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‘Cursed by God’: Far-right activist claims Liverpool FC punished for backing gay rights

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Are you a football supporter; are you gay; do you agree or disagree with Paul Rimmer’s statement?  Read the article and then let us know!

A far-right English Democrats activist has claimed Premier League football team Liverpool FC had performed less well last season because they openly ‘promoted’ homosexuality.
Former UKIP candidate Paul Rimmer came under fire on Tuesday for posting comments on social media about the football club’s alleged support of homosexuality.
Rimmer, who was previously an activist for the British National Party (BNP), posted quotes from the Bible accompanied by a damning report of Liverpool’s recent performances, saying they would not improve unless they “repented.”
“From the Bible, Sodomy defiles a Nation. Those who promote it will be punished & vomited out of the Land. Lev.18.23. In 2012 Liverpool FC sponsored the City’s Gay Pride Parade. Unless they repent they will be under a continual curse,” the post read.
This was followed by a comment about the unacceptability of homosexuality.
“Everyone knows homosexuality is wrong, but now we have to pretend it’s nice & normal and anyone who points out it’s a perversion is evil. This is a deep moral & spiritual sickness in our nation,” he added.
His other social media posts include criticism of the BBC for being “totally unpatriotic, anti-Christian & anti-white,” worshipping “sodomy & blackness” and pushing “pro-Moslem propaganda.”

Paul Rimmer (Image from liveraf.wordpress.com)

Paul Rimmer (Image from liveraf.wordpress.com)

He has further labeled feminists who criticized his remarks as “feminazis.”
UKIP described Rimmer’s comments as “idiotic” while Liverpool FC Supporters’ Committee LGBT representative Paul Amman called Rimmer “inaccurate.”
Amman said he was proud of the work the club had achieved to reduce homophobic discrimination.
“The club has got a proud record of tackling discrimination and fighting inequality and has done some fantastic work,” he said.
“LFC has never sponsored Liverpool Pride but has marched at the event for three years in succession. Members of the women’s team, staff, club officials, supporters, ambassadors and directors have taken part, showing their support and recognizing the wider LFC family.”
He clarified that having an active LGBT Supporters group does not hinder the sporting prowess of a top Premiership club.
“Also, Manchester City has a lively LGBT Supporters group called Canal Street Blues, which hasn’t stopped them from topping the table,” he added.
Rimmer, who gained a degree in politics from Cambridge University, defended his statements, telling the Liverpool Echo they were not his opinions, but the word of God.
“Basically it says in the Bible that certain forms of behavior go against the laws of God and therefore God will react to them and he will curse those who willfully disobey him.”
“I am only repeating what is said in the Bible – it’s not my opinion, it’s what the Bible says.”
“It’s just to make people aware God has a law and if you infringe this law there will be consequences,” he said.
“If people get upset by this it’s up to them. Christ calls on us to repent and believe.” he added.
Rimmer was arrested in 2012 while challenging a rainbow flag hung at Toxteth police station in Liverpool.
 
Republished from RT – Question More

Russia's gay community in fear as homophobic attacks increase

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By Sarah RainsfordBBC News, St Petersburg

Gay activists in "march against hatred" in November 2014 in St PetersburgOne report cites a tenfold increase in homophobic attacks since Russia’s 2013 gay propaganda law

This year’s QueerFest in St Petersburg was the most controversial in the festival’s history.

At the opening show, a crowd turned up to intimidate and shout insults, spraying coloured antiseptic from syringes, in a kind of cleansing.
There were sudden bomb scares and protests, and venues cancelled events at the last minute. Anti-gay activists plastered places with stickers: “Say no to Sodom.”
“The atmosphere now is scary, we feel that it’s dangerous,” one of the organisers, Polina Andrianova, told the BBC, describing the harassment as the worst since the LGBT (Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) festival began six years ago.

Man spraying coloured antiseptic at QueerFestAnti-gay protesters sprayed coloured antiseptic from syringes at QueerFest

Her experience is one of those recorded in a new report by the US-based group Human Rights Watch, which documents a rise in homophobic rhetoric, actions and violence in Russia. It blames a law passed last year banning the promotion of “non-traditional lifestyles” among minors.
“All people understand from this law is that something is wrong with gay people. That they are dangerous for children, and information about them is harmful,” Ms Andrianova argues.

