Indonesia Police Detain Dozens in Raid on Jakarta Gay Party
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2020/09/02...a-gay-raid.html



JAKARTA, Indonesia — Indonesian police detained dozens of men in a raid on a gay party at a hotel in Jakarta, an official said Wednesday.

Jakarta police spokesperson Yusri Yunus said nine people suspected of organizing Saturday's party were arrested and 47 others who participated were released.

The nine are being charged under a pornography law which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine, he said.

Yunus said the participants were all from the same community in Jakarta. Police are still investigating to determine if any other people were involved, he said.

Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, except in conservative Aceh province. However, the country’s gay and lesbian community has recently come under siege.

Police have set up a special task force to investigate alleged homosexual activity. In February, members of the House of Representatives proposed a bill that would define homosexuality as deviant and require lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to report to authorities for rehabilitation.

The United Nations Human Rights Council has called on Indonesian authorities to release people detained on the basis of their sexual orientation and combat anti-gay stigma in the country.

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Added on
Under Indonesia's so-called "pornography law", all actions deemed "indecent" including public acts such as spouses kissing, women showing their navels or shoulders, and people sunbathing in bikinis or swimwear are all punishable by law.

The fact that this law is used disproportionately against LGBT community is a complete BS.

This post has been edited by internaldisputes: Sep 3 2020, 03:08 PM

Pakistan blocks Tinder and Grindr for 'immoral content'
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-53977780



Tinder, Grindr and three other dating apps have been banned in Pakistan for disseminating "immoral content".

The government issued notices to Tinder, Grindr, Tagged, Skout and SayHi to remove the dating services.

Extra-marital relationships and homosexuality are illegal in Pakistan, the second largest Muslim-majority country in the world.

The country's internet regulator said the companies had not responded to it within the stipulated time.

A Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) spokesman told BBC Urdu that as a consequence, the decision had been made to bring the management of these platforms into a "moral and legal realm".

The watchdog has said, however, that it might reconsider the action if the apps agree to moderate what it views to be unethical and obscene material on their platforms.

A Tinder spokeswoman said it invests significant resources into monitoring and removing inappropriate content.

"We welcome the opportunity to discuss our product and moderation efforts with the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority and look forward to a meaningful conversation," she added.

Grindr, Tagged and Skout did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Reuters news agency and the BBC were unable to contact SayHi for comment.

Data from analytics firm Sensor Tower indicates Tinder has been downloaded more than 440,000 times in Pakistan within the last 12 months. Grindr, Tagged and SayHi had each been downloaded about 300,000 times and Skout 100,000 times in that same period, Reuters reported.

Internet blocks

Critics say Pakistan has sought to rein in free expression on the internet, blocking or ordering the removal of content deemed immoral as well as news critical of the government and military.

"These latest blocks reveal that the government is ramping up its efforts to control the flow of ideas on the internet," Ray Walsh, digital privacy expert at ProPrivacy, said.

"Pakistani citizens will be used to oppressive levels of censorship to prevent citizens from accessing LGBTQ content, nudity, and anything else considered immoral, and due to the fact that extramarital affairs are also illegal, dating sites are now being targeted as the government feels these could be fuelled by online dating apps".

In July, Pakistan issued a "final warning" to TikTok over explicit content posted on the platform.

It has also banned access to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in recent years.

Last week, the PTA also asked video-sharing platform YouTube to "immediately block vulgar, indecent, immoral, nude and hate speech content for viewing in Pakistan".

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Added on
Imagine being LGBT in Pakistan and have no access to any info regarding your sexual identity, community or just about anything that isn't mainstream. It's a scary thought.

Gay Brazilian man beaten by neighbours and then arrested by police
Source: https://cd-gaytimes.j.layershift.co.uk/life...sted-by-police/



Despite legal protections, Brazil can be one of the deadliest places in the world to be LGBTQ+.

Lorran Oliveria, a 21-year-old photographer, was arrested by police after he was beaten with a broomstick by neighbours who mocked him and his boyfriend.

In a Facebook post, he explained that he had recently moved house with his boyfriend to Itabuna in Bahia, a northeastern state in the country, and that his new neighbours continually mocked them with homophobic jibes.

On the day of the incident, (30 August), Lorran, his boyfriend and three friends were together, when a group of neighbours started mocking their “effeminate gestures.”

His boyfriend, Guilherme Ramos, had had enough and went to confront one of the neighbours, “questioning her if there was any clown there and if we were in a circus, and she was in a circus, and she was very arrogantly screaming.”

In an attempt to mediate the situation, Lorran intervened and put himself between the two, however he began arguing with the woman “and she uncontrollably assaulted me verbally and physically.”

He added: “At all times, I also suffered homophobia and the feeling was powerless, after all, if aggression was the other way around, I’m sure people’s attitudes would be totally the opposite.”

Speaking to G1 about the attack, he said: “She assaulted me. Other family members pushed me, several people in her family pushed me. There was physical as well as verbal aggression. Her brother-in-law always holding my hands.

“Everyone was outraged by this situation. It hit my chest, and it scratched my face. She even took a broomstick to attack me, but was prevented by a sister.”

