PAG - The Lady Is Dead (song by: THE IRREPRESSIBLES - "In This Shirt")

Cool. Arty. Amazing cinematography. Must watch.



*thanks to Garry for the link.

Queerty: 'America's gays could buy Turkey'

This is hilarious.

Queerty reports on buying power of LGBT people in the US, and concludes that they could buy Turkey. Queerty suggests other alternatives too, from the list of countries where homosexuality is illegal.

*via Queerty:

With an estimated purchasing power of $743 billion, Turkey's GDP of $615 billion ain't no thang. Or maybe we want to buy Uganda 47 times over just to stick it to 'em? Or any of these nations!

Pleshka and Hraparak’s obsession with transvestites and gay cruising in Yerevan

Armenian homophobic daily Hraparak can’t get enough of ‘juicy’ gay-themed topics. At the time of posting, this reference to Hraparak’s publication was the most read entry on Tert.am. So we know at least one of the reasons why they are so into everything gay related.

Hraparak seems pretty frustrated that Yerevan mayor was so far unsuccessful in fighting a “meeting place for gays” right next to the City Hall. They also write about “surprise” (what a mild word) by Diaspora tourists who witness cross-dressing gays in central Yerevan.

«Հրապարակ». Որտեղ են զգեստափոխվում երևանյան հոմոսեքսուալիստներն ու տրանսվիստիտները
11:43 • 24.07.10
Ձկան խանութի հարևանությամբ շենքի բնակիչները գիշերային ժամերին իրենց մուտքերում հանդիպում են զգեստափոխվող հոմոսեքսուալիստների և տրանսվիստիտների, որոնք, մուտքերում հագնելով կանացի հագուստներ, ուղղվում են դեպի մոտակա՝ քաղաքապետարանի դիմացի այգին, որը նրանց հավաքատեղին է։ Միայն քաղաքի այս հատվածում հավաքվող համասեռամոլները, սակայն, վերջերս սկսել են հայտնվել նաև Կարապի լճի և Օպերայի մոտակայքում՝ իրենց տեսքով զարմացնելով սփյուռքահայ զբոսաշրջիկներին։ Հիշեցնենք, որ մի քանի ամիս առաջ Երևանի քաղաքապետ Գագիկ Բեգլարյանը փորձել էր արգելել քաղաքապետարանի դիմացի այգում սեռական փոքրամասնությունների հավաքները։ Անգամ ոստիկանական ուժեր էին կիրառել, սակայն նման միջոցառումներն ընդամենը մեկ-երկու օրվա ազդեցություն են ունենում։

I have to say, many in Armenian media confuse cruising places with “meeting places for gays”. As I mentioned before in reference to A1+ report, there is also a tendency to put an equal mark between sex workers and gays.

The most infamous cruising place in Yerevan is Kom aygi (also called Pleshka), close to the Yerevan City Hall and the French embassy. This is not a “meeting place for gays”. This is a place to pick up gay (almost exclusively transvestite) or transsexual sex workers and a place for cruising.

Pleshka turns particularly busy at night but beware of possible police raids. There are also occasional reports of gay bashing and reports of thefts in/around the area.

"Hot naked Russians riding horses and picking cherries"

Although Gay.com says of "hot naked Russians", they may well be Ukrainians, as the agency that produced this TV ad is from Kiev. It was awarded 2nd place in this year's Russian TV/film ad contest. Entries from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus were eligible to participate.

There are different versions of the video for this TV ad. I prefer the one below. Allegedly, it was aimed at women.



*picture - via Gay.com

Gay scene in Batumi (+ updated Georgia Gay Guide)

As summer holiday season is upon us, and many gay Armenians will spend their vacations in Georgia, including Batumi, I thought it would be useful to present below this brief info on gay scene in Batumi, via Gay Batumi blog.

Have a look also at Georgia Gay Guide which I updated for the first time after I first posted it 3 years ago.

I know, despite promises, I did not update my Armenia Gay Guide for the last 2 years. Sorry for that. Will update it within a week.