The couple are cheered on by their friends and family as they celebrated their wedding over the weekend at a beautiful registry office in Russua

Irina Shumilova and Alyona Fursova talk about their recent wedding

“It reinforces the view of gay people as second-class citizens and it gives a green light to more violence and more aggression,” she says.
It’s why there is extra security now at Coming Out, the LGBT support group where Polina works. A stark sign beside the new, reinforced metal door warns visitors that security cameras have been installed.
Anti-gay provocateurs have infiltrated discussion sessions here in the past and disrupted them.
Another group recorded over 300 homophobic attacks this year, a more than tenfold rise.

Russian security noticeA security notice warns of security cameras in the office at the Coming Out support group

“We were just having coffee, harming no-one, when men in masks broke-in,” Ivan Surok says of one incident, last November. At least one of the attackers was wielding a pellet gun and shot a man in the eye, blinding him; a girl was wounded in her back.
No-one has yet been prosecuted, part of what Human Rights Watch calls a culture of “widespread impunity”. In the cases it documented between 2012 and 2014 only three were brought to court and two led to convictions.
Since the attack he witnessed, Ivan has carried a pepper spray for protection but no longer feels safe.
“Homophobes feel like they have a legal basis for their hatred now,” Ivan says of the gay propaganda law. “They feel they can beat someone for being gay and they’re protected.”
The law – an amendment to child protection legislation – was introduced in several regions before being adopted nationwide.
Its chief sponsor in Russia’s second city is Vitaly Milonov, a local deputy whose office at the palatial City Hall is filled with religious paraphernalia. Russian icons cover the walls and shelves beside a black flag bearing a skull and cross-bones. Another black banner proclaims “Orthodoxy or Death” in Greek.
Mr Milonov justifies the law with reference to Russia’s traditional, Christian values. He insists that homosexuality is a sin and homosexuals an enemy within, backed by a perverted West.

giant iphoneThis giant iPhone was taken off the streets after Apple boss Tim Cook revealed he was gay

Homophobic attacks, he claims, are fabricated.
But Vitaly Milonov is no political extremist – he represents the United Russia party of President Vladimir Putin.
“I want to protect my kids and my family from this dirt going from the homosexuals,” the politician told the BBC.
“They can do whatever they want in their homes, in the special ‘garbage’ places called gay night clubs. They can kill themselves with their viruses as fast as possible. But they’re not allowed to do it in the streets. Because it is not polite and it’s uncomfortable for people.”
Such is the mood of intolerance that even a giant model iPhone was removed from the streets of St Petersburg after Apple boss Tim Cook revealed he was gay. A few trailing cables are all that remain at the spot the statue once occupied, in the yard of an IT university.
Vitaly Milonov claims he got rid of his own iPhone 6 following Tim Cook’s announcement, because it was “smelling with gay stuff”, although he still has a Mac laptop on his desk.

Vitaly MilonovVitaly Milonov introduced anti-gay measures in St Petersburg before national laws were passed

Human Rights Watch calls for an end to such hate-speech and for a new message of tolerance from Russia’s authorities. It urges the government to repeal the anti-gay law.
“It’s like the law has ignited fear,” says Alexey Zalensky, who’s worried that LGBT people in Russia, already nervous about revealing their sexuality, are now retreating into the closet.
Many couples are even scared to hold hands in public now, he says.
“They say we are sick, and need to be healed,” he explains, softly. “I feel that’s the position supported by the government and I don’t know how to live with it.”
Rising intolerance is emboldening some activists to fight harder for their rights. But there is an overwhelming sense that such a fight is futile. LGBT support groups say people are increasingly asking their advice on how to emigrate.
Both Alexey and Ivan are among them.
They’re joining the growing wave of Russians who no longer believe they can be themselves in their own country, and be safe.

More on This Story

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Ireland sets a date for gay marriage vote

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Over two thirds of Irish people support same-sex marriage

| BY JOE MORGAN
Gay marriage vote set for Republic of Ireland.

Ireland has set a month for a referendum on marriage equality.
Groups both for and against same-sex marriage will rally as they prepare for the public vote in early May 2015. No specific date has been announced as of yet.
The issue was discussed today by Ministers at their final meeting before Christmas.
It comes as Scottish gay couples are finally able to get married today, following England and Wales earlier this year. There are currently no plans for Northern Ireland to pass same-sex marriage.
Independent Senator Katherine Zappone is campaigning to marry her partner Ann Louise Gilligan.
‘Confirmation that the referendum on same sex marriage is set to go ahead will be welcomed by all who have campaigned to bring us to this point,’ she said.
‘While it is right that we should acknowledge the importance of the cabinet decision and the hope it offers those in love and seeking love, we should also be mindful that there remains some distance to go.
‘The next stage is to see the wording of the proposal which will be put before people, as a public representative and social justice campaigner I will be working to ensure that it is clear, straightforward and fair.
‘Engagement with young voters is also key and I want to see the Government outline its plans to get them to use their right to vote and make history in 2015.’
She continued: ‘As we head to the New Year I would ask all who intend to get involved in this campaign to ensure that the public debate is conducted in a fair and open way with the language of respect rather than confrontation and division.
‘I look forward to 2015 with hope that when presented with the proposal in a proper manner that the Irish people will see what is just and right and vote accordingly.’
Support for same-sex marriage has been steadily growing over the last few months. In the last Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, it found 71% supported marriage equality in Ireland