After the attack, a friend called the police, and when they arrived, Lorran was still “shivering, crying and very afraid.” The police proceeded to handcuff Lorran, but not the woman who assaulted him.

Initially, police were going to put him in the back of a police van, but interventions from friends meant he was able to ride in the back of the police car with the woman who attacked him.

At the police station, he expected to give his testimony, but explained “that’s not what actually happened. They put me inside a room and I was handcuffed, that’s right… The victim was handcuffed! What about the perpetrator of the crimes? It stood in front of the reception with the same debauches my person.

“I gave my statement and was released with a guide to do the body scans of crime and asked me to wait for the process in justice.

“I know this won’t come to anything, but with the help of your shares, maybe I’ll get some lawyer who defends me and this horrible being pays for everything she did.”

He told G1 that he is now on medication, saying: “For homophobic crime we always go through, but physical aggression was the first time. I was never physically assaulted.

“My chest is bruised, my face has three huge scratches, my arm and rib. It’s hurting a lot. I’m taking medication. My face is badly hurt. It hurts a lot.”

He finished by saying: “All of this is very unfair, both with me and Guilherme. The people who have our rights.

“Be treated with normal people that we are. We want to survive, to be respectful. We just want it. That’s why I want to take the mess further. It can’t be like this. We are human beings.”

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These sorts of incidents can easily be brushed aside by the authorities if it ever happened in Malaysia. Hope the victim gets well soon!

US Marine pardoned by Philippines for killing of transgender woman



(CNN)A United States Marine convicted of killing a transgender woman in the Philippines in 2014 has been granted an "absolute pardon" by President Rodrigo Duterte in a case that sparked outrage over alleged preferential treatment given to American military personnel on assignment in the country.

Lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton has served about six years of the 10-year sentence he was given in 2015 for killing Jennifer Laude, a 26-year-old transgender woman, in a motel room in 2014.

Duterte's action was announced by Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin Jr. on Monday and confirmed by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque in a report by the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA).

It came after a court last week said Pemberton should be given credit for good conduct during his time served in the Camp Aguinaldo military prison in Quezon City, rather than New Bilibid Prison, the country's main penitentiary, according to a CNN Philippines report.

That credit amounted to more than four years, the court said, and with time served after his arrest but before trial, Pemberton had served the 10 years required. Critics said it was easy for Pemberton to be on good behavior because he was able to serve his sentence alone rather than with the general prison population.

"Cutting matters short over what constitutes time served, and since where he was detained was not in the prisoner's control -- and to do justice -- the President has granted an absolute pardon to Pemberton," Locsin said in a Twitter post.

Pemberton's lawyer, Rowena Flores, said Duterte's decision was not something her client sought and that she first learned of it from the media.

"I thank our President for his pardon. I think with this development, justice is served and that the laws were followed," she told CNN Philippines.

Duterte, speaking in his weekly address on Monday, said no records were kept on Pemberton's behavior in the military prison so he should be assumed to have acted properly.
"You have not treated Pemberton fairly, " Duterte said, according to PNA. "We should allow him the good character presumption."

Pemberton was 19 at the time of his conviction. He was convicted of the lesser charge of homicide, rather than murder, after the court determined that Pemberton had not acted with "treachery."

The naked body of Laude was found with her head in a toilet in an Olongapo hotel room shortly after midnight on October 12, 2014, police said after his arrest.

Witnesses told police that Pemberton was with Laude at a local disco before the two checked into a hotel on the night of October 11, according to documents seen by CNN.

Pemberton told police that he'd choked Laude, but then tried to revive her. He said he had become angry with Laude upon discovering she had male genitalia, according to police.

Read more@https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/08/asia/us-...scli/index.html

Pembentangan Justice for Sisters mengenai isu LGBT di era PH dan PN

Pengasas Bersama Justice for Sisters Thilaga Sulathireh ketika membentang laporan 22 bulan PH dan 100 hari pertama Perikatan Nasional (PN) di salah sebuah hotel di Petaling Jaya pada Rabu.

Did he or your family tasked you of finding him a new wife or something?

In my opinion, people who claimed to have changed because of God never actually changed. It is just their way to appease people around them. If I were in your shoes and I care about my brother, I'd advise against marrying because he is going to lead the path of unhappiness and will also subject his future wife to unncessary pain. He better off being single.

Blame the LGBT card activated.

Remembering Mark Bingham, the fearless gay hero who helped take Flight 93 back from hijackers on 9/11
Source: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/11/mark-...-terror-attack/



On the 19th anniversary of 9/11, we remember Mark Bingham, one of the fallen heroes of the tragedy that inflicted the US on 11 September, 2001.

Mark Bingham was tall. He towered at 6’4″ which, with his broad physique and booming personality, made him hard to miss and quite hard to forget.

He could easily have played any sport – rugby was his personal favourite – and friends and family knew him for always having a video camera to hand, being an aspiring filmmaker.

The openly gay rugby player once fought off an armed mugger to protect his partner of six years, Paul Holm. “He hated to lose at anything,” Holm once recounted.

So, when television screens flashed with the news that passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 battled their hijackers on 11 September, nobody who knew Bingham was surprised to learn he was involved.

What happened?

