· April, 2011

Stories about LGBTQ+ from April, 2011

Malaysia: Boot Camp to “Help” Effeminate Boys

  26 April 2011

Based on their effeminate tendencies, 66 schoolboys from the state of Terengganu in Malaysia were recently sent to a boot camp aimed at "helping them behave in a proper manner". The boys were identified by their schools, who were instructed last year to identify students who displayed feminine qualities. The blogoshere in Malaysia is divided over this issue.

Australia: Crusading Christian Lanced by Own Tweets

  26 April 2011

Australian Christian Lobby Director Jim Wallace tweeted on ANZAC Day that Australians didn't fight during World War I for gay marriage and Islam. He has since then deleted his tweet and apologized for his remark. Here are some online reactions from Australia.

India: Gay Community Shown Support after Video Screening

  25 April 2011

Citizen video's power to promote change has been proven in Raipur, India. A screening of a video showing the hardships faced by the gay community enabled audience members from diverse backgrounds to relate to the discrimination and show their support by organizing a peaceful demonstration.

Brazil: LGBT Scene Under Discussion

  23 April 2011

With recent legal advances and a proposed bill that criminalises homophobia in the Brazilian Senate, cases of violence against LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) groups and expressions of prejudice and heterosexism have come under focus. The online arena has been used to expose many reflections on the right to sexual orientation in the country.

Colombia: Teen Produced Web Series about Gay Youth

  19 April 2011

Nineteen year old Jhoncito Arango's most recent web project has certainly caught the local media's eye in his native Colombia, where his web series Yonkis has had a very good reception considering that it tackles a topic that is still considered highly sensitive in this Catholic country: homosexuality.

Nicaragua: Experiences of Online Citizen Participation

  9 April 2011

The web in Nicaragua is increasingly active, with projects for social events or small businesses finding niche markets to serve online. In order to learn a little more about these practices, Rodrigo Peñalba presents five videos considering the topics of tourism and the web, the social integration of migrants and people with limited resources, gender and sexual diversity and initiatives from the free software community in Nicaragua.

Belarus: Sickening statement on homosexuality

  5 April 2011

Ihar Ivanou of Belarus Digest reports from a medical conference in Minsk where homosexuality once more has been characterized as an illness that needs treatment, despite the fact that same-gender relations are not prohibited in Belarus.