A Shining Moment for LGBT Gay Rights

By Richard Ammon
GlobalGayz.com
July 25, 2011

I've never seen anything like it.

A gay deluge in the media: gay marriage in NY; mainstream gay-theme films; congressional approval of an openly gay federal gay judge; children of gays; Obama's administration's removal of support for DOMA; major newspaper editorials applauding gay marriage; an historic UN resolution, in June 2011, condemning discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation; imminent repeal of DADT in the military; the opening of the week-long North American OutGames (gay olympics) in Vancouver; the highly visible 'It Gets Better' anti-bullying national project; the newly digitized Gay and Lesbian Review; and just this week, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) granted consultative status to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA)...

There seems a current tsunami of social change, a cultural jump, a sudden leap into a new world (or part of it), a more humanistic world of civility, a world more aware, of progress against entrenched and angry prejudice against LGBT citizens.

Not to sugar-coat this unique phenomenon: there are still murders, violence and discrimination a-plenty around the world; a teenager in California is on trial for murdering a gay classmate; anti-gay protests in the USA against gay marriage; presidential candidates publicly airing their homophobic views; Focus on the Family anti-gay group distorting research at a congressional hearing (and getting caught); Michelle Bachman's connection to a gay-cure clinic; the Nigerian women’s soccer team claims homosexuality is eradicated among players...

But for now there is a shining moment when hope for a decent equitable society seems possible, appears happening, in America at least, as loving couples are given the freedom and right to marry and gay sexual orientation becomes a source of pride and a cause to celebrate our lives as good citizens, parents, professionals, military troops, judges and members of a country that makes humane things possible.

It is a moment a long time coming through terrible oppression, brutality and ignorance when gays were treated like animals. It is a long time coming from that to this recent (7-24-11) editorial comment in the New York Times:

"There are very few positions more repugnant than advocating intolerance."

Moscow Gay Pride Launched--Heading into Bloody Battle

Fifth attempt to challenge Mayor's Pride ban in central Moscow this Saturday 29 May

Posted by Richard Ammon
GllobalGayz.com

Moscow
27 May 2010

The fifth attempt to hold a Moscow Pride parade was launched today in the Grand Ballroom at the Lesnaya Holiday Inn hotel in Moscow.

Nikolai Alekseev, the Moscow Pride organizer (photo right), announced at the press conference:

"The courts today rejected our appeal against the banning of three Gay Pride rallies. We asked to hold these rallies in central Moscow this Saturday 29 May. Now we go to court on Friday in a bid to overturn the Mayor's ban on holding a Gay Pride march through Moscow on Saturday," he said.

Organizers are not hopeful that the ban will be revoked.

"The Mayor's reputation and authority is at stake. He has refused us for the last five years, ever since our first attempted gay parade in 2006. I hope he will change his mind but I doubt it. Mayor Luzhkov is not a great lover of democracy, human rights or gay people. Whatever the courts decide, the right to protest is guaranteed under the Russian constitution and we intend to exercise our rights," added Mr Alekseev.

Today's Moscow Pride launch and press conference was attended by international delegates and speakers, who were there to support the Russian gay activists, including Volker Beck, the German Green MP; Louis-Georges Tin, founder of the International Day Against Homophobia and President of the IDAHO Committee; Andy Thayer, the US gays rights activist; and Peter Tatchell, coordinator of the British gay human rights group OutRage! and human rights spokesperson for the Green Party of England and Wales.

Mr Tatchell told the press conference:
"The ban on Moscow Pride is illegal and Mayor Luzhkov is a criminal for banning it. He should be put on trial for violating the Russian constitution. The real criminals are not the organizers of Moscow Pride, but the mayor of Moscow and the judges who uphold this illegal ban.

"President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin are colluding with this ban by failing to order it to be overturned. I call on the Russian President and Prime Minister to show leadership by publicly condemning the ban and by calling on the mayor of Moscow to lift it. They should ensure freedom of expression and the right to protest to all the citizens of Moscow and Russia, gay and straight.

"We are here to defend the human rights of all Russian people. Many different rights have been violated by the authorities. It is not just gay people whose freedoms are being trampled on.

"Russia is a great nation with a proud and great history. Many important figures in Russian history have been gay or bisexual, including Sergei Eisenstein, Peter Tchaikovsky, Rudolph Nureyev, Sergei Diaghilev, Modest Musssorgsky and Nikolai Gogol. The gay contribution to Russian history deserves to be acknowledged and celebrated, with pride," said Mr Tatchell.

Further information:
Peter Tatchell in Moscow - +7 903 539 5179
Nikolai Alekseev in Moscow - +7 916 255 8240