Srđan Dragojević, director of Parada: "I didn't know Armenia was so homophobic"

"I can't remember the last time I laughed AND cried so hard in one film." On her blog post Watching Parada and Not in Armenia, Adrineh shares personal impressions of the Serbian film Parada after watching it in one of the European capitals as part of the film festival. Towards the end of the screening, she also managed to exchange few words with the director of Parada.

[...] The other thing that broke my heart was a sentence uttered by the director, Srđan Dragojević, who I was lucky enough to exchange a few words with after the screening. When I asked him whether he knew that attempts to screen in the film in Armenia were unsuccessful as a result of pressure and protests, he said he knew, but "I didn't know Armenia was so homophobic". He then seemed to liken Armenia to Russia by adding the film will "probably be banned in Russia". Not. good. news. at. all. I tried to explain that things in Armenia had ballooned only in recent years, but I only had two minutes of his time as he was rushing off somewhere else, and I wasn't able to get into any more details. He did mention, however, that German embassies in countries where human rights is an issue were given directives to screen the film. Yes, you read that right: "where human rights is an issue"... [...]
***
For background to the story, read:

Yerevan Press Club, NGOs: Parada film cancellation 'blatant rights violation' and indicator for EU re Armenia commitments

EU head says LGBT people in Armenia are “the most vulnerable” while hatemongers celebrate “victory”... over cancellation of gay rights film screening

Puppets attack Germany embassy and the EU office in Armenia

Yerevan Press Club, NGOs: Parada film cancellation 'blatant rights violation' and indicator for EU re Armenia commitments

For background: 

EU head says LGBT people in Armenia are “the most vulnerable” while hatemongers celebrate “victory”... over cancellation of gay rights film screening

Puppets attack Germany embassy and the EU office in Armenia

***
The Yerevan Press Club shares the indignation of Armenia's non-governmental organizations who disseminated a letter on October 23 condemning another refusal to host the screening of the film “Parada”. We consider the obstacles raised for such public events as a blatant violation of the right to freedom of expression.

It has been only a year since we appreciated that the practice of refusing provision of premises for political motives has almost stopped. And today, the Armenian society faces yet a new, not less disgraceful challenge - an artificial restriction on disseminating information about issues of diversity and personal freedom.

After 20 years of gaining independence and proclaiming democratic development as the main path for nation building, the Armenian state is still unable to ensure the protection of its’ citizens’ rights from intolerance and xenophobia. The “fearfulness” of the management of the halls, which refuse the film screening, can be explained by nothing less than this. In this regard, one should remember the inaction of law enforcement bodies towards the attacks against the “Asparez” Journalists' Club of Gyumri and the Vanadzor Branch of Helsinki Citizen's Assembly, who in April 2012 provided their halls for showing films, “disliked” by some people.

It is inadmissible for the authorities, who strive for European standards of constituting the state and public life, to pander to those persons and groups, who assume the right to ban, threat, exercise violence and who dictate their own visions of what others should and should not do. 

Yerevan Press Club
October 24, 2012
*via Hetq.am

Below is a statement of NGOs (AM, via PINK Armenia):

Հասարակական կազմակերպությունները հանդես են եկել համատեղ հայտարարությամբ` ուղղված ՀՀ վարչապետ Տիգրան Սարգսյանին, Հայաստանում ԵՄ պատվիրակության ղեկավար Տրայան Հրիսթեային, Հայաստանում Գերմանիայի Դաշնային Հանրապետության արտակարգ և լիազոր դեսպան Ռայներ Մորելին: Անհանգստության առիթ է հանդիպսացել սերբական «Պառադա» ֆիլմի ցուցադրման խափանումը:

Հայտարարություն

Արդեն իսկ երրորդ վայրը ևս` Կոնգրես հյուրանոցը, հանրությանը անհայտ ճնշումների արդյունքում պաշտոնապես հրաժարվեց հյուրընկալել «Պառադա» ֆիլմի ցուցադրությունը, որը վերաբերում է Սերբիայում ԼԳԲՏ (լեսբուհի, գեյ, բիսեքսուալ, տրանսգենդեր) անձանց իրավունքների հիմնախնդիրներին: Այս ֆիլմի ցուցադրությունը հանդիսանում է Հայաստանում Եվրոպական Միության պատվիրակության և Գերմանիայի դեսպանության նախաձեռնությունը: Ֆիլմի ցուցադրությունը մասն է կազմում այն միջոցառումների, որոնք Եվրամիությունն անցկացնում է 2012թ. Մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանության օրվա շրջանակներում՝ հանդուրժողականության և ոչ խտրական վերաբերմունքի թեմայով:

Ցանկացած ժողովրդավարական, սոցիալական, իրավական պետություն մարդու իրավունքների նման ոտնահարումը, մասնավորապես արտահայտման ազատության իրավունքի ոտնահարումը, որը ներառում է անկախ պետական սահմաններից ցանկացած միջոցով տեղեկություններ և գաղափարներ փնտրելու, ստանալու, տարածելու ազատությունը, պետք է համարի անթույլատրելի: Սա հստակ սահմանված է ՀՀ Սահմանադրությամբ և ավելի ընդգծված մի շարք միջազգային փաստաթղթերում՝ համաձայն որոնց ՀՀ-ն ունի մի շարք պարտավորություններ պաշտպանելու յուրաքանչյուր անձի հիմնարար իրավունքներն ու ազատությունները, ինչպես նաև ունի պոզիտիվ պարտավորություն՝ ապահովելու այդ իրավունքների արդյունավետ իրականացումը: ՀՀ-ն Եվրոպական հարևանության քաղաքականության շրջանակներում ստանձնել է պարտավորություններ ամրապնդելու մարդու իրավունքների և հիմնարար ազատությունների նկատմամբ հարգանքը, որոնք հանդիսանում են ՀՀ-ԵՄ համագործակցության հիմնարար սկզբուքները: Ավելին, սույն բարեփոխումների իրականացման համար ՀՀ կառավարությունը ԵՄ կողմից ստանում է համապատասխան աջակցություն, այդ թվում ֆինանսական:

Մենք` քաղաքացիական հասարակության ներկայացուցիչներս, անհանգստացած և վրդովված ենք ՀՀ-ում մարդու իրավունքների ոտնահարումներով, խտրականության և անհանդուրժողականության տարածմամբ: Մենք պահանջում ենք, որպեսզի ՀՀ կառավարությունը ստանձնի իր պարտավորությունները և երաշխավորի սույն միջոցառման իրականացումը և դրա անվտանգությունը, համապատասխան դահլիճ տրամադրի ֆիլմի հանրային ցուցադրության, և հանդիսատեսի անխոչընդոտ դիտման համար:

Մենք գտնում ենք, որ ՀՀ իշխանության կողմից ձեռնարկած քայլերը կամ անգործությունը ԵՄ համար պետք է հանդիսանա ցուցանիշ, թե որքանով են իր տրամադրած աջակցությունը և միջոցները ուղղորդվում ՀՀ-ում մարդու իրավունքների իրավիճակի բարելավմանը: ԵՄ-ն պետք է հետամուտ լինի իր իսկ տրամադրած միջոցների նպատակային բաշխմանը և ՀՀ կողմից հանձն առած պարտավորությունների կատարմանը, որոնք բխում են Եվրոպական հարևանության քաղաքականության հիման վրա որդեգրած ԵՄ-Հայաստան փոխադարձ հանձնառությունից` ապահովելու ժողովրդավարություն և մարդու իրավունքների պաշտպանվածություն, օրենքի գերակայություն և համընդհանուր այլ արժեքներ:

Ստորագրողներ`
Հանրային տեղեկատվություն և գիտելիքի կարիք ՀԿ
Կանանց ռեսուրսային կենտրոն ՀԿ
Հելսինկյան ասոցիացիա ՀԿ
Սեռական բռնության ճգնաժամային կենտրոն ՀԿ
Կանանց աջակցության կենտրոն ՀԿ
Իրավունքի գերակայություն ՀԿ
Հելսինկյան քաղաքացիական ասամբլեայի Վանաձորի գրասենյակ ՀԿ
Լրագրողներ հանուն մարդու իրավունքների ՀԿ
Երիտասարդները հանուն ժողովրդավարության ՀԿ
Բաց հասարակության հիմնադրամններ-Հայաստան
Ժուռնալիստների «Ասպարեզ» ակումբ ՀԿ
Շիրակ կենտրոն ՀԿ
Նոր Սերունդ ՀԿ
Երաշխիք քաղաքացիական հասարակության կենտրոն ՀԿ
Շահխաթուն ՀԿ
Իրական աշխարհ, իրական մարդիկ ՀԿ
Թրանսփարենսի ինթերնեշնլ հակակոռուպցիոն կենտրոն ՀԿ
Հայաստանի հելսինկյան կոմիտե ՀԿ
Դեմոկրատիան այսօր ՀԿ
Էկոլուր տեղեկատվական ՀԿ
Հույս ՀԿ
Գորիսի մամուլի ակումբ ՀԿ
Քաղաքացիական ազգային նախաձեռնություն ՀԿ
Համագործակցություն հանուն զարգացման ՀԿ
Իրավունքների պաշտպանություն առանց սահմանների ՀԿ
Համագործակցություն հանուն ժողովրդավարության ՀԿ
Խոսքի ազատության պաշտպանության կոմիտե ՀԿ

EU head says LGBT people in Armenia are “the most vulnerable” while hatemongers celebrate “victory”... over cancellation of gay rights film screening

For background: Puppets attack Germany embassy and the EU office in Armenia
***
Unfortunately, both venues - The Club and Yerevan Puppet Theatre, despite the initial resistance and “voice of reason” by the head of latter - eventually gave in to homophobic blackmail by hatemongers.

This was yet another reflection of steady regress in Armenia in relation to rights, tolerance and diversity, despite reported “progress” towards European integration.

The head of EU delegation in Armenia Traian Hristea said that the reaction towards gay rights -themed film screening indicates that LGBT people in Armenia are “the most vulnerable”. And this is despite Armenia formally joining European anti-homophobia agreements.

Both Germany ambassador and the EU head in Armenia reiterated their determination to hold public screenings of the film.

In the meantime, activists launched petition in support of the initiative by the Germany embassy and the EU office in Armenia. You may read and sign the petiition here (bilingual -Armenian and English):

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/գերմանիայի-դեսպանատուն-ցուցադրել-parada-ֆիլմը

Homophobic hate groups and individuals in Armenia were congratulating each other today with the... “victory”, without even realising how total losers they are if they celebrate a “victory” over... film cancellation.

Չեմ սիրում “պարտված” կամ “հաղթանակած” տերմիններ օգտագործել, բայց ստեղ անհրաժեշտա: Իրանք չեն հասկանում, որ պարտված են, հենց մենակ նրա համար, որ “հաղթանակ” են համարում ֆիլմի ցուցադրման տապալումը: [my summary of the day in AM]

Puppets attack Germany embassy and the EU office in Armenia

Ladies and Gents, prepare your popcorn. Tragicomedy continues. [Warning: poor quality, one star max]

Here we are at it again. Season No... Another bout of hysteria from the same groups and individuals who attacked Diversity march (such as Hayazn union), who justified DIY bombing and so on and so on... Real life puppets ruled from certain known circles.

“Gay” is a new drug for them. They get high whenever they see or hear or read “gay”. Or shall I say try “gay”?! How X-rated :)

Now they got new ‘lifeline’ in the form of screening of gay rights -themed film based on Serbia events - The Parade (“Parada”). The screening is sponsored and organised by the Germany embassy and the EU office in Yerevan to facilitate awareness of human rights.

Կցուցադրվի միասեռականների իրավունքների մասին պատմող հայտնի «Parada» ֆիլմը 

PanARMENIAN.Net - Հայաստանում մարդու իրավունքների կարևորության գիտակցության ամրապնդման նպատակով Երևանում Գերմանիայի դեսպանությունը և ԵՄ պատվիրակությունը կազմակերպում են հանդուրժողականության և խտրականության բացառման թեմայով միջազգային ճանաչում գտած «Parada» ֆիլմի ցուցադրությունների շարք: Այն սերբական դրամա է, որն արծարծում է Սերբիայում միասեռականների իրավունքների նուրբ խնդիրը: Ֆիլմի առանցքային թեման Բելգրադում միասեռականների հպարտության շքերթ կազմակերպելու երկրորդ փորձն է այն բանից հետո, երբ առաջինը 2001թ. ավարտվել էր բռնությամբ: Ֆիլմը կցուցադրվի՝ հոկտեմբերի 8-ին և 10-ին` ժամը 20.00-ին, «Ակումբում», Թումանյան 40, 0010 Երևան, հոկտեմբերի 15-ին և 16-ին` ժամը 20.00-ին, Երևանի Հ. Թումանյանի անվան պետական տիկնիկային թատրոնում, Սայաթ-Նովա 4, 0001 Երևան: 

They plan a protest action (or plural) in front of the Germany embassy, will try to disrupt the screening of the film in the Club and at the Yerevan Puppet Theatre.

