This Thursday Twitter announced  that the company will now start to censor tweets on a country-by-country basis, allowing the popular microblogging site to comply with local governments’ request to remove, block certain content or users.

Gay Middle East fears this will mean censorship of LGBT Tweets in the Middle East and North Africa. Previously, Twitter only blocked tweets and accounts globally.

GAY MIDDLE EAST and OBLOGDEEOBLOGDA will join the protest on the 28.1.12 and NOT TWEET for 24 hours. 

WE URGE YOU TO DO THE SAME.

“Until now, the only way we could take account of those countries’ limits was to remove content globally. Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country — while keeping it available in the rest of the world,” Twitter wrote in a blog post . “We have also built in a way to communicate transparently to users when content is withheld, and why.”

Once twitter starts to censor, it will alert its users  by replacing the text of the post with a grayed-out tweet treading , “This Tweet from @username has been withheld in: Country. Learn more.”

“We are very concerned about this new development,” said Dan Littauer, Executive Editor for Gay Middle East, “twitter has an enormous impact in spreading news and media, especially regarding Human Rights, including LGBT rights across the world and in particular the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).”

“Twitter has been essential, for example, in helping the Arab Spring protests and also spread of information regarding LGBT issues in MENA.  Users within the state where censorship is about to occur will not be able to co-ordinate protests or actions.”

“Furthermore,” reiterated Littauer, “many users in this region rely on tweets to inform them about already blocked sites, such as ours, for example in Saudi Arabia.  This allows the twitter users to use technology to bypass the censorship.  This means that if LGBT related tweets and users will be censored across some or all of the MENA countries it will make it so much harder to communicate and even know about censorship itself in that country.  This is a very dangerous precedent.”

Twitter did not explain clearly how this decision was arrived at and why, but members of Gay Middle East wonder if this is partly related to the SOPA and PIPA initiatives as well as the recent acquisition of a stake in Twitter’s company by the Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

Shamil, Gay Middle East Editor of Saudi Arabia and the UAE remarked “just like any purchase by a person of power within the Kingdom, investor pressure could be brought to bear on a myriad of issues at anytime, where restrictions could be made to apply in the Kingdom itself, which already has censorship. This could result in some influence on blocking Gay, lesbian, LGBT tweets, but only in the Kingdom itself. “  It remains to be seen if this will happen and in which countries across MENA.

Littauer notes blocking of the use of the word “gay”  and associated LGBT terms via BING – the Microsoft flagship search engine, a Company in which the Saudi family has an investment-  has been a practice by the Kingdom and other Arab countries. “There was a possibility that such restrictions could arise due to the increased presence of such a political figure, as it may have been the case with Microsoft,” speculated Littauer.

On the O-BLOG-DEE-O-BLOG-DA we speculated at the time of the interest purchase  by the Saudi Prince in Twitter  that it “Could Impact Gay Tweets within Kingdom,  December 19, 2011 Melanie Nathan  “Although Liberal in relation to other members of the Saudi Royal Family, what does Saudi prince Twitter Purchase mean for Gay World.”

“Tomorrow” (28.1.12) stated Littauer, “we will join the global protest and not tweet for a 24hours. ”  “We will announce this very soon using our twitter account by a tweet using the hashtags #j28 #TwitterBlackout.”

The Next Web  has written how to get around this new censorship.

Earlier Article http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/saudi-prince-investment-in-twitter-could-impact-gay-tweets-within-kingdom/

South African gay activists Flag Boys, Huge and Henry, are set to go Zulu gay.  The exhibitionist activists, designers and promoters of the South African Gay Flag are protesting the Zulu King for his anti-same-sex relationship remarks, by attending a prestigious South African horse racing event, dressed as camp Zulu Warriors.

The prestigious J&B Met, a televised premiere horse racing event, held at the Kennilworth Racecourse in Cape Town, draws fifty thousand fans to South Africa’s elite day of high fashion and glamor.  The GAY Flag Boys, who will strut the VIP red carpet dressed as GAY Zulu warriors, are set to top even the most risky of ‘fashionista,’ of the day.

This year’s theme, coincidentally, happens to be ‘Made Different,’ which calls on attendees to challenge the status quo and to break the rules of fashion; our Flag Boys are doing much more they are challenging the Zulu King and the remarks he made against the South African Constitution.

