Muslim Country motions to Legally Recognise Same-Sex Unions

Yes indeed, you heard us correctly. India has been making small steps towards becoming an entity fighting anti-discrimination by first decriminalising homosexual acts in the nation's capital. This has been rivaled by a surprising Muslim country who seeks to get into the European Union. Albania, a Muslim populace of 70%, has put forth a motion to legalise gay marriage. Although it seems like a long-shot with Albania's conservative yet secular culture, it looks promising that this former Communist state will perform leaps and bounds in breaking Eastern Europe's reputation of being anti-gay.

Reports on this are on the following websites:
Pinknews.Co.UK
Balkan Insight

Decriminalisation of Homosexuality in India's Capital? Say Wha?!

Links:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090702/ap_on_re_as/as_india_gay_rights

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8645.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8129836.stm

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0702/breaking29.htm

Slowly but surely, times are a-changin'.

The Al-Fatiha Foundation, one of the oldest Muslim LGBT communities, is revamping their website to better serve and connect their members. The site plans to debut later this Spring; in the meantime, Al-Fatiha is helping coordinate a historic survey of LGBT Muslims worldwide. The creators cite that,

"...this is the first survey of its kind. The results of this survey will tell us all about our community, our experiences and our concerns. The results will guide Al-Fatiha's educational and advocacy work on behalf of LGBTIQQ Muslims, and will be shared with the entire community."

Remember that all responses are anonymous and confidential, you can skip any questions that you wish -- your feedback will only strengthen Al-Fatiha's response to the community's issues and obstacles. Check out the survey, let your voice be heard!

Pink Chaadis to the Rescue!

Rachel Maddow, the first openly gay anchor to host a prime time news program in the U.S., joins the Consortium of Pub-Going, Loose, and Forward Women. Sooo cool!

Tickled Pink

All the single ladies, put your hands up...

Last week, the Hindu organization, Sri Ram Sena, attacked several women at a bar for drinking and dancing with men. Television crews caught women being shoved to the ground and others running away from the Sena. Fortunately no one was severely injured and ten men involved were arrested (yet soon after released on bail.)

The Sri Ram Sena is a relatively unknown group in India. They see themselves as crusaders, aiming to protect Indian values from Western temptations. In other words -- the Westboro Baptist Church of the subcontinent. The Sena defended their brash actions, stating that "[the] group was stepping in to enforce morality because the government had failed." While Indian officials have denounced the attacks, it did not stop many placing judgement on "modern" Indian women.

But it nice to see that Indian women not taking these attacks lying down, rather they have created the Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women. The consortia is currently organizing a drive to send pink chaddis to the Sena for Valentine's Day. They have published a 3 Step guide showing how we can send a message to these zealots via adorable underwear.

V-Day is just around the corner -- dig out those pink granny panties you mom used to buy for you and send them over!

Weekly Mix Masala

In India, a pro-gay play finally starts running after receiving its censor certificate a year later.
Videos From India

More info on the play here: Queer Media Watch

Indian theater manager is killed over his sexual advances towards one his male employees
Queer Media Watch

Hare Krishna Women discuss research that 72% of truck drivers in North Pakistan who participated in a recent survey admitted that they had sex with males. And there's some really interesting research on homosocial relationships in South Asian culture in this post. Go check it out!
Hare Krishna Women

Assholes in India run women out of a bar by kicking and slapping them
The Observers

Ugh more assholes. Ken Starr is trying to forcibly divorce already married gay couples in Cali
Courage Campaign

Whoa - Kansas is introducing a bill to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s anti-discrimination law. If this full-blown Midwestern state is going for this, there is hope for the US.
365 Gay News

But then again - New York Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith said that he did not believe legislation to legalize marriage between same-sex couples has enough support to become law in 2009.
NYTimes

Full list of donors who donated to support Prop 8 in California
California Secretary of State

Girltalk in Chennai

Chennai will be launching its first lesbian helpline in a few days and phones have already been ringing! The program is sponsored by the sexual minority NGO, Indian Community Welfare Organisation (ICWO). The helpline is to provide counseling, support, and livelihood assistance to lesbians of the city. So Chennai gals, you can ring 044-65515742 if you need someone to chat with; the lines officially open this Saturday (February 7th).



