Fridae

A lawyer in Singapore who intends to challenge the constitutionality of Section 377A may be unable to do so if the challenge is dismissed on the basis that the charge brought against his client has been amended. Alex Au considers the issues.

The New York Times article that mentioned Obama's gay nanny who joined a "transvestite" dance troupe, and which has spawned numerous reposts with headlines like "Obama's nanny was a gay transvestite" could have more accurately used "transgender" or "waria" – an indigenous Indonesian "transgender" person.

Navanethem Pillay, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, says it's time society spoke up against homophobia and hates crimes, and calls for homosexuality to be decriminalised.

Julya Oui, a transgender writer in Kuala Lumpur, shares how she came to be involved with Seksualiti Merdeka – Malaysia's only sexuality rights festival that was held last week – and found a new family after her plan to leave the country was thwarted by immigration authorities.

Fridae.com’s Hong Kong correspondent, Nigel Collett, examines the story behind the cancellation of this year’s Hong Kong Pride Parade.

At least 17 Asia Pacific governments fail to provide protections for LGBT people because their national laws, policies and practices which are inconsistent with international human rights law.

Lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender (LGBT) people in Asia and the Pacific Islands experience extra-judicial killings, torture, violence and rape, as well as discrimination in employment, education, housing and health services.

Fridae's travelling professor has been in Myanmar, and to his surprise found camp 'gay' movies on offer. He reports:

A film slated to be screened at the recently concluded Indignation Film Festival in Singapore had to be withdrawn after it was classified by censors as "Not Allowed for All Ratings". Jun Zubillaga-Pow, director of the festival, says such decisions only drives would-be viewers to seek other means to view the disallowed films.

Nigel Collett reviews Prayers for Bobby, a 2010 Golden Globe-nominated film based on the true story of Mary Griffith (played by Sigourney Weaver) – now a prominent campaigner for the US NGO, Parents, Families, Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) – whose son, Bobby was gay and committed suicide in 1983.