Funnily enough, quite a few of those joining the protest started inadvertently publicising the film and... actually watched (!) it. Even if they won’t accept it, watching such film alone will have an educational impact on them. Even if on a very-very deep subconscious level.

I should congratulate the embassy of Germany in Armenia and the EU office for success of the event that has not even started yet. Never before there was such an awareness of gay rights -themed film in Armenia.

And finally, a voice of reason from the director of Yerevan Puppet theatre Ruben Babayan. He doesn’t quite understand the fuss over the scheduled screening. He said that the Puppet theatre is not just for children (responding to laughable accusations that ‘gay propaganda’ film is being screened at ‘children theatre’), reminding that the Golden Apricot film festival and other screenings are being held there. I’d add some pretty hardcore metal music fest too. He then suggested that following the logic of protesters we should cancel films by Parajanov and Visconti or books by Nabokov too: “Do we want to turn this country into Iran or simply realise that it’s a matter of tolerance, feature film and art?” Voice of reason, indeed.

Հովհաննես Թումանյանի անվան տիկնիկային թատրոնի գեղարվեստական ղեկավար Ռուբեն Բաբայանի համար անհասկանալի է այն աղմուկը, որը բարձրացել է միասեռականների իրավունքներին նվիրված Parada ֆիլմի ցուցադրության կապակցությամբ: «Դա գեղարվեստական ֆիլմ է, որը մասնակցել է տարբեր փառատոնների: Նույն ձևով կարծում եմ՝ կարելի է չեղյալ հայտարարել Սերգեյ Փարաջանովի, Լուկինո Վիսկոնտիի ֆիլմերի ցուցադրությունը կամ՝ Նաբոկովի գրքերը: Դե, պետք է որոշակի սկզբունք ընդունել և որոշել՝ կամ մենք այս երկիրը դարձնում ենք Պարսկաստան և հրճվում ենք դրանով, կամ մենք պարզապես հասկանում ենք, որ կա՝ հանդուրժողականություն, գեղարվեստական ֆիլմ ու արվեստ» - Tert.am –ին ասաց Ռուբեն Բաբայանը՝ ի պատասխան հարցի, թե հնարավո՞ր է, որ թատրոնի ղեկավարությունը չեղյալ համարի վարձակալության պայմանագիրը: [...]

*pictures - via The Parade website 

Today's Zaman: Turkish nationalist discovers his Armenian roots, or dissection of hatred

Thanks to the link posted under the comments section of Study: Homophobia is associated with... homosexual arousal, below are extracts from a relevant piece by Today's Zaman columnist Orhan Kemal Cengiz Was Hitler a self-hating Jew?
***

Once I heard a story about a Turkish nationalist who accidentally found out that his ancestors were actually Armenians. [...]

I believe in most extreme forms of hatred and stigmatizing certain groups there is an element of self-hatred. A person who obsessively fights against homosexuals may be fighting against his actual self, his homosexual dark persona. The one who hates the Roma may be fighting against his “colorful,” marginal threads to protect his dull life, governed by the dictatorship of “shoulds.” I have many times observed in Turkey that most hard-line secularists come from devout Muslim families, and with their Islamophobic attitudes they actually express their shame and discontent with their background.

When I first heard the story of this Turkish nationalist Armenian guy, I thought this was a divine message from God to him. All of a sudden he was given an opportunity to reflect on his entire life, his purpose, his attitude and the way he relates with other people. Did he receive the message? I did not believe that he had no clue about his background; he most probably kept pushing every sign showing that he is not Turkish into the dark corners of his subconscious. Apparently, later on, some undeniable evidence showed up and he entered in a kind of shock. Or maybe with this sudden revelation everything became much clearer. Things started to make sense.

