Gay-themed play MetastaZ received theatrical awards in Armenia

UPDATE: (11 June 2009) WTF? A bizarre follow-up to my posts on gay-themed theatre play in Vanadzor, Armenia
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Very happy to share this news.

Nune Khechumyan received "Best young director" award for a gay-themed play MetastaZ at the main Armenian annual theatre award ceremony "Artavazd 2009" on 27 March in Yerevan. Also, actor Temur Atchinyan (State Dramatic Theatre named after H. Abelyan of Vanadzor) was named "Best young actor" at the award ceremony. He was among a group of talented actors involved in MetastaZ.

My congratulations!!

For more info about MetastaZ and video clips from the performance, see:

MetastaZ - gay related theatre play in Vanadzor, Armenia

*posters - via PINK Armenia

Bicycle

Looking at the programme of the 23rd London Lesbian & Gay Film Festival, under the “Experimental Visions”, I noticed this description of a short film by Klara Liden “Bodies of Society” (Sweden 2006):

“A sadomasochistic relationship with a bicycle.”

How sweet! :)

'Football is gay' - even according to Armenian media ;)

That ‘football is gay’ is not news for gay blogs and web sites. ‘Gay moments’ in football caught by photographers are being widely posted there (example above). They are pretty entertaining, and at times – pretty hot too.

It is, however, unusual and lovely to see Armenian Aravot daily publishing a series of such photos under pretty revealing heading “Sex at football” ;). Check out Aravot here. Do not forget reading sub-headings to each picture. You would be amused ;)

Thousands of Iranians celebrate Novruz in Armenia due to "liberties"

Thousands of Iranians choose to celebrate Novruz in Armenia. Referring to the Public Radio of Armenia, Huliq says that "close to 20,000 vacationers from neighboring Iran have traveled to Armenia to celebrate Novruz, the Iranian New Year in Armenia due to liberties, affordability and warm weather."

The young people from Iran travel to Armenia with large groups to be able to celebrate Novruz while they can attend Yerevan's numerous nightclubs and can drink in public. Whereas in Iran you can only drink inside your house and there is no such a thing as public drinking.

The reporter of the Armenia radio interviewed a young lady who is staying in front of Yerevan hotel saying "look I can have my beer here and don't have to carry a scarf, which is an obligation in Iran." [...]

"We went to night clubs, danced and were able to have good time with our friends. Yerevan is near to Iran, full of good people and provides good opportunities for fun and celebration," says 25 years old Amir from Iran while shopping in Yerevan and who thinks the traditions are too strict in his country Iran.

As the report pointed out further, "It is estimated that an average vacationer spends $1000 U.S. dollars in Armenia per week, which includes most of the expenses, including hotel and meal. Therefore, 20,000 Iranian tourists leaving $20 Million dollars in the Armenian economy is a good investment in the country of 3.5 million people."

As far as I know from various sources, for the same reasons many Azeris tend to spend their Novruz holiday in Georgia.

As posted on this blog, Iranian artists and gays seek freedom in Armenia too. This is VERY relative, of course, from a local Armenian perspectives, but pretty significant for Iranians.

Here is the morale of this story. Under current economic conditions, focus on tourism should become one of the priorities. And as this report suggests, more social liberties will attract more tourists, and subsequently more money to Armenian state budget and local businesses. Even if for practical reasons, it's time to think of pink pound (or euro/dollar, if you wish).

Women's march and burial of the Red Apple in Yerevan, Armenia (video)

Here is a video of women's march and burial of the Red Apple in Yerevan, Armenia. (thanks to journalist Romella Stepanyan, MenkenKidsTV)

...on my way from work (London, Friday evening)

...This is why I love London. Friday evening. On your way home from work you see this.

Yes, it’s a part of a sale PR campaign. But there is also money being collected for cancer charity. DJ is good, music is uplifting, girls are cool, men are sexy and naked. Can you ask for a better way to kick off the weekend? Well, unless you are having a date with one of them ;)

This is what I call survival in recession.

Pope faces unprecedented backlash for his anti-condom remarks

The leading and most prestigious London based medical journal The Lancet accused Pope Benedict XVI of distorting the science and endangering lives of millions, BBC reports.

It said the Pope's recent comments that condoms exacerbated the problem of HIV/AIDS were wildly inaccurate and could have devastating consequences. [...]

The Pope said "the traditional teaching of the Church has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids". [...]

"Whether the Pope's error was due to ignorance or a deliberate attempt to manipulate science to support Catholic ideology is unclear," said the journal.

But is said the comment still stood and urged the Vatican to issue a retraction.

"When any influential person, be it a religious or political figure, makes a false scientific statement that could be devastating to the health of millions of people, they should retract or correct the public record," it said.

"Anything less from Pope Benedict would be an immense disservice to the public and health advocates, including many thousands of Catholics, who work tirelessly to try and prevent the spread of HIV/Aids worldwide."

BBC says that "the attack from the Lancet was unprecedentedly virulent", and "the article shows how far the Pope's attempts to clarify the Vatican's position on condoms has backfired".

Pope's deadly comments have caused a Europe-wide (and world-wide) outrage. "The Pope is a disaster" - The Daily Telegraph. "Impeach the Pope" - The Washington Post.

*photo - Getty Images, via BBC

4th annual GALAS Armenian GLBT conference

"The Road to Equality: The Past, Present and Future of the Gay Rights Movement"

Saturday 18 April 2008

This year with prop.8 in the forefront, GALAS [LA Gay and Lesbian Armenian Society] is focusing the conference sessions on the important political issues relating to GLBT Civil Rights.