Now if this sounds like something you would like to get involved with, the helpline is seeking volunteers. As of now only gay men are available to work the lines, the program would ideally like women taking calls. Interested? Contact ICWO, it's a great cause!

Weekly Mix Masala

Looks like New York's Senator replacement for Hillary Clinton is not too gay friendly
The Daily Dish

A new way for doctors to identify if someone is suffering from domestic violence by the pattern of fractures around the face
Jezebel

Facebook as political activism? Hello, we were totally on top of this trend circa 2006 (go check out our facebook group, Queer and Trans Desis (South Asians))
Jezebel

Iran has sentenced two internationally renowned Irani AIDS physicians to six and three years of prision for their plot to overthrow Iran’s Islamic regime. Sounds like some shady governing to me.
365gay.com

Eunuchs in da house! Eunuchs in India seek quota in jobs, government.
NDTV.com

In US schools, gays of color are at the highest risk for violence
365gay.com

At a photography session with Prince Mavendra Singh Gohil
asianwindow.com

New cases registered under section IPC 377:
Man booked under 377 for sexually assaulting an under-aged girl
Times of India

Teenaged boy says cop in uniform sodomized him for refusing to get liqour
Indian Express

And my personal favorite...
Murdered homosexual man posthumorously booked under 377 because he allegedly came on to the man that murdered him. How the hell is he supposed to defend himself if the only witness to his crime was his murderer? Does this not prove that Section 377 needs to change??
Express India

Queeristani Travels: Canadian Journo Conquers Gay India

The following is a post written by a friend of mine who is now in India doing some journalism for a Canadian Gay & Lesbian online newspaper called Xtra.ca (http://www.xtra.ca) . He wrote this little piece with Queeristan in mind, so enjoy :)



----------------------------
At long last, it's a good time to be gay in India.

Delhi's High Court seems on the verge of legalizing homosexuality. Pride parties are kicking off in cities across the country. Even Bollywood movies are featuring fun, outrageous flamers.

"It's like Canada in the 1960's," an Indian guy told me over coffee in Kolkata. Which means that most of the country's homos are still in the closet, but the door's about to burst open.

When the West talks about the modernization of India, it usually means the emergence of software companies and call centres. But I came to India to witness the modernatization of its attitudes.

I landed in Kolkata in late October and immediately embarked on a gay tour of one of my favourite countries. My guides are guys that I meet on the internet. In every city I go, I just need to meet one, and he introduces me to all his friends.

In the past month and a half, I've danced at the gay bar in Kolkata, marched with queer sex workers in Hyderabad and brunched with the out runners of Bangalore. I also had the honour of meeting a fantastic activist that I like to call "the gay rights guru of East India". And yes, I know that things still aren't peachy keen for everyone. Trans activists are being busted, the HIV/AIDS rate is way too high and bribery and extortion are still big problems for a lot of queers.

I'm a freelance reporter from Winnipeg, Canada, and every week, I'm writing all about my experiences on Canada's top GLBT news site, www.xtra.ca. My column is called "This ain't Mother Teresa's India". I invite all my Queeristani friends to check it out and make all the comments you want. Better yet, if you're in India, let me know how we can meet up. This year, I'm celebrating Christmas in Goa and New Year's in Mumbai. I'd love to know where the party's at.

Thanks for reading!

Salaam Zindagi Interviews Gay Men

NDTV, my new favorite Hindustani station (suck it ZeeTV) recently had a segment about gay men the talk show "Salaam Zindagi," but we only got a short clip. Because I'm so extra fabulous, I translated the whole damn thing. You know a 6-minute clip takes a freakin hour to translate?

