*"Use of condoms is the best method to prevent AIDS and other STDs" - reads this educational message in one of downtown Yerevan bars
վճարված է|paid
6 years ago
Showing posts with label bar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bar. Show all posts
Monday, 21 July 2014
Yerevan Diaries: downtown bar with safe sex message
*"Use of condoms is the best method to prevent AIDS and other STDs" - reads this educational message in one of downtown Yerevan bars
Monday, 29 July 2013
DIY firebombers court case: anti-gay attackers effectively pardoned in Armenia
UPDATE 23 October 2013: Amnesty Granted to Brothers Accused of Bombing Gay-Friendly Bar DIY (+ comments section below)
***
Here we are. DIY firebombers avoided imprisonment. They got conditional sentencing and a symbolic fine. Very mild court sentence for anti-gay attack in Armenia capital Yerevan.
Now you know it's ok to attack gays, gay-friendly venues in Armenia. Maximum you will get is a conditional sentence and a symbolic fine. And, yes, don't forget asking MPs for support. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Very few in Armenia and Diaspora cared about this sentence or the court hearing. No much publicity or condemnations.
Many will think: ah, it doesn't concern me. Or worse: that they should have been formally pardoned or perhaps considered as heroes.
It’s exactly because of such mentality that the situation in Armenia is not moving forward. This is what I was referring to in my post that we fight against consequences rather than root cause of the problem(s).
***
Here we are. DIY firebombers avoided imprisonment. They got conditional sentencing and a symbolic fine. Very mild court sentence for anti-gay attack in Armenia capital Yerevan.
«Պինցետ» փանք խմբի մենակատար Արմինե Օգանեզովայի (Ծոմակ) DIY բարը հրկիզած ազգայնական եղբայրներն այսօր դատապարտվել են 1 տարի 7 ամիս պայմանական ազատազրկման և 2 տարվա փորձաշրջանի: Այսօր Կենտրոն և Նորք Մարաշ վարչական շրջանների ընդհանուր իրավասության դատարանում Գագիկ Պողոսյանի նախագահությամբ կայացել է DIY բարի հրկիզման գործով արագացված դատավարությունը: Երևանի կենտրոնում՝ Փարպեցու փողոցում գտնվող DIY բարը նախորդ տարվա մայիսին մի քանի անգամ հարձակման էր ենթարկվել ազգայնական խմբավորման անդամների կողմից: Առաջին հարձակման ժամանակ իրանահայ եղբայրներ Արամեհ և Համբիկ Խաբազյանները պայթեցրել էին ակումբը` կոտրելով ապակին և բենզինով շիշը ներս նետելով, որից հետո ձերբակալվել էին: Ակումբին հասցվել էր 3.227.563 դրամի գույքային վնաս: Եղբայրներից մեկին ազատել էին ստորագրության դիմաց, մյուսի համար մեկ միլիոն դրամ գրավ էր վճարվել, իսկ նրա երաշխավորներն էին ՀՅԴ-ական պատգամավորներ Արծվիկ Մինասյանն ու Հրայր Կարապետյանը: [Epress.am]They were merely charged under the Article 185 Part 3 of the Criminal Code with the intentional infliction of damage to property committed by arson, explosion or other publicly dangerous method. Not even aggravating circumstances. Not to mention that this was a classical example of hate crime. Crime that is still awaiting its definition in the Armenian criminal code.
Now you know it's ok to attack gays, gay-friendly venues in Armenia. Maximum you will get is a conditional sentence and a symbolic fine. And, yes, don't forget asking MPs for support. Satisfaction guaranteed.
Very few in Armenia and Diaspora cared about this sentence or the court hearing. No much publicity or condemnations.
Many will think: ah, it doesn't concern me. Or worse: that they should have been formally pardoned or perhaps considered as heroes.
It’s exactly because of such mentality that the situation in Armenia is not moving forward. This is what I was referring to in my post that we fight against consequences rather than root cause of the problem(s).
