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Author » Lyndon Barnett
Living in hiding in Iran
In September 2007 Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave a speech at New York’s Columbia University. Following the address a student asked him about the situation for gay people in Iran. “In ... Read more
Tue June 30th, 2009 - No Comments
Making gay life in Iceland richer
In January this year the president of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, asked the Social Democrat Alliance to form Government with the Left-Green Movement, thereby ending 18 years of dominance by ... Read more
Tue June 23rd, 2009 - 1 Comment
Progress in new republic of Nepal
Nepal’s first openly gay MP, Sunil Pant has been credited as one of the driving forces behind his country’s recent path towards equality. Pant is now a decorated humanitarian. He’s ... Read more
Tue June 16th, 2009 - 2 Comments
New Caledonia catches up to France
Ten years after France approved regis-tered partnerships the French territory of New Caledonia has finally legislated in line with the French initiative. Nouméa-raised Julien (name substituted), 22, explains the situation. “In New ... Read more
Tue June 9th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Push for civil unions in Greece
In June 2008 Tasos Aliferis, mayor of the island of Tilos, officiated over Greece’s first same-sex civil ceremonies, uniting one male and one female couple. Aliferis cited a loophole in ... Read more
Tue June 2nd, 2009 - 1 Comment
India’s blessing in disguise
Kerala-raised Binu, 31, believes the extended judicial debate on decriminalising homosexuality is a blessing in disguise for India’s gay and lesbian population. “The [Section] 377 legal challenges have sparked considerable discussion ... Read more
Tue May 26th, 2009 - 1 Comment
Legal equality in Belgium
Leuven-born Matthias, 21, believes Belgium’s gay and lesbian population owes the recent equality legislation to his country’s constitution and a government determined to enshrine equal rights. “In Belgium we have a ... Read more
Tue May 19th, 2009 - No Comments
New Zealand embraces diversity
In September 2008 the New Zealand Parliament dedicated a committee room to the LGBT community. Named the Rainbow Room, the sentiment was supported by all major political parties. “It is appropriate ... Read more
Tue May 12th, 2009 - 1 Comment
Gay rights gaining momentum in Slovakia
Since splitting into two separate nations in 1993, Slovakia and the Czech Republic have travelled at different speeds in relation to gay equality laws. The Czech Republic passed a civil ... Read more
Tue May 5th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Aiming for equal ground in Sri Lanka
At an AIDS conference in Colombo in 2007, the Sri Lankan health minister, Nimal Siripala de Silva said, “I don’t want people to think I brought all of these people ... Read more
Tue April 28th, 2009 - 1 Comment
Changing perceptions in Argentina
In November 2007, Spanish entrepreneur Juan Julia complemented the thriving Buenos Aires gay scene by opening another in his chain of gay-focused luxury Axel hotels: a first for South America. ... Read more
Tue April 21st, 2009 - No Comments
Uganda’s gays in desperate situation
In August 2006 Uganda’s tabloid newspaper, Red Pepper, published a list of 45 alleged gay men stating their aim was to “demonstrate how rapidly this terrible vice known as sodomy ... Read more
Tue April 14th, 2009 - 6 Comments
Polish gay movement gains momentum
After losing his job because of discrimination, Warsaw-born Szymon Niemiec, 31, was inspired to become a gay activist. He became an organiser of Poland’s first Pride parade after watching Sydney’s ... Read more
Tue April 7th, 2009 - 1 Comment
France’s internal debate on gay marriage
In December last year, 66 countries voted in favour of decriminalising homosexuality worldwide. The declaration was the first time the issue of gay rights had been read in the United ... Read more
Tue March 31st, 2009 - 1 Comment
Politics slows down change in Chile
In 2004 the Chilean Supreme Court awarded custody of Judge Karen Atala’s three daughters to their father. Custody cases are not unusual worldwide. However this case had two distinct differences: Atala ... Read more
Wed March 25th, 2009 - No Comments
Acceptance at a slower pace
Belgrade-raised Mirko (name substituted), 30, believes the disintegration that began in 1990 from a greater Yugoslav state to independent nations and the Balkans conflict had a profound effect on the ... Read more
