cleo….the gurl in me…Am sorry Cleo..sorry for the ignorance in me, sorry that I did not know a better way, sorry that I did not try had enough to save you…It’s a miracle that you have survived this all, scars and wounds notwithstanding, it’s a miracle that you still smile and giggle when you come…But even then, I cannot say that for all my trans brothers and sisters still locked up in bodies of other people….they walk around taunted by the thought of what could have been if only they could let that gurl or boy out…Working with the Trans Supporrt Initiative Uganda I’ve seen many trans people, lost, depressed, praying that, that beard won’t come, that those boobs would just disappear…..it’s a painful reality. That some of us will actually make it, we are surely uncertain of….But having lived through this nightmare and survived it with the few feminine features lurking, am worried, that even those will disappear. Ma heart goes out to all ma trans bro’s and sisters who
are struggling to unmask that gurl or boy in them, ma heart bleeds even more for ma teenage trans brother and sisters who right now are probably having suicidal thoughts, and hating themselves, and ignorant of the other way...a better way…a solution that even if they knew of they may be wouldn’t afford. Heed the words of my cry if you may…Our brother and sisters in Uganda need hormonal replacement therapy, so that they can live better lives... lives with confidence, self esteem, and vitality to face the ever growing transphobia around them…Heed this cry if you may….understand us…save us..we need you..for now we are here, we do not know for how long? But as long if you hear my cry from this deep abyss...answer this our prayer...
follow me on ma facebook cleo xulaye if you are interested in helping out

A recently published article in the Dutch Review for Sexology (TvS) in the framework of the ongoing research into sexual health in the Netherlands done by dr. L. Kuyper indicates that more than half of the Dutch population abhors lack of gender clarity in the persons they meet. 57,3% answered Yes on the question "When I meet someone I find it important to know that person's gender" and 12,3% actively wants to avoid trans* people or gender variant people. While 59% thinks it to be ok that trans people undergo sex reassignment surgery, still 38,3% is of the opinion the trans person should pay up themselves. Another 8 or 9% would break off contact if a friend would tell them they were changing gender.
Source: Tijdschrift voor Seksuologie Vol. 36-2 pp.129-135 (ISSN: 0167-5915)

ILGA is fascist.

I think I might be transsexual or intersexual ; I still am confused. I was born as a boy but since the early ages my minds processes ae similar to that of a girl. I never tried cross-dressing yet I was
considered as a girl. Meanwhile, as of me from talking to thinking to anything else I unconcsiencely fall into the girls zone.

Awareness changed in practice

A person named Ishwor, the resident of Biratnagar-5 came to know that he belonged to the third gender community .But his family members were unaware. So, he was afraid and hesitated to disclose his sexuality among his family members. The main problem was there was no appropriate environment to disclose his sexuality. Later he became regular clients of Pariwartanshil Samaj and finally he decided to get help from Pariwartanshil Samaj, the organization working for LGBTI to disclose his sexuality with his family members and community as well. After that Pariwartanshil Samaj sent 1 outreach and 1 counsellor along with him in his home. At home, staff briefed on his sexuality and his human rights and at the end, the counselling part played a great role to accept him and his sexuality.

Now he is living freely without any hesitation of being third gender and also he has been supported by his family members and treated like the others members.

ProGay consoles Pacquiao, hints rep should work on gay-friendly bills

From GMA News Network

The Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines on Sunday came out in support of defeated boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, who was outscored by American Timothy Bradley in their fight, saying that he still needs to quickly return home in order to work on important bills in Congress.

"We sympathize with the Pacquaio camp and all his saddened supporters. But in defeat, we rise again and help build equality in our nation by knocking out discrimination and violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity," said Progressive Organization of Gays in the Philippines, or ProGay, Spokesperson Goya Candelario in a press statement.

Furthermore, ProGay said that the pound-for-pound king Pacquiao should also re-assess his political stand against marriage equality issues and learn to totally accept lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality as a member of the House of Representatives.