So I'm wondering where that guy teaches, because I'm pretty sure a teacher in the US who came out on TV as a gay rights activist would have some issues teaching again. Indians are cool like that. You know, not really supporting gay marriage and then doing weird shit like electing a female PM. Whatevz.



Notes: Where is Mr. Deepak getting his statistics from? Someone tell me!! And if anyone has the rest of this show and feels like translating it too, send it ovahhh.

Translation:

Hostess: "...accusations are made, questions are asked, and torture takes place too. Manish we have met earlier and now months later..Manish, this time since we last saw you, tell us how it was"

Manish: "It was a hectic time; a lot of people who are homosexual like myself contacted me...in a certain sense, I gave a lot of counseling. I liked it because people didn't want to come out before, people don't want to show themselves. It's hard because it's so emotional and the family pressure is so strong and people can't live their lives the way they want to.

H: "You also had quite a bit of family pressure, along with societal pressures. So did any of the family pressure alleviate when you came out, and discussed it openly?

M: My sister and my aunt, who I never would have imagined, gave me so much support and lovingly accepted met. I've been close to my aunt since I was a kid. She used to pressure me to get married, but after she saw me on the show (for the first time), she came up to me and hugged me and said sweetly "I'm proud of your strength for not bending to pressure to enter a relationship (getting married to a woman) that wouldn't have worked for you. She really appreciated me, and actually I want to say on this show "I really love you, bhua (aunt), thank you so much."

H: Knowing yourself, accepting yourself is truly something that requires a lot of strength. Saying it is easy, but may be difficult for many peoplet. You haven't met Deepak, let me introduce you - Deepak Kashyip. A gay rights activist and a teacher. He's here today because when I first met him we spoke about our episode on gay rights, and he felt it was a good opportunity to come here and speak. Deepak, you said after seeing the show you gained some strength and felt that you could speak about his openly.

D: I will say that the show was one big reason I came here. But a even bigger reason I came, I want to say: If there is anything causing you problems, there is a simple reason - either you don't understand it (being gay) fully, or the truth that you know, you don't want to accept. Often, I used to go to church and to temple and blame God that this is your problem, this is your mistake. But, later on I realized that you can't blame anyone for this. And when I found out this isn't a medical disorder and there are homosexuals in the wider animal kingdom, I realized this is a law of evolution - you can't do anything about it. So, I personally believe that I found out the truth about this and that I accepted it.

H: Your mom and dad know about this truth, and now accept you/understand you even better. The dilemma of explaining this to them, has that gotten easier, Deepak?

D: My dad always taught me that if I'm not harming the environment, hurting myself or hurting anyone else, than I have the complete right to choose the path to my happiness.

H: That's great. That is a great thing you said. If you're not causing harm to anyone, you're not pulling any shadiness, you're not talking shit about anyone, then why don't you have the equal right to being happy? Why should you be ridiculed, and laughed at? You (Deepak) are a gay rights activist, you have participated in the recent gay pride parade, why did you think of becoming a gay rights activist?

D: 85% of gay Indian men are married. And of those 85%, 90% of those men are actively gay outside their marriage. I want to work for others too.

H: Thank you for coming on this show. I have hopes that your talk will help others find the courage to accept themselves. So we had this talk with people that by society's standards maybe aren't "normal," aren't "straight" but consider themselves normal, and might see us as abnormal. Does anyone have any questions?

Question by girlie: I want to ask how much your friends supported you when you decided to come out?

D: I am lucky, because, say I had 100 friends, all of those 100 friends accepted me. It is really rare that anyone looked askance at me, otherwise I was completely accepted. They don't love me because I'm gay - they love me for me. If I was straight, even then my sexuality wouldn't matter to them as much as it matters that I am a human being.

H: Fall in love with someone, accept someone because of who they are.

THE END!