Gays and Lesbians in KwaZulu-Natal and the rest of South Africa are still angry at King Goodwill Zwelithini for his flagrant homophobic remarks, which recently created a local firestorm. The Cape Town based LGBTI community will not allow the matter to rest until the King apologizes and retracts his condemnation of same-sex relationships.

The Met is a gathering of the rich and famous, the “groovers and movers,” as the web promo notes; “the fashion junkies and the thousands who seek to enjoy the intensity of life. It’s the running of the 35th J&B Met on 28th January.”

“People are encouraged to go over the top: “make your outfit from something truly different, wear what traditionally should not be worn, but whatever you do, make sure you do it differently. The J&B Met 2011 was a year of massive outfits, oversized accessories and gigantic personalities,” notes the organizer’s webpage.

We have obtained advance photos of our protestors and judging by them they are bound to fit in – and let us hope be notice, given the nature of the day’s extremes.

The King or his representatives have yet to apologize for his reported slur against the South African and Zulu Gay community; instead the royal household spun the issue, blaming an inaccurate translation of the speech, which only exacerbated the anger, causing the broader South African LGBTI community to view it as a cowardly attempt at denial.

Working in the framework of a united South Africa, the King owes an apology to his Zulu LGBTI community as well as all South Africans.

The King made his comments during a speech commemorating the Battle of Isandlwana near Dundee in the presence of South African President Jacob Zuma, who has taken an oath to uphold the South African Constitution, one which recognizes full equality under the law for same-sex relationships. The President stood silent after the remarks and did issue a timid statement thereafter, which was barely a reprimand.

His comments were widely understood by those present to mean that the monarch believed that homosexuality was not part of Zulu culture and that it was “rotten”.

A recorded extract of the speech includes the audience laughing, as the monarch talks about people being banished in the olden days from society.

“If you are one of the people I am talking about, people who have sex with people of their own sex, a man who sexually harasses another man, a woman who sexually harasses another woman, you are rotten,” he was reported as saying.

In a joint statement, Zulu royal family spokesperson Prince Mbonisi Zulu and Premier Zweli Mkhize’s spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya, denied that the monarch had condemned same-sex relationships in his speech, blaming the translation.  However, after an extract was played to several Zulu linguists the consensus was that the King was indeed condemning same-sex relationships.

Nonhlanhla Mkhize of the KZN Gay Centre said the organization was “disturbed and hurt” by the king’s comments, but preferred to engage the Royal family on the matter, rather than take it to the Equality Court or to the SA Human Rights Commission.

The monarch’s comments could be dangerous to gays and lesbians “because of the stature of the king as a leader and father, ” said Mkhize.

The SA Human Rights Commission, which monitors and indicts against Hate Speech, which is illegal in South Africa, said it would be writing to the King to establish whether he had in fact made such statements and if he had to immediately retract them:-

“In the context of the growing levels of hate crimes against people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersexed (LGBTI), the commission finds such utterances to be inflammatory. If it is indeed accurate that His Majesty, the Zulu king, made the utterances as reported, they constitute hate speech, are dehumanizing and are a violation of the constitutional right of LGBTI people to equality and freedom.”

“The king should use his powerful position not to dehumanize and discriminate certain people on the basis of their sexual orientation but to uphold the Constitution and promote tolerance and diversity,” the commission said.

In Just a few hours The Flag Boys will be on that RED VIP Carpet and on the cat walk at the J&B Met and we have a taste of the dress-up pictures to show in advance of the event.  If you are in SA this ought to be quite a statement at a place where spectacle is the order of the day! Please watch this on television tonight and show your support for a retraction and apology by the Zulu King!

Last Year’s J&B Met:

Never before had the sound of ‘Edge of Glory’ been so inconceivable; EricJames Borges chose Lady Gaga, and not only for the echo that would pave his heavenly journey but as a benefactor, leaving the last of his life’s dealings to his icon. Five hundred dollars would go to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, $500 to the Trevor Project, $521.56  to the Human Rights Campaign and almost $2,500 to his rescuer, Jennifer McGuire for her upcoming same-sex wedding.  “I want it to go where it deserves; to life, love and equality.”