Can he continue on with his life as if nothing has happened? After this kind of painful confrontation, nothing can be the same. He would either abandon his Turkish nationalism or become more and more nationalistic.

This guy did not know his background (at least consciously) and became a Turkish nationalist.[...]

This new revelation about Hitler’s genetic code is filled with food for thought about racism, human destructiveness and self-hatred. It provides us with a fresh perspective when looking at people who somehow hate others. And, of course, I hope it will help those who hate and stigmatize some groups; I wish they could see the real meaning of their hatred.

Fereydoun Farrokhzad - assassinated gay Iranian dissident, singer and poet

Beautiful music.

Iranian singer and poet, dissident and homosexual,

Fereydoun Farrokhzad was assassinated the 8th August, 1992, in Bonn (Germany).

*via http://gayswithoutborders.wordpress.com/ Facebook group.

Germany to appoint the first openly gay foreign minister in the world

***And here is some background on why homosexuality is no longer an issue in German politics - Foreign Policy. Picture above - Guido Westerwelle, right, celebrates his party's victory with his boyfriend. (Thanks, Myrthe, for the link.)

*source of photo

Newsweek: Germany is getting a new foreign minister. Cabinet officials come and go in Europe's democracies, but this is different: Guido Westerwelle, the leader of the German Free Democratic Party, will become the first openly gay foreign minister in the world. The prevalence of openly gay politicians in Europe is hardly big news: Iceland's prime minister, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, is the world's first openly gay head of state; the mayors of Paris and Berlin are also out of the closet. And yes, it's a milestone that this could occur in Germany, a nation that only 70 years ago attempted to exterminate homosexuals. But the truly significant thing about Westerwelle's new job is not what it means for Europe's economic powerhouse—already a country very tolerant of gays—but what it means for the rest of the world.

Westerwelle is about to become the face that Germany presents overseas—which might be a problem for the nations where the denial of homosexuality and the imprisonment, torture, and murder of gay people are official state policies. That's why, after he takes the helm of the Foreign Ministry, Westerwelle ought to kick off his tenure with a tour of the world's most homophobic nations, speaking about the horrific ways in which these regimes treat their gay citizens. Unfortunately, he might be on the road for a while. [...]

While it's unfortunately true that many homophobic regimes channel popular homophobic opinion in their countries, it's also true that individuals are more likely to support equal rights for homosexuals if they interact with them. For the vast majority of the people in nations Westerwelle visits, he will be just a distant figure, someone whose face they will see on the front page of newspapers and on television. But his being in the room during high-level talks with the likes of Ahmadinejad and Vladimir Putin may alter their attitudes about homosexuality, if only a little.

Even if Westerwelle were not to make an issue of his own homosexuality, recognition of it would be inevitable—especially in countries where homosexuality is viewed as a foreign, specifically "Western" export. The prospect of an openly gay person in a prominent public position is unfathomable in many societies, and the interest in Westerwelle would be almost voyeuristic. That he leads a perfectly normal domestic life alongside a long-term partner—with whom he could travel, forcing foreign governments to provide diplomatic protection and ceremonial recognition to a same-sex couple or lose out on state visits—would dispel many of the bigoted notions that so many people hold about homosexuality. [...] (Thanks to Hrag for the link.)

Coco Chanel euro coins

German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld designed a limited edition of 5 euro coins (golden and silver) to mark the 125th bday anniversary of world famous French fashion designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel.

Although nominally these are 5 euro coins, their cost vary from 45 euros (silver coins) to 5900 euros (golden coins).

*source: Tert.am

*German fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld and French Culture Minister Christine Albanel (source: Reuters, via Javno)

Germany's Homomonument unveiled in Berlin

The Homomonument - a memorial in the centre of Amsterdam - "commemorates all gay men and lesbians who have been subjected to persecution because of their homosexuality. Opened on September 5, 1987, it takes the form of three large pink triangles made of granite, set into the ground so as to form a larger triangle, on the bank of the Keizersgracht canal, near the historic Westerkerk church."

While in Amsterdam, I paid my respects to the memorial (see photos below).

BBC reports that a similar memorial, but of much larger scale, was inaugurated in Germany "to honour the thousands of homosexuals persecuted by the Nazis between 1933 and 1945":

The four-metre high monument, which has a window showing a film of two men kissing, was unveiled in Berlin.