Underground Social Justice (...literally)

A few weeks ago we told you about the publication of an awesome compilation of stories dealing with those living with HIV/AIDS in India. Well, the same people releasing AIDS Sutra are sponsoring a 15-day photography exhibition in Delhi's Rajiv Chowk Metro Station. Avahan, an NGO sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, hopes the public will absorb the works and begin questioning the stigma attached to this disease. The photos are actually taken from AIDS Sutra, they illustrate each of the sixteen chapters in the compilation. The works have been enlarged and captioned, they highlight sex workers, hijras, IV drug users, MSMs, and other groups considered at high risk for HIV.

The exhibit was opened by Indian Health Minister and Anti-IPC 377 ally, Ambumani Ramadoss. In recent months, Ramadoss has become increasingly vocal in the people's fight to repeal the British artifactual code criminalizing homosexual behavior. He cites structural issues (like IPC 377) and social stigma as the biggest obstacles India must overcome before the nation's HIV epidemic can be controlled. Rajiv Chowk is India's second largest financial, commercial and business center, thousands of people pass through its metro station daily -- talk about some great exposure!

Pride of Bollywood

Dressed in traditional South Asian garb, the desis in Vancouver's pride parade made quite a sight as they partied on the beautifully decorated float this weekend. Sher Vancouver, Trikone Vancouver, Trikone Northwest from Seattle, and Namaste Vancouver collaborated together to create the stunning theme- Pride of Bollywood.

Pictures taken by Shahraz Kassam and submitted by Amar Sangha

AIDS Awareness

I just watched Saawariya last night and I was looking for the songs on Youtube and I came across this video that was done. The main actor in Saawariya (Ranbir) is featured in the video about raising awareness about AIDS. I think it is awesome that this was created. The efforts of the actors and actresses in "My Brother...Nikhil" was also something that I saw as an accomplishment in the Bollywood advertisements. I just wanted to share it. :)

Queer Muslims in Chicago! This Saturday...

Poets/writers/activists sarwat rumi & imi rashid have teamed up with Insight Arts to co-found "Akabaka Productions." Akababa Productions will host programs for queer women and genderqueer people of color at the Center for New Possibilities in Rogers Park. "Akabaka" is Bengali for "zig-zag" and is the term sarwat and imi have chosen to describe queer people. The first programming event "akabaka salaams" is geared towards building awarness and community for queer Muslim women of color. There will be a film screening, and in the words of imi, it will be

"followed by a discussion on how to build trust and awareness in the midst of rampant homophobia within the Muslim community. We [sarwat and imi] don't know of too many queer Muslims ourselves, and so we're hoping that this event, and the ones that follow, will hold a safe space and supportive environment for those who need it."

Light Snacks Provided!!
July 19th, 4-6pm, 1505 W. Morse Ave next door to the Common Cup
Event is FREE!

Voices From the Community: Calcutta Pride

Dear Friends and Colleagues

Calcutta queer folks Rainbow Pride Walked again, and it was more special than before as our friends in Delhi and Bangalore joined us in simultaneous pride festivities. Added to that, there were friends from Gujarat (easily the most musical group of people!), Mumbai, Orissa and people visiting from the US and other places joining in.

Anis' baritone "We Shall Overcome" all through the walk would have woken up the Municipal Corporation officers had he used a microphone . . . and if Macaulay's spirit still hangs around in Calcutta (nor sure if he ever came here though), then the cries for packing off Section 377 would surely have made him catch the nearest barge on Hooghly to London. Yes, we know Section 377's meant to be read down, but ultimately it has to 1 2 3 4 - Section 377 No More, or Ek Do Teen Char, Band Karo Ye Atyachar. Keeping company to these slogans were beautifully done posters designed at an event as the first activity of the pride week.

The Calcutta march count numbers differ, ranging from 200-400, but what was special was the public meeting at the end of the walk opposite Metro Cinema in Esplanade. The walk route was a little empty, it being a late Sunday afternoon, but the evening crowd of nearly a 100 onlookers at Esplanade made up for that. Public speeches by activists and artists, personal narratives by people who've faced violence and have survived - it was amazing how nobody was shy of speaking their heart out to the public at large and the police force present there. Somebody quipped that the police were having a Sunday off as they probably have never seen a more emotional and yet disciplined lot of revellers and protestors! Some police officials said they were there to support us, so we shall see how true that is in days to come.