Bingham was among the passengers who, along with Todd Beamer, Tom Burnett and Jeremy Glick, hatched the plan to retake the plane from the hijackers.

A plan that ultimately saved countless lives.

Hijackers intended for the plane to hurtle into a Washington DC landmark. Instead, the plane crashed in a grassy, empty field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Around 30 minutes after hijackers commandeered the plane, the group rushed the cockpit. The plane was 20 minutes of flying time away from its suspected target, thought to be the White House or the US Capitol Building.

While risking their own lives, Bingham and the passengers successfully overthrew the hijackers.

The 31-year-old was the last to board the flight. In fact, he nearly missed it after he overslept that morning.

Bingham was returning to San Francisco for a fraternity friend’s wedding. He arrived at the Terminal A at 7.40am, ran to Gate 17 and took to his seat in 4D, according to flight records.

Sat in the first class patch of the plane, the hijackers were right in front of the public relations officer when shouting their demands.

All 44 people lost their lives aboard Flight 93, but their actions likely [B]saved hundreds more – and Bingham is remembered as one of the many heroes of 9/11.

As outlets covered his heroic act, questions of whether his sexual identity is relevant to reports were raised. Was he a ‘gay hero’ or a ‘hero who was gay’?

Just two days after the 9/11 attacks, two reverends on CBN asserted that God, angered by homosexuality and abortion, had allowed the attacks to happen.

‘Hi, Mom, this is Mark Bingham.’

At 6.44am, the mobile phone of Alice Hoagland buzzed. She was staying at her bother Vaughan’s house.

Picking up her cell, she heard a familiar formal voice – her son’s.

“Hi, Mom. This is Mark Bingham,” her son said. Then only: “I love you,” and he hung up.

The former United Airlines flight attendant would never hear her son’s voice again. But she tirelessly ensured people would know his name.

Hoagland, who raised Bingham as a single mother, became an ally for LGBT+ rights as well as an advocate for increased airline safety and security.



While the Bingham Cup, a biennial international rugby union competition predominantly for queer men, was established in 2002 in his memory.

“I’m proud of Mark and everyone involved in the Bingham Cup,” Hoagland told radio station 702 ABC Sydney.

“I lost my son, but gained 60 teams of rugby players,” she said.

“The legacy Bingham carved out is not forgotten,” chair of International Gay Rugby (IGR) Ben Owen once said in reverence of Bingham to PinkNews.

“Mark was instrumental in sparking what has become the international gay and inclusive rugby movement today as a member of and founder of some of the first ever clubs.

“His strength of character, love of the game of rugby and heroic spirit lives on throughout IGR and our member clubs around the world and we look forward to continuing his legacy next August at the Bingham Cup Ottawa 2020.”

Bingham’s partner Holm remembers him as brave and how they fell in love over a bowl of shrimp.

With a big grin, Bingham approached Holm at a Christmas Party in 1993.

“Hi, I’m Mark Bingham. Who are you?” he said, recounted Holm.

TikTok admits restricting some LGBT hashtags
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-54102575



TikTok has acknowledged that it restricts LGBT-related hashtags in some countries as part of its "localised" approach to moderation.

A report by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) think-tank said many LGBT hashtags were "shadow-banned" in Bosnia, Jordan and Russia.

A shadow ban limits the discovery of content without indicating that a particular hashtag is on a ban list.

TikTok said that some hashtags were restricted to comply with local laws.

According to the ASPI, terms that were not linking to content included "gay" in Russian and Arabic, "I am a lesbian" and "I am gay" in Russian and "transgender" in Arabic.

TikTok said that while some terms were restricted to comply with local laws, others were limited because they were primarily used to discover pornographic content.

It added that some English phrases and some compound phrases in Arabic had been moderated by mistake, and that it had fixed the issue.

And it said some of the hashtags reported by the ASPI did not reveal any content because they had never been used by a video-maker on TikTok.

It said it was "deeply committed to inclusivity".

Many LGBT social media users will be unsurprised by these findings - especially those who live in one of the "shadow-banned" nations, where the struggle to be themselves extends far beyond hashtags on the internet.

In June 2020, TikTok branded itself as supportive of LGBT Pride, and the company made donations to organisations supporting LGBT people.

While TikTok may believe in "accountability and transparency", its algorithm keeps getting caught out for discrimination.

One TikTok user living in South East Asia told me, while they were disappointed that their gender identity was being categorised as inappropriate in their native language, they knew the ways around the bans and frequently used them.

They added: "That's just part of what being LGBT in 2020 is."

LGBT rights group Stonewall said social media platforms such as TikTok provided a "vital community hub" for LGBT people, "particularly for those living in countries where they can face persecution for being themselves".

"While we understand why local laws my affect some restrictions, it's crucial TikTok follows up its statement of support for LGBT creators with action to tackle shadow banning of LGBT hashtags," said Stonewall's head of communications, Robbie de Santos.

In a statement, TikTok said: "We believe that accountability and transparency are essential to facilitating trust with our community. As part of this, we've committed to making our moderation policies, algorithm, and data security practices available to experts, which no other company in our space has been willing to do."

In February, transgender users complained of censorship on TikTok after many had posts removed from the video-sharing platform.