– See more at: http://www.gaystarnews.com/article/ireland-sets-date-gay-marriage-vote161214#sthash.cxiCFqIY.dpuf

Stephen Fry says DUP conscience clause bill is 'sick'

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BY CLAIRE CROMIE – 17 DECEMBER 2014

Stephen Fry has labelled the DUP’s conscience clause bill as “sick” and urged people to sign a petition against it.

RELATED ARTICLES

Editor’s Viewpoint: Editor’s Viewpoint: A conscience clause is absurd

Stephen Fry is repeatedly named on lists of the world's most influential celebrities and LGBT people.

The Democratic Unionist Party wants to introduce a new clause in Northern Ireland’s equality laws that would allow businesses to refuse services to a customer if it is against their religious beliefs.
Critics have reacted angrily, claiming it is legalising discrimination, and a petition has been set up to stop the Freedom of Conscience Bill being passed.
And now it has received support from an influential backer – the gay presenter, comedian and writer Stephen Fry.
He tweeted on Wednesday: “Please sign this: once again the religious right twisting truth to present themselves as victims. Sick.”
Fry has repeatedly expressed his opposition to organised religion, and has attacked church teachings on sexuality.

‘Gay cake’

The Freedom of Conscience Bill was prompted by the threat of legal action against a Belfast Christian bakery business, which became
 
So if you haven’t already, please sign this petition to ‘Stop the Conscience Clause Bill’:
 

 
The Belfast Telegraph editorial said:
 

Editor’s Viewpoint: A conscience clause is absurd

09 DECEMBER 2014

This newspaper will always defend the right of people to hold and practise their religious beliefs. We recognise that even though the secular world continues to gain ground apace, religion plays a hugely important part in very many people’s lives in Northern Ireland. We also acknowledge the positive contribution made by the churches in attempting to create a more peaceful and understanding society here.

That said, we nevertheless contend that there is no place for the conscience clause legislation proposed by DUP MLA Paul Givan in a modern society. Religion may give us the moral template in which we wish to live our lives, but it should not – and cannot – be exempted from the duly created civil laws of the country.
Equality legislation has been hard won in this society and it is there to protect all the people from discrimination. Mr Givan may argue that his conscience clause legislation is a protection for people with deep religious convictions, but it is an illogical and ill-thought out proposal.
For, no matter what he argues, what this proposal would do if passed into law would be to allow discrimination against gay people. It is as simple as that and as wrong as that.
Quite rightly it would be challenged at every turn in the courts and almost inevitably overturned at every challenge
One immediate obstacle is which religions would benefit from such a clause? How would the law define religion and what about people who have no religious convictions? Would they just have to accept current equality legislation or lump it?
This all stems from the refusal of a bakery to produce a cake with a slogan endorsing same-sex marriage. It was found to be in breach of equality laws. Perhaps this case could have been handled differently, but creating laws on the back of one exceptional instance is never a recipe for good, stable legislation.
To use an unfortunate phrase, this conscience clause has all the hallmarks of a Trojan horse, designed to impose a moral authority on society at the expense of accepted legislation. There is no indication of any overwhelming public demand for religion to be given an opt out option when it comes to equality legislation. The churches, mosques or synagogues are the proper places for people to practise or discuss their religious convictions, and that is where such debates should remain.

Gay W. Virginia high school soccer player comes out by dancing with homecoming king

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By on Dec 16 2014, 8:34a 27

Michael Martin, left, with Jem at Jem’s homecoming dance. – Andrew Martin photo

Michael Martin, an all-state goalie, slow danced with the guy who gave him the courage to be himself. Inspired by Robbie Rogers, Martin now hopes to inspire others.

It was something I thought I’d never do — dance a slow dance with the homecoming king at his high school.

I am an 18-year-old senior all-state high school soccer goalie for Musselman High School in West Virginia. I also have been on the school’s football, tennis and swim teams. And I am openly gay. Growing up in rural West Virginia, it’s not the easiest place to be a gay teenager and it took me a long time to come out to myself and others.