A sample of 15 interviews conducted by a TV channel journalist with onlookers lead to a surprising near 100% support for queer rights. That apart media interest was reasonably good with some channels beaming the walk live, and it was good that there were at least a few new situations that they covered. For instance, a gay walker and his brother who's not gay were interviewed together. I also found questions asked at a TV talk show later in the evening well thought out and with background research done. Newspaper interest was low, though e-zines seem to have already done a fair share of reporting.

Perhaps it was because other cities had joined in, but I've never had to talk so often about the 1st Friendship Walk in 1999 to so many people. Owais, Ranjan, Ashok, Nitin, Navarun and others, if you're reading this, I hope you remember what it was like to have walked the very first time in bright yellow t-shirts, visiting friends and detractors, and wading through knee deep blessings from the skies. Not so long ago and yet quite some time ago. And not the least being the cameo walk in the narrow lane outside George Bhawan (that room full of portraits of Indian freedom fighters juxtaposed with Stalin's kin) - to provide a photo op to the dozens of journalists gathered there :))

Two other special occasions during the week: Lighting candles in the rain at Kandapara in memory of friends we've lost to violence, HIV and abuse, and the lively panel discussion during the film screenings event on the 28th in Paribesh Bhawan - individuals among the 100 odd people talked just as well as the speakers and the most touching part being parents expressing support for a change in our laws.

There will be a review that will follow, and yes, I agree with some friends that in the 7th year we could have done much better in terms of walk discipline, slogans and media interaction. Actually I'm glad that some of us are more ambitious and that will hopefully pull us all up to do better. For instance, there was a Citizens Peace Initiative event on in the city at the same time as the Pride Week. Very pertinent for queer communities, and I hope we can interact with the organizers and request that a clash be avoided next year so that there can be greater cross participation, and so peace also gets a chance to spill over into the streets where many queer people are perhaps at their most vulnerable.

Having said that, I can say some of us tried hard to get in larger civil society participation but did not succeed very well. Perhaps we did not do it well, perhaps the people invited are yet to realize the value of pride activities because they have their own reservations to deal with. All said and done, I feel rejuvenated with this year's Pride Walk. That's also what the doctor ordered.

Looking forward to sharing of photos and reports from other cities, and the hearings against the Section 377 PIL in court in Delhi. I hope we've provided the right support to the action in court!!

Regards and best wishes
In pride and solidarity

Pawan Dhall
Calcutta, West Bengal

Pride '08 Videos!

Watching both the NYC and the Delhi Pride parade makes us so proud of our community. No matter where we hail from, we're making our presence known all around the world. Whether we're fighting for South Asian representation in the queer community (video 1), or demanding queer representation in the South Asian community (video 2), we're all in this together! GO QUEER DESIS!!!

1. SALGA at New York City's Parade, including Mr. Gay India, Zoltan Parag


2. Delhi Pride! Queer movement- march on!

When our powers combine...

This past weekend, queers united in record numbers to show India that we are here, we are strong, and we WILL fight! During this very crucial time, three cities- New Delhi, Kolkata, and Bangalore -held parades, striving to add fuel to the fire that will eventually break down Section 377 and the many social barriers that exist. While some wore masks to protect their identities, others revealed their faces, allowing the whole world to see that they are no different from anyone else.

Now instead of me simply rephrasing and picking apart information from articles that I have read, I want to share the personal accounts of those that took part in the festivites, something that I think will be more meaningful for readers of this blog. If you were in India during the parades, and you have something to share, please email your accounts, views, and emotions to us - queer.desis@gmail.com.

Saving the world, one gay at a time.

Give it up for the Queer Desis in Boston- By embracing this year’s theme, "Sustaining our community, conserving our world," MAP (Massachusetts Asian and Pacific Islanders) for Health and MASALA (Massachusetts Area South Asian Lambda Association) did us proud by winning 2^nd place for “Best Theme Adaptation!” Check out pics below!