Wed March 18th, 2009 - No Comments
Nations united to support global gay and lesbian rights
By Lyndon Barnett In the days following July 19 2005, photographs of two teenage boys dangling by the neck in the ironically named Justice Square in Mashhad in north-eastern Iran permeated ... Read more
Wed March 4th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Sweden looks beyond its borders
The 2008 Stockholm Pride Parade was themed Swedish Sin, Breaking Borders to focus on international gay and lesbian issues. Pride president Jonah Nylund explained, “The theme has two aims. One is ... Read more
Wed February 25th, 2009 - 2 Comments
Venezuela lagging on reform
Caracas-raised Cesar, 41, believes Hugo Chávez’s pro-gay statements and actions are nothing more than political stunts to garner support from Venezuela’s gay and lesbian community. “Chávez made these statements not because ... Read more
Wed February 18th, 2009 - 1 Comment
Gay and Muslim in Jordan
Addressing an Islamic conference in Johannesburg in 2007, Jordanian national and Canadian resident Suhail AbualSameed said, “As a gay Muslim, I feel unsafe, unloved and unrespected in this space.” He ... Read more
Wed February 11th, 2009 - No Comments
Reforms sweeping Mexico
Monterrey-educated Juan, 28, is concerned that the broader Mexican society may not be ready for the current wave of equality reform sweeping his country. Passing legislation without societal acceptance may ... Read more
Wed February 4th, 2009 - 1 Comment
Marching forward to equality
In May last year a grey concrete wedge containing vision of a same-sex couple kissing was unveiled in Berlin’s famous Tiergarten as a memorial to the gay German men who ... Read more
Wed January 28th, 2009 - No Comments
Rainbow Collective gathers momentum
Rosehill-born Bernard, 27, believes the recent push for gay equality on the African island of Mauritius is due to a newly formed activist movement inspiring change. “Mauritius now has an organised ... Read more
Wed January 21st, 2009 - No Comments
Czechs go their own way
Prague-raised Zdenek, 26, believes the driving impetus behind the Czech Republic passing civil-union legislation was a desire that his country follows its own destiny and demonstrates to Europe that Czechs ... Read more
Wed January 14th, 2009 - No Comments
Cambodia’s blossoming scene
Phnom Penh-raised Long, 27, believes the blossoming gay scene in Cambodia’s capital is directly linked to the Government pursuing international investment in his country. “The international community has started to ... Read more
Wed December 17th, 2008 - No Comments
GAMMA
GAMMA, a support group for married men who have sex with men, meets in secure confidential and non-sexual surroundings at the ACON building, 9 Commonwealth St, Surry Hills, on the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 8pm. There is also a support line, Monday-Friday 6-10 pm, on 9267 4000.
www.gamma.org.auGAY BUSINESS
The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Business Association hosts Lemons With a Twist on the first Friday of each month and Fruits in Suits on the third Thursday of each month, at Slide.
www.sglba.com.auCOME OUT AUSTRALIA
Come Out Australia is a social group for our community, with branches in Canterbury-Bankstown, Epping/ Northern Districts and Penrith. You're invited to "Come Out"; get involved with a branch, event, project, or to start something happening in your area.
www.comeout.org.auQUEERSCREEN
Lovers of gay cinema are encouraged to become a member of Queerscreen, Sydney’s premier gay and lesbian film festival body.
www.queerscreen.com.au
Current Issue
Hope for lock-out rethink
Oxford St publicans have called on the newly-formed Sydney Liquor Task Force to review the 2am lock-out system and come up with more effective measures for handling alcohol-related violence. The state Government, with the City ... Read more
Oxford now with receiver
Oxford Hotel management insists it will be business as usual despite the pub’s holding ... Read more
Same-sex marriage push
The Greens have made good on a promise to introduce a private member’s bill ... Read more
ACON’s three-year vision
ACON CEO Stevie Clayton has declared a drop in HIV rates as a key ... Read more
Back on the trax
DJ Rob will be back at Bears Den Night Flinders Hotel on Friday, July ... Read more
They could get away with murder
With a name like KillaQueenz, one would naturally assume Kween G and Belizean Bombshell ... Read more