adamfoxie*blog International: January 2011

February 24, 2011

LGBT men and women outed on Hyderabad TV trying to piece their lives back, or just end them

Many families in Hyderabad are trying to piece their lives back together after a local TV channel, TV9, carried a story that outed young homosexual men.

One man attempted suicide. Others have called in sick to work while they figure out how to adjust to a world that now knows intimate details that they were not ready to share.

The channel featured a reporter phoning gay men whose photos and phone numbers were identified on a social networking site. The men were recorded without their permission, and the conversations were broadcast along with their profile photos.

The channel presented the story as an investigative piece into the underground gay culture in the city. The poverty of ethics was mixed with a homophobia that was reflected in statements that described the sexual activities of gay men as "against the law of nature."

"Three people have gone underground. They don't want to show their faces to their parents now. They don't know. It is a shock for them," says Krishna, an openly gay young man who works with a community based organization.

Sethumadhavan, who is 32-years-old, is familiar with the heartache that often accompanies alternative lifestyles and choices. At the bank where he worked his colleagues found out about him and started harassing him at workplace.

"Colleagues ridiculed by calling me names - there was sexual harassment, low self-esteem, guilt and I even attempted suicide because of that," he said.

He now runs a catering service because the government of Tamil Nadu has been very supportive of the community. He lives in Coimbatore.

Gay rights groups across the country are planning to hold demonstrations to demand action against TV9, but also to call attention to the insensitivity in media and society towards homosexuality.

Some people have argued that because the information about the men who were outed on TV was available on a website, it was in the public domain. However, gay rights activists point out that sites like the one covered in the TV story offer a chance for friendship and peer support groups -much needed when there is little assistance or acceptance elsewhere.

Uma Sudhir
NDTV...
/www.actup.org

Verdict: Hare lets his demons off the hook

People on the political Left often have an awkward time with God. They don’t like to admit a debt, but they can’t completely shake His influence either.

Perhaps that’s why Racing Demon is one of Sir David Hare’s best plays and makes a strong centrepiece for the Crucible’s season of his work, directed by the theatre’s prime mover, Daniel Evans.

In this 1990 drama, Hare is struggling with his political conscience — even though his theme is a crisis in the Church of England.

Jamie Parker as Tony Ferris, the new evangelical curate who longs for a full church, in the Crucible Theatre's production of Sir David Hare's Racing Demon

The big question for the Anglican communion with its empty churches — and for Hare at a time when Mrs Thatcher had vanquished the Left — is: where is a person to put their faith?

The main character is an elderly Brixton vicar called Lionel. He’s a decent old stick but, like his cardy, has grown limp with age. His leather jacketed curate Tony, on the other hand, has priapic evangelical tendencies.

A tweedy gay ally is being stalked by the gutter press. And a mutual friend, Streaky Bacon, is a cheery duffel-coated bod who’d see the upside of eternal damnation.

It’s a fond, gently teasing portrait of the clergy back in the days before John Sentamu became the Archbishop of York and the ordainment of women priests, when the Church of England looked like a white man’s club adrift from society.

But Hare lets himself off the hook by failing to look at the religious roots of his radicalism, leaving Tony’s ex-girlfriend to peddle a secular message about charity overseas.

Still, Evans’s production is thoroughly engaging, on a set by Tom Rogers marked by no more than an austere grid on the back wall, which doubles as everything from trendy ecclesiastical stained glass to inner city tower block.

Jamie Parker’s Tony is a grammar-school populist curate. Malcolm Sinclair’s tortured Lionel is a stooped sceptic, while Jane Wymark stokes guilt as his neglected wife.

Ian Gelder is a bookish but devoted pastor laid low by smears. Matthew Cottle’s Streaky is the Boris Johnson of the Anglican communion. And Emma Hamilton lays on a litany of saucy temptations.

Even after 20 years, Hare’s docu-drama remains a lively and thoughtful work, but it could have been a great and salient one if it fully faced up to its own demons.

By PATRICK MARMION

http://www.dailymail.co.uk

Mike Holtz and other athletes make it to the Mr. Gay World finals

by Cyd Zeigler jr..

The finalists for Mr. Gay World have been announced, and among them are a ton of athletes. Now they’re asking gays everywhere to vote for their favorites online.

Mike Holtz, who has organized swim events for gay charities and co-hosted Equality Night with the Clippers with Outsports earlier this month,is the United States’ representative! Amongst the other contestants there are swimmers, snowboarders, SCUBA divers, tennis players, skaters, martial artists, gymnasts…. While almost every contestant claims some love for or participation in sports, I couldn’t find a single mention of a team sport except for South Africa’s candidate who mentions rugby.

http://outsports.com/jocktalkblog

Protest planned over book which sees Jesus 'cure' gays

A forthcoming book printed by a Christian publishers has triggered plans for a peaceful protest – because its characters are cured of their homosexuality by Jesus.

Marion Heath's Where Is Your Brother? is due to be released on 19 March, but – weeks prior to the on-sale date – over one hundred people have vowed to attend a rally in defiance of the book.

Taking place in Worcester on 19 March, it will centre around the city's St.Paul's Church – the same venue where the book is being launched.