The Nazis branded homosexuality an aberration threatening their perception of Germans as the master race, and 55,000 gay men were deemed criminals.

As many as 15,000 of those were killed in Nazi concentration camps.

Very few who survived ever received compensation from post-war German governments for the persecution they suffered.

The new memorial - which was inaugurated by Berlin's gay mayor, Klaus Wowereit, and Germany's Culture Minister, Bernd Neumann - is situated close to that for the six million victims of the Holocaust.

Mr Wowereit said it was typical of post-war Germany that the victims had not been honoured until now.

"This is symptomatic for a society... that did not abolish unjust verdicts, but partially continued to implement them; a society which did not acknowledge a group of people as victims, only because they chose another way of life," he said.

During the opening ceremony, Linda Freimane, member of ILGA-Europe’s (Europe's leading gay rights organisation) Executive Board, said:

“Today, our continent is a safe place to live if you are homosexual – safe in comparison with many other places on our earth, where homosexuality is still considered a punishable crime.

Europe has come a long way in its battle for the right of each individual and in dealing with its history of discrimination. Today, in many European countries, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people along with other vulnerable groups enjoy the protection of their state against prejudice, discrimination and violence. In many places in Europe same-sex partners can register their partnership or get married, in some countries the state also supports our wish to become equal parents. We have not yet reached full equality, but we sense the political will to get there.

But this is not enough. You must now also be the ones who do not stay silent when other countries, which have already entered the EU or are knocking on its door, violate the rights of their own citizens. Please remind homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, racist and sexist political leaders that they too belong to a Europe, which is built on the assumption of each individual’s right to freedom, dignity, and respect and to seek his or her own happiness. And please, do not forget all those LGBTI people around the world who live in fear and despair, who face persecution, humiliation, imprisonment and death for simply being who they are.

I hope that the present and future mayors of Berlin and members of German governments will remember to bring their foreign guests to this memorial when they show them the beautiful city of Berlin.”

ILGE-Europe reports further that "One side [of this memorial] has a small opening through which viewers can see a black and white art film scene of two men kissing. " A simple kiss could land you in trouble," says the text which accompanies the memorial. This memorial was designed by the Danish-Norwegian artistic duo Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset."

A short, looped clip of two men kissing, a key component of the memorial, was screened at Tate Modern (London) during the afternoon 27 May to coincide with this historical event. Photo below - via Tate Modern: Elmgreen & Dragset The Kiss (National Memorial for the Homosexual Victims of the Nazi Regime) 2008;
courtesy the artists and Victoria Miro Gallery.

*photo of the Berlin memorial - via ILGA-Europe

Top European mayors invited to Moscow Gay Pride

GayRussia reports that three of Europe’s leading mayors, two of them openly gay, have been invited to attend this year’s Moscow Pride.

Mayors Bertrand Delanoë (Paris), Ken Livingstone (London) and Klaus Wowereit (Berlin) have all been invited to the Gay Pride and associated conference being held in the Russian capital on May 30 and 31. Organisers are confident their presence will have an important symbolic influence.

“You always support the fundamental right of homosexual people to openly manifest and to publicly express themselves,” they say in their letter to the city halls.

“All of you also regularly take part in Gay Pride parades in your own cities.”

“Taking into account the bans of the public Pride events in the Russian capital in 2006 and 2007, we are not sure that Mayor Luzhkov will permit Gay Pride manifestation this year,” they point out.

“Please take part in our conference and rally,” the organisers ask.

It is not known whether they accepted an invitation or would be able to attend. It would have been superb to see them directly joining Russia’s gay community in their fight for equality. However, I expect that politics and diplomacy via ‘technical’ difficulties will make it impossible. In case of London mayor, I suppose, the situation is complicated by mayoral elections scheduled on 1 May ( In fact, it features openly gay candidate Brian Paddick, one of London’s former police chiefs, although the latest poll showed him on the 3rd place). In any case, it’s a good PR move from Russian gay activists. Well done!

In past, these European mayors voiced their support for Gay Pride organisers in Moscow and condemned Moscow mayor Luzhkov’s decision to ban Gay Pride celebrations. Luzhkov is known for his extreme homophobic rhetoric. He once called Gay Pride “a satanic gathering”.

*photo by GayRussia

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!