Love, the queen, equal marriage, the colours - key themes of the London Gay Pride 2013

Read also: 
Google at London Gay Pride 2013: "Gaygle"
People, sport, fun and cakes - London Gay Pride 2013
Queer Resistance and Solidarity: Putin - homophobia czar, ResIstanbul, Free Bradley Manning, and more... (London Gay Pride 2013)
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As the legislation on same-sex marriage is imminent and at its final stages in the House of Lords, equal marriage was a key theme of this year's London Gay Pride. As usual, the parade was full of colours, and like in previous years the armed forces and police were present in the procession.

 

 

Google at London Gay Pride 2013: "Gaygle"

Read also: 
Love, the queen, equal marriage, the colours - key themes of the London Gay Pride 2013
People, sport, fun and cakes - London Gay Pride 2013
Queer Resistance and Solidarity: Putin - homophobia czar, ResIstanbul, Free Bradley Manning, and more... (London Gay Pride 2013)
***
Google at London Gay Pride. They called themselves "Gaygle" for the occasion. Cute ;)

"Love is love" - "Սերը սեր է" in Palermo Gay Pride 2013

"Love is Love" in different languages, including Armenian "Սերը սեր է", as spotted in Palermo Gay Pride (Italy).

[YouTube video]

*thanks to Mamikon for the link

Victory of Love in the US. Historic rulings "mark the biggest advance in civil liberties for gay people in a generation"

I am so happy and full of emotions. This is truly a historic day, and not only for the US. This is a victory of human rights. This is a victory of love.

Country by country. Regime by regime. Sooner or later. This is going to happen. Get over it.

And... congrats, gay Armenians in California!! You can now officially marry your loved ones.
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The Guardian: "A landmark supreme court ruling struck down a controversial federal law that discriminated against gay couples in the US, delivering a stunning victory on Wednesday to campaigners who fought for years to overturn it.

The court also dismissed a separate appeal against same-sex marriage laws in California, restoring the right to gay marriage in the largest US state and nearly doubling the number of Americans living in states where gay marriage would be legal.

Together, the two rulings mark the biggest advance in civil liberties for gay people in a generation, and come amid growing political and international recognition that same-sex couples deserve equal legal treatment."

As Ben Affleck tweeted: "Goodbye #DOMA #Prop8. Hello #equality."

And the hero of the day is of course Edith Windsor.

BBC: "The legal challenge to Doma was brought by New York resident Edith Windsor, 83. She was handed a tax bill of $363,000 (£236,000) when she inherited the estate of her spouse Thea Speyer - a levy she would not have had to pay if she had been married to a man."

President Obama called Edie Windsor—the plaintiff in the #DOMA case—from AF1 to congratulate her on today's ruling (White House twitter)

*picture - via The New Yorker: How Edith Windsor learned she won

The New Yorker: Everyone at the apartment of Roberta Kaplan, the lawyer who argued Edith Windsor’s successful challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, exploded in screams and sobs when the ruling came down. Kaplan called her mother and said, “Total victory, Mom: it couldn’t be better.” Windsor said, “I wanna go to Stonewall right now!” Then she called a friend and said, “Please get married right away!” 

Update: Just after 11 A.M., the President called. Kaplan picked up the phone and gave it to Windsor. “Hello, who am I talking to?” Windsor said. “Oh, Barack Obama? I wanted to thank you. I think your coming out for us made such a difference throughout the country.”
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Here is how Google celebrated today's historic ruling. Any search involving "gay", "lesbian", "bisexual", "transgender", "LGBT" - turned Google search rainbow.

Violence, intimidation, no legislative protection - reports highlight urgent need for Armenia authorities to ACT NOW to tackle LGBT discrimination

Series of reports published over the last month or so by various European, international and local groups consistently highlighted lack of legislative protection of LGBT people in Armenia. Reading these reports side by side reminds us what a horrible year 2012 was in terms of violations of human rights of LGBT people in Armenia. Unfortunately, nothing much has changed since. No politician was sacked or resigned for inciting or supporting anti-gay violence. No one was charged for anti-gay violence. No legislative changes have been made to ensure human rights protection of all Armenian  citizens, regardless of sexual orientation. Instead, hysteric outbursts in media and by MPs, politicians and other public figures are abound fuelling further homophobia and discrimination of people based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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European Commission: Implementation of the European Neighbourhood Policy in Armenia Progress in 2012 and recommendations for action

Comprehensive legislation on discrimination is not yet in place, while discriminatory attitudes are widespread. The current definition of discrimination does not cover all forms of discrimination (race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, gender, sexual orientation or other status). Moreover, efforts to ensure effective implementation of the current laws are inadequate.

Efforts need to be stepped up on ensuring non-discrimination in social life, in particular regarding the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. The firebombing of a pub in Yerevan in May, the subsequent disruption of the Diversity March, cancellation of a film screening on tolerance under pressure from unidentified entities, and discriminatory statements from influential politicians are incompatible with European values. This area has not been covered by the National Human Rights Strategy.