The story tells the tale of Ryan, who leaves his family to embark on an affair with another man, before Jesus makes him realise his ability to reject his homosexuality.

The book's publisher, Crossbridge, deals specifically with Christian subject matter and owner Eileen Moor, 79, claims she's prepared fort a backlash from equality activists.

"We are expecting it to be controversial because of its claim that Jesus can cure homosexuals – and we are ready for that controversy," she told the Worcester News.

Dylan Jones http://news.pinkpaper.com

Chord Overstreet: 'I'd spoon Sue Sylvester'

Chord Overstreet has said that he would be happy to spoon Glee's Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch).

The actor, who plays transfer student Sam Evans in the show, was asked by Sugar if he would rather lick the hair of glee club coach Will Schuester or "spoon" with Sue.

"I would spoooooon Sue Sylvester, definitely," Overstreet quipped. "I would so spoon her, and she could say all the mean things she wanted, and it would be fine."

Asked by the magazine about his unusual first name, Overstreet explained: "The story is, there are three notes in a chord and I was the third child born in my family.

"That's the story I've had since I could ask my Dad, 'Why? Why did you give me this name?!'"

> Chord Overstreet Picture Special

By Mayer Nissim, http://www.digitalspy.com

NEWS FROM LIBYA FRAGMEMNTED

by L. S. Carbonell

The news blackout in Tripoli is continuing, with private citizens making contact with the outside world the only source of information. Foreign journalists are slowly making their way towards Tripoli from the Egyptian border, passing through town after town in the hands of the Libyan rebels. Though some journalists have met “hard stares” from some of the rebels, the reception for them has been mostly enthusiastic. The Libyans want the outside world to know what is going on.

The few reports getting out of Tripoli are indicating a death toll in the hundreds, if not thousands from Col. Qaddafi’s crackdown on the rebels. Two Air Force pilots are alleged to have parachuted from their planes after being told to bomb the city, allowing their planes to crash on the outskirts.

The rebels have taken the country’s third-largest city, Misrata, 120 miles east of Tripoli and the city of al Zawiya, less than 30 miles to the west, There have been no verified reports of casualties in either battle.

Foreign journalists who have entered Libya “without permission” have been accused of being al Qaida collaborators by the Libyan regime, while various al Qaida groups are divided about support for the rebels and the regime.

President Obama is taking a cautious position in this because there are so many foreigners still stranded in Libya and if foreign leaders become too vocal in their support of the rebels, there is a real possibility that Qaddafi could order his mercenaries to attack the Tripoli airport and port where they are awaiting evacuation. It could turn into a hostage situation. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has pleaded with the international community not to impose sanctions against Libya because they would hurt the Libyan people.

Qaddafi has placed a phone call to Libyan state television on Thursday evening, claiming that the rebellion is being incited by both al Qaida and the United States and is the work of “trigger-happy, drug-addled youths.” He also accused Egypt of fomenting the rebellion. He continues to insist that he will not be removed except by death. Many of his ministers have defected. Much of the army has defected. He is relying on paid sub-Saharan mercenaries and local thugs to carry out his orders for the total destruction of the rebellion in Tripoli.

One of Qaddafi’s private pilots, Norwegian Odd Birger Johansen, flew with his wife and daughter to Vienna. Qaddafi had four private planes and pilots. There are reports that Qaddafi’s only daughter has also been flown out of the Libya. His adopted daughter was killed in the 1980’s air strike by American bombers. The only member of Qaddafi’s family that might oppose him is younger son Seif al-Islam, who had been trying to implement economic reforms in the country before the rebellion began. The rest of his sons have been characterized by Western journalists and diplomats as being just as crazy as Daddy.

http://lezgetreal.com

Follow up> Remember the 200 gays arrested on BPrty?: Latest, BAHRIAN Sets Trial for GAY PARTY

Melanie Nathan

My good friend Dan Littauer of Gay Middle East sent me this information from his website today- We had previously reported on the raid of an alleged “gay party.” Here is the follow up:-

Amidst the ongoing turmoil in Bahrain, Al Wasat News reported today that court proceedings commenced against fifty two men who were arrested on February 03, 2011. forty nine of the fifty two defendants attended the court proceeding, while two are fugitives, and one, who was released on bail, failed to appear before the fifth branch of lower criminal court of Bahrain. Al Wasat reports that 40 of the men are gay while the rest were involved in the running of the party. The men were not named but given numbers.

Since there is no law against homosexuality in Bahrain the 40 defendants nevertheless were charged with incitement to immorality/debauchery and prostitution. Of the 40, 29 were also charged with engaging in immoral behavior “in public” by dressing up like women and dancing in public. Some were also charged with cannabis consumption and being drunk “in public.”

The rest of the defendants were accused of facilitating debauchery and prostitution by virtue of organizing and operating the party without a license (some were accused of attempting to attack the policemen during the arrests). All the defendants denied the allegations.