A few weeks before his fight with Bradley, Pacquiao was criticized for speaking out against U.S. President Barack Obama's support for lesbian and gay marriage.

"We ask Congressman Pacquiao to support our equality by endorsing the passage of House Bill 1483 or the Antidiscrimination Bill if he really is supportive of LGBT citizens," Candelario added.

ProGay also called on Pacquiao to continue supporting bills that increase wages by P125 in order to revive the economy and thus help gay and transgender salon workers. â&euro;&rdquo; DVM, GMA News

I'm a 25 years old lesbian living in China mainland. Now I'm a volunteer in a local lesbian NGO. I hope I can marry a partner in my own country.

I was 17 when the first time I kissed a girl. We had a one year relationship but I ended it as I thought being gay is immoral. I want to be staight, be "normal",as what mainstream said. So I had a three months relationship with a boy but ended in nothing. For the following three years, I had been sigle, lonely, and so desperate. I dare not to face my "immoral" sexual orientation until I found myself fall in love again with a girl. Sadly, she is staight.

My ex-partner left me and now has a relationship with a boy. The day we broke up, she tole me her life would be normal: she will date men, get married, have children, be mom, be grandma.

Many Chinese lesbians are forced by parents or social pressure to marry guys. Chinese women are taught to be obedient. It's like a shame for women not getting married with men.

I accept myself being lesbian as I want to be at least honest to my true self. No matter how hard my life would be, I will never marry guys as I have only one chance to live a life I really want.

SOPHIA ISABEL
LEY vs POLITICA
Ponencia preparada para una de las reuniones del Comité Anti Discrimen, Departamento de Justicia, PR.

"Las agresiones en contra de personas Trans van desde las sicológicas: desprecio, rechazo, bromas, hasta las violentas: agresiones verbales/físicas, golpes, heridas y en los casos más violentos la muerte. Pero lo mas sorprendente son las “no agresiones” que reciben de las estructuras sociales y gubernamentales".