His parents tortured him by not protecting him from the extensive bullying.  His parents tortured him through their relentless, extremist religious teachings.  His parents tortured him with shame and intolerance and emotional and physical abuse that most of us can’t even begin to imagine.  And yes, I blame them, and not just a little, but for a majority percentage… His parents killed him.”

All the love and support in the world would not be enough to save EricJames from the gushing wound of his childhood and the piercing gashes of his preceding teen years.

Read the full Articles by Clicking on the Screen shots on the left.

Suicide Prevention and Resources can be found at end of SDGLN Article.

http://www.sdgln.com/news/2012/01/26/bullied-gay-teen-suicide-note-insight-ericjames-borges-death-19

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
@melanienathan1
All Rights Reserved© 2012

Kato known to be  the most vocal gay rights advocate in Uganda, a country where homophobia is so severe that Parliament is considering a bill to execute gay people.  Mr. Kato had received a stream of death threats, his friends said last year.

In 2010, Rolling Stone Tabloid,  a Ugandan newspaper ran an antigay diatribe with Mr. Kato’s picture on the front page under a banner urging, “Hang Them.”  Kato took the tabloid to court and won his case , with the court ordering an injunction and fines against Rolling Stone publication.

Months later, Mr. Kato was beaten to death with a hammer and the perpetrator has been convicted.  Although the confessed murderer has been sentenced, many speculate that Kato was set up by authorities. Police officials were quick to chalk up the motive to robbery, but members of the small and increasingly besieged gay community in Uganda suspect otherwise.

“David’s death is a result of the hatred planted in Uganda by U.S. evangelicals in 2009,” Val Kalende, the chairwoman of one of Uganda’s gay rights groups, said in a statement at the time. “The Ugandan government and the so-called U.S. evangelicals must take responsibility for David’s blood.”

Today, January 26  Mleuben Maccarthy from the newly established St. Paul’s Voice Center in Uganda who is attending today’s event told me, “we cant wait for our rights which KATO was fighting for.”

Today’s memorial is open and will be held at Emerald Hotel Bomb road – Kampala Uganda.  Thursday 26. 01.2012 from 0900 AM.

Comrade David Kato R.I.P.

See Video of memorial held in Castro one year ago featuring Melanie Nathan and Michael Petrelis

Interweave and GLBT Historical Society is bringing this important event to Oakland and judging by the program and participants it promises to be excellent.

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the “New Negro Movement”, named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke. Though it was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, many French-speaking black writers from African and Caribbean colonies who lived in Paris were also influenced by the Harlem Renaissance.

One such performer, Gladys Bentley (August 12, 1907 – January 18, 1960) was an American blues singer during the Harlem Renaissance.

Bentley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of American George L. Bentley and his wife, a Trinidadian, Mary Mote. She appeared at Harry Hansberry’s “Clam House” on 133rd Street, one of New York City‘s most notorious gay speakeasies,^[1] in the 1920s, and headlined in the early thirties at Harlem’s Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. She dressed in men’s clothes (including a signature tuxedo and top hat), played piano, and sang her own raunchy lyrics to popular tunes of the day in a deep, growling voice while flirting outrageously with women in the audience.

On the decline of the Harlem speakeasies with the repeal of Prohibition, she relocated to southern California, where she was billed as “America’s Greatest Sepia Piano Player”, and the “Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs”. She was frequently harassed for wearing men’s clothing. She claimed that she had married a white woman in Atlantic City.

Bentley was openly lesbian during her early career, but during the McCarthy Era, she started wearing dresses, married a man (who later denied that they ever married), and studied to be a minister, claiming to have been “cured” by taking female hormones.  She died, aged 52, from pneumonia in 1960.

Fictional characters based on Bentley appeared in Carl Van Vechten‘s Parties, Clement Woods’s Deep River, and Blair Niles’s Strange Brother. She recorded for the OKeh, Victor, Excelsior, and Flame labels.