The next session of the court for the 52 defendants is scheduled for the third of March. The presiding judge is Mohamemd Said Alaradi

Opinion:

GME notes that the party was held in private, and therefore it could not (and was not designed to) offend “public morality” nor was it used for inciting prostitution. All such charges are sensationalist, misguided and wrong. We call upon the Bahraini government to release immediately the 49 defendants and drop all charges against 52 accused.

Article in Al Wasat News

Facebook breakup app attracts too many stalkers, gets shut down

ERIN ANDERSSEN

Globe and Mail Blog

Romance is hot on Facebook, but, it seems, only on certain terms.

Three days after it was launched, the social networking site has summarily disabled a popular application that allowed users to get instant news when an object of their affection changed their relationship status on Facebook. Though the app’s creator, Dan Loewenherz, said he originally created the Breakup Notifier as a joke, a lot of people loved the idea – 3.6 million in fact

The tagline of the app: “You like someone. They’re in a relationship. Be the first to know when they’re out of it.” “Brilliant but creepy,” one reviewer called it.

Facebook also made news by announcing it was adding an option for civil unions and domestic partnerships, to its standard relationship status, which has been limited to three choices: single, married and it’s complicated.

After news that the breakup app was disabled broke on Twitter, the creator released a statement from Facebook. For the tech-heavy explanation click here, but it essentially suggests that the application may have just been too successful – and generating too much user activity – for its own good.

Too many stalkers. We can see why Facebook would take issue with that.

Do you think the Breakup Notifier is useful? Or creepy?

Summer Bay Wahey and Perfect Bodies..at least while they stay young

By Nick Levine, Music Editor

They've already got Dan Ewing and Steve Peacocke taking their tops off early next month... and soon after it's the turn of Luke Mitchell and Lincoln Younes.

It never rains, eh? (Actually, in Summer Bay, it literally never does as far as we can tell.)

Which one's Luke?

Which one Lincoln?

D.A. Confirms Lindsay Lohan Had Accomplice, Er, Friend During Alleged Necklace-Jacking

by MARIANNE GARVEY

Andrade, Shirley, PacificCoastNews.com

There's a video going around that supposedly features Lindsay Lohan and a mystery dude engaged in some sketchy behavior.

No, not that kind of video.

We're talking about the the surveillance footage from the jewelry store that alleged captures Lohan's necklace-napping hijinks. Turns out, according to prosecutors, Lohan wasn't alone.

Here's what we know.

MORE: Lindsay shows off that now infamous white dress

The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office confirms to E! News that in the video, which prosecutors turned over to Lohan's attorney at yesterday's court hearing, Lohan is accompanied by a friend in the store.

However, the D.A. declined to provide the identity of Lohan's friends or the specific details of what happens on the tape.

For that, we must rely on Radar Online. A law-enforcement source tells the site that the unnamed male pal played the role of distractor while Lohan lifted the necklace in question.

Lohan is reportedly seen removing a necklace of her own, putting the store's bauble on and then covering that with her own.

There has been no comment from Lohan's attorney, Shawn Chapman Holley, on the report.

Lohan has pleaded not guilty to a felony grand theft count. Yesterday, the D.A. offered her a plea bargain that would involve jail time—something that's been a nonstarter for Team Lindsay.

She has until March 10 to decide whether to accept the deal or take her chances in another court.

NYC Gay Rights Group: "Walmart Is Homophobic"

There are a lot of reasons to oppose opening a Walmart in New York City.

As we are aware, the big box retailer is a wage- and job-killerthat contributes to urban blight and has a terrible track record with women's rights. Now, the Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City has given us another item to add to that list: Walmart is homophobic.

As Walmart has been working hard to infiltrate New York City, winning the blessing of Mayor Michael Bloomberg along the way, the Stonewall Democrats have come out in support of the anti-Walmart group Walmart Free NYC.

Here's what the group had to say in a recent press release:

“Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City, the oldest and largest citywide Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgendered (LGBT) Democratic organization is proud to endorse Wal-Mart Free NYC."

"Wal-Mart represents a culture of intolerance and insensitivity towards LGBT employees and issues that is unwelcome in New York. Just last year more than 100 Wal-Mart stores were found to be promoting a children’s book that suggested that gay people can overcome 'sin' and convert to heterosexuality with the help of counseling. Wal-Mart CEO Mike Duke signed a petition in his home state of Arkansas that was aimed at preventing adoption by Gay and Lesbian parents."

"In 2010 the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index, which evaluates corporations on LGBT issues, gave Wal-Mart 40%. That failing grade is in marked contrast to other retailers like Macy*s, Costco both which received 100% in 2010."

As just one example of Walmart's discrimination against LGBT individuals, look at the story of Fernando Gallardo. Shortly after being hired for a seasonal job at Walmart last year, Gallardo was asked "point-blank" by his supervisor, in front of several other employees, if he was gay. After he answered in the affirmative, Gallardo was "stripped of many of his daily duties," and eventually his supervisor and other managers completely stopped talking to him.

Tell Mayor Bloomberg you're opposed to Walmart setting up shop in New York City, and you think he should be too.

Photo credit: -Marlith-

Lauren Kelley is an associate editor at AlterNet and a freelance writer. She has volunteered for Planned Parenthood of North Texas, Amnesty International, 826NYC and other groups.