@nkayserian How can I be happy or think of anything else when I know DIY firebombers are not sitting in jail for anti #gay attack. #Injustice #ArmeniaFor now, I can sum-up that anti-gay attackers were effectively pardoned in Armenia. Congrats to ARF Dashnaktsutyun & ruling Republican party MPs for a victory of hate crime.
Wednesday, 3 July 2013
AGLA NY sets up “Emergency fund” and scholarship for LGBT people in Armenia and Diaspora
Some thirty guests came together on May 23rd at the home of Veken Gueyekian and Hrag Vartanian in Williamsburg, Brooklyn to celebrate Armenian gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered unity and to raise money for specific organisational goals.
Specifically, the benefit targeted three areas, Chairman and AGLA NY board member Christopher Atamian outlined: "We’re beginning a small 'Emergency Fund' to help LGBT people in need both in the Republic of Armenia and the diaspora—for example to help rebuild a bar like DIY which was firebombed in a recent hate crime, or to help with legal fees for LGBT people in need.” A second aim was simply to raise funds to help with the everyday expenses of running the organization and the many meetings, conferences and events such as New York's PRIDE March that it participates in. One of the night's guest speakers Maria Mähl, a Human Rights Advocate who currently works at the UN on women's security and peace building and SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) rights, commented on the importance of the work that AGLA NY does: “It is especially important now given the backlash against LGBT people that we have seen of late.”
A third and very exciting goal of the benefit was the creation of the George Stambolian Memorial Scholarship for students for LGBT students or those of Armenian origin. Stambolian was a beloved professor of French literature at Wellesley College, one of the founders of LGBT Literature and the editor of the famed Men on Men writing series. Stambolian passed away from AIDS in 1991. The guests were truly lucky to have one of Stambolian's own former students Nancy Agabian talk affectionately about him: "[He was] aware of and appreciated the paradoxes of life and of literature...[he] embodied them and worked for them in a meaningful way.” Agabian read two excerpts from her own books where she mentions Stambolian: Princess Freak and Me As Her Again.
Atamian was upbeat about the event, which raised close to $2,000: "There are so many established benefits already in New York and in the Armenian community….but everyone reacted beautifully and understood the importance of our organization and its activities." The organization’s board members plan to build on this success: "Every year we'll build on the previous one," Gueyekian noted, "It's a first very important step."
Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible donation to the organization as a whole or to any of its specific programs—such as the Emergency Fund or the Stambolian Scholarship—can do so at http://aglany.org or by contacting a board member directly.
***
George Stambolian was a scholar of French literature and became an early proponent of LGBT literature in academia and within the U.S. at large. Born in 1937 to an Armenian American family in Racine, Wisconsin, he attended Dartmouth College, then earned his PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Soon after, he become an expert and beloved professor of French literature at Wellesley College, and a noted figure in the literary scene of New York City, where he lived. In the late 1980s and early 90s, he edited the groundbreaking anthology series Men on Men and helped to establish LGBT literature as a genre and field of study during the gay rights movement. Stambolian was known for his quick wit, wry sense of humor and his remarkable humility. Like many in his generation, his life was cut short by AIDS, in 1991. AGLA-NY honors his legacy by establishing a scholarship in his memory.
Nancy Agabian is an author and a professor at NYU and Queens College. Her memoir, Me as her again, was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award and a William Saroyan International Writing Prize. Agabian has served as co-President of AGLA NY in 2005 and 2006 and currently sits on its Board of Trustees. She was a student of George Stambolian at Wellesley College.
Specifically, the benefit targeted three areas, Chairman and AGLA NY board member Christopher Atamian outlined: "We’re beginning a small 'Emergency Fund' to help LGBT people in need both in the Republic of Armenia and the diaspora—for example to help rebuild a bar like DIY which was firebombed in a recent hate crime, or to help with legal fees for LGBT people in need.” A second aim was simply to raise funds to help with the everyday expenses of running the organization and the many meetings, conferences and events such as New York's PRIDE March that it participates in. One of the night's guest speakers Maria Mähl, a Human Rights Advocate who currently works at the UN on women's security and peace building and SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) rights, commented on the importance of the work that AGLA NY does: “It is especially important now given the backlash against LGBT people that we have seen of late.”
