Tag Archives: Homophobe

Global Homophobia – The Shocking Truth

Global Homophobia – A recent study has revealed the true extent of homophobia around the world and established that it is illegal to be gay in a shocking 76 countries. From Africa to East Asia, the Middle East to the Americas, LGBT people run the risk of exile, forced labour, public whipping, life imprisonment and even execution.

During the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics the international community protested against Russia’s controversial “gay propaganda” law. However, this latest research, conducted by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), makes it clear that such anti-gay legislation is not unique to Russia.

In disturbing detail the 110-page study names and shames the 76 least gay-friendly countries on Earth. The study is updated every year and we share some of its most recent findings below:

Afghanistan: Post-Taliban Progress?

Despite the Coalition forces’ stated aim of restoring human rights to Afghanistan, the post-Taliban authorities continue to persecute the LGBT community. As in other countries, there is widespread confusion between the terms “homosexuality” and “paedophilia” and gay people are regularly sentenced to long periods in gaol.

Dominican Republic: Treated Like We’re Insane

It is a source of embarrassment for the Western psychiatric community that, until the 1970s, the scientific consensus was that homosexuality was a form of mental illness. This myth still persists in the Dominican Republic, where courts can order those prosecuted for “sodomy” and “gross indecency” to undergo psychotherapy to “correct” their behaviour.

Angola: Hard Labour in the 21st Century

When the great Irish playwright and wit Oscar Wilde was prosecuted for “gross indecency” in 1895, he was sentenced to two years’ hard labour. Within a year his health was ruined and he was to die a little later. If Wilde had visited Angola in 2014, he may have been given exactly the same punishment. Indeed, repeat offences of homosexuality – and even cross-dressing – in this Southern African country are punishable by long spells in labour camps.

Guyana: A Confusion of Prejudices

There’s a strange anomaly to Guyana’s anti-LGBT laws. While lesbian behaviour is perfectly legal, a same-sex relationship between men is a felony crime and anyone convicted faces the rest of their life in prison.

Iran: ‘We Don’t Have Gays’

Former President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmedinijad infamously declared in 2007, ‘In Iran, we don’t have gays.’ People tended not to take his claim too seriously, given that Ahmedinijad also denies that the Nazi Holocaust ever happened. At any rate, there clearly are gay people in Iran because it is quite typical for them to be put to death by Shariah courts. Two men caught kissing in public can be sentenced to “60 lashes”, according to the country’s penal code.

Pakistan: ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’

Although Pakistan’s laws are biliously anti-gay, the LGBT community tends to be left alone by the authorities so long as it observes a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy. It is possible for LGBT people to congregate and even live together, providing they do so in secrecy.

Saudi Arabia: The World’s Toughest Penalties?

Despite being strongly supported by a number of Western states – amongst them the USA and the UK – who claim to care about LGBT rights, Saudi Arabia is unusually cruel to those with alternative sexual persuasions. Exile, public whippings and executions are commonplace

 

15 Witty Comebacks for When Someone Rudely asks “Are You Gay?”

Some witty comebacks for when someone rudely asks if you are gay?

  1. Say, “WHAT?!?! I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!!!” really loudly, as though you are at a rock concert. Continue to do this until they walk away.
  2. Laugh, and say, “Oh man, I know. Right?”
  3. Gay? As in Happy? OMG yea, i feel awesome.
  4. I wish.
  5. Is gay a thing still?
  6. Look TOTALLY panicked and gasp. Then go back to whatever you were doing.
  7. Start singing Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time”
  8. Wink at them and say, “Now I am, hot stuff.”
  9. Ask them if they want to arm wrestle.
  10. Ask them if they want to thumb wrestle.
  11. Answer as though they just asked if you saw the last episode of The Voice, and comment on your favorite performers.
  12. Say, “OMG, yes, I love gardening and being one with nature more than anything. You?”
  13. Reply, “You are?! I am totally cool with that! Gay pride! Whoo!”
  14. Yes, I’m gay, VERY gay.
  15. “Don’t worry, either way you aren’t my type.”