If you have any updates, comments re Armenia or Georgia gay guides, please do let me know.
***

Batumi gay life is most active during high summer season, when it is mostly crowded.

During low seasons there is still some gay scene, but not as good as during hot summer days.

At the moment there are no dedicated gay bars or clubs in Batumi, but most of them (especially on a boulevard) are gay friendly.

Cruising:

- Alley between boulevard and beach (the best)
- Beach close to the lighthouse in pishcheviki area
- Around old railway station

Argentina says Yes! to gay marriage

BBC reports that “Argentina has become the first country in Latin America to legalise gay marriage after the Senate voted in favour. The country's Chamber of Deputies had already approved the legislation. The vote in the Senate, which backed the bill by just six votes, came after 14 hours of at times heated debate. The law, which also allows same-sex couples to adopt, had met with fierce opposition from the Catholic Church and other religious groups. The legislation, backed by President Cristina Fernandez's centre-left government, passed by 33 votes to 27 with three abstentions.”

I second Ricky Martin who tweeted the news: “#Argentina votes yes on gay marriage law! A great nation making history”.

Oh, poor Kissag Mouradian, Archbishop of the Armenian church in Argentina… You - along with some other religious leaders - were so out of touch with reality and trying so hard to oppose the bill. Do not you worry, you will be good, you will catch up. For now, as British would say, have a cup of tea…

BBC reminds that “there have been several gay marriages recently in Argentina, some of which were annulled by the Supreme Court, creating a legal controversy. Civil unions between people of the same sex are legal in Buenos Aires and in some other provinces but there was no law to regulate it on a country-wide level.

Argentina's capital is widely considered to be among the most gay-friendly cities in Latin America. It was the first Latin American city to legalise same-sex unions.

Same-sex civil unions are also legal in Uruguay and some states in Brazil and Mexico, while gay marriage is legal in Mexico City.”

*picture -by Reuters, via BBC

Rainbow mosaics, Manchester, UK

*You may spot quite a few of these rainbow flag mosaic tiles in the pavement marking gay heritage sites in/around central Manchester.

*This one is devoted to Albert Kennedy. This is the very place where 16 years old Albert died falling from the roof of the car park being chased by homophobic thugs. The Albert Kennedy Trust was set up in his memory and to help young LGBT people.

Letters @ Unzipped: Experience at Yerevan cafe

[...] There's some really interesting things happening in Yerevan in terms of gay and lesbian culture, issues, and rights. Your blog has been a HUGE help for me in understanding things. I am in Yerevan for the first time and I felt totally lost, but your thoughts give me a pretty good navigation of things. 

Also, in terms of the "there are no gays in Yerevan" discourse, I had a really interesting experience at a cafe one morning. I have tattoos all over my body and the waiter came up to me and started to ask me about them. I said that I try to hide them as much as I can (which is hard because it's so hot here!) and he said that people here have them too but they hide them. They hide a lot of things. Then he leaned in really close and said "There's a lot of gays in Armenia but they keep it secret." I have been stuck on the affect of this moment for a couple of weeks now. I keep thinking about it. Why did he tell me this? Did he read me as queer and so decided I was a safe person to talk to about it? Was it his way of coming out to me? Was he just picking up on my sexuality and wanted to let me know that there were people like me here? I'm still rather confused. I talked to my father about it, who lived in Yerevan years ago, and he says that if I look different, my tattoos, piercings, etc., then I most likely also gay. But I don't buy into that. 

I don't know what it was about that moment but I cannot get past it. Any thoughts? [...]

T.S.

Side by side: Turkish and Armenian signs at Istanbul Gay Pride

Simply incredible pictures. Among sea of people, rainbow flags and posters, you may see numerous Armenian and Turkish signs at Istanbul Gay Pride (27 June 2010). More pictures...

There were two different types of signs in Armenian. One says something like "We are here. Get used to it" which is great. The other is a bit unclear, and does not sound like proper Armenian. Literal translation could be something like "Love gets organised". They are in Western Armenian dialect, used by Turkish Armenians, so probably they use slightly different phraseology to that used in Armenia.