A third and very exciting goal of the benefit was the creation of the George Stambolian Memorial Scholarship for students for LGBT students or those of Armenian origin. Stambolian was a beloved professor of French literature at Wellesley College, one of the founders of LGBT Literature and the editor of the famed Men on Men writing series. Stambolian passed away from AIDS in 1991. The guests were truly lucky to have one of Stambolian's own former students Nancy Agabian talk affectionately about him: "[He was] aware of and appreciated the paradoxes of life and of literature...[he] embodied them and worked for them in a meaningful way.” Agabian read two excerpts from her own books where she mentions Stambolian: Princess Freak and Me As Her Again.
Atamian was upbeat about the event, which raised close to $2,000: "There are so many established benefits already in New York and in the Armenian community….but everyone reacted beautifully and understood the importance of our organization and its activities." The organization’s board members plan to build on this success: "Every year we'll build on the previous one," Gueyekian noted, "It's a first very important step."
Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible donation to the organization as a whole or to any of its specific programs—such as the Emergency Fund or the Stambolian Scholarship—can do so at http://aglany.org or by contacting a board member directly.
***
George Stambolian was a scholar of French literature and became an early proponent of LGBT literature in academia and within the U.S. at large. Born in 1937 to an Armenian American family in Racine, Wisconsin, he attended Dartmouth College, then earned his PhD from the University of Wisconsin. Soon after, he become an expert and beloved professor of French literature at Wellesley College, and a noted figure in the literary scene of New York City, where he lived. In the late 1980s and early 90s, he edited the groundbreaking anthology series Men on Men and helped to establish LGBT literature as a genre and field of study during the gay rights movement. Stambolian was known for his quick wit, wry sense of humor and his remarkable humility. Like many in his generation, his life was cut short by AIDS, in 1991. AGLA-NY honors his legacy by establishing a scholarship in his memory.
Nancy Agabian is an author and a professor at NYU and Queens College. Her memoir, Me as her again, was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award and a William Saroyan International Writing Prize. Agabian has served as co-President of AGLA NY in 2005 and 2006 and currently sits on its Board of Trustees. She was a student of George Stambolian at Wellesley College.
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Prince Harry and the artwork of Manbar in London
Manbar was recently launched in place of former CXR on 79 Charing Cross Road, Soho, London.
The artwork inside the venue, with wall murals reminiscent of underground gay films and magazines in past, creates a sexy retro vibe.
Not to mention the now famous mural of Prince Harry (see below) that became local and tourist attraction of itself, and in fact the main reason why I paid the visit to the bar. I will come back again, for sure.
The artwork inside the venue, with wall murals reminiscent of underground gay films and magazines in past, creates a sexy retro vibe.
Not to mention the now famous mural of Prince Harry (see below) that became local and tourist attraction of itself, and in fact the main reason why I paid the visit to the bar. I will come back again, for sure.
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Please, help re-build DIY !! Your support is essential !!
Please, help re-build the best, the most creative, alternative, free-spirited bar in Yerevan - DIY!!
An oasis of freedom in Armenia, badly damaged as a result of hate crime: neo-nazi arson attack.
For background - see HATE CRIME: DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan under neo-nazi arson attack [CCTV footage: DIY: the moment of attack (CCTV footage)]
Boxes for donations are available in DIY, as well as in a number of other venues in Yerevan, including Calumet, Yellow Street and The Club.
If you wish to help, please, email me and I will advise re ways of support. Thank you!!
Let's say our firm NO to neo-nazi elements in Armenia. Let's help to re-build DIY.