PROGRAM:

A Love Supreme

Performers include:

Potluck                    Gather for food and community

Four Directions       Zemaya

Poetry                      Talibah Barker

Poetry                      Marvin K. White

Song                         Zach Hodges

Poetry                      Ron Weissberg

Song                         Linda Hodges

Poetry                      Sauda Burch

Poetry                      Randall Wright

Poetry                      Jezebel Deliah X

Music                       Regina Wells

Poetry                      Bushmama

Poetry                      Rasheedah Sabeen Shakir

Drum/Poetry           Jaynie Lara

 MC: Jaki Lee

ALSO on the program:

Tiye Yayu Square-Levias, Ava Square-Levias, Bushmama, Griot Noir, Deborah Marks,  Taku Ronsman, Stephanie Thames, Rasheedah Sabeen,  Shakir

 The program begins with a potluck at 6pm. Please email randallwright90@gmail.com or jakilee63@yahoo.com for further information.

The Poster Ad campaign sensation would revert to one of high tolerance indeed; with one generation believing it is just another poster and the older generation’s collective heads doing a 360 degree swirl. The key to comments abounding social media would still be what is the issue; the nudity, the interracial or the same-sex component?  My sense is the South Africans may well still be hang up on the nudity first! Or am I dreaming?

The campaign by the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) features a topless white man and black woman embracing.  The poster, which is an advert of the organization’s 2012 membership campaign, also comes with the tagline:

“In OUR future, you wouldn’t look twice”.

And back a mere decade ago the visual of black and white in sexual nuance would have sent hats flying as if in a 100 mile per hour hurricane and look at the hallabaloo on social media and you wills see that it still does!

Now the double-take could feasibly at the sight of not the interracial, but the two young men and their pose for the future of South Africa. Is that wishful thinking?

This could be the future of Africa and perhaps an opposition party whose youth shows it will indeed embrace the intent of its post-apartheid nickname, ‘The Rainbow Nation.’

This could be a form of educational conditioning and why the heck not – after all it is real and it is true! Some of us happen to prefer same-sex relationships.

And while it may seem repugnant to some in the region, what it could serve to do is make the sight of two men and interracial as not such a big deal after a while.

We call that conditioning! And that is precisely what Africa needs.  The more one looks, the more one sees, and the more okay it shall be!

With increasing dissatisfaction toward the party of Madibe, President Nelson Mandela, the ANC’s current failed leadership in the form of Jacob Zuma, which has been disastrous on almost every level – in the delivery of basic services to all South Africans (water, electricity, housing, food), the fight against rampant crime, and in the need to protect LGBTI people against hateful sexuality violence, This DASO campaign might be just what the doctor ordered or it could send the opposition party running for cover!

The conditioning that the poster affords South Africa is the start of what should be, an embracing of a Constitution that is all inclusive, unique in the World; it specifically includes sexual orientation and gender identity. At least there is one party willing to abide! And bravely so, especially given the underbelly of the argument which always seem to go back to so called cultural tradition.

So here is to the new world order – the youth and just maybe South Africans will take the lead on a continent that is in dire need of the basic human right, to decriminalize a sexual orientation that is indeed a natural order, scientifically proven, just another spectrum!

District Court Rules that “Arriving Aliens” May Not Be Subjected to Prolonged Detention Without a Hearing To Determine Whether Detention Is Justified

SAN DIEGO — A district court today ruled that the Department of Homeland Security may not detain an immigrant for a prolonged period without proving that detention is justified in an individualized hearing. It is the first ruling to find that immigrants classified as “arriving aliens” – a large group encompassing all individuals stopped at the border, including asylum seekers – are entitled to fair hearing protections against arbitrary detention. DHS had argued that it has sole discretion to decide whether to detain or release an “arriving alien” and that the law does not require detention hearings.

The San Diego ACLU brought a habeas petition on behalf of Glorismel Centeno Ortiz in August 2011 after he had languished in immigration detention for three years. The government had held Centeno without a hearing to determine whether his detention was justified by classifying him as an “arriving alien,” a category that can apply even to individuals who have lived in the United States for decades with legal status. The government relies on Cold War-era rulings to justify its position that “arriving aliens” like Mr. Centeno have no due process rights to physical liberty.

Mr. Centeno, an asylum seeker who has lived in the United States since he was 11 years old was released from custody shortly after the ACLU filed the habeas petition. The government then argued that the habeas petition was moot.

Today’s ruling by Chief Judge Irma Gonzalez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California rejected both the government’s mootness argument and its position that arriving aliens could be detained without so much as an individualized hearing to determine whether their detention is justified.

