By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com MemorialDay, May 31, 2010 Ninety-two years ago my great uncle, John Ammon (photo right), had his young life taken from him in a 1918 World War I battle (St. Georges, France), less than 30 days before the armistice that ended the carnage. The total number of Americans killed and wounded numbered
Some Portholes of Light in the Sewers of Homophobia
By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 30, 2010 Some portholes of light in the sewers of homophobia around the world this past week: Zimbabwe released from jail, on bail, two GALZ (Gays and Lesbian of Zimbabwe) staff members (Ellen Chadehama and Ignatius Mhambi) after being arrested on trumped up charges of ‘undermining the authority of the
Inspired Davids Stand Against Stupefied Goliaths–Gay Activism in the 21st Century
It takes great courage to confront the brick wall of systemic homophobia in Morocco. By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 28, 2010 Read this News Report (http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2010/05/27/feature-03) or read the Previous Blog, May 27, on this site (http://globalgayz.blogspot.com/2010/05/courageous-gay-magazine-mithly-debuts.html) about a gay magazine published for Moroccan gay people and distributed in major cities in Morocco. A daring
Courageous Gay Magazine ‘Mithly’ Debuts in Morocco
Despite Islamist hostility and a restrictive legal climate, homosexuals in Morocco are publishing a magazine that covers issues in their community and beyond. Posted by Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 27, 2010 By Imane Belhaj Magharebia News Casablanca [mithly.net] Magazine Mithly (Gay) published its first edition in April but has not applied for a government li
19 of 48 countries in the Asia Pacific region criminalize male-to-male sex
“Governments should “not be guided by public morality, but by constitutional morality…” Posted by Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.comFridae.com News 24 May 2010 by Laurindo Garcia Nineteen of 48 countries in the Asia Pacific region criminalize male-to-male sex which contributes to over 90 percent of gay and bisexual men in the region being denied access to HIV
Moscow Gay Pride Launched–Heading into Bloody Battle
Fifth attempt to challenge Mayor’s Pride ban in central Moscow this Saturday 29 May Posted by Richard Ammon GllobalGayz.com Moscow 27 May 2010 The fifth attempt to hold a Moscow Pride parade was launched today in the Grand Ballroom at the Lesnaya Holiday Inn hotel in Moscow. Nikolai Alekseev, the Moscow Pride organizer (photo right),
Malawi Lovers Gay Jailed for Love
By Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com December 2009 (Note: Tiwonge and Steven were released from jail in May 29, 2010 by Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika; see story) As if the homophobic proposals (to kill gays) in the Ugandan legislature weren’t bad enough–at least they are only proposals at this time–now comes the incredible action taken by a
Gay Pride Attacked in Belarus
Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 15, 2010 Saturday May 15 2010, gay Pride day in Minsk, Balarus, arrived and there were no unusual surprises: trouble was anticipated and trouble there was. The gay participants knew the police would try to stop them. The police knew where the marchers were and intercepted them–but not before the combined
Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride–a Film
Beyond Gay: The Politics of Pride A film by Bob Christie (Canada, 2009) From the Director “Gay people are famous for being fabulous and having lots of fun, and really that was my goal for the audience experience of Beyond Gay. So the film is definitely equal parts entertainment and education. Many people, gay and
The Disease of Homophobia
Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com Mat 14, 2010 Hopefully some day coming out won’t be such a big deal and won’t be news–or do we gay (LGBT people) secretly like the rush of notoriety, the fuss, the ‘news worthy’ event, by appearing to win one more to our club, gaining over the homophobes and discovering the inside
Religious Fairy Tales vs Gay Marriage
Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com May 13, 2010 Today’s news brought a hysterically horrid report about the Pope in Portugal. He called for pastoral action to tackle abortion and same-sex marriage, which he called “some of today’s most insidious and dangerous threats to the common good“. (Insidious means: harmful but enticing; seductive; having a gradual and cumulative
Farewell to a Friend Dying Too Young
Richard Ammon The Pines, Fire Island Long Island, New York May 8, 2010 This is where the gay boys are housed in their trendy unpainted wood and glass mansionettes surrounded by scrub oaks, wooden sidewalks, sandy beaches and testosterone. It takes a ferry to get here and much money to stay; it’s definitely a place
Leo Tolstoy and Russian Soup