Your moral and other support to DIY owners and employees are essential too. Please, make your voice heard.
In the meantime, clean-up operation is underway...
*pictures by Nairi Hakhverdi
An oasis of freedom in Armenia, badly damaged as a result of hate crime: neo-nazi arson attack.
For background - see HATE CRIME: DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan under neo-nazi arson attack [CCTV footage: DIY: the moment of attack (CCTV footage)]
Boxes for donations are available in DIY, as well as in a number of other venues in Yerevan, including Calumet, Yellow Street and The Club.
If you wish to help, please, email me and I will advise re ways of support. Thank you!!
Let's say our firm NO to neo-nazi elements in Armenia. Let's help to re-build DIY.
Your moral and other support to DIY owners and employees are essential too. Please, make your voice heard.
In the meantime, clean-up operation is underway...
*pictures by Nairi Hakhverdi
HATE CRIME: DIY bar in Armenia capital Yerevan under neo-nazi arson attack
PICTURES, VIDEO, REPORTS FROM HATE CRIME SCENE
On 8 May 2012 when countries in Europe, former Soviet Union and elsewhere started marking the anniversary of the end of World War II, Armenian neo-nazi elements decided to mark it with an attack towards the oasis of freedom in Yerevan, my favourite venue - DIY bar. A place, where all the alternative types feel at home. A place, welcoming free-spirited people, sub-cultures, experimental things. Gay friendly. [read my previous postings re DIY here]
They broke the window, threw 'Molotov cocktail'-like thing into the front part through the door, which was then exploded and caused flames to burst out, and ran off. It took the firemen around 30 mins to put out the fire.
There's a camera outside the DIY that caught the guys who did it. I saw CCTV video image with a moment of attack and the aftermath. The perpetrators were easily identifiable thanks to CCTV image and previous history of nuisance and disturbances (and not only towards DIY, but some other relatively free-spirited bars). First it was "innocent": just words. But soon it started escalating. The last few incidents involved breaking glass and throwing up outside of the bar. And then they disappeared for a few months. Suddenly they were back again last night (around 5 am). They are members of neo-nazi group terrorising parts of Yerevan for a while now.
It took the police 12 hours (!) to finally show up and take the matters seriously. Good news is that thanks to CCTV image and insights provided by DIY owners and employees, at least 2 suspects have now been detained (at the time of writing this post).
People are being gathering outside the DIY throughout the day. They want to collect money and help to rebuild the bar. People are also making little posters with slogans like: "I am DIY"; "DIY: no to fascism"; "Your bombs don't affect us" etc. which they want to post in DIY and other bars around Yerevan.
As far as the damage: only the front part of the bar was damaged. The back is the same. The front part is pretty damaged, though. The bar has been burned down. The air conditioner melted and is now hanging down. The only thing that survived intact... was a bottle of Kilikia.
I will keep you posted on developments and how you could help re-building the DIY.
*Special thanks to a friend of mine who provided with the up-to-date info and pictures from the scene of the hate crime.
Video reports
*CivilNet
*A1+
*1in.am
On 8 May 2012 when countries in Europe, former Soviet Union and elsewhere started marking the anniversary of the end of World War II, Armenian neo-nazi elements decided to mark it with an attack towards the oasis of freedom in Yerevan, my favourite venue - DIY bar. A place, where all the alternative types feel at home. A place, welcoming free-spirited people, sub-cultures, experimental things. Gay friendly. [read my previous postings re DIY here]
They broke the window, threw 'Molotov cocktail'-like thing into the front part through the door, which was then exploded and caused flames to burst out, and ran off. It took the firemen around 30 mins to put out the fire.
There's a camera outside the DIY that caught the guys who did it. I saw CCTV video image with a moment of attack and the aftermath. The perpetrators were easily identifiable thanks to CCTV image and previous history of nuisance and disturbances (and not only towards DIY, but some other relatively free-spirited bars). First it was "innocent": just words. But soon it started escalating. The last few incidents involved breaking glass and throwing up outside of the bar. And then they disappeared for a few months. Suddenly they were back again last night (around 5 am). They are members of neo-nazi group terrorising parts of Yerevan for a while now.