“Under the court’s ruling, asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution and torture in their home lands should finally receive a fair hearing to determine whether their detention serves any purpose,” said Sean Riordan, staff attorney of the San Diego ACLU. “For too long the government has withheld this kind of minimal due process protection to those who need it most.”

Centeno was brought to Los Angeles by his mother, who was fleeing the violence of the Salvadoran civil war, in which her brother was killed by guerillas. As a teenager, Centeno became entangled with gangs and was convicted of armed robbery and deported to El Salvador, even though his petition for asylum was still pending. Fearing for his life Centeno returned to Los Angeles and obtained counseling from Homies Unidos, an organization that helps young people leave gangs.

Since his return to the United Sates, Centeno has dedicated his life to helping other young men leave the life of gangs. He has lead camping trips and given talks at schools, all the while working as a dishwasher, car mechanic, air conditioning repairman and raising his son. According to a senior staff member at Homies Unidos, Centeno is “one of our most reliable and committed volunteers.”

In 2007, Centeno went to Tijuana to enjoy a night out with friends. When he returned to the border, he was immediately arrested and charged with criminal illegal reentry after deportation. In July 2008, a judge dismissed criminal charges against Centeno, but he remained in detention several more years, until his release in September.

Johannesburg – Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini has criticized people who engage in same sex relationships, labelling them as “rotten”, according to a newspaper report on Monday; and did it in the face of the South african President, Jacob Zuma who stood by and said nothing!

He went on to ignorantly claim that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex relationships.” Now is he talking about the act of homosexuality or conducting of a relationship; my sense is he does not known the difference…  read on..

“There was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten,” The Times quoted him as saying.

“I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.” said the Monarch,  speaking at Nquthu, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, during the 133rd commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana, which the Zulu regiments won.

However it may come as surprise but what our dear King does not realize and maybe ought to review is his long dead notorious relative Shaka Zulu, the greatest warrior of all time was more than likely gay than Elton or Martina; and he lived some centuries ago, way in the traditional day – of which King  Jolly Good speaks.

Apparently there is indeed some evidence that Shaka Zulu was gay and that he used to “use”  his soldiers for his pleasure.

What the King also does not realize is that homosexuality is proven scientifically to be a natural born orientation and the genes implicated have probably been around since way before Australopithecus.

On Sunday, Zwelithini shared the stage with President Jacob Zuma; Zuma should publicly denounce the remarks and a failure to do so is ahem should we say a little bit unconstitutional!

After I wrote this story above yesterday, a Press release from Lance Weyer, Mr. Gay South Africa was submitted:

This week Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini stated that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex-relationships” He must have missed the history books where many historical experts believe that Shaka Zulu is to have encouraged intercrural intercourse among his troops to “create intimacy and loyalty”. (Bring on the Zulu hate mail…)

He went on to say that “there was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten. I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.”

Whether Shaka was gay or not is quite irrelevant. What is actually important here is that what the King said is in clear conflict with our Bill of Rights and Section 9 of the Constitution specifically, regardless of his interpretation of history.

We have to note the devastating effect deeply rooted homophobia by leaders is having on communities. How can someone who is being paid a salary by the South African government (i.e. taxpayers) have such a blatantly unconstitutional view? Violent homophobia is real, and as much as I respect your right to practice and live your Zulu culture, I think it’s about time that we started being as passionate about the dignity and well being of ALL our citizens and refugees seeking shelter.

In a further slap in the face to the constitution, President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges – challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.” Many will remember that in 2006 Zuma himself came under fierce criticism for the homophobic statements he made at Heritage Day celebrations

The  ANC friendly South African Press is now reporting with the following under the  (in my opinion exaggerated) headline :  “Zuma rebukes king over gay remark”  -  and I hardly call this statement a rebuke: ” According to The Times President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges . challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.”

Unlike Weyer I believe the heritage and denial of King Shaka’s sexuality is an imperative component, not to slander Zulu people, but to note that tradition and cultural pretense cannot escape the facts and reality of scientific data.  That said I agree an imperative point is the fact that the Zulu King has in fact spat on the constitution in his flagrant disregard for its content and the well being of young LGBTI and all South Africans.

I am calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobic remarks on Center stage in harsher terms; his feeble attempt at reprimand does not make leadership grade!

UPDATE:

Zulu Royal Family blames comments on reckless translation? Please … give me a break the insult only endures from this submitted explanation….