Richard Ammon GlobalGayz.com I recently traveled to Russia where I visited three cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Tula. Tula? It’s hardly a tourist hotspot, but this industrial city 120 miles south of Moscow is the location of a world renown site that has become a shrine of sorts for intellectuals, students and lovers of Russian
Gay Pride in Russia
Richard Ammon GlobalGayz April 27, 2010 Letter from Russia. Gay Russia is surprisingly alive or dead according to the view you have from being there. Dense homophobia pervades the culture. A visitor will not find a public scene. No flags, no parades, no store-front centers or offices, one magazine, a couple of on-line gay sites
Being Gay is Political–Like It or Not
Richard Ammon. GlobalGayz.com January 11, 2010 Someone recently reviewed my website, GlobalGayz.com, and thought it was not focused well. Was it a gay site? A travel site? A human rights advocacy site? A political site? A news reports site? My reply was short: being openly gay at the turn of the 21st is a political
Curing Homosexuality—with Murder
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz Laguna Beach, California January 5, 2010 How many ways can you kill a person for being gay? We like to use the word ‘barbarian’ these days to describe ancient war tactics, medieval religious torture and primitive ‘medical’ practices. But the truth is barbaric practices are in current vogue in certain countries around
New Year, Full Moon
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Laguna Beach, California, January 1, 2010 5 AM before sunrise, Southern California A brilliant white glowing moon hangs, seemingly weightless, on the edge of deep space, over the Pacific Ocean, its luminescence reflected in the rippling water. The dark gray-blue sky is cloudless. The moon is completely full round. The air is
Sex! A Prescription for Aging
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Laguna Beach, December 31, 2009 My partner and I had sex the other night. No, this is not an expose or verbal porn. I offer these words as a reflection on at least three of life’s major happenings: aging, sex and love, i.e.long term relationships—all rolled into one. I am almost 70.
Being Straight and Not Married; Being Gay and Not Married
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com December 26, 2009 I visited my 94 year-old stepfather over Christmas. He lives with his 93 year-old girlfriend. He’s my ‘step’ because he married my mother when they were both 75; they had good years before she died of lung caner—she smoked when she was a young parent; it was the fashion
Uganda: Stealing the Spotlight From President Museveni
Neophyte Legislator Proposes Deadly Laws Against Gays: Unleashes International Protest Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz Laguna Beach, CA Yoweri Museveni has been president of Uganda for 24 years in a country that had suffered decades of government corruption, mismanagement, bloody guerilla activity and civil war, all preceded by the the horrors of the Idi Amin tyranny in
Gay Rights Activist Murdered in Honduras
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com December 17, 2009 Once again we are humbled and infuriated that yet another courageous gay activist has been gunned down for his human rights work. In a previous blog we considered the irrational persecution and killing of LGBT (gay) people across the world and how human fear and hatred make us inhumane.
Human Myths That Make Us Inhumane
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com New York City I am continually saddened by how far and deep irrational thought (myth) can infuse a society, especially regarding a political or religious issue. Gay marriage is one issue that arouses irrational political and religious discomfort. It’s an issue that burns because it involves or implies human sexual behavior, which
Another Gay Ambassador Appointed
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com Laguna Beach California Now for some good news among the waves of homophobia swirling around these days, especially from Africa. The new USA ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa was sworn in the other day. Not a major political jolt or international flap but a decidedly moving event considering that the new
Sundown on World AIDS Day
Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz Laguna Beach, CA The sun went down across the horizon this evening on this commemorative day for people lost to AIDS. A small candlelit gathering on the beach in Laguna (California) named friends, family and lovers who now live only in the memories of those who spoke. The prayers offered were a
New Hate Crimes Bill: New Era of Civil Rights Recognition for LGBT Americans (?)
From: Examiner.com October 31, 2009 Sonoma County (California) Civil Rights Examiner By Megan Cofey The expanded federal Hate Crime Prevention Act, named for 1998 victims Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. and signed into law by President Obama on October 28, may end up being much more significant than its scope would suggest. Although the