En un intento fútil y apresurado. Luego de haber realizado una rápida lectura sobre Crímenes de Odio. Me detuve a organizar mis pensamientos y comencé a meditar sobre los argumentos del Estado para no aplicar el agravante de Crímenes de Odio. En el caso de Alejandro Torres Torres, hombre homosexual de 30 años apuñalado en Ponce. El Capitán Pérez descarta el ángulo de Crimen de Odio, por entender que el simple hecho de que este individuo dormía ocasionalmente en la residencia de la víctima, es indicio suficiente para determinar que entre ellos existía una amistad, obviando el hecho de que una relación ocasional y casual entre dos personas no necesariamente implica una amistad. Más preocupante son las implicaciones de que este tipo de relaciones no contengan ningún tipo de prejuicio en contra de la víctima. Esas expresiones podrían considerarse una motivación de prejuicio en contra de la víctima por parte de este funcionario público. En este caso, el hecho de que el agresor se hubiese marchado con varias pertenecías de la victima fue la posible motivación de este horrendo crimen. Algo similar sucedió en el caso de la mujer trans Ashley Ocasio Santiago, sin tomar en consideración que aparentemente Ashley estuvo de rodillas en el momento en que recibe el único impacto de bala que la causo la muerte instantánea. La intensidad de la agresión, la forma en que se infligen las heridas y/o los lugares particulares donde impactan las balas, penetran las armas blancas y/o se dan los golpes con objetos contundentes, tales como bates, palos de Golf, entre otros, tampoco son suficientes para que estos incidentes violentes, agresiones o asesinatos, puedan ser considerados como incidentes motivados por el prejuicio en contra de las víctimas.
En el caso del último asesinato reportado en la pda. 18 de una mujer trans, los impactos de bala fueron dos, uno en el pecho y a quema ropa prácticamente. La razón para descartar el ángulo de un posible incidente motivado por el prejuicio en este caso, es que la víctima se estaba prostituyendo, como si la orientación sexual, identidad de género o la actividad “Inmoral” fuesen suficientes para matar a cualquiera. Eso fue lo que no le permitió a la fiscal Carrasquillo, someter el agravante de Crimen de Odio en el caso de la muerte de Jorge Steven López Mercado. Para esta fiscal no fue suficiente la forma en infligieron las heridas de Arma Blanca. No fue suficiente la forma en que intentaron quemar su cuerpo. No fue suficiente la forma en que descuartizaron su cuerpo. Ni muchos menos la forma en que distribuyeron perfectamente sus pedazos al momento de dejarlos abandonados en el paraje solitario de Guavate. La precisión con que se descuartizo su cuerpo, según la fiscal, se debió a la destreza de carnicero del asesino, ya que este en algún momento de su vida trabajo en una carnicería, como si fuese similar, el descuartizar un ser humano que un animal. Claro en este caso ese Ser humano era una joven Trans que fue recogido en un área de trabajo sexual en Caguas. La forma en que fue distribuido el cuerpo descuartizado de este joven Trans, parecían más una Oda al cuerpo descuartizado, que un abandono apresurado de aquel que comete un crimen en defensa propia y trata de huir del acto atroz motivado por la respuesta al instinto básico de la supervivencia. La quema del cuerpo fue una reacción desmedida del victimario motivado por la desesperación, provocada por la necesidad de desaparecer el cuerpo. Jamás se tomo el tiempo de analizar concienzudamente ninguna de estos elementos, que a la luz de la consciencia social eran más que suficiente para considerar este y todos los casos anteriormente expuestos, como incidentes motivados por el prejuicio.
La forma en que estos agresores logran acceso a la vida intima de sus víctimas, es el primer indicador de un posible incidente motivado por el prejuicio. La intensidad de la agresión, es el segundo indicador de este tipo de crímenes. La forma en que se infligen las heridas, y lo meticuloso de la agresión, es el tercer indicador en estos casos. Estos individuos entienden que para sus víctimas fue un honor el haber compartido sexualmente con ellos y ese honor tiene que ser pagado. En ocasiones, el pago es demasiado alto para la víctima y es en ese momento, en el que la víctima no puede o no quiere cumplir con los pagos exigidos por su agresor, que se dan este tipo de incidentes. Claro es un perfil que no responde a los perfiles incluidos en las Guías Federales, pues estas no tienen pertinencia cultural con Puerto Rico. Las motivaciones en Estados Unidos de este tipo de incidentes son totalmente diferentes a las motivaciones que se dan en Puerto Rico.
Si, reconocemos la labor de la policía que en ocasiones se ve empañada por expresiones similares a la del Capitán Pérez, en el caso del asesinato de Ponce. La continuidad con que escuchamos este tipo de expresiones por parte de miembros de la policía, en diferentes instancias, es lo que nos preocupas, pues refleja no tan solo la falta de guías y, en caso de que existan guías, refleja la falta de continuidad en los procesos de educación y sensibilización, vitales en este tipo de intervención, pues minimizan el impacto del proceso de re-victimización, lo que a su vez se convierte en un obstáculo, no tan solo de la investigación, sino de la radicación y a su vez del proceso judicial. Es una reacción en cadena que perjudica el caso que pudiese estarse llevando a cabo y los futuros casos. Es más que evidente la cooperación que las