And in December 2019, it was revealed that videos by disabled users were deliberately prevented from going viral by the app's moderators.

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Added on
Tiktok hasn't applied its LGBT content shadow ban in Malaysia yet, but seeing how they are more than happy to comply to local laws in other countries, it's possible it will be applied one day.

Hold your hormones! — Ahmad Yasin
Source: https://www.malaymail.com/news/what-you-thi...d-yasin/1903924

SEPTEMBER 17 — “Maaflah terlupa apa nak kata, makan banyak sangat hormon,” I kept recalling the joke made by one of the trans activist in Malaysia as I started to become more entrenched within the interaction I have with the trans community.

Hormone plays a significant role in the formation of trans livelihood. For transwomen, apart from the sexual reassignment surgeries, hormone replacement therapy is a journey to be embarked in the strive for feminisation.

I sat down with the social workers of SEED Foundation as I started to become more interested in the condition of the soft white underbelly of Kuala Lumpur.

They recollected the tales of abuse faced by sex workers, the death of trans individuals by heartbreaks and at the hands of vengeful lovers and the rise in the usage of drugs by youth of the city due to an ominous yet systematic operation of the underground gangster conglomerate.

As our conversation got a lot livelier, I was enticed by the topic brought up by them on trans individuals which is transwoman’s usage of hormones to achieve femininity.

Sexual reassignment treatment is a delicate matter. While surgeries are the primary issue often brought up in discourse on sexual reassignment treatment, hormone replacement therapy is as significant in the construction of trans self-esteem. What is rather unfortunate is that the handling of hormone replacement therapy in Malaysia is dire.

In the recent times, many of the hormone medications transwomen relied on had been discontinued by the Malaysian government. Medication such as anti-androgen used by prostate cancer patients to contain the growth of cancer have also been used by transwomen to contain their testosterone production.

Subsequently, male secondary sexual characteristics such as facial hair which is not necessarily wanted by them can be reduced.

Alternatively, although it is not optimal, underprivileged transwomen will also opt for birth control pills. Transwomen are aware of oestrogen’s effect and its usage as a form of hormone replacement therapy for male to female trans individuals.

However, due to the shortage of its access in Malaysia, many of them turn to birth pills with the hope that the content of oestrogen within the pills will have the same result. It should be noted that birth control pills are not indistinguishable from prescribed oestrogen as a therapy and medication.

The differences in content combination and dosage is a signifier in the differences in usage. But without the availability of the hormone therapy itself, precautions are often not given prioritisation.

The lack of access and care for trans individuals particularly within the scope of health and wellness birthed a detrimental capitalistic climate for them. Private clinics in areas with a heavy concentration of trans individuals particularly the underprivileged trans individuals will often provide illegal hormone injections.

Nonetheless, such clinics are purely for-profit as they may not provide the necessary blood test to monitor the compatibility of the hormones with the trans individuals. The intensive blood monitoring may be provided by private hospitals although for many trans individuals, it is not quite affordable.

The health authorities of the private hospitals do include written prescription for the needed hormones but do not provide the hormones themselves.

Surprisingly, hormones are available at ease through 15 ringgits pills obtainable through mainstream online market. Shipped from the motherlode of genericity, labelling of the pills are of unidentifiable Chinese scripts that even Chinese individuals consulted by the trans individuals to translate failed in understanding.

Consumption without knowledge will inevitably bear fruit. In a few weeks, the transwomen will do form breasts and their hips will be more rounded per wishes, but in many cases, the same individuals will develop complications.

Without intensive monitoring of blood test, trans individuals consuming the hormone pills on their own compliancy resulted on the weakening of their bones and for the few of them that smoke, they will face an increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications and even worse, death.

Discrimination against trans community is not limited only to through the projection of hate crime and legal issues. When trans individuals are not given much prioritisation within the realm of health on trans specific issues, they are subjected to a systematic oppression that will lead to the deterioration of their condition.

Should they be left to their own devices on formulating the ways to help themselves, the nation is responsible for the crime of neglection.

Advocacy for the rights of trans community will always include the right for trans individuals to receive treatment and therapy as a reflection to the visibility of them as a valid gender identity.

Until then, semoga kita terus berbakti.

Malaysia's Temperature Check 2020

“Malaysia’s Temperature Check” research was produced in order to understand the Malaysian public opinion on contemporary Social and Economic issues, as well as understudied opinions. It was also intended to discover what are Malaysians agreeing and disagreeing with, in order to guide further public conversations and future policy directions. This research is also an attempt at identifying what are Malaysians undecided on, in order to facilitate discussions and better education on these particular issues.

Key Highlights:

1. 68% of Malaysians agree that religious practice is a private matter and should be separated from politics, while 20% disagree.
   
2. 54% of Malaysians disagree that people should be allowed to choose their gender identity, while 20% are undecided.
   
3. 44% of Malaysians believe, Apostasy, which is a formal dis-affiliation from, abandonment of, or renunciation of a religion by a person, should not be allowed in Malaysia. 31% Malaysians remain undecided.
   
4. 45% of Malaysians do not agree that homosexual intercourse to be decriminalised in Malaysia, while 22% remain undecided.
   