Freedom House: Armenia Report 2013 

The year 2012 witnessed a number of crimes and protests apparently motivated by homophobia. In the early morning hours of 8 May, a gay-friendly rock club in central Yerevan was firebombed, causing damages assessed at $7,500. Two young Iranian citizens arrested in connection with the crime were reportedly bailed out by representatives of the Dashnaktsutyun party, who spoke favorably of the bombing, as did Eduard Sharmazanov, an MP for HHK. On 24 May, the U.S. Embassy in Armenia called the attack a crime against sexual minorities and called upon Armenian law enforcement to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards hate crimes.

On 21 May, a Cultural Diversity march was held in Yerevan by the Women’s Resource Center and PINK, a group supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights. Some media labeled the event “gay parade in disguise.” Although there is no official ban on gay pride parades in Armenia, one has yet to take place there. A group of young men, including from the nationalist youth group Hayazn, staged a counter-protest with posters saying “Keep your kids away” and “Say ‘no’ to perversions.” They attempted to disrupt the march but police intervened in order to prevent clashes between the two groups. In October, Hayazn also obstructed the screening of Parada, a film by Srđan Dragojević about LGBT rights in Serbia. Three screenings, funded by the EU delegation and the German Embassy to Armenia, were announced, but protests from Hayazn led all of the venues to back out due to concerns of mass disorder and potential property damage.

PINK Armenia: Human rights situation of LGBT people in Armenia 2012
Along with the highlights of main instances of the human rights violations of LGBT people, such as firebombing of gay friendly DIY bar, attacks on Diversity march perceived as "gay parade", failure to stage a screening of gay themed film Parada, PINK's report reflects briefly the development of draft anti-discrimination legislation that lately became a favourite topic of discussions of Armenian media, politicians and so on, who dubbed this legislation as "gay rights law" (I will come back to this in separate posts). The need for comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation was highlighted by the EU too (see above).

Human Rights Ombudsman office initiated the development of anti-discrimination legislation. In the first presented draft law “discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity” was included, but later this point was excluded from the definition of discrimination. The Human Rights Ombudsman Office refuses to provide explanations on this matter. Perhaps it could be the first law, which will ban the discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. There is no law in Armenia that prohibits discrimination, hate promotion, violence and other crimes based on person’s sexual orientation and gender identity.

PINK's report also mentioned an extraordinary attempt at silencing activists not only inside Armenia, but also abroad, within the Diaspora framework.

“Armenians and Progressive Politics” conference took place in USA and was launched in New York city, and then continued in San Francisco, Berkley and Los Angeles.Together with other civil society activists ”Public Information and Need of Knowledge” NGO president Mamikon Hovsepyan presented human rights situation of LGBT people in Armenia. The speeches had success in three cities, however in Los Angeles the hosts, Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee – Eastern Region did not allow him to present his speech, in a result of which the majority of participants left the conference hall and conducted that part in another place. The organizers explained their decision as for safety considerations. 

While leaving the venue, Markar Melkonian, brother of national hero Monte Melkonian, approached Mamikon Hovsepyan, shook his hand and said that he supports him.

[read also: Widow of Armenia national hero Monte Melkonian blasts ultra-nationalists for hijacking his name to spread hatred and anti-gay violence]

This case was highlighted also in the annual report of Europe's main LGBT rights group - ILGA-Europe:

In October, human rights defender and president of PINK Armenia, Mamikon Hovsepyan, was forced to withdraw as a speaker in the panel discussion at the Armenians and Progressive Politics conference in Los Angeles, organised by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Central Committee – Eastern Region, after he was threatened with retribution because of the LGBT nature of his speech. Hovsepyan was later told that the extreme nationalist forces within ARF didn’t want him to speak at the conference. 

"In November, the activists of PINK Armenia were stalked by young people who attacked the Diversity March in May. The attackers of the march followed activists on the streets and sat next to them in cafes. Activists believe that the motive behind these actions was to intimidate and silence them."

Also relevant -

Armenia - at the bottom of Europe re human rights protection of its LGBT citizens

Lousine: Armenian lesbian matchmaker to the straights

This is hilarious. I am hooked.

Look forward to more episodes.


*Thanks to N.A. for the link

Double pleasure: James Franco exhibit and 'Psycho' film intro in London

Most of my friends and blog readers know that I have *feelings* towards James Franco, so to say.

This is what I call a good weekend, indeed. Not only I went to his newly opened multi-media exhibit at PACE gallery in London on Saturday, but also saw him the following day introducing Hitchcock's film Psycho at BFI. In fact, his exhibit was inspired by and a subjective retelling of Psycho.

Not that I had any doubts, but listening to and seeing James Franco proved that he is as intelligent and sexy live as he is on screen. After the intro of Psycho, he joined the audience to watch the film... seating right in front of me ;) Below is a photo story from the PACE exhibit and BFI screening.

*At "Psycho Nacirema" exhibit, PACE gallery, London

*At BFI Southbank, London - special screening of Psycho with James Franco.

Below is a better quality picture from the BFI twitter account.

And this is a creative leaflet to the exhibit distributed at BFI.