autoridades pertinentes han recibido en un sin número de ocasiones por parte de la comunidad. Pero también es evidente que cada vez es más difícil acudir a la comunidad para obtener algún tipo de información que conduzca al arresto y convicción de este tipo de agresores. Esta es la forma en que funcionarios públicos se expresan ante la prensa y muchas ocasiones antes l@s posibles testigos y/o familiares. Estas expresiones tienen un efecto dual. El primero es en las comunidades afectadas por este tipo de incidentes motivados por el prejuicio. Es con este tipo de expresiones que se desata la reacción en cadena del proceso de re-victimización y a su vez incapacita l@s posibles testigos de acercarse a las autoridades pertinentes. Estas expresiones, muy sutilmente, justifican este tipo de agresión. Claro es mucho más fácil llevar una investigación a la luz de una relación que ni la sociedad ni el Gobierno reconocen como correctas. La sociedad prejuicia, al no reconocer ninguna aportación social positiva a este tipo de relaciones y el Gobierno la invalida despojándola y/o privándola de cualquier tipo de protección legal. El efecto es aún mayor cuando el Gobierno, que posee dos herramientas jurídicas para trabajar este tipo de incidentes, no ha creado la infraestructura necesaria para implementar eficientemente ambas herramientas. El asunto es aun más grave para el Departamento de Justicia, pues no ha tenido la capacidad de utilizar estas herramientas eficientemente y no ha tenido la capacidad de proteger los derechos de sus víctimas. Las victimas tienes derechos protegidos, no tan solo por ley en Puerto Rico, sino también por la ley Federal. De hecho existe una Oficina de Asistencia a Víctimas. Claro el fraccionamiento burocrático ha provocado que esta oficina carezca de recursos para poder cumplir con su función. Entendemos los efectos de la Ley 7, entendemos la crisis fiscal que vive el país y reconocemos el trabajo que se ha hecho. Lo que no entendemos es como este tipo de actitudes y/o expresiones continúan siendo la normativa en este tipo de casos. Estas expresiones intensifican el impacto de este tipo de incidentes y al mismo tiempo ínsita al resto de la sociedad a continuar con este patrón de conducta considerándolo como correcto por el simple hecho de quien hace la expresión.
Los Crímenes de Odio deben ser considerados como la expresión criminal más compleja que hayamos enfrentado. El hecho de que son motivados por un prejuicio, no es la única característica en la que debería estar basado su procesamiento legal y es más un concepto que una definición legal. Este tipo de crímenes comprenden dos elementos. Una ofensa criminal cometida por prejuicio y este representa el primer elemento. El acto criminal de por sí; acecho físico y/o sicológico, acoso físico y/o sicológico, maltrato físico y/o sicológico, agresión verbal, física y/o sicológica, alteración a la paz, daño y/o invasión a la propiedad, amenazas y muerte, es considerado como la base del delito. No existe Crimen de Odio sin una base del delito. El segundo elemento es el prejuicio en contra de su víctima. Su único objetivo es dejar claro que la víctima, quien es elegida por lo que representa y no por quien es, no es bien vista. La opresión social, causada por la inequidad legal, es lo que propicia la exclusión, que le brinda a este tipo de agresores los elementos necesarios para identificar a sus víctimas. El grado de vulnerabilidad en el que se ven inmersas sus víctimas, determina la intensidad con que se llevan a cabo sus acciones. Es un tipo de influencia que tiene como objetivo cambiar la percepción o el comportamiento de otros a través de tácticas abusivas que pudiesen ser solapadas y engañosas, cuyo único propósito es promover los intereses del agresor a costa de su víctima. Esos métodos podrían ser considerados explotadores, abusivos, tortuosos, y/o engañoso. Es generalmente percibida como inofensiva, cuando pretende respetar el derecho de sus víctimas a través de la aceptación o el rechazo, y no es excesivamente coercitiva. Según el contexto y las motivaciones, las expresiones pueden constituir una motivación, pero no deberían determinar el crimen por si solas. El resentimiento, los celos o la simple necesidad de ser aceptados por sus pares, la repulsión u hostilidad en contra de un grupo en particular, la repulsión que le provoca la atracción hacia una persona que pertenece a un grupo excluido socialmente o simple y llanamente lo que representa socialmente su víctima son suficiente motivación para clasificar dichas acciones como Crímenes de Odio, en tanto, ambos elementos estén presentes. El Odio no es una motivación de por sí. La percepción del agresor de que su víctima no es parte de su composición social es un elemento presente no solo en sus acciones, sino también en sus expresiones. El agresor justifica sus actos basado en el patrón social de exclusión determinado por las acciones del Estado al no poseer la capacidad de demostrar lo que sustenta en la redacción e implementación de sus leyes. Esto puede verse claramente manifestado, cuando el Estado no le da validez a las declaraciones de las victimas y/o testigos y el no investigar adecuadamente la motivación por prejuicio. En casos donde la investigación es evidentemente inapropiada, los fiscales minimizan el delito a la hora de elegir los cargos y los tribunales fallan al no aplicar sentencias cónsonas con el delito y paralelamente, son síntomas de un sistema incapaz de manejar este tipo de crímenes.