5. 54% of Malaysians disagree that people should be allowed to choose their gender identity, while 20% are undecided.
   
6. 89% of Malaysians agree that more policies are needed to ensure women are not subjected to sexual harassment in any context, including the workplace, universities, and on the street, while 8% remain undecided.
   
7. 53% of Malaysians agree that Women should have the right under the law to make choices relating to their reproductive system and health, including the choice of obtaining an abortion, while 20% disagree that women should have this right under the law.
   
8. 56% of Malaysians agree that all intimate partners should be protected under the law, regardless of whether they are married, while 24% disagree.
   
9. 70% of Malaysians agree that teachers in training should be required to learn about Sex Education, to better educate youngsters, while 13% disagree and 17% remain undecided.

... and many more @ https://vase.ai/data-trust/projects/malaysi.../summary?cues=1

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Added on
The study has its limitation as 1000+ respondents do not reflect the overall perception of Malaysia's population. But it does give us some insight at how people think, especially pertaining gender equality and LGBT rights.

This post has been edited by internaldisputes: Sep 18 2020, 10:00 AM

Activist Maryam fights for hijab freedom
Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...-hijab-freedom/



KUALA LUMPUR: Harassed and placed under investigation by religious authorities, activist Maryam Lee is a controversial figure in Malaysia.

Her crime? Speaking out about her decision to stop wearing the hijab and criticising what she sees as institutional patriarchy in Islam.

Although wearing a “tudung” is not mandatory in Malaysia, experts say the nation has become more conservative in recent years and today most Muslim women wear one.

Maryam, who was made to wear a headscarf from the age of nine, said she realised in her mid-20s that she was conforming to a social expectation rather than a religious requirement and decided to remove it.

“All my life, I had been told that (wearing the headscarf) is mandatory and if I don’t wear it, it’s sinful,” she said.“And then I found out that it actually wasn’t.”

It was a difficult personal decision but when she went public, detailing her story in her book “Unveiling Choice”, she faced a vitriolic backlash and death threats.

The religious authorities expressed concern and she was hauled in for questioning under a law against insulting Islam.

Maryam believes officials were concerned she was encouraging other women to “de-hijab”, but insists this is not the case.

‘Jail of society’s expectation’

“I’m not telling women what to think, I’m asking them to revisit certain assumptions and certain theories that have been taught to them over the years,” said the 28-year-old.

“Even without legal criminalisation, women are facing social criminalisation when they want to take (the hijab) off,” she said, adding that women like her are in a “jail of society’s expectation”.

To mark the release of her book, which she describes as a story of resistance against patriarchy in religion and wider society, she took part in a talk called “Malay Women and De-Hijabbing” which fuelled the furore against her.

Critics say the donning of the hijab was not the case a generation ago and is a result of the greater influence of increasingly vocal religious hardliners.

Maryam has been targeted by angry zealots but has also been hailed as the voice of the modern Malaysian woman by some in the social media generation keen to express their individuality as well as their faith.

‘No less of a Muslim’

“Women in this part of the world, when they take off the hijab, what happens to them? They get bullied, they get harassed,” said Maryam.

Malaysian rights group Sisters of Islam agree women without headscarves come under heavy scrutiny from family, colleagues and in public, making the decision “difficult and traumatic”.

Maryam said her choice was to step away from patriarchal instruction rather than her faith.

“I was born a Muslim, I’m still a Muslim. I’m no less of a Muslim because I removed my hijab,” she said.

Sarah, a consultant from a financial firm who gave a pseudonym to avoid upsetting her family, no longer wears the headscarf believing it to be a patriarchal expectation.

“Malay men especially at an authoritative level somehow have this mindset that Malay women need to appear in a certain manner, but it doesn’t mean that these people who are wearing tudung are any better,” she said.

Religious authorities have yet to close their investigation into Maryam, meaning the possibility of further action remains.

But she has no regrets about her decision to open up about her experience. “Society needs to be awakened,” she said.

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Added on
Down with the patriarchy!

What's up?

Don't think we have a leader here. We are are not really that organised.

Mr Gay England epically shuts down transphobes amid pathetic backlash over trans man competing for the title
Source: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/09/21/mr-ga...-stuart-hatton/



Mr Gay England, one of the top beauty pageants in Britain for LGBT+ men, shut down bristling transphobes Thursday (17 September) amid a backlash against a gay trans finalist.

Chiyo Gomes, a 24-year-old drag artist well known among London’s queer performance scene, became a finalist for Mr Gay England 2020 in August.

But what was a cause for celebration quickly saw Gomes caught in the crosshairs of transphobes, determined to stymie his bid to be crowned the winner.

The contest’s organisers took to Twitter to respond to the criticism with a powerful and clear message: “The Mr Gay England cooperation are PROUD to welcome any gay man to compete for one of our national titles.

Shared alongside a picture of the Progress Flag, they added: “In regards to welcoming a trans man into our finals, if you are a trans man you ARE a man. Simples.”

Chiyo Gomes wants to make ‘queerstory’ as first trans Mr Gay England.

