Valentine’s Day in the streets of Yerevan: How young people define “love”?

On the occasion of Valentine's Day, Armenia-based online Activist Radio conducted a quick survey in the streets of Yerevan to find out young people’s opinion re what is “love” to them in general, and their opinion about same-sex love.

Most opinions about definition of “love” were pretty unremarkable, pathetic, to say the least. The most hilarious for me was someone’s reply that “love” [“սեր” in Armenian] is apparently an abbreviation [“սերը հապավում ա”] meaning: “սրտի երջանիկ րոպեներ” :))

Unsurprisingly, as soon as the topic turned to the same-sex love, opinions expressed were mainly negative, with some neutral and supportive ones too.

Վալենտինի օրվա կապակցությամբ Երևանի փողոցներում հարցում անցկացրեցինք անցորդներից, թե ի՞նչ է սերը նրանց համար և ինչպե՞ս են վերաբերվում նույնասեռական սիրուն: Պարզվում է, ըստ մեր համաքաղաքացիներից ոմանց կարծիքի, սերը դադարում է լինել բարձր, վեհ, բառերով չնկարագրվող զգացմունք, երբ այն ուղղված է նույն սեռի անձին: Մնացածն առանց մեկանբանության:

Video summary: The impact of LGBT emigration on economic indicators of Armenia

Great job by PINK Armenia to prepare this bi-lingual video summary re: The impact of LGBT emigration on economic indicators of Armenia

The video is in Armenian ["ԼԳԲՏ էմիգրացիայի ազդեցությունը Հայաստանի տնտեսական ցուցանիշների վրա"], with English subtitles (for subtitles - click on Subtitles/CC). Highly recommended.

 


For background info, read: Research: The impact of LGBT emigration on economic indicators of Armenia

“Yerevan Gay” - new Armenian LGBT blog

It’s been a while since I last introduced new Armenian LGBT blog. Always glad to see gay Armenians blogging, adding their voice to the online conversation that eventually transcends to the offline world.

Yerevan Gay started couple of months ago, towards the end of 2014. I do not know who is the author of this blog or project, but based on first impression and exchange of comments on Twitter, seems someone who is passionate with what s/he is doing.

Blog contains a gallery section (poster-like pics with messages of equality, tolerance, no hate… from YerevanGay’s Instagram page). Also included is Yerevan guide with several suggestions of places to go. And of course the main page with blog posts (mixture of Armenian and English language postings).

“About” section describes this blog as a “new project for people from all over the world who are from LGBT community (and for those who in any way support LGBT people) to gather and help the LGBT communities in Armenia to have equal rights and to protest against homophobia and intolerance. The main goal is to be able to reach to the people via internet to show the voice of the tolerance and equality.”

Pretty commendable aims. Good luck, Yerevan Gay, and welcome to the blogosphere.

*pictures - via YerevanGay's Instagram page