It took the police 12 hours (!) to finally show up and take the matters seriously. Good news is that thanks to CCTV image and insights provided by DIY owners and employees, at least 2 suspects have now been detained (at the time of writing this post).
People are being gathering outside the DIY throughout the day. They want to collect money and help to rebuild the bar. People are also making little posters with slogans like: "I am DIY"; "DIY: no to fascism"; "Your bombs don't affect us" etc. which they want to post in DIY and other bars around Yerevan.
As far as the damage: only the front part of the bar was damaged. The back is the same. The front part is pretty damaged, though. The bar has been burned down. The air conditioner melted and is now hanging down. The only thing that survived intact... was a bottle of Kilikia.
I will keep you posted on developments and how you could help re-building the DIY.
*Special thanks to a friend of mine who provided with the up-to-date info and pictures from the scene of the hate crime.
*the shelves behind the bar
*the air conditioner
*burned money stuck on the shelves
*boxes to collect money: "I am DIY"
*poster: "Your bomb does not affect us"
Video reports
*CivilNet
*A1+
*1in.am
Monday, 26 March 2012
Sunday, 18 September 2011
On the menu: X-rated ice cream in London
I was wondering why this was dubbed “the world’s first gay ice cream bar”. Well, now I know. It relates more to the special gay-themed menu with at times X-rated ingredients :) Full of cliches, of course, but fun and tasty.
The venue is pretty small but cosy, and I liked the decor.
I ordered "The knicker-bocker-gloryhole" ice cream cocktail ;)) and as a... chocoholic, it was delicious.
I was expecting to see that famous ice cream masseur to try the ‘ice cream facial’ but he was nowhere on sight. Regardless... All in all, it was fun experience.
Tuesday, 13 September 2011
Yerevan Diaries: Love at first sight - DIY, Tsomak & friends
Instead of editorial
First night I went to DIY, and immediately it felt like I am at home there.
I have always wanted to have a regular place in London. But it never worked out. I could never find the place where I would want to go night after night and... Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of nice cool places in London. But so far I was unable to find THE one that I would consider myself a regular at.
With DIY, it was love at first sight. And it’s not just the place. It’s people who run the place and who come to that place that make it such a special and unique venue for me in Yerevan.
Tsomak, Armen & co - I love you. You are beautiful, and what you do is... beautiful. No mirror needed.
Emma, I still remember that delicious black-coloured cocktail, the best I’ve tried in Yerevan. [and I don’t normally like cocktails in Yerevan but this one was an exception] Cheers.
Was so great to finally properly meeting Tsomak (Pincet band). Talented, brave, cool. Girl, you rock!! Love and respects, as always. Absolutely loved you performing live. It was a very special evening for me. I feel honoured and touched that you agreed to live perform during my stay in Yerevan. Unforgettable.
Here we are. I found THE place. Not in London, but in Yerevan. Can’t wait to come back and meet our mafia (=family) again ;)
First night I went to DIY, and immediately it felt like I am at home there.
I have always wanted to have a regular place in London. But it never worked out. I could never find the place where I would want to go night after night and... Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of nice cool places in London. But so far I was unable to find THE one that I would consider myself a regular at.
With DIY, it was love at first sight. And it’s not just the place. It’s people who run the place and who come to that place that make it such a special and unique venue for me in Yerevan.
Tsomak, Armen & co - I love you. You are beautiful, and what you do is... beautiful. No mirror needed.
Emma, I still remember that delicious black-coloured cocktail, the best I’ve tried in Yerevan. [and I don’t normally like cocktails in Yerevan but this one was an exception] Cheers.