Established in 2016, Mr Gay England judges assess the roster of finalists based on an array of criteria, from swimwear to formalwear, as well as an audience vote and a “congeniality” vote – the contestants themselves decide who should win.

Finalists are also judged on how much money they raise for two charities – The Charlie and Carter Foundation for seriously ill children with life-limiting conditions, and the mental health charity The Northern Pride Health Zone.

Mr Gay England’s grand final will be held at Boulevard Theatre, Newcastle Upon Tyne on 1 April 2021.

Being a finalist in a competition traditionally snarled by stale masculine ideals was “major”, Gomes said in a YouTube video tagged alongside his fundraising page.

“Imagine how delicious it would be if we made queerstory and I was the first trans man to win Mr Gay England. To hold that title. To take up that space.”

“It is often the case with change that there will be a ‘push back’ in some form or other,” Stuart Hatton, Mr Gay England’s CEO, told PinkNews.

“But it is through small steps like this that we start to see positive change. Our community is always evolving and developing and is, for the most part, accepting and open.

“We hope those who are critical of our decision will follow the competition and see that by accepting and nurturing all those in our community we can become stronger and more representative.”

Mr Gay England’s statement of solidarity with the trans community and its defiance to secede to transphobes drew praise on Twitter.

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Added on
It's really unfortunate how some of LGBT members ourselves are hating on each other. Spread love y'all.

This post has been edited by internaldisputes: Sep 22 2020, 10:58 AM

The Comprehensive Personal Finance and Support Guide for LGBT in Malaysia



Let’s face it: Malaysia is NOT a good place for LGBT individuals to freely express themselves. But no one can choose where they’re born at, can they? Discrimination is sadly common, usually justified by religion.

If you disagree with ‘the LGBT lifestyle’, I ask for your empathy. This is not a ‘guide to be gay’ article, this is a ‘what to do when you need help’ article. Know the distinction. Don’t kick people when they’re down. No religion teaches that.

This article answers the following questions (in order):

1. My family kicked me out after they find out I’m gay / lesbian / bisexual / trans / queer. What can I do?
2. I need to check my STD / HIV / AIDS status and find out where to find information about medical help, treatment and support
3. My colleagues at work are bullying me because of my sexual orientation / gender identity. I need the job. What can I do?
4. I need to talk to someone. What are my options?
5. My gender does not align with the sex I was born with. How can I transition and what kind of expenses can I expect?
6. I can no longer/do not want to stay in Malaysia. What can I do?
7. I am in a committed, if unrecognised relationship with my partner. If anything happens to me, how can make sure she/he can inherit my money and properties?
8. I don’t have immediate problems but would like to prepare myself financially, in case anything happens. What can I do?
9. I’m LGBT individual / ally with financial means. How can I help?

Read the full guide at https://ringgitohringgit.com/commentary/per...bt-in-malaysia/

Where are you now?

Yeah if you're openly gay it's probably wise to not come here for awhile. Anti-LGBT sentiment is on the rise.

#tetapbangga angkat LGBT, menteri perlu segera bertindak
Source: https://ismaweb.net/2020/09/22/tetapbangga-...gera-bertindak/



BANGI, 4 Safar 1442H, Selasa – Para menteri dan ahli politik diingatkan untuk tidak berdiam diri dengan kehadiran tanda pagar #tetapbangga yang tular di media sosial ketika ini kerana didakwa mengangkat golongan lesbian, gay, biseksual dan transgender (LGBT).

Ahli Mahasiswa BERJASA (WIBAWA), Ain Shahadon berkata, pemimpin berkenaan perlu menggunakan kuasa yang dimiliki untuk mengimplimentasi dasar-dasar negara dengan telus.

“Jangan gentar dengan suara pelampau hak kebebasan kerana perkara ini jelas mencabul ketelusan Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan Rukun Negara,” katanya dalam kenyataan, hari ini.

Di laman sosial Twitter, tanda pagar #tetapbangga ditentang oleh netizen dengan menggunakan hashtag baharu iaitu #tetapnormal.

Mengulas lanjut, Ain berkata, #tetapbangga yang trending itu menjadi bukti bahawa penyakit tiru gaya barat dalam masyarakat sedang membarah.

Beliau secara sinis berkata, ‘ubat’ perlu diberikan segera supaya barah berkenaan tidak terus merebak dan mungkin boleh dihentikan seratus peratus.

“Di dalam al-Quran turut dijelaskan kesan daripada perbuatan songsang yang turut dilakukan oleh kaum Nabi Lut A.S. Janganlah kita mengundang lebih masalah di dalam negara ini dengan membiarkan pengaruh-pengaruh barat terus merebak.

“Watan ini mempunyai prinsip budaya ketimuran yang dikekalkan. Watan ini mempunyai dasar-dasar negara yang lengkap dijalankan. Watan ini mempunyai kehormatan yang perlu didaulatkan,” katanya.

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People are triggered over a simple pro-LGBT hashtag on Twitter.

I never really came out as bisexual, and the invisibility can sting
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2...ility-can-sting



I never really had to come out as bisexual, because honestly, it just never came up.

I’ve dated women before, and told a handful of my friends and my immediate family, so it’s not like it’s a secret, but my only two long-term relationships have been with men, so most people just assume I’m straight. (In fairness, the frilly dresses and obsession with Timothée Chalamet probably lure people into a false sense of heterosexuality as well.) It’s often easier just not to correct them.