*pictures - via Radikal (thanks to John for the link).

London Pride 2010: My top favourite pictures

Cute and adorable.

Same-sex family.

Enough is Enough. Act Against Homophobia.

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: Mayor of London backs same-sex marriage and marches with Gay Liberation Front

Mayor of London Boris Johnson marches with Gay Liberation Front founded in 1970 and marking its 40th anniversary. Prominent British human rights activist Peter Tatchell (first picture) reports that during the march London mayor expressed his support for same-sex marriage.
***

Boris Johnson backs same-sex marriage

London - 4 July 2010

When challenged by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell at yesterday’s London Pride gay parade, the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, declared his support for same-sex civil marriage.

He was responding to Mr Tatchell’s placard, which read:

“Dave & Sam Cameron can marry, gays can’t. End the ban on gay marriage.”

(David Cameron is the British Prime Minster and Samantha is his wife).

The Mayor took a look at the placard and said: “Why not?”

“So you are in favour of same-sex marriage?” queried Mr Tatchell. “Yes, I don’t see why not,” replied Mr Johnson. Pressed further, the Mayor added: “Fair enough, the ban should go.”

When Mr Tatchell reminded him that that the Conservative-Liberal Democrat government does not support same-sex marriage Mr Johnson replied: “Well, they should.”

“If the Conservatives and Liberals can get together in a national coalition and settle their differences, I don't see why you can't have gay marriage,” the Mayor told Mr Tatchell.

“If a gay couple want to get married in a registry office, why shouldn’t they?” he added.

Mr Johnson, the second most influential Tory political leader, is the most senior Conservative to endorse the campaign for same-sex civil marriage.

His call for marriage equality was echoed by the openly lesbian Tory MP, Margot James. Marching with Mr Tatchell, she told him that although she supported civil partnerships she also wanted to repeal the ban on lesbian and gay couples getting married in a registry office.

“It is a big breakthrough to win Boris’s backing for marriage equality. His support will increase pressure to end the gay ban. I am very grateful to the Mayor.

“Public opinion is on our side. The government and most MPs are out of touch. An opinion poll conducted by Populous and published by iopinion poll conducted by Populous and published by The Times last June found that 61% of the British public support same-sex civil marriage.”

“Civil partnerships are a big advance but they not equality. They are second class. In a democratic society, we should all be equal under the law. Having separate laws for gays and heterosexuals is a form of sexual apartheid,” said Mr Tatchell.

London Pride 2010: Political parties - Lib Dems, Labour, Tory

Lib Dems

Labour. This last picture is a leaflet distributed by LGBT Labour during the Pride and detailing party's achievements in advancing legal rights of LGBT people in the UK.

Tory

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: Slavic Pride

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: Armed Forces and Metropolitan Police

They were very popular yesterday ;)

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: Gay Muslims, Immigration, Refugees, Asylum, Persecution

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: Nando's and Freedom

I thought in Nando's you may only get chickens on the menu ;)

Freedom guys

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: Gay Rugby Players

This last picture is my favourite :)

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: UK and Rainbow

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

London Pride 2010: "Love Your Inner Lesbian"

Popular poster at London Pride 2010: "Love Your Inner Lesbian"

3 July 2010

*For more pictures - see my Picasa Web Album

Today: Pride London 2010 - marking 40th anniversary of Gay Liberation Front in London

Cover of Boyz magazine's Pride issue marking 40th anniversary of the foundation of the Gay Liberation Front in London in 1970.

I like the title of this article in QX magazine: "Gay Liberation Front: from victims to victors".

Archive footage, QX magazine.

The British PM's Number 10 Pride reception last week (Boyz magazine): "David Cameron proudly told the invited guests that it was the biggest Pride event Downing Street had ever hosted".

Cover of QX magazine's Pride issue.

Proud magazine, Pride issue. OUT at work (Stonewall), summer issue.

Advert for newly released documentary film: "Gay Sex in the 70s".

Cover interview (Proud magazine) with Gareth Thomas, Welsh rugby star who recently came out.

Advert by Royal Air Forces (OUT at work, summer issue).