Durban – The Zulu royal household has criticised what it called a “reckless translation” of King Goodwill Zwelithini’s speech on Sunday.  “At no stage did his majesty condemn gay relations or same sex relations,” Prince Mbonisi Zulu said.

Zulu said the newspaper translated the Zulu monarch’s speech incorrectly. “The main focus of his speech was on the creation of a compassionate society with men protecting the vulnerable members of society, especially the elderly, women, and children.”  Zulu said the king had said that in the past men would go for months in battles to fight the enemy without their wives, and that they did not harass each other sexually. “He said nowadays you even have men who rape other men. The king said this was a clear sign of moral decay and he said he condemned those involved, no matter who they were.”

Melanie Nathan: “So can someone from the Zulu  Royal family kindly provide an English transcript of the actual speech? What a feeble worm around and besides, the comments are still flagrant insult to SA LGBT and the Constitution.“

Note the words harass! Moral decay! Need we say more…

By Melanie Nathan : nathan@privatecourts.com

Picture: Photo Ndumie Funda and Melanie Nathan with Gay Flag at Smuts Monument, 3/2011© all rights reserved

Johannesburg – Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini has criticized people who engage in same sex relationships, labelling them as “rotten”, according to a newspaper report on Monday.

He went on to ignorantly claim that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex relationships.”

Now is he talking about the act of homosexuality or conducting of a relationship; my sense is he does not known the difference…  read on..

“There was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten,” The Times quoted him as saying.

“I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.” said the Monarch,  speaking at Nquthu, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, during the 133rd commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana, which the Zulu regiments won.

However it may come as surprise but what our dear King does not realize and maybe ought to review is his long dead notorious relative Shaka Zulu, the greatest warrior of all time was more than likely gay than Elton or Martina; and he lived some centuries ago, way in the traditional day – of which King  Jolly Good speaks.

Apparently there is indeed some evidence that Shaka Zulu was indeed gay and that he used to “use”  his soldiers for his pleasure.

What the King also does not realize is that homosexuality is proven scientifically to be a natural born orientation and the genes implicated have probably been around since way before Australopithecus.

On Sunday, Zwelithini shared the stage with President Jacob Zuma; Zuma should publicly denounce the remarks and a failure to do so is ahem should we say a little bit unconstitutional!

After I wrote this story, a Press release from Lance Weyers, Mr. Gay South Africa was submitted:

This week Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini stated that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex-relationships” He must have missed the history books where many historical experts believe that Shaka Zulu is to have encouraged intercrural intercourse among his troops to “create intimacy and loyalty”. (Bring on the Zulu hate mail…)

He went on to say that “there was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten. I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.”

Whether Shaka was gay or not is quite irrelevant. What is actually important here is that what the King said is in clear conflict with our Bill of Rights and Section 9 of the Constitution specifically, regardless of his interpretation of history. We have to note the devastating effect deeply rooted homophobia by leaders is having on communities. How can someone who is being paid a salary by the South African government (i.e. taxpayers) have such a blatantly unconstitutional view? Violent homophobia is real, and as much as I respect your right to practice and live your Zulu culture, I think it’s about time that we started being as passionate about the dignity and wellbeing of ALL our citizens.

In a further slap in the face to the constitution, President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges – challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.” Many will remember that in 2006 Zuma himself came under fierce criticism for the homophobic statements he made at Heritage Day celebrations

The  ANC friendly South African Press is now reporting with the following under the  (in my opinion exaggerated) headline :  “Zuma rebukes king over gay remark”  -  and I hardly call this statement a rebuke: ” According to The Times President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges . challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.”

By Melanie Nathan : I am calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobic remarks on Center stage in harsher terms; his feeble attempt at reprimand does not make leadership grade!

note: He is widely credited with uniting many of the Northern Nguni people, specifically the Mtetwa Paramountcy and the Ndwandwe into the Zulu Kingdom, the beginnings of a nation that held sway over the large portion of southern Africa between the Phongolo and Mzimkhulu Rivers, and his statesmanship and vigour marked him as one of the greatest Zulu kings.^[2] He has been called a military genius for his reforms and innovations, and condemned for the brutality of his reign.^[3][4] Research continues into the character and methods of the Zulu warrior king, whose reign still greatly influences South African culture.

