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

Armenian church against gay marriage... in Argentina

Apparently, Armenian church representative in Argentina has nothing more to do than to actively protest the possible final approval of same-sex marriage bill by country’s Senate. Spanish-language online outlets report that the Archbishop of the Armenian church in Argentina Kissag Mouradian joined the anti-gay marriage voices by some other religious leaders at parliamentary committee hearings on same-sex marriage bill.

Earlier this year Argentine congress voted to legalise gay marriage. The bill then moved to the Senate where its “prospects are unclear”.

Kissag Mouradian called marriage between two men or two women “unthinkable”, “flatly rejected the idea of same-sex marriage”. (translations from Spanish by Google Translate)

The relatively ‘good news’ - if I may say so - is that reportedly he was not the harshest critique of the bill.

The only religious leader who supported the bill was Rabbi Daniel Goldman who argued that Judaism “is a search for the family, so family models, over time, may be modifying”. (Google Translate)

Here are few links to Spanish language sources carrying the news: 1, 2, 3, 4.

*picture - via The Armenian Church

Armenian sportsmen naked in Dieux du Stade - real and local

Hot Argentinian Armenian rugby player Juan Martin Berberian naked in Dieux du Stade 2009

This famous annual calendar of naked rugby players Dieux du Stade started in 2001 with a sensational back then video and photo shoot of hot French rugby players. This calendar has a charitable purpose too, and unsurprisingly became an instant hit among many gay men, myself including.

For the first time, a rugby player of Armenian origin (Argentinian) Juan Martin Berberian (photo above) appeared on this year’s issue of Dieux du Stade. He represents - hot ;) ! - September.



...and in Armenia

Always wanted to see Armenians there, and was wondering whether anything similar is possible in Armenia. It may sound an impossible task at first sight. But only at first sight. Apparently, such an attempt has been made in Yerevan, involving a local and international football players. The photo-session by designer / art director Vahan Khachatryan (who should get a hero recognition for attempting - successfully! - at seemingly impossible task) appeared in Armenian magazine Chocolate a few years ago. Via Kamoblog, some photos and a video from the shootings (below), presented by the author Vahan Khachatryan. [Photo-shoot by Artashes Martirosyan; video by Artyom Abovyan.] On the first couple of photos is Armenian footballer Karen, then 21 yrs old. Others were foreigners playing at Armenian football clubs.

Buenos Aires: To Do travel

Buenos Aires is on my To Do travel list of places to visit. There are number of reasons for that. This brief report by The Economist provides some of them. Despite complaints that gay scene in Buenos Aires became "too mainstream", and financial crisis affects gay tourists too, capital of Argentina seems to me a fascinating place to go. I definitely wanna try one of those tango classes. As they say, "it takes two men to tango" ;)

"[...] Tourism officials reckon that at least a fifth of foreign visitors to the city are homosexuals.

In recent years, Buenos Aires has hosted a gay tourism symposium, a gay football tournament, a gay film festival and the first gay cruise in South American waters; it is now home to a gay hotel, a gay bookstore, and a network of stores providing discounts to customers wielding a “gay-friendly Buenos Aires” card. The influx of so-called “pink money” has become a pillar of the city’s economy. Gay tourists, most of whom are affluent and childless, spend on average around $250 a day on top of their hotel bill.

The city’s combination of European architectural elegance and Latin American flair at knock-down prices has attracted tourists of all sexual orientations. But unlike many other Latin American cities, Buenos Aires has established a reputation as being open and tolerant in a region where homophobia remains prevalent. It has been a regional leader in expanding gay rights.

The city council has approved a law authorising same-sex civil unions, and taken other measures that provide for benefits to pass to surviving partners in such unions and to require hospitals to refer to transgender patients by their chosen rather than legal names. And its array of gay-themed or gay-friendly venues comfortably eclipses the offerings in other Latin American capitals. [...]"

*photo - by AFP, via The Economist

Woman President for Armenia?

I was thinking about upcoming Armenian presidential elections. What strikes me though, apart from many other things, that there is no single woman candidate among potential hopefuls on the horizon. This is in sharp contrast with the recent developments in the world of international politics. Germany elected Angela Merkel, Hillary Clinton may become the US’s first female President, Benazir Bhutto is back to Pakistan... And yesterday Cristina Kirchner became the first woman President in Argentina. Example of Argentina is especially relevant to us. Argentina is (was?) famous for its macho culture.