Yet there we were, Jem and I, on an October night this fall, slow dancing with each other. We attend schools in different counties and met through friends and I was thrilled that he asked me to his dance so we could be together. He was wearing his gray vest and pink bow tie while I had on my black shirt with a gold tie. We danced to “Love Story” by Taylor Swift, which was a perfect song for my first dance with a guy.

We both started the dance with our female friends who were our “dates.” The final song came on and Jem and I danced for a brief time. It was my first school event where I was with another guy, even though we came to the dance separately. I held his hand when we went to get refreshments and when we took breaks from dancing. It was a weird feeling for me, since I had just barely started coming out. I was nervous yet excited. After the dance we went to his house. That is where I asked him to be my boyfriend. I posed the question by writing it on the dry erase board on his wall. He quickly said yes.

My homecoming dance at Musselman — two weeks after the dance at Jem’s school — was the big moment I revealed being gay to my school. Jem was the date of girl at Musselman and her outside guest for the dance, while I went “alone.” The girl knew Jem and I were together. I was on the homecoming court, which was a big honor and something I never thought would happen. Only some people knew about me before the homecoming, so it was a shocker for some seeing me dance with another guy.

Jem and I danced all night to the most popular pop songs. But it was the slow dance that I most remember that night at the school cafeteria — “Remember When” by Alan Jackson. It was the best night ever. Jem and I got asked a lot if we were together and we said yes. “That is so cute!” some girls said. It made us felt accepted.

Word quickly spread and the following week I sensed that some guys were looking at me differently. My friends even told me people were talking about me in a negative way in different classes. “He is a faggot now,” I was told some people said. My friends courageously stood up for me and I am so proud to call them my friends.

MikeMartin2Michael Martin won All-State honors this year. (Photo by Andrew Martin).

Dancing with another guy in front of my fellow students would have seemed like the last thing I would ever do when I started high school. When I was a freshman I knew I was not like other guys on the Musselman High varsity soccer team. They were always talking about their girlfriends and I always felt that I could never say anything about my sexuality. I was just a freshman, and I was scared of being mocked by my teammates when I was just trying to fit in. The team threw around the words “gay” and “faggot” a lot. I felt I would never be safe if I did come out.

Musselman High School is located in Inwood, W. Va. The school is named for the Musselman applesauce company and we are called the Applemen. Inwood is only about two hours from Washington, DC, and Baltimore but culturally is far from city life. Inwood is a pretty conservative town. The students, however, are very diverse in their culture and beliefs; the range runs from rednecks to foreign exchange students. I live in isolated mountain area, so I didn’t have any kids to hang around with when I was younger. I was alone but even at a young age I knew I didn’t like girls and found boys attractive instead. I could never tell anyone since my family is really conservative and religious.

MikePortrait(Photo by Jeremiah Carver)

I was silent about my sexuality until my junior year when I told my best friend, Ben, who was a senior at the time and on the soccer team. I waited until after the soccer season so I wouldn’t have to worry about him telling any of my teammates.

The cold winter air and the campfire at Ben’s house that night made it the perfect environment in which to tell him my news. I was scared to death, but summoned up the courage and was direct: “I hope this doesn’t change our friendship but I am gay.” His response was simple but it meant the world to me: “There is nothing that can change our friendship.” Thankfully, Ben accepted me (he said he had suspected) and promised to not tell anyone until I was ready.

My junior year was a strange time for me. I played football and soccer in the fall (in West Virginia they are in the same season). I punted for the football team, but never felt comfortable. I was always scared about my sexuality on the team, surrounded by a bunch of country boys and jocks who would definitely make fun of me if they knew I was gay. I felt useless, which is why I dropped the sport in the senior year and focused solely on soccer.

Things were better in my favorite sport. My coach for my traveling soccer team laid down the law that there was not going to be any racism or discrimination based on sexuality, which made me feel safe. I still did not have the guts to tell anyone I was gay. My travel coach never knew that I was gay nor did I tell him but he was determined to create a safe environment on the team. We were a very diverse team that played well together and were a state finalist three years in a row.

The experience of coming out was very rough for me to do but it really took off this fall. When I started to talk with Jem I was comfortable with myself and wasn’t ashamed like I was in years past. For me to be happy, though, I needed to come out. I didn’t want to hide how I really was any more. I didn’t want to live every day with a secret hanging over my head. I told my team before my own parents. My family was not accepting at first but is starting to come around and support me. I just had to keep telling them that I can’t change who I am and that I am the same teenager that I was before.