I do have a trick for when I want to let people know. I have a trilogy of bad dates I went on between my relationships, and I fire them off in quick succession.

“The first guy turned out to have a secret son, the second dude got way too annoyed at me for not reading enough books, and the last one, she turned up to a date black-out drunk.”

It’s a “blink and you might miss it” pronoun revelation. Everyone is too afraid to ask, for fear that they might have just misheard.

Having never been in a serious relationship with a woman I’ve never been forced to have those difficult conversations with my extended family, or compose an Instagram post declaring my identity. Because I never had to, I never did. I’ve certainly reaped the benefits of that decision, but it isn’t without consequences.

When 23 September rolls around and “bi-visibility day” posts fill my social media feed, it makes me feel strange, because I know my own actions, and a society with a long history of heteronormativity have combined to make me almost invisible.

Being part of the LGBTQ+ community has never really felt like something within my grasp. I say to myself, I haven’t struggled like everyone else did. No one has ever told me I’m going to hell for loving my partner, or glared at me for holding his hand. So in a way, claiming to be one of them makes me feel like a fraud.

I went through all the emotional turmoil, self-hatred and unrequited love in high school to be part of the club, but then it’s almost like I’ve let my membership card expire.

And bisexuality is different to being gay in a lot of ways. There is far less culture and language or established identities to gravitate towards. Besides tucking in my shirt, cuffing my jeans and loudly listening to the song Sweater Weather there isn’t much I can do to “connect with my people”. “Bi-culture” is slowly developing, but sometimes it still feels like the most cohesive common experience we have is people dismissing bi-men as gay and bi-women as experimenting.

Having only been in relationships with men, even other LBGTQ+ people I have come out to have their blind spots when it comes to my sexuality. Proudly gay people have proclaimed themselves to be the “only queer person in the room” as my boyfriend squeezes my hand because he knows it bothers me. Other bisexual women have had me cornered at a party explaining how I “wouldn’t understand their experience”. It’s a first-world problem, but it still stings.

There is also a part of me that’s afraid that if I’m too loud about my identity, people will think I don’t love my boyfriend. When you are bi or pansexual, but in a relationship, the very act of defining that part of your identity is highlighting the fact that there are other people that you could possibly be attracted to. My incredibly supportive boyfriend isn’t fazed by that, but I still worry about the world judging our partnership as less worthy and less pure.

The other problem with never really having come out is you also never really have to deal with your own ingrained hatred of your sexuality. In all honesty, a large part of the reason I never posted about it to social media is the fear of seeming cringeworthy. “Honestly,” I would say to myself, “who really gives a shit?”

There have been times that I have told people I’m bi and they reply, “Oh, well who isn’t?” I’m sure they were trying to make the (very valid) argument that everyone falls somewhere along the sexuality spectrum, but all that turn of phrase achieves is compounding my feeling that if I “come out” people would just think I’m seeking attention.

Bi representation on TV is slowly getting better with Brooklyn 99, Crazy Ex Girlfriend and even reality shows Vanderpump Rules featuring characters and cast members explicitly defining themselves as bisexual, but this still in far from the norm.

Actor Kristen Bell confirmed her character in the Good Place, Elenor, was bi in an interview but said they didn’t need that to be “harped on” or made explicit in the show.

Often on TV the best you get is half a line about “sexuality being a spectrum” and their identity remains unnamed and unexplained. It’s almost like the word bisexual is a bit passé or uncool. So, in turn, I’ve always been embarrassed to use it.

The raging pit of internalised biphobia within me would look at other people brandishing their sexual identity and wonder why they don’t just be a bit more low key about it like me. It’s easy to pass off being semi-closeted as just being socially progressive sometimes. It’s also easy to use derision to hide your own green envy of others’ capacity for self-acceptance.

I wouldn’t change my relationship for anything, but I shouldn’t feel like I have to in order to validate my identity.

Being invisible and quiet and oh-so-casually surfing the “heterosexual until proven otherwise” wave is easy. It served me well for a while but now it feels like I’m enforcing the very social pressures that have silenced me since I was teenager.

So, with that being said, this bi visibility day feels as good as any to decide for myself that my LGBTQ+ membership card has been renewed.

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Being a purely gay person, I never realised the internal struggles by bi people. This article is really eye-opening.

It's one day late but Happy Bi-Visibility Day, everyone!

Israeli MP thinks the ‘gay phenomenon’ is ‘almost nonexistent in Arab society’
Source: https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/07/27/israe...aha-joint-list/



An Israeli MP has claimed that homosexuality is “almost nonexistent” in the Arab world.

Waleed Taha, a member of the Knesset for the Arab-majority Joint List, made the bizarre suggestion while opposing a bill that would ban conversion therapy in Israel.

According to Ynet, Taha claimed that the bill is “particularly problematic” because it goes against the views of “the vast majority of the society that elected [him].”

He told Israeli state broadcaster Kan that the “phenomenon of gays is almost nonexistent in Arab society”.