“Los Crímenes de Odio son el efecto de una sociedad intolerante. Cuando el crimen es contra una víctima que pertenece a un grupo estigmatizado, la investigación se considera viciada en el momento en un representante del estado le considera culpable de la agresión. Por tanto, el Estado tiene la responsabilidad de entender la complejidad que representa este tipo de crímenes y procurar que dichas herramientas no afectan la identidad e independencia de los sectores social afectados” (Burstein, 1991).

“Evidentemente la discriminación es el problema y la misma vez la motivación. Esta dicotomía es vista como la causa, y los episodios ocasionales de violencia como un síntoma” (West, 1993).

La mera legislación no puede ser considerada como la solución, ante la complejidad que comprenden los Crímenes de Odio. Su implementación debe estar acompañada de adiestramientos dirigidos a desarrollar habilidades y aumentar el conocimiento de policías, fiscales y jueces. La recopilación de datos específicos es necesaria para poder asignar correctamente los recursos e identificar las aéreas que deberán ser reforzadas. Por lo tanto, la legislación provee una mayor conciencia y permite un mejor control, y a su vez conduce a una implementación más eficaz y mejores relaciones entre la policía y la comunidad. Esto lleva a que las comunidades participen brindando mayor información y de paso obtienen, una mejor investigación, una radicación de cargos más efectiva y un procesamiento adecuado de este tipo de crímenes. Las penas deberán ser más severas por que el impacto de este crimen afecta a toda una comunidad y no debería implicar un beneficio en particular sino más bien un rechazo total por parte de toda la sociedad. Por tanto, es el Estado quien, con sus acciones, reivindicara aquellos sectores excluidos socialmente. Los Crímenes de Odio son un asunto de Ley y no de Política.

Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG) published CEDAW shadow report: LBT Women in Georgia.

Violence against women is closely linked to socially constructed views on masculinity and famininity. Patriarcal opinions on gender and gender norms put a strong distinction between the two and facilitate unequal distribution of power based sex/gender-related considerations.

In a society where gender asymmetry is sharp, even a slight deviation from established gender norms can turn into a reason for violence and discrimination. In such societies LBT (Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) women usually constitute one of the most vulnerable groups; They are discriminated based on both - thier sex and their sexual orientation/ gender identity.

Despite some recent LGBT- related groundbreaking developments in the field of human rights, in Georgia LGBT still remains one of the most “invisible” groups. As a result, violence against LGBT people also remains “invisible” and goes unreported to human rights organizations, state institutions, as well as the wider public.

In Georgia LBT rights are not seen as a part of women’s rights in general; LBT issues are practically eliminated from the agenda of women’s rights organizations. This, in addition to the high level of homophobia, makes it particularly difficult to identify individual instances of discrimination and to measure the overall scope of the problem. For this reason we consider that fact that discussion and monitoring of LBT rights in Georgia starts in the context of women’s rights in general is very important.
The structure of the report is based on the methodology which has been devised by IGLHRC (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commision). Each chapter starts with a provision from the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women or a CEDAW recommendation and a relevant provision from the Yogyakarta Principles.