I came out to my soccer team one step at a time. Since I was dating Jem, I decided to become truthful with everyone. I never held a team meeting. Instead, I told some players and then they told others and these people asked me for confirmation. They couldn’t believe that I was gay, because they said “I always acted so straight.”

Teammates were curious and I got a lot of questions. I also got teased by my teammates closest to me making jokes or saying sexual things, but I know they were just kidding. Actually, their joking told me they were OK with things. I also knew that even if someone did say something negative that a lot of my teammates would have my back. Recently I was named captain for the Musselman swim team. They all know about my sexuality and gratefully are accepting.

Despite my fears, I feel very safe at my school when comes to LGBT issues; we even have a Gay Straight Alliance Club. I have made a lot new friends and my previous friends who are girls love me more and we have become better friends. I still get told that girls have crushes on me, before someone then breaks the news to them that I am gay.

As I am graduating next spring, I have been talking to several college coaches about playing soccer at their schools. That will be a whole new level, a whole new school, group of friends, and new teammates. But I won’t be afraid of being myself since I am proud to play as an athlete who happens to be gay.

Mike MartinsaveMichael Martin was inspired to come out by Robbie Rogers (Photo by Andrew Martin).

I try to prove myself in sports not just for myself but for other gay athletes. I want to show everyone that I am just as good as anyone else in my sport. Being a two-time goalkeeper of the year for my conference, making the All-State team and being two-time M.V.P for Musselman and defender of the year makes me proud.

I remember a playoff game with the varsity when I was only a freshman. We were playing our rivals and lost 1-0 on a goal with 10 minutes left. The goal was on a perfect shot in the upper corner, but it was so depressing for me. I felt like I let the team down but I kept my head up. It motivated me to become a better player the next three years.

One athletic highlight for me and one that showed I could play on a high level came when I had a tryout for the West Virginia’s Olympic development soccer team. I was very nervous during the tryout and I felt like did well. My training paid off and I made the team. It was a great exposure to quality soccer for me and it feels good to say that I was a part of that team.

My soccer hero and the man who inspired me to come out is Robbie Rogers of the Los Angeles Galaxy. I loved how he announced he was gay and did not quit playing soccer. He gave me hope and confidence to be true to myself. Once he came out I started to contemplate doing the same myself and being proud of who I am. He recently published a book, “Coming Out to Play,” which my friend Ben got me for my birthday. I can tell you that after reading the book, Robbie should be every soccer player’s idol, gay or straight. I am so proud that he recently won a MLS Cup with the Galaxy.

I have learned that being gay does not mean you are a lesser of a human being. If I can come out in a small town in West Virginia and be accepted, and dance with the homecoming king, it shows things are changing. I hope my performances and story help inspire other gay teens to show their true colors and not be afraid to play the sport they love.

Michael Martin, 18, is a senior at Musselman High School in Inwood, West Virginia, and is goalie for his school’s soccer team; he was named All-State this season. His hobbies include photography and the outdoors. His career dreams include owning historic hotels or producing sustainable foods. He can be reached via email at soccer4h96@gmail.com or on Twitter @martinofcompany. You can also check out his photography on Instagram (@wvnatureboy).

Story editor: Jim Buzinski

Emily Brothers

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Change.org
gSeán — There’s a new petition taking off on Change.org, and we think you might be interested in signing it;

David Dinsmore: Apologise for the dehumanising article on Emily Brothers
Rowan Davis
Carshalton, United Kingdom
Trigger Warning: transphobia and ableism
Emily Brothers is standing as MP for the constituency of Sutton & Cheam in the next General Election. Being both a trans woman and blind, she has already come under attack from journalists, in particular Rodd Liddle of the Sun, who on the 10th of December said that:
“Thing is… being blind, how did she know she was the wrong sex” [1]
By reducing her down to her blindness and transness, Liddle has contributed to the dehamanisation and opression of trans people and those with disabilities, and has helped uphold ableist and transphobic norms in politics.
We deserve better, and as such The Sun should publically apologise