Was so great to finally properly meeting Tsomak (Pincet band). Talented, brave, cool. Girl, you rock!! Love and respects, as always. Absolutely loved you performing live. It was a very special evening for me. I feel honoured and touched that you agreed to live perform during my stay in Yerevan. Unforgettable.
Lily was the symbol of that night.
Here we are. I found THE place. Not in London, but in Yerevan. Can’t wait to come back and meet our mafia (=family) again ;)
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Yerevan Diaries: Blogging from inside the toilet - "You are beautiful"
Absolutely loved the idea of 'no mirror' in the toilet. Instead, this statement: "You are beautiful".
Blogging from inside the possibly coolest toilet in Yerevan ;)
*Toilet, DIY bar, Yerevan
Relevant reading: Yerevan Diaries: DIY bar - I recommend!
Blogging from inside the possibly coolest toilet in Yerevan ;)
*Toilet, DIY bar, Yerevan
Relevant reading: Yerevan Diaries: DIY bar - I recommend!
Tuesday, 16 August 2011
Yerevan Diaries: DIY bar - I recommend!
Warm. Friendly. Cool. You feel at home there.
Gay-friendly. With regular movie nights and occasional live music performances.
DIY bar in Yerevan. Parpetsi 14.
I highly recommend it.
Relevant reading: Yerevan Diaries: Blogging from inside the toilet - "You are beautiful"
Gay-friendly. With regular movie nights and occasional live music performances.
DIY bar in Yerevan. Parpetsi 14.
I highly recommend it.
Relevant reading: Yerevan Diaries: Blogging from inside the toilet - "You are beautiful"
Saturday, 16 April 2011
“I want to blow you all (a kiss)”: Kiss-in picket in front of John Snow pub, Soho, London
You know you are in trouble when your pub made the front page of The Guardian, and became a headlining news in British media for all the wrong reasons.
Yes, they (pub managers) knew it, and they shut down their pub mid-afternoon on Friday (!) Friday night, anyone?
Gay couple on their first date got asked out from the John Snow pub in London’s Soho district for snogging in public. For details of the story - read here.
This incident generated a lively debate on whether it’s OK to display (and to what extent) affections in public. But the key is in this quote from The Guardian: “The case is intriguing legally. The Licensing Act 2003 gives a landlord the right to eject customers. But the Equality Act 2010 says everyone must be treated equally in the provision of goods and services. For a successful defence against any legal action under the act, the landlord would have to prove he had ejected heterosexual couples for similiarly overt displays of intimacy.”
I doubt they would be able to prove it.
Activists mobilised via Facebook and Twitter to stage a kiss-in picket inside and in front of the pub. As soon as the news of protests and media headlines spread, pub managers shut down the pub. Cowards.
Interestingly, kiss-in protest happened on a day when many (including in Armenia) were marking the Day of Silence. Although not directly related, these two events were similar in spirit.
Here is how the events unfolded, via pictures and a video I took.
This incident generated a lively debate on whether it’s OK to display (and to what extent) affections in public. But the key is in this quote from The Guardian: “The case is intriguing legally. The Licensing Act 2003 gives a landlord the right to eject customers. But the Equality Act 2010 says everyone must be treated equally in the provision of goods and services. For a successful defence against any legal action under the act, the landlord would have to prove he had ejected heterosexual couples for similiarly overt displays of intimacy.”
I doubt they would be able to prove it.
Activists mobilised via Facebook and Twitter to stage a kiss-in picket inside and in front of the pub. As soon as the news of protests and media headlines spread, pub managers shut down the pub. Cowards.
Interestingly, kiss-in protest happened on a day when many (including in Armenia) were marking the Day of Silence. Although not directly related, these two events were similar in spirit.
Here is how the events unfolded, via pictures and a video I took.
Kiss-in
Prominent British gay rights activist Peter Tatchell
Raising the Rainbow Flag (video)
Kiss-in
“I want to blow you all (a kiss)”
Snogging of the Day ;)
“Love Music Hate Homophobia”
Homophobia. Diverted.
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