The publication is available on WISG’s website; the file can be downloaded here:

http://women.ge/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/WISG-LBT-CEDAW-shadow-report_eng.pdf

About WISG
Women’s Initiatives Supporting Group (WISG) is a non-governmental, non-profit-making organization working on women’s rights in Georgia. It was founded in 2000 and started to work on the issue of homophobia in 2002. Since 2003 WISG has been working on research and analysis of homophobic hate speech in Georgian media. From 2005 its women’s rights program has been focusing on LBT women’s empowerment in Georgia. Since 2010 the overall goal of WISG’s women rights programme is to support LBT women in having absolute right and a full accessibility to participate in all the areas of life through empowerment of the group, advocacy and increasing the level of tolerance towards LBT group in the society.

WISG is a member of international networks: AWID, ILGA-EUROPE and IGLYO.

About one or two weeks ago a Dutch court decided that hermaphrodites (persons with a certain intersex condition) do not have to undergo medical procedures in order to get their preferred sex registration recognised. Anticipating the new gender recognition law and political statements of government,a general registral mistake law can indeed be used for this aim and not the (currently) archaic gender recognition law that requires sterilisation.
We have been instrumental in both the political statement and in the pointing the lawyer to the right grounds on which to act.

I ve decided to write our story here only for the peope who understand and can help somehow. To tell in details my life will be a tragic movie. I was born in Georgia, in traditional communist false family, having despot father and weak mother, always had protest against them and all the world who demanded from me to behave as calm girl obey and not have a opinion, that only boys have the right to do whatever they want. From Childhood I wanted to escape, to have freedom and be strong, and then I realized that in this patriarchatic country be a woman means you are half a human or not at all. I had totally boyish interests and played with boys I considered myself one of them. But when I grow up they saw in me a beautiful girl, at that time I already was curious about other girls, and therefore ignore boys, who got agressive and even tried to rape me. All my school time and institute I spend without close friends,nobody understood what I feel I only had platonic love towards one classmate which she never new. I wanted to become a movie director, but heavy political situation in Georgia prevented my studies, We had no electricity and heating. Till age 23 I spend mosto of spare time reading philosophical books to distinguish my identity. Than I managed to go to USA.And from that day I felt i was a human, I have been so happy that Im free at last that I felt I was in the center of universe, ready to conquire mountains. And there began my first real love story. I fell in love with a demonic goddess, which was heterosexual and I become the only exclusive in her life who she loved regardless gender. I spend the most happy days of my life there in NJ which I thought will last forever becaouse I found myself and what I was lacking all my life Trues, true relationships, pure sole. But afterwards we got many problems, first all we had to hide,cannot move.Than My visa expired and I got back which was a mistake, I returned back in USA second time after an year instead of 6 month I promised to poeple there. Everything was changed.I left my love alone and she waited for me 1 year and Im again with tourist visa. She said go, you will again leave me after 6 months,I said I cannot stay illegaly.After 6 months I my parents made me to depart again from USA, I hoped to study to gain student visa and come again as student and make everything to be successful in career and live with her in California. But meantime regime in Georgia changed and they deny my student visa. I did not realize that time how much I loved her, I did not realize that time that it was the end of all, Time passed, She no more waited for me, I got heavy depression,My father died felt guilty about me and that he treated me bad against my will.I ask everyone to help me to return to USA in vain, nobody cared and nobody understand why I wanted to go there. I Could not tell no one about my orientation,all huge emotions I killed in myself and become more depressed. Than They give me antidepressants which cures one from life, and makes you live zombie without any emotions and feelings.Most traumatic was the fact that I lost my talent of creative writing,I felt like am In Jail, time stopped. I did not relised how 7 years passed.Ive tried to fell in love with other, but in vain, the only one I really needed was her this is my last wish not to die without seeing her. I m totally lost in this life, having undergone so much injustice, mistreatment, discrimination, cynism,bullying ,fighting for human rights for humanity for justice, not only because of my orientation, but of the truth and not obeying to others,being an individum and finally they make me weak. Now I have several years left, asking you to help me spend some time again in USA to get me out of this hell, nobody nomore is waiting there for me now, but I want to walk to the places I loved where I found myself and left my heart.