AIDS In Tunisia Is No Myth, Even If It's Rarely Talked About

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 |  By

Posted: Updated:
 AIDS In Tunisia Is No Myth, Even If It's Rarely Talked About

Ghalia had dressed up for the occasion.
The woman, who is homeless and HIV-positive, was participating in a press conference organized by the Tunisian Organization for the Fight Against STDs and AIDS (ATLMST) on Dec. 2, World AIDS Day. On the stage, professionals were discussing the crisis using acronyms — HIV, MSM (Men who have Sex with Men), UID (Users of Intravenous Drugs). We had to listen carefully just to follow along. Few journalists showed up.
Ghalia, who asked to remain anonymous because many of her friends and family members don’t know she’s HIV-positive, says her husband infected her in 2006. Ghalia claims her husband knew he carried the virus, but never told her. “He said it was out of love,” she explained. She says that’s how she realized he had been cheating on her.
AIDS infection rates in Tunisia are generally low. According to UNAIDS, 3,400 people are living with the virus. ATLMST says Tunisia’s Ministry of Health puts the number at 1,900.
Professor Ridha Kamoun, ATLMST’s director, credits various societal taboos for the country’s low infection rate. “We quickly noticed the link between conservative mores and a low infection rate,” he said. Others argue, however, that taboos represent more of an obstacle than an opportunity, and that the numbers could be much lower if it weren’t for those taboos.
The epidemic mostly affects parts of the population that are already heavily stigmatized, like sex workers, gays and intravenous drug users. These groups are not only marginalized by society, but also criminalized by the justice system. The sentence for drug use, for example, is one year in prison. Sodomy is also a charge in Tunisia, and can lead to three years in prison.
Since the state is legally prohibited from working with criminalized populations, prevention work is left to other organizations — quite a paradox for a country that guarantees free medical treatment to its citizens.
Funded in part by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, the few Tunisian organizations that are active in the field concentrate on outreach work. These volunteers, for the most part HIV-positive, are active in their communities and organize workshops.
ATLMST recently started two shelters for drug users in the cities of Nabeul and Melassine.
Boxes filled with lubricant, clean syringes and condoms are stacked in ATLMST’s offices, waiting to be unpacked and distributed. The symbol of the fight against AIDS, the red ribbon, decorates the walls and computers.
ATLMST follows about 400 people. Many of the patients interviewed talk about their lives in terms of “before” and “after.” Many of them struggled before getting infected; Ridha Kamoun says drug users experienced trouble with the police, gays had trouble with their social status, and sex workers often had trouble with money.
Most of them lost their jobs after being diagnosed. Some have lost their families or their friends. They’ve all lost part of their health.
Ghalia belonged to the middle class and worked in the pharmaceutical industry before her diagnosis. Since then, she has resigned from her job, unable to tolerate the discrimination any longer — at one point she was banned from using the public restrooms at her workplace.
Her family knows and accepts her situation. From time to time she goes to eat at her parents’ house, where her brothers and their families also live. After finishing the meal, she says, her sisters-in-law throw out the plate and silverware she used.
Ghalia has made several attempts to take her own life.
 

Supporters of the Ennahda party in Tunisia, where attitudes towards people at risk of HIV-Aids are proving slow to change. Photograph: Mohamed Messara/EPA


Past studies have indicated that the suicide risk among HIV-positive patients may be higher than for those with other chronic illnesses. The risk can increase in particular during the initial weeks following a diagnosis of the disease, and when a patient’s health declines. It appears that since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), suicide among HIV-infected patients may be mediated more often by factors other than HIV, including depression, alcohol or other substance-related disorders.
In the past, Dr. Kamoun encouraged infected individuals to tell their friends. Now, he’s changed his mind. Even among the activists working for his organization, there are many who keep their status private. Their stories are hard to tell. “It’s hard, sometimes too hard, to hear their stories,” Kamoun says.
This piece originally appeared on HuffPost Tunisia and was translated from French.

