OCTOBER b. 2007 justioutzi
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez squashed a
Of the married same-sex couples counted in the
Canadian census, 53.7 percent were male couples
and 46.3 percent female. About 16 percent of
female couples had children living with them, as
did 3 percent of male couples.
Chávez Denies Gay Rumor
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez says he isn’t
gay.
“I’ve been accused of everything,” Chavez said
Sept. 15 at a rally in Barquisimeto. “The only thing
they haven’t accused me of is being homosexual.
Well, now they’ve started to accuse me of being
homosexual. 1 don’t have anything against homosex
uals because 1 respect whichever human condition,
but the thing is: 1 consider myself sufficiently macho
to pulverize any accusation along those lines.
“It doesn’t matter to me," Chávez continued.
“Let them say about me whatever they have the
urge to.... I couldn’t care less that they say what
they say about me and that they threaten me with
what they threaten me with.”
In response, a new interna
tional grassroots activist network
called Gays Without Borders
has been organizing various
actions against the newspaper
and protests to the Ugandan
government. But a spokesman
for the European Region of the
International Lesbian and Gay
Association urged Gays With
out Borders to reconsider its
campaign.
“[The] coalition of LGBT
organizations in Uganda SMUG
• (Sexual Minorities Uganda)
have decided to ignore the pub
lication, as did even most of
those who were outed,” wrote
Maxim Anmeghichean, who just
returned from Uganda. “[In the]
absence of any national pressure,
gay rumor.
letters...from abroad may be
strategically awkward and support the idea promoted
by the government that the fight for LGBT rights in
the country does not belong to Ugandans and is
promoted by the West. Think twice before sending
a letter, and check with a number of Ugandan
activists before proceeding with action!"
Human Rights Watch queer program director
Scott Long agreed that foreign activists should take
care to work through established Ugandan gay
organizations, such as member groups of Sexual
Minorities Uganda, both to be certain the foreign
assistance is welcome and because some people in
Uganda have attempted to raise money from
abroad by setting up sham gay groups.
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Money for Safe Houses Needed
A London-based gay Iraqi group says it has run
out of money to finance its five “safe houses” in
Iraq.
Targeted gays flee to the houses to hide out
from the Mahdi Army, the police and other
“militant death squads” that have executed “hun
dreds” of gay people solely for being gay, the group
ASIA/PACIFIC
said.
Air New Zealand Goes Gay
“Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq, gay people in
Air New Zealand will offer a gay flight Feb. 26
Iraq have suffered particularly intense persecu
from San Francisco to Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
tion,” Iraqi LGBT said in its plea. “The United
in Sydney, Australia.
Nations and the U.S. State Department have
The flight will feature drag queens, flight atten
issued reports documenting some of the more
dants performing a cabaret show, pink cocktails,
recent killings."
pink feather boas, gay movies (not that kind), gay
The group said each safe house costs about
music, gay goodie bags and contests, among other $1,800 a month to operate—$800 for rent, $400 to
gimmicks the airline thinks appeal to gay men. The
pay two armed guards and $600 “for gas, fuel for
affair reportedly also includes a “Get Onboard,
electricity generators, food, clean drinking water,
Girlfriend” party before departure.
hygienic supplies and the like.”
The round-trip fare for the 14-hour flight is
Each house has between 10 and 12 residents,
around $ 1,000.
the group said.
Iraqi LGBT said it has been financed in the past
MIDEAST/AFRICA
by its own members, friends, Heartland Alliance,
Ugandan Tabloid Outs Gay Citizens
the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights
The Ugandan tabloid newspaper Red Pepper ! Commission and the Rev. Patricia Ackerman, an
again outed several citizens as gay Sept. 9.
Anglican priest.
Under the headline “Homo Terror! We Name
Checks or money orders can be sent to K. Sahi,
and Shame Top Gays in the City," the paper called
13 Campden Hill Mansions, Edge Street, London
homosexuality “an unnatural habit that is eating up
W8 7PL, England. More information is available at
our beloved nation.”
www.iraqilgbtuk.blogspot.com. ©
The paper named 40 people, by first name only,
but in many cases provided details about their
R ex WtXXNER has relxirted for the gay press since
1985. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from
physical appearance, place of employment, neigh
Drake University and started his career as a radio
borhood of residence and the kind of car they
reporter.
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