I never was a supporter of choosing someone based on gender. Abilities should be the factor! But may be we lived too long under almost total male dominance in Armenian politics and government. May be woman President will bring those essential qualities which are lacking in our male candidates. May be she will be able to ease the tensions in our society and act as a consolidating power. May be woman President will transform Armenian society into more tolerant and inclusive one. And may be if women gain power in our neighbouring countries too, they will be able to solve the problems in a way only women know and bring long awaited peace to the region.

Just one request, if I may. Please, save us from Alvard Petrosyan, who once infamously told Aravot newspaper that as a “normal” woman she is afraid of homosexuals, calling them “enemies” of women.

Recent developments in Armenia related to the establishment of the Women’s Resource Centre, and the latest example of regional cooperation of women organisations in the South Caucasus, as reported by Lara in Life in Armenia, are encouraging.

Here is a call for future woman President for Armenia!

Gay World Cup 2007

*International Gay and Lesbian Football Association (IGLFA)

The opening ceremony for this week-long event, supported by FIFA, local and state authorities, will take place on 23 September 2007, in Buenos Aires (Argentina). It is the first time in the tournament's 16-year history that Latin American country has hosted the World Championship of gay and lesbian fooball teams. The choice of Argentina is not a random one. Besides brilliant football traditions, it is the only Latin American country where same-sex civil partnerships (aka marriage) are permitted.

Reuters reports that "twenty-eight teams, many representing cities in Europe, the United States, Australia and Latin America, as opposed to countries, will play in the International Gay and Lesbian Football Association's competition."

"If gay-lesbian soccer exists it's because gays and lesbians can't play the sport without suffering discrimination," said Cesar Cigliutti, president of the Argentine Homosexual Community gay advocacy group. "The sports world is very homophobic, very discriminatory and soccer is a prime example... That's exactly why these championships were born," he said.

London will host the 2008 IGLFA World Championship (24-30 August).

No reports on Armenian participation... as yet.

United by Love, Divided by Law

US immigration law discriminates same sex couples: among others, a story of Armenian American Rita Boyadjian

Sebastian Cordoba’s documentary "Through Thick and Thin" received prestigious Freedom Award at last month’s Outfest Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. According to GayWired, "the film depicts the cruel and heartbreaking scenarios gay and lesbian Americans in love with a foreign partner must endure and struggle to overcome due to discriminatory US immigration laws."

Cordoba, who is originally from Argentina, has first-hand experience of this injustice. His own relationship with an American broke up in part because of constant stress over the uncertainty of his visa issues.



Unlike a heterosexual spouse, a gay U.S. citizen cannot sponsor his or her noncitizen partner for a green card

Teresa Watanabe from LA Times reports about this issue and brings about real life examples of broken hearts and struggle for happiness under the target of US discriminatory immigration rules. Among others, there is also a story of lesbian couple - a story of Armenian American Rita Boyadjian:

"Rita Boyadjian, a Los Angeles entertainment marketing executive, is also facing hard choices. Her partner, who is seven months pregnant and asked for anonymity for fear of reprisals by immigration officials, is studying to be a chef in Santa Monica. But her student visa expires next year; unless she can get a work visa after that, the pair will have to move.

Boyadjian said she researched, at considerable expense, different legal ways for her partner to stay in the United States. None panned out. An investor visa requires her partner to put up her own money, not Boyadjian's. An H1-B work visa is difficult to obtain. Boyadjian's partner has turned down offers by men to fake a marriage because they don't want to skirt the law.

The pair has reluctantly decided to relocate to Canada, if necessary, with Boyadjian commuting weekly between there and Los Angeles. But Boyadjian said she resented the specter of having to spend so much time away from her family, possibly missing her baby's first steps and words. It will be costly, too, to pay for weekly flights and maintain two households and offices, she said.

"I'm angry that I'm a U.S. citizen, born in L.A., and I may have to leave my own country as a refugee," Boyadjian said, adding that her parents emigrated from Egypt in 1969 to escape persecution as Armenian Christians. The whole thing has been a nightmare, quite honestly."

According to Human Rights Watch , only 19 countries currently recognise same-sex relationships for the purpose of immigration. The forms of recognition and its particulars vary. Here is the list of these countries:

Australia
Belgium
Brazil
Canada
Denmark
Finland
France
Germany
Iceland
Israel
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Portugal
South Africa
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom

*source of picture: Out4Immigration