]]> http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/zulu-king-homophobic-remarks-insult-to-his-gay-ancestor-shaka-zulu/feed/ 1 oblogdeeoblogda 250px-KingShaka http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/tunisia-interior-minister-gay-scandal-inflames-homosexual-panic/ http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/tunisia-interior-minister-gay-scandal-inflames-homosexual-panic/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:09:28 +0000 Melanie Nathan http://oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com/?p=4298 ]]> By Guest Dan Littauer, Executive Editor of Gay Middle East

Gay Tunisia Scandal

Tunisia’s new interior minister, Ali Larayedh, has been embroiled in controversy and scandal as a leaked video allegedly shows him in a gay prison sex video.  This scandal has outraged and inflamed public opinion against homosexuality which was already jittery, due to the  electoral political tactics that have used sexuality in order to discredit various opponents. Gay Middle East explains and investigates.

On the 18.1.12, a 45 minute long black and white video dating from 1991, showing two men having sex, was posted on YouTube.  The occasional close-up on one of the men’s faces resembles Ali Larayedh, the current interior minister and a member of the ruling Islamist party Ennahda who won last years’ October elections after the first Arab spring rebellion which deposed dictator Ben Ali. The poor quality of the video makes it difficult to determine the video’s authenticity, or whether Larayedh is actually in the video.  The video on the site was quickly removed, although it is still available on file-sharing sites.

In 1990 Ali Larayedh was arrested by Ben Ali’s police for his activity as a member of the then illegal Ennahda party and was sentenced to 15 years in prison after a show trial. He alleges that he has been tortured while serving his jail sentence, while in 1992 his wife was sexually assaulted during an investigation at the Ministry of the Interior.

The alleged video of Ali Larayedh from his time in prison was posted shortly after an announcement by the Tunisian government that three arrest warrants had been issued for senior officials at the Ministry of the Interior. Responsibility for uploading the video was claimed by Jalel Brick, a well known left wing opponent to the ruling islamist party Ennahdha, who claimed he got the video tape from a Tunisian secret police officer.

Tarek, Tunisian Editor for Gay Middle East notes that “the security forces of Tunisia have largely remained intact since the time of Ben-Ali and thus many of its personnel are potentially hostile to the Ennahda party,” In other words, the video may have been leaked by someone in the Ministry of the Interior, or perhaps former a high-ranking police officer, wishing to undermine Ali Larayedh by further inciting public opinion using a tactic dubbed “porno politics” by Tunisian activist Ahmed Manaï.  According Manaï’s book, book, “Tunisian Torture: The Secret Garden of General Ben Ali”, tactics to discredit political opponents through exposing sexual scandals, and in particular homosexual ones were used by the deposed Tunisian dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, during the early 1990s.

The background to this scandal is important to note.  Two days before this incident (16.1.12) Naji Behiri, the brother of the Tunisian Minister of Justice, Noureddine Behiri, was released from prison under presidential amnesty, despite allegation from his hometown that he raped a young boy.

Tarek notes: “A wave of public anger erupted across the nation accusing Ennahda party of being at league with homosexuals and paedophiles, terms that were used interchangeably.  Highly homophobic comments were posted on related news articles and throughout the social networking sites, mostly asking that Naji Behiri remains in prison and tried and punished for sodomy.  Conspiracy theories of homosexual corruption and cover up within the Ennahda party have become commonplace.”

These two scandals have ignited a kind of “homosexual panic” according to Tarek. Many people have been voicing their opinions that the Interior Minister should resign as his behaviour contradicts Islamic values while others even called for him to be indicted for violating Article 230 of the Tunisian penal code that punishes homosexual acts between consenting adults with up to three years imprisonment.

Public discourse has been saturated with conspiracy theories that the ruling party is rife with homosexuals, protecting gays/paedophiles or failing to protect Tunisia from a homosexual epidemic. Mocking satires such Ennahda is a “fag” party, “they are all shaz (fags in arabic) in Ennahda”, are “quite commonly heard in the streets of Tunisia” stated Tarek, “often  conflating the terms ‘paedophilia’, ‘homosexuality’, ‘sodomy’ and ‘Islamists’ intentionally.”  The picture to the left, spread via Facebook, depicts two veiled women are portrayed kissing, while on the right it reads: “Legal fags/Haraam fags” with the logo of the Ennahda party below.