Taha insisted: “The issue is not debated in Arab society [and] if it exists, it is on a very small scale, and those who suffer from it are in no rush to identify themselves,”

The politician added: “Homosexuals have the right to undergo treatment to change their sexual character… this law prevents them from [receiving] treatment that would bring them back to normal.”

His claim that homosexuality does not exist in the Arab world will be news to many queer Arabs, who have existed just fine for quite some time.

The Times of Israel notes that thousands turned out to mourn after a well-known gay Palestinian ballet dancer, Ayman Safiah, drowned in May.

Rifts in Israeli government over conversion therapy bill

The bill banning conversion therapy, which passed an initial reading in the Knesset last week, has sparked conflict within Joint List.

The political alliance, comprised of smaller Arab parties, has had its future questioned after Joint List chief MK Ayman Odeh voted in favour of the ban, which was opposed by some of the other lawmakers.

The legislation also managed to cause a separate rift among prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fragile governing coalition.

The ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, whom the PM is reliant on for support, responded furiously after another party in the alliance, Blue and White, voted for the bill alongside some rebels from Netanyahu’s Likud.

United Torah Judaism leader Yaakov Litzman raged: “Blue and White’s poor conduct, in violation of coalition discipline, is an open affront to our political partnership.

“Likud must decide whether it knows how to manage a coalition or if it is committing political suicide.”

The passage of the bill is still far from assured, as it still has to pass three readings and be approved by a Knesset committee before it becomes law.

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The insistance that gay people doesn't exist is in line with our ex-Tourism Minister's claim last year when he said "there is no such thing as gays in the country."

This post has been edited by internaldisputes: Sep 25 2020, 11:00 AM

Namakan lelaki cabar tuduhan seks luar tabii, kerajaan Selangor beritahu mahkamah
Source: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/...itahu-mahkamah/



PUTRAJAYA: Kerajaan Selangor mahu mendedahkan identiti seorang lelaki mencabar kecekapan badan perundangan negeri itu meluluskan undang-undang syariah yang menjadikan seks luar tabii satu kesalahan.

Ia disampaikan Penolong Penasihat Undang-undang Selangor, Siti Fatimah Talib kepada Hakim Besar Sabah dan Sarawak, Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim dalam prosiding Mahkamah Persekutuan hari ini.

Kerajaan Selangor satu-satunya defendan dalam cabaran berperlembagaan itu.

Lelaki itu yang identitinya dirahsiakan pihak media atas permintaan peguam A Surendra Ananth, memfailkan permohonan rasmi Julai lalu untuk mendapatkan perintah mahkamah merahsiakan identitinya.

Lelaki itu berkata, ia bertujuan melindungi dirinya daripada gangguan dan keselamatannya.

Sementara itu, Majlis Agama Islam Selangor dan Wilayah Persekutuan mahu menjadi pencelah dalam petisyen lelaki berkenaan.

Peguam Halimatunsa Diah Abu Hamad dan Abdul Rahim Sinwan masing-masing mewakili Majlis Agama Islam Selangor serta Wilayah Persekutuan.

Siti Fatimah berkata, Selangor menyokong usaha kedua-dua majlis agama itu menjadi pencelah.

Abang Iskandar kemudiannya mengarahkan 2 majlis agama itu memfailkan afidavit dan penghujahan bertulis selewat-lewatnya 5 Okt atas bantahan untuk identiti lelaki terbabit dirahsiakan dan menjadi pencelah.

Semua permohonan itu akan didengar 6 Okt ini.

Surendra berkata, hakim akan mendengar permohonan pencelah terlebih dahulu, disusuli permohonan lelaki itu untuk merahsiakan identitinya.

Pada 14 Mei lalu, Abang Iskandar yang bersidang bersendirian, membenarkan pemohonan kebenaran lelaki itu yang difailkan di bawah Perkara 4(4) Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

Lelaki itu didakwa di Mahkamah Rendah Syariah tahun lalu kerana cuba melakukan seks luar tabii dengan beberapa lelaki tertentu di Selangor pada November 2018.

Di bawah Seksyen 28 Enakmen Jenayah Syariah (Selangor) 1995, ia adalah kesalahan bagi sesiapa saja melakukan “persetubuhan bertentangan hukum tabii” dengan mana-mana lelaki, wanita atau haiwan.

Mereka yang didapati bersalah boleh didenda sehingga RM5,000 atau dipenjara maksimum 3 tahun atau disebat maksimum 6 kali atau kombinasi hukuman itu.

Lelaki itu turut ke Mahkamah Persekutuan untuk mencabar kesahan dan keperlembagaan Seksyen 28 Enakmen Jenayah Syariah (Selangor) 1995.

Dia memohon perisytiharan peruntukan itu tidak sah kerana Dewan Undangan Negeri Selangor tiada bidang kuasa untuk meluluskan undang-undang itu.

Katanya, hanya Parlimen mempunyai kuasa menggubal undang-undang jenayah, seperti yang diperuntukkan di bawah Senarai Pertama Perlembagaan Persekutuan.

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The authorities know full well if the plaintiff's identity becomes public, he will be subjected to intense public pressure and yet they do it anyway. Hopefully common sense will prevail and the challenge will proceed anonymously.