Check out this fantastic documentary: Orchids: My Intersex Adventure

“Orchids” is directed by Phoebe Hart is one of the movies in the Official Selection of ÉCU - The European Independent Film Festival 2012.

Documentary filmmaker, Phoebe Hart, comes clean on her journey of self-discovery to embrace her future and reconcile the past shame and family secrecy surrounding her intersex condition. Despite her mother's outright refusal to be in the film, Phoebe decides she must push on with her quest to resolve her life story and connect with other intersex people on camera. With the help of her sister Bonnie and support from her husband James, she hits the open road and reflects on her youth.

Check out the trailer here:
http://www.filmannex.com/movie/orchids/27716

Cebu City, hailed Queen City of the South, is the capital city of Cebu and is the "second city" in the Philippines with the second most significant metropolitan centre and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country. In its hike for equality, Councilors Alvin Dizon, Margarita Osmeña, Nida Cabrera, Lea Japson, John Philip Po III and Augustus “Jun” Pe sponsored an ordinance on condemning and banning acts of discrimination against any person on the basis of disability, age, health status, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity and religion. The Anti-Discrimination Ordinance (ADO) gathered a collective support from various sectors during its first public hearing last January 25, 2012 with at least ten provisions under the prohibited acts that include denial of access to public programs and services, refusing admission or expulsion from educational institutions, and denial of access to medical and health services, based on disability, age, health status, sexual orientation and gender identity, ethnicity and religion. The ADO is holistic in its approach in protecting peoples from discrimination and promoting equality in all levels. Currently, the ADO is up for deliberation for the next session. This encourages the Cebu LGBT community to be vigilant by proactively supporting the passage of the ADO and an island-wide campaign for the replication of the same measure. To add, the Cebu Rainbow LGBT Community is hosting its first Cebu Rainbow LGBT Congress with the theme of " One Cause, One Colorful Community, One Cebu" aimed to foster unity of each LGBT sectors as one strong community, collectively identifying local sectoral issues, establishing the network's core group this coming March 4, 2012 at the Social Hall, Fourth Floor Legislative Building, Cebu City Hall, Cebu City, Philippines.

It is very fortunate in the Resolution No. 12-1672-2011 dated 7 December 2011 of Cebu City's 12th Sangguniang Panlungsod (Legislative Branch)has resolved the inclusion of the LGBT sector on the Gender and Development (GAD) program and to request the Chairperson of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) to include the LGBT in the national implementation of GAD programs and services and to urge the Cebu City Women and Family Affairs Commission (CCWFAC, the Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) and Barangay GAD focal persons to include the LGBT sector in the GAD program implementation within Cebu City.

Now I have to tell a abonimable news in prison in Japan. According to the information dated 24 February 2012, the Hyogo Lawyers' Association has given a recommendation for a transsexual woman to replace to female institution, who is now placed in male prison, an isolate cell. She is now completely treated as male despite she has has ungergone SRS before detention. She had her body checked by male staff and has had her hair shaved just like as Anne Frank had done at her arrival at Auschwiz. I feeze at this news; I cannot beleive that such a inhuman treatment is performed in a civilized country. Yet I must cry for the justice of international human rights law, because we are not slave nor monsters, but women and humankind with inherit dignity. I hope and demand global action for all citizens in the world and international comunity to save her.

