Fridae

Hong Kong LGBTs come out through art: Jan 24-28
See the art works of some 40 members of Hong Kong's LGBT community at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Lobby from Jan 24 to 28.

Organised by gay group Nutong Xueshe (女同學社) in collaboration with Hong Kong Ten Percent Club, the exhibition includes the works of some 30 participants of a recent series of photography, writing and drawing workshops conducted by comic artist Lily Lau, multi-media artist Verdy Leung and artist-filmmaker Yau Ching of Let's Love Hong Kong fame, the territory's first lesbian feature.

Participants were encouraged to explore issues of identity, gender and sexuality through creative expression. Organisers hoped for participants to "come out in their work, portraying themselves, their families, relationships and societies remarkably different from those in mainstream images dominated by heterosexual norms and presumptions."

Nutong Xueshe said in a media release: "While artistic and cultural expressions by LBGTQ (lesbian, bi, gay, transgender and queer) communities have been widely recognized by most European and American countries as an indispensable - and often the most highly regarded - part of their cultural heritage, most Tongzhi artists in Hong Kong have to remain hidden 'in the closet' for survival. This is a tremendous loss to our society and to our cultural heritage."

The exhibition, which is sponsored by the Home Affairs Bureau, will cover four umbrella themes: "Straight, Straight World," "I Am My Own Gender," "Rainbow Warriors," and "God Loves Us, We Love Ourselves."

"The general public in Hong Kong is granted an unprecedented opportunity to see and feel the pains, fears, angers, hopes, anxieties and pleasures from many of those whom have been living among us all along but whom we have pretended not to see," said the organisers.

In/Out - Hong Kong Tongzhi Art
Presented by Nutong Xueshe, Co-presented by Hong Kong Ten Percent Club
Visual Arts Exhibition: Jan 24-28 (9am-11pm) / Jan 29 (9am-6pm)
Venue: Hong Kong Cultural Centre Foyer Exhibition Areas E1&E2
Gender/Sexuality X Creativity Salon: Jan 28 (2:30-4:30pm)
Venue: Function Room AC2, 4/F, Administration Building, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Enquiries: 90310210 / contact@leslovestudy.com
Details: www.leslovestudy.com/creative

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Taiwan gay groups rally to support anti-discrimination job laws
Taiwan's LGBT community and women's rights groups rallied last Friday at the entrance of the Legislative Yuan's Chun-hsian Building against job discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Protestors called for the support of an amendment proposed by Legislator Huang Shu-ying that adds "sexual orientation" to Article Five of the Employment Law, which already provides protection to employees or applicants for employment from discrimination based on attributes including race, religion, party, marital status, and sex.

"We don't want special privileges, we just need our rights as citizens and as people. The job market is already tight and it's even harder for us," said Wu Shu-liang, director of the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association (TTHA).

Although the amendment had already been passed by the Legislative Sanitation, Environment, and Social Welfare Committee, it was derailed by a conservative religious coalition during the second and third reading. The Legislature has subsequently shelved the proposal, and the bill awaits fresh negotiations.

In a brief dated October 26, 2006, the religious group opposed the term "sexual orientation" and linked bisexuality, and homosexuality with zoophilia and pedophilia.

"If the employer is an educational institution, can't the employer examine the sexual orientation of the applicants to see whether they are pedophiles?" according to the group's statement.

In response, the rally statement quoted the American Psychological Association (APA), which defines sexual orientation as the enduring emotional, romantic, sexual, or affectional attraction that a person feels toward another person.

Taiwan is considered to be one of Asia's most progressive territories in terms of gay rights. In September last year, some 300 people attended a rainbow flag-raising ceremony in front of Taipei City Hall officiated by Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-Jeou to mark the beginning of Taipei Pride Festival.

Related articles
(not so) united under the rainbow flag
taipei holds rainbow flag raising ceremony to mark start of gay pride

Related web site
Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association

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Gay rights activists commemorate death of man at Vatican

A group of gay rights activists from the Italian ARCIGAY gay rights association gathered near the Vatican on Saturday holding banners and flags to commemorate the death of an Italian man who set himself on fire in St. Peter's Square on January 13, 1998 to protest the church's treatment of homosexuals. The 40-year-old poet died of his injuries 11 days after the incident.

Before his death, he wrote at length about how he felt rejected by the church and of the pain it had caused him, according to a Reuters report.

The activists also protested what they said was the Vatican's interference in the affairs of mainly Catholic Italy which is considering to offer legal recognition to gay and unmarried couples.

"Less Vatican, more self-determination," read one banner.

The Vatican has said that it will use all of its influence to defeat proposed Italian legislation to grant civil unions to same-sex partners. Pope Benedict XVI has repeatedly condemned unions and marriage between homosexuals and legal protection for unmarried couples.

Founded in 1985, Arcigay is Italy's national gay rights organisation with over 150,000 members and acts as an umbrella organisation for 106 (42 political and 64 recreational) local centres, throughout 45 provinces in Italy.