Egyptian TV crew criticised over police raid on Cairo bath house

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At least 25 men arrested in raid, in latest example of crackdown on gay community and of collaboration between media and state
Men relaxing at a steam room or hammam in Cairo
Men relaxing at a steam room or hammam in Cairo Photograph: Asmaa Waguih/Reuters
A year-long crackdown on Egypt’s gay community continued this week with the arrest of at least 25 men at a bathhouse in central Cairo in a sting operation apparently initiated by a television crew.
The men were dragged half-naked into police trucks in the late night raid, which was filmed by a private television crew headed by presenter Mona Iraqi.
Iraqi and her colleagues later claimed on Facebook and in a YouTube video that they had led the police to the bathhouse on the unsubstantiated suspicion that its customers were a potential source of Aids.
“Watch the bold Mona Iraqi reveal in a series of investigative episodes the secret behind the spreading of Aids in Egypt,” stated a trailer for their programme, which was presented as a journalistic scoop and a tie-in with World Aids Day.
“For the first time in the history of Egyptian and Arabic media, we lead the morality police to storm the biggest den for male group sex in the heart of Cairo.”
Iraqi posted pictures of the raid on her Facebook page, including one of herself filming the men on a smartphone. She accompanied the photos with a since-deleted blogpost, explaining that her crew had “managed to make a filmed investigation to prove incidents of group perversion and record the confessions of the owners of this den”.
Her words largely attracted condemnation. “You see the picture of you filming with your phone?” replied Hossam Bahgat, a journalist and former head of a prominent rights group. “Your picture will be spread for years to come with every article, investigation or book on the collapse of Egyptian media ethics.”
The raid was the latest example of a crackdown on homosexuality and of collaboration between Egypt’s media and government. In November,eight men were jailed after being accused of taking part in a marriage-like ceremony on the river Nile. This year, there have been a number ofraids on private properties, street arrests targeting Egypt’s LGBT community and a surge in homophobic media coverage of gay life in Egypt.
Scott Long, the author of widely cited research on earlier crackdowns, wrote on Monday: “I hadn’t believed tensions around sexuality and gender could rise higher in Egypt. But they have. A brutal campaign of arrests continues, and the media incitement steadily intensifies.”
Homosexuality is not illegal in Egypt, but it is a social taboo and allegedly gay men have historically often been arrested on charges of immorality. In the largest case,
52 allegedly gay men were seized from a floating disco on the Nile in 2001 and charged with immorality.
Activists speculate that the recent rise in arrests is linked to the government’s desire to prove that it can be as socially conservative as the Muslim Brotherhood, which was ousted from power in July 2013.
Independent newspapers and channels have largely become cheerleaders for Abdel Fatah al-Sisi’s administration, with the editors of some of Egypt’s leading publications joining forces last month to jointly reject criticism of the army, police and judiciary.
• Additional reporting by Manu Abdo

YouTube star Connor Franta comes out as gay in video

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NIGRA has reposted this from the Guardian – we send our support and wish Connor a wonderful Christmas and New |Year.
 
Vlogging star tells fans that he is gay, saying he has accepted who he is and is ‘happy with that person’
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Connor Franta, who told fans his sexuality does not define him. Photograph: YouTube
Hannah Jane Parkinson
Tuesday 9 December 2014 17.39 GMT
YouTube vlogger Connor Franta, who has more than 3.6m subscribers and upwards of 156 million views, has told fans that he is gay.
In a video entitled simply “Coming Out”, the 22-year-old discussed working through his sexuality and telling family and friends, before deciding to share the news with his online audience.
“I’m sitting here with no script, no plan, no fancy editing, and I’m just gonna be really honest,” he said. “2014 is truly the year that I have accepted who I am and become happy with that person.”
Franta said he had first thought he might be gay when he was 12, but the idea “terrified” him because he was from the Midwest and that was “not a normal thing there”.

Franta’s emotional coming out video to his fans.
Franta dated girls during high school, but said he “felt nothing”, and even became mentally unwell as a result of hiding his feelings. “I thought about it so much that I became obsessed with it … and became depressed.”
The comedian, who makes lifestyle videos including “Living Alone” and “Walking Around Naked”, said his family and friends had been supportive of his coming out and urged others struggling with their sexuality to do so, saying it would “be OK”.
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Franta becomes emotional at times during the coming-out video. Photograph: YouTube
He also spoke about the information he had sought online from other vloggers and bloggers when he was struggling with his sexuality, and wanted to give others similar advice. “You are who you are and you should love that person,” he said.
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His coming out video has already had more than 2 million views and attracted 100,000 comments.
The majority of comments were positive, and conveyed pride, respect and support for Franta, but not all. “Personally I dont support/like gay. But that just my opinion [sic]”, read one of the negative ones.
More than 430,000 people have “liked” the video, while 3,299 have given it the thumbs down.
Franta is the latest high-profile figure to come out on YouTube. Last year the British Olympic diver Tom Daley announced last year that he was bisexual in a short video entitled “Something I want to say …”. It has since been viewed more than 11 million times. In April he declared he was happy to call himself “a gay man now”.

Still fighting for equality: So So Gay speaks to Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners

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We have yet to hear anything negative about Pride, 2014’s UK film highlight. Tracking the fascinating real-life friendship forged between a Welsh mining community and a group of London-based LGB activists at the height of the strikes, the film has struck a chord with audiences worldwide. We were keen to find out a little more about what has become of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners in the years that have passed, so caught up for a chat with Martin Goodsell and Brett Haran, the group’s treasurers and founder members of LGSM.