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 ; )

you fags should die thank you

Mr. Ssemakula please contact: sogiah.uganda@gmail.com.
There are however, certain issues you may know about being "gay" in Uganda. Many have thought it is a ticket to getting hand outs and this assumption has led to much disappointments. Please get your act together: engage in genuine work to earn money, engage in genuine obedience to your leaders/benefactors/parents. Live your life as a responsible person. No one out here has a pot of money to help you as long as you see yourself as a destitute. You are a dignified person. Make friends by showing the positive side of you.Do not beg using the internet!!!

Good day,
My name is Stanislaw. I am a representative of the LGBTQ’s site in Kazakhstan - Gay.kz (www.gay.kz). The theme of this letter is about: “How to improve the life quality of the LGBTQ in Kazakhstan and in Asia in general”.

First of all I want to give some information about Gay.kz. We are an informational source that provides useful informationto all LGBTQ people in Kazakhstan, including: news, health articles, relations, LGBTQ art and etc. Also we provide consulting service to advertise events which are connected with LGBTQ. But unfortunately we are the one LGBTQ site in the Kazakhstan, and this why we really need in side support.

It means that our informational resources are pour. Also you can find some negative comments of the people who against LGBTQ society, including politicians and government.

I want to ask for the help. Gay.kz needs in some useful information, such as: different educational programs, the health-protection information, how we can teach people protect themselves (including mental health), art – entertainment programs, LGBTQ culture (films, music, literature, fashion, art), volunteer programs. Also we need increase the number of visitors in our site. Could Your suggest please, some free ways to advertise Gay.kz or help to promote it in the Internet.

Unfortunately we do not have any finance to pay for the help, because all information and resources of the Gay.kz are free for users.

Thank You for Your attention,
I hope that You will answer soon

Best wishes, Stanislaw
27 January, 2012

Contact information: stanislaw@gay.kz

WEZESHA urges the Tanzanian Government to act immediately on recommendations made by the British Premier David Cameron to better protect against discrimination and amend Sections 154 to 157 of the Penal Code of Tanzania that makes homosexual acts between men an illegal offense punishable with a maximum of fourteen years' imprisonment (1993, 332), it is a violation of human rights.
The significant limitations in Tanzaniaâ&euro;&trade;s protection of human rights are the non-compliance with its international human rights obligations and the absence of protection against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity and inability of same-sex couples to marry.
Tanzania must be held accountable for failing to recognize marriage equality rights for all couples regardless of their sex, sexuality or gender identity.â&euro;? The Government should act immediately on the recommendations made by David Cameron and amend the Marriage Act to ensure all people can marry because Marriage is a civil institution, governed by secular laws.
There must be specific anti-discrimination laws to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. The Tanzanian Government makes commitments that will ensure the existence of anti-discrimination law to benefit all Tanzanians
We also call for further reforms to ensure the legal recognition of children living in same-sex families, because under international law, children are to be afforded legal recognition and protection, regardless of their family structure. As such, all adoption and surrogacy laws should not be permitted to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.â&euro;?
WEZESHA strongly encourages bipartisan support for the implementation of the recommendations to ensure effective human rights protection for all sex, sexuality and gender diverse people in Tanzania.

Being a senior in high school I couldn't ask for better in the way of being me and getting messed with. I did get bullied a ton when I was in middle school for the preconception that I was gay. Later I finally came out my sophomore year with tons of support that I have now. Slowly I started telling more friends and adults along the way. Now I plan to find a organization in the states so I can start making a difference here at home.

College Speech here at my high school has really brought the advocate out in me this year. I have always fought for the community, but with the ability to get a voice to my class, has made it more wild. An informative speech I have been working on currently has me on the bystander effect and bullying. That has kept me busy with me trying to perfect it as much as I can. I want to be the one person for small towns to make a difference while I am still here. Then my nation and ultimately the world.

All in all, whatever I can do, I will do it. I will be the one that makes a difference behind the scenes. No fame needed, just the pride of a job that I go to everyday and love! I love LGBTQIASP individuals more then you will ever know. This is the era of change. Here we come.