In an attempt to stop such allegations, Samir Dilou, a spokesperson for the Tunisian government, claimed the video was an attempt at a set-up and that the private life of politicians should not be used as a political weapon. All the Tunisian political parties condemned what they called an unjustified attempt to discredit the minister. Tunisian media has not published even one frame shot from the video.

However the current wave of “homosexual panic” and homophobia can be traced to the pre-election campaigning. Firstly to discredit the preceding dictatorship, the party claimed that the deposed Ben Ali and preceding dictator Habib Bourguiba encouraged homosexuality, prostitution and vice which would be swept clean should Ennahda be elected.

During this period nationwide marches entitled أعتقني aatakni (“Leave me alone”) were held in support of the secular parties and against the islamsits.

Supporters of Ennahda used the fact that in some of these marches the PEACE rainbow flag (often used in Italian rallies) were waved, alleging and ridiculing that aatakni are in fact gay pride marches. For example in the following poster the viewer is asked to “spot the pictures of Tunisian aatakni from a variety of ‘aatakni’ marches worldwide”, which Israeli gay prides (pictures 2,7), gay pride marches (4,5,8) and Tunisia (1,3,6), where in picture 6 the logo of the secular and tolerant Modern Democratic Pole” (MDP) is almost equated with the star of David.  Thus creating and associative link of aatakni=fags=zionists, i.e. bad and morally corrupt/suspect, which was spread via social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter.

Opposing political parties were singled out using this “homosexual panic” tactic.  For example in this Photoshop edited picture the banner of the Socialist Party has been altered to read “sodomy is the basis of the republic”, most likely sodomy replaced the word “freedom.” Tarek testifies “many banners reading ‘give us freedom, we want freedom’ were reworked replacing ‘freedom’ with ‘sodomy’ on blogs and facebook pages of supporters of the Ennahda party.”

Supporters of Ennahda did not stop there and vilified leaders or public figures they saw as opposing to their political ideas via scandalous allegations as to their sexuality or support of “social vices”.  Most notably this was the case with Dr. Olfa Youssef a famous female intellectual, writer, psychoanalyst and director of the National Library of Tunisia. She is a public figure that appears on TV shows and writes many articles regarding freedom, women’s rights and human rights in general. She was consistently called a lover and supporter of prostitutes and fags. The Facebook page where the picture above was posted is entitled “Against Olfa Youssef who says liwat (sodomy) is not haraam”.

It thus appears that the current “homosexual panic” has its roots in the campaigns started by supporters of the Ennahda party against competing parties.  The islamists used far more public and forceful tactics than the old style Ben-Ali “porno politics” that formed the probable basis of the Ali Larayedh scandal.  This was done by linking unpopular subjects which were previously taboo, like homosexuality and prostitution, to spread fear, rumours and ridicule of opponents.

Jalel Brick claimed that he uploaded the video of Ali Larayedh to counter balance Ennahdha’s method of denigrating and attacking its opponents morality online and via gossip.

The opposition adopted identical methods to Ennahda during the two recent scandals of Naji Behiri and Ali Larayedh, which found an already receptive public which has been continuously imbued with bigotry throughout the electoral campaign.   Tarek explains: “what shocked me most is the readiness and enthusiasm that opposition supporters that champion Human Rights and democracy have readily adopted such homophobic discourses previously used by the islamists against the islamists Ennahda party.  I did not expect them to use this as a weapon, it created a kind of public consensus and consciousness of homosexuality as something evil and sick”.

Tarek despairingly notes that “the main victims of this ‘homosexual panic’, are unfortunately, the Tunisian LGBT community.  In public discourse homosexuality has now become synonymous with pedophilia and hypocrisy, entrenching further negative stereotypes.  Under Ben-Ali dictatorship we were invisible, with the occasional scandal and harassment, but this increased negative and smear campaigning has inflamed public opinion and brought immense fear to gays and lesbians living in Tunisia.”  The one ray of hope is that all the political parties have now committed themselves not to use any such tactics further. “This I hope will be a lesson for Ennahda, since they let loose this tactic only to find it rebounded on themselves. I really hope this realization is going to last.”

Image Source Wiki Commons