So So Gay: Hi, how are you both today?
LGSM: We’re both very well, thank you. Thanks for asking us about our involvement in LGSM. We know there’s lots of interest in the group following the huge success of Pride.
What have you been doing with yourselves in the 30 years since the events depicted inPride?
Quite a lot of things, as you can imagine, over such a long period of time. We’ve continued to be involved in various political campaigns over the years. In addition to our campaigning work, we both became dads to two delightful kids: a daughter, now 29, and a son, now 23. They’re both really proud and fascinated by what their dads and their comrades were involved in all those years ago.
lgsmSo how do you feel about the positive response to the film?
We think it’s been fantastic. The reviews have been overwhelmingly enthusiastic; many people have said they can’t remember the last time they found a film so moving, uplifting, joyous and life affirming. It really seems to have struck a chord, with many people saying there was spontaneous applause at the end of the film.
Do you feel it’s an accurate portrayal of events?
Well, the film is obviously not a documentary. It’s a dramatised account that’s aiming to get the story and its key message across to as wide an audience as possible. Some elements of the film have been fictionalised for dramatic effect, but the essential story as depicted in the film is very definitely an accurate portrayal.
Before the film came out, many of us felt that the amazing story of the coming together of our two communities – LGBT and the miners – could so easily have been forgotten. The film has ensured this is no longer the case and that’s very gratifying. It’s an important part of working class and LGBT history. As a direct result of LGSM’s involvement in the strike, the National Union of Mineworkers supported a motion which secured the Labour Party’s formal manifesto commitment to lesbian and gay equality – which led to significant advances for LGBT rights in the UK when Labour finally returned to power in the late 90s.
This includes the equalisation of the age of consent, outlawing discrimination against LGBT people in employment and the provision of goods and services, the inclusion of homophobia in the definition of hate crimes, repealing Section 28 and the introduction of civil partnerships, which paved the way for marriage equality.
To what extent do you feel the gay rights movement has become less political?
As a community we’ve achieved many goals over the last 30 years – we’ve just mentioned some of the key achievements in terms of equalities legislation. Because of these successes there’s a danger in thinking that the politics has gone and it’s now more about lifestyle. But there are plenty of stories in the press and online that show us that violence and discrimination against LGBT people – including homophobic bullying in schools – are still depressingly common and need to be confronted. We can’t be complacent and need to continue to support and defend the rights of LGBT people at home and abroad. In political terms, we’re still the target of abuse and hostility from those on the far right including Ukip. This must be challenged and exposed for the naked bigotry that it is. Thankfully, there are still plenty of people, LGBT and straight, who are committed to tackling these issues, through grass roots campaigns, community organisations and the trade unions.
Are you still in touch with any of the miners or their families?
We’ve seen Sian James on a couple of occasions over the last few years, but it was only at the premiere of the film Pride that we caught up again with many of our old friends from the Welsh mining communities.
What do you consider the greatest political challenges for the trade union movement and the LGBT community in 2014?
The biggest challenge for the trade union movement is the continuing fight against the government’s austerity measures, with cuts in public services and attacks on welfare. Some of the poorest and most vulnerable people are bearing the brunt of these measures. It’s very much an ‘us and them’, ‘divide and rule’ agenda. Just like 30 years ago during the miners’ strike, people are being scapegoated. The trade unions must continue to stand up for these people and give them a voice.
It’s important for us in the LGBT community to show solidarity with communities coming under attack. The gains we have made as LGBT people have come about when we have made common cause with others who have been fighting for their rights. The message of the Pridefilm demonstrates this perfectly.
lgsm-3-1-publicity-copy-of-a3-poster-pits-and-pervertsLGSM has regrouped. How has that been for you?
It’s been an incredibly emotional and inspirational experience. We had kept in touch with many of our old LGSM friends over the last 30 years but through the film and the regrouping of LGSM, we’ve also met friends and comrades again that we hadn’t seen for almost 30 years.
What does the future hold for the group?
It’s exciting how much energy and commitment there is for getting involved in new campaigns around LGBT issues and wider solidarity campaigns. There’s been an incredible amount of interest in LGSM generated by the film and not only in the UK but around the world.
We are planning to go back down to Dulais in March 2015 to mark the 30th anniversary of the end of the strike. We can’t wait to see if Jonathan will be able to match the dancing skills of his film counterpart when we find ourselves once again in the Onllwyn miners’ welfare hall! We are also looking to have a high profile presence at London Pride 2015, to mark the historic 30th anniversary of the miners and their families leading the Pride march in a show of solidarity with the LGBT community.
 

So So Gay readers can purchase a Pits & Perverts t-shirt, as sown in the film, directly from Martin by email at martin2003brasil@yahoo.co.uk. All proceeds go to supporting the campaigning work of LGSM. You can also follow LGSM on Twitter: (@LGSMpride)
http://youtu.be/6w8sJPq8_d4