Bay Window

Weekly Mix Masala

The eighth lesbian suicide in Tamil Nadu as of 2008
merinews

Hey fellow Canadians - we should have covered this earlier for you guys: Sher Vancouver, a Sikh LGBT group
BCLocalNews

In the UK, women win the right to children without fathers
UK Times Online

South Asian parents speak up: "We'd rather you were gay with kids."
Salon.com

And the gay pick for the hottest IPL player is...
Mid-Day

Connecticut Gay & Lesbian Film Festival starting...yesterday! Screening The World Unseen with Lisa Ray & Sheetal Sheth
courant.com

Another gay film festival, this one in Florida and in early June.
TampaBay

The murder trial of Satender Singh, the gay Fijian killed last year in California, wraps up
Hate Crimes Bill

Sigh. Is this just a conservative attack on British Indians or a real case of sex-selection spreading to the UK?
TimesOnline

The Red Ribbon Express, touted as the world’s biggest mass blitz for HIV prevention, enters Tamil Nadu.
The Hindu

Who knew Bhutan was so... penis friendly?

AND THE AWARD GOES TO...

The Queer Media Collective, a group of journalists who aim for a more balanced treatment of queer issues in the Indian media, held the first ever Queer Media Collective Awards last week. Acknowledging the efforts of queers and allies, the ceremony allowed the LGBT community to express its gratitude to those that are helping to make India more queer-friendly. Check out the winners below, they consist of some truly amazing organizations and individuals!

1. Best Newspaper for Queer Coverage and Representation - The Hindustan Times

HT has consistently reported well on queer issues, done original, in-depth stories on the queer community and has highlighted these stories on its front page.

2. Best Magazine for Queer Coverage and Representation - TimeOut

TimeOut has taken the lead covering the queer community as just a regular part of Indian life. Apart from this it has covered queer artists and performers, done articles on queer events and highlighted queer performances.

3. Best TV Channel (News) for Queer Coverage and Representation - NDTV

4. Best TV Channel (Entertainment) for Queer Coverage and Representation - Zee Café

For Zee Café to run with queer themed shows like Will & Grace or those with queer storylines like Six Feet Under and Oz, and not censor these in deference to some imagined ‘local culture’ is truly admirable and takes us a small, but important step towards changing attitudes.

5. Best Advice Columnist for Queer Coverage and Representation - Dr. Mahinder Watsa in Mumbai Mirror.

Queries on sexuality are met with the answer that there is nothing wrong in homosexuality, and for further information people are referred to more specialised counselors. This is probably the best short-term advice and we are grateful to Dr. Watsa for giving it.

6. Best Print Journalist for Queer Coverage and Representation - Bachi Karkaria

Bachi Karkaria has been writing on queer issues long before they became fashionable. She has used her very widely read Sunday column to talk about gay friends and the folly of antigay laws.

7. Best TV Journalist for Queer Coverage and Representation - Barkha Dutt

8. Best Treatment of Queer Issues in a Popular Film - Reema Kagti, for Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd.

9. Best Documentary/Film with a Social Message on Queer Issues - The Alternate Sexuality, CNN-IBN

10. Queer Newsperson of the Year - Manvendra Singh Gohil, the Rajkumar of Rajpipla

This award is given for a person who has done a lot to raise queer issues in the media in a personal capacity and also as a commentator. Prince Manvendra has done this despite the considerable personal cost of going public with his story. Most important of all he did so in the regional media which is where exposure on queer issues is most needed.

11. ‘The Humsafar Trust Award’ - Shobha Row Kavi, mother of Ashok Row Kavi

Ashok Row Kavi's mom was not only the first mom ever to give an interview, she's seen it all and been a part of it over the years from the start -- the birth of Bombay Dost and Humsafar, countless meetings at her home, the ups and downs, and even the controversies.

For an in-depth description of all of the winners' accomplishments, visit Queer Media Collective