Beautiful Response To Hateful Comments Made Towards Honey Maid Pro-LGBTQ Video Ad

Honey Maid “This Is Wholesome” ad spot, which featured gay and mixed-race parents, received a handful of negative comments over its recent airing, so the company decided to respond in a simple, but totally heartwarming way.

Among those who disagreed with the commercial were right-wing group One Million Moms, which said its members were “highly offended” by Nabisco’s “disrespect of millions of American families by supporting the homosexual agenda,” and the American Decency Organisation, who compared the company to Satan. Well here is one creative way to handle your critics.

Watch the original advert

Homophobia in Sports: When Poor Sportsmanship Becomes a Problem

Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean-King blazed trails by being out sportswomen before the majority of today’s out, sports playing ladies could even say the phrase ‘gay rights’. For example, there are several members of the US Women’s National Team (USWNT) who proudly wear the ‘out lesbian’ badge next to their Olympic gold medals for football, but these are recent announcements, in part spurred on by the way that was paved before them. The women’s game – any game or sport that is, not just the ‘beautiful’ one – is, by and large, welcoming one of non-heterosexual identities. We have seen the overwhelmingly positive reaction to these stars coming out, but a majority of acceptance does not guarantee no ignorance across every sporting past-time and in the real world, with none of the societal responsibilities granted by the media’s spotlight, things can be far harsher to those who identify as non-heterosexual.

What happens when homophobia makes its way into our real life sports clubs?

We can thrash them. Up, down, left and right, just thrash them with wins until they concede and admit that the non-straight members of the club are wonderful and also wickedly good at tennis/football/whatever their chosen sport may be. Well, it’s easy enough to say that of course but winning the ignorant members into submission could be tricky. Instead, it may be easier to go over their head – is there a club manager or officer or any higher up (we’re talking the money people here) that you can talk to? If there’s one thing that gets club manager’s goats more than rainy days, it’s the threat of a loss of money and a paying customer is still a paying customer even if they happen to be a gay one.

However, if the problem is systematic, what can you do then? The answer isn’t so simple, the deeper the homophobia goes, the higher the action you should (maybe) consider taking. Specifically does your state or country have any anti-discrimination laws in place that combat against this sort of thing? Very often, experiences of homophobia will fall under these laws, especially if actual verbal abuse has been said as that could be classed as harassment, which is technically a crime.

If you’re looking for the other option, the one that ends with the homophobic person in question laughing over a drinks and coming up with new songs to yell about the opposing team, then the best option is usually to talk. Ask the right questions and be understanding that some other people might not be. It’s never your duty to make other people comfortable but sometimes, their ignorance comes from a place of misunderstanding and not hatred. But that said, if talking doesn’t work and there seems to be no other option, take it to the courts, give them a thrashing and get the hard earned victory that you deserve.

Lithuanian Parliament Blocks Law Targeting Gay Pride Parades In The Country

A proposed  bill, which specifically prohibits speeches, posters, audiovisual materials, and other means of organizing in support of LGBT rights, by Lithuanian Member of Parliament, Petras Gražuli, was put before Lithuanian Parliament on Thursday.

This targetted “events such as gay pride march and parades.” It would impose a fine of up to the equivalent of about $2400 for those found guilty of repeat offenses.

Though a plurality of MPs voted to bring the proposal to a vote — 39 in favor, 34 opposed, and 20 abstentions — this was not enough to move the measure to a vote under rules of procedure.

Gražulis responded to the vote by accusing MPs from the Conservative party who did not back the bill of “changing not only their political orientation but their sexual orientation too.”

Conservative Vida Marija Čigriejienė shot back that Gražulis should not talk about family values since he had recently split with his wife.

The proposal is one of several bills targeting LGBT people, with others being presented before parliament in the coming months. This includes an explicit ban on adoptions by same-sex couples and the outlawing of gender reassignment surgery. These measures were introduced in “retaliation” for the organising of a Baltic March for Equality in Vilnius in July of 2013, while the country held the presidency of the European Union, said Tomas Vytautas Raskevičius, project coordinator for the Lithuanian Gay League.

“Because of European pressure, we managed to have pride go down our center of our capital city,” he said. “Homophobes were really frustrated because they could not stop it.”

The Lithuanian Gay League describes the proposal as a “Russian style anti-gay ‘propaganda law.”