Stories about LGBTQ+ from May, 2009
Cuba: Sex Change Operations
Repeating Islands notes “that Cuba is reinstating sex-change operations that had previously been banned on the island.”
Jamaica, Cuba: Amnesty International Report
Iriegal and Jamaica Salt comment on Amnesty International’s criticism of the Jamaican police force, while Havana Times notes that the organization”recognized…that the US blockade on Cuba has a negative effect on the general population.”
Singapore: First LGBT Rally
More than 2,500 people in Singapore gathered at Hong Lim Park to form a human Pink Dot - a symbol of love and inclusiveness. It was Singapore’s first public rally in support for the Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.
Cuba: Gay Expression
Diaspora blogger Uncommon Sense says of the arrest of the President of the Cuban Lesbian, Gay, Transexual and Bisexual Foundation: “After 50 years, the Castro dictatorship has yet to get over its hang-ups over Cubans – gay or straight – expressing themselves.”
Russia: Eurovision Roundup
In Moscow, Eurovision coincided with this year's Night of Museums (IZO) – and with an attempt to hold a gay pride parade, which was interrupted by riot police (Robert Amsterdam's Blog). Some more thoughts on this year's contest – at Foreign Policy Association's Russia blog.
Jamaica: Discussing Human Rights
“Traditionally, the discussion of human rights in Jamaica has been conducted in what may be considered ‘the privileged voice'”: Raw Politics…Jamaica Style! questions the value of this norm.
Guyana, Cuba: Day Against Homophobia
“What did it mean that there were no openly lesbian women where I lived in Guyana, a little over 20 years ago?” asks Signifyin’ Guyana, as she acknowledges the recent International Day Against Homophobia; Repeating Islands, meanwhile, notes that the occasion was recognized in Havana.
Latvia: Baltic Pride March
“The Baltic Pride march took place in Riga on May 16 with almost no problems,” Free Speech Emergency in Latvia reports. “The active counter demonstrators were just a little more in number than the marchers. […] An interesting observation […] was a scene at one street crossing passed by the...
St. Vincent & the Grenadines: Police Power
As “charges of police brutality have again taken centre stage with more public protests” in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Abeni says: “It is important for them to work towards fostering a better relationship and not operate as being above the law.”
Cuba: Cultural Events on World Day Against Homophobia
Bloggers Cuba [es] publishes information regarding the cultural events to take place on the World Day Against Homophobia on May 16 and 17.
China: Gay wife
Li Yinhe blogs about the situation of the wife of homosexual male in China [zh]. There are around 20 million homosexual male in China and 80% are married.
Bahrain: LGBT Blogs Blocked
From Bahrain, LGBT blogger Shams Alma7aba [Ar] lists a number of LGBT blogs which have been blocked in that country following a recent crackdown on the Internet.
Armenia: Transgender video blogging
Unzipped comments on news that transgender blogger Hye Trent will be video blogging his physical transformations during surgery and other procedures. The blog says the move is unprecedented and brave.
Iraq: Organised ‘crackdown’ on homosexuals
In the past few weeks there has been an increase in the persecution of homosexuals in Iraq, due to an organised 'crackdown' based on a religious decree for their death. This has been met with anger and outrage amongst both the Iraqi and global LGBT blogosphere.
Jamaica: Stereotyping
“Every Jamaican man lives in fear of a lie. It’s a lie that continues to wreak havoc on both sides of the racial and gender divide and is a frequent topic of pornography: the Black, male stud”: Jamaican diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp examines the effects of the stereotype.