There are three sessions scheduled for the conference with excellent and notable speakers!

Session one, "Rear View Mirror: The History of the Gay Movement," we have invited Dr. Hale, a professor from CSUN and the Director of the Gender Studies Department. He is assembling a panel of speakers including guests who will speak about Proposition 6, the Briggs Initiative, etc.

Session two, "Detours: Current Events," will concentrate on Prop. 8 and what is happening right now in the California Supreme Court. The time line of the second session will start with why and how Prop. 8 was on the ballot, the election, and what has subsequently happened since the passing of prop. 8. The guest panel will include lawyers from Lambda Legal, representatives from the Gay and Lesbian Center, and managers of Vote for Equality Campaign who will speak about all aspects of prop 8 (the social, cultural, legal aspects...)

Session three, "The Road Ahead" will concentrate on action steps that need to be taken in the near and far future. This session will also include discussion about what plans are in gear with whatever decision is made by the California Supreme Court. Details are still in the works to make this an exciting session to conclude our conference. We will also speak about GALAS' future and its role in protecting LGBT Civil Rights.

GALAS Education/Resource Committee

Launched: first ever Georgian website for lesbians

UPDATE (24 March 2009): Lesbi.ge was launched yesterday by Georgian LGBT group - Inclusive Foundation. It will be available both in Georgian and English. Congrats!!
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Gay Caucasus reports that for the first time ever lesbian Georgians will have their own website - Pink Room (in Georgian). Reportedly, works are underway to launch lesbi.ge (an "official website") too.

While there has been surge in numbers of gay Georgian blogs (mainly directed at gay men), no lesbian Georgian blogs are available, as of now. Today's news suggest that it's perhaps only a matter of time when there will be lesbian Georgian blogs too.

Pride 2009

Pride 2009 music video was made by JGL production company to honour the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots which marked the start of the gay rights movement in the US and around the world. (video - via Queers United)

Armenian to head UN Status of Women Commission

Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Armen Martirosyan, was elected chairperson of the organization’s Commission on the Status of Women for a two year term at its recent 54th session.

The UN’s Commission on the Status of Women is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women.

Every year, representatives of the 45 member states gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide.

*source: Hetq Online
**photo - Armenia Fund USA

Pincet - all-female punk rock band in Armenia

Pincet is an all-female electropunk rock band based in Armenia. They recently opened a MySpace page for the band and have posted since a few good songs there. Love it.

Band members are Tsomak (guitar, lead vocals), Astghik Melkonyan (drums) and Jenya (keyboard). Tsomak is an artist, women rights activist, and known from a former punk rock band Incest which was an "original all-female Armenian punk rock band" formed in 2000 and active till 2004.

Below is a photo (source) of Pincet rock band at Avantgarde Folk Club in Yerevan, performing for the World AIDS Day 2008 in Armenia.

INAD rock band performing for the World AIDS Day 2008 in Yerevan, Armenia

Below are two videos of INAD rock band at Avantgarde Folk Club in Yerevan, performing for the World AIDS Day 2008 in Armenia. (photo above - source)

Les Chansons d'amour ('Love Songs')

I first noticed Louis Garrel in The Dreamers (directed by Bernardo Bertolucci). Since then, he became one of my favourite actors. Talented, different, and sexy.

Yesterday was watching Les Chansons d'amour ('Love Songs').

The film ends with:

"Love me less, but love me a long time."

Perfectly said.



*Louis Garrel's website: http://www.louis-garrel.com

Inga & Anush photo session in Moscow (Armenia in Eurovision 09)

*via Inga & Anush official blog

New old look & inspiration for Prada (spring/summer 09)

"... divinity, tribalism and primitive symbolism - graphically represented through the dialogue of references between fashion and imagery."

More...

Clean up at the Pantheon / remembering our Armenian foremothers

As part of the Women's Month in Armenia, organised by the Women's Resource Centre

20 March 2009

Meeting at 11am in front of the Komitas Pantheon, Yerevan.

Program: Cleaning the park and the cemeteries of Armenian women writers.

Poetry reading in front of Silva Kaputikyan's and Shushanik Kurghinyan's tombstones.

Flowers and candle lighting ceremony to remember our foremothers.

Merriam-Webster's dictionary "makes gay marriage official"

Popnography reports that "A new entry in the reference book represents progress -- and (bonus!) pisses off right-wingers."

Here is the new definition of the word marriage according to the Merriam-Webster's dictionary:

Main Entry: mar·riage
Pronunciation: \ˈmer-ij, ˈma-rij\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English mariage, from Anglo-French, from marier to marry
Date: 14th century

1 a (1): the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law (2): the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage /same-sex marriage/ b: the mutual relation of married persons : wedlock c: the institution whereby individuals are joined in a marriage
2: an act of marrying or the rite by which the married status is effected ; especially : the wedding ceremony and attendant festivities or formalities
3: an intimate or close union /the marriage of painting and poetry — J. T. Shawcross/

*/emphasis mine/

Fashion designer Marc Jacobs engaged to his Brazilian boyfriend (report)

What a cute couple! Congrats!!

Via People and WWD.com: "Marc Jacobs and Lorenzo Martone are engaged. The designer and his ad executive boyfriend, who have been together for about a year, will go public with the news beginning Thursday, when they arrive in Brazil wearing rings. The couple is headed to Martone’s native Sao Paolo for a fete celebrating the Marc Jacobs multibrand store there, which opened in January. They have not set a wedding date."

*photo - People (Billy Farrell/Patrick McMullan/Sipa)

London, street art

Oxford street

Green Park tube station

Soho