August 2021

I am Amanda, a Transgender Woman

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I am Amanda, a transgender woman. Forced sex worker and artist.

Childhood, grandmother and family

As a child I was very cowardly and gentle. I loved volleyball and I also went in circles, but there were only girls in the group and the boy was me alone.

I was afraid of everything. I was totally afraid that someone would hurt me. I was scared even when my father came home drunk and hit my mother. In one such case, I took a knife and told my father, hit me, but please do not hit my mother. After that, he did not touch her anymore.

The most positive memories and happy years of my childhood are associated with my grandmother. I had a perfect life until my grandmother was alive. She was everything to me – Grandmother, Mother, Father… Grandma was God to me and her word – the law. From the beginning she noticed that I was different, she always fought for me and defended me. When she died, the ground was swept under my feet and this stage of life ended. I learned a few qualities from my grandmother – she was never unfair, she was a little strict and she never gave up. I will not give up either – even if ten men beat me and even if they beat me hard, I will not give up and I will fight to the end, even if I follow my friends who are no longer alive.

I do not live with my family today, but I have contact with my mother, sister and father. If I need money and I call my mother, she asks me how much I need and if she does not have it, she will definitely find a way to get it. She is my mother still. No matter where you go, no matter who you meet and fall in love with, the price of parenthood is still invaluable. The family has a completely different place in a person’s life and it lasts forever.

Puberty and sex-work

I was 12 years old when I realised who I was. I also had my first cigarette then. I used to be a straight A student at school, but at that age everything changed radically – the teacher told me, you are no longer that child, they changed you. Then I had my first sexual intercourse with a man, at his initiative. He did not force me, but he was older than me – 19 years old, which from this point of view is pedophilia. He was the son of my mums friend, and my mother still blames herself for everything, “if i had saved you, you would not be like that today”.

I got involved in sex work at 12 years old. Pedophilia is flourishing today, an then it was even more – when they learned, I was a child, they paid three or four times more. I was little, I saw that I could make easy money and then I liked it all. Over time, this approval became self-preserving and a kind of job, and then I realised I had gotten into something very bad.

Self-defence and Jail

Generally, where there is aggression, I leave that environment, but if I or my friends are physically attacked, a radically different Amanda wakes up to fight. Sometimes they stand on the other side of the road and look at me, “if you want something, come and get it” i say, but they are afraid.

I first had to defend my rights with the police in 2004. Zizi and I, who is no longer alive, stood at the circus. The police came and told me i could not stand there. “Give me half of your salary and I will not stand here” – I said, I answered. “Why should I give it to you?” he asked and, “oh, why should I leave this area?” — I answered. I made a scene, then was a time when people were being killed at the circus and no one cared about this.. During this period, the oldest transgender woman in Georgia, Maka-Mamuka’s throat was split open. Also, it was a very high-profile case when four boys beat me and it turned out that all four were police officers. After that, the employees of the Ministry of Defense attacked the employees at Ortachala station. On this day, even the ambulance doctors were such homophobes that they did not give me first aid. Then the journalists came and when they saw that I was bleeding, they were shocked at the sight.

In order to protect myself and my rights, I also spent some time in prison – I was out of work when a stranger came and asked for my services, we agreed on a price. when he was supposed to give me the money he swore at me. I became enraged, I took it, I took my money, and i beat him, he had 10-20 GEL more and I took that too. He went and sued for the robbery. Everything was messed up. Then we were one of few trans people rioting they didn’t like that and they put me. away. I spent seven years in prison. I can not say that I felt bad. It was a kind of school and I learned a lot – patience, recognising people, protecting myself… I was locked in four walls alone. I asked for a library, books were brought to me and i read them. I created my world and I was in that world, I had makeup and everything. The most difficult was the first and last year in prison. The first year it was getting used to it, and the last – the expectation for release. Those five years flew by so quick I didn’t process it.

Equality, Women and Queer women

The life of a transgender woman is different from the life of other women, although the life of women and trans people in our country has almost the same price. Women are not valued. This is a country where every tenth call to 112 is about violence against women.

We are told that we have equal rights. How can I have equal rights when I get on public transport, someone will stone me. I am equal in that I pay the same taxes as others. When the policeman is sitting in a car bought with my tax money, should he not help me?!

Freedom for me is living in a quiet environment where I am not reprimanded for being different. I am not looking for a perfect life. It is a shame when the whole world stands proudly on its feet and we have yet to stand. It is a shame when a person is not given a job because he or she is gay or lesbian. Trans people are the most vulnerable group because they can not going to hide their identity. Gays may disguise, lesbians may tolerate, but transgender woman can not tolerate. The case of transgender is completely different. If I lived like a boy, I would not lack anything – I would have a good job and a house but I am this way and I want to be accepted like that.

I will tell queer women living in a hostile environment to be strong, not to give up, to always do what they think is right. Do not be afraid, There are many of us. I recommend that all of them always say what they have to say out loud so that everyone can hear.

Physical and Mental health

If I have a health problem and need financial help, I turn to the organisations that work on these topics and they direct us. They know the doctors who can provide services and consultation. Also, they have psychologists and if we needed to, the organisations that would let us in at its own expense.

The problem for transgender women is funding hormonal therapy, it is very expensive and so far, not funded. It is necessary for everyone who wants to go through the transition.

Motivation, Support and Hope

This is how a they understand transgender women in Georgia – because you are trans, you should be involved in sex work. However, a new generation of transgender women who are not involved in sex work are coming and I am very happy about it. They have the support of the family, when your child is like this, you can’t prohibit them, it makes no sense, on the contrary, you need to help. They used to be ashamed of such children. This smart and strong future generation also motivates me to fight and I hope they will live in a freer country than we do now.

Despite everything I went through, I made a lot of friends during this period and I felt the support of many people. Especially, I will highlight July 6, when i remember that day i still get shivers down my spine. I saw a lot of faces that day who are not trans people, gays, lesbians at all, but I saw them standing there, next to us. They sang the Georgian national anthem with us under the flag and suddenly this emotion and love gathered in one …. It was very exciting.

What should we do? How did we survive?

To change this environment, people need to get more education and information on the subject. Unfortunately, there are many uneducated people living in our country, but it is not the fault of the society, it is the fault of the government – they remember their voters only on election day, and at other times they do not care what they need.

I think that as long as there is this government, nothing will help us, they will sow hatred. Where the church comes out and says, kill in the name of Christ, how can we talk?! Until that happens, people will be oppressed because of their differences.

I think that all transgender people should introduce themselves to the society from a different angle, such as artist, singer, dancer, sportsman, etc. I remember the biggest wow for me was when I heard that a transgender woman was employed by Barack Obama in the White House. All people are equal and whether they like it or not, they will have to admit it.

The Future

I am going to leave Georgia soon. Why do I want to go? Because I exist here and I will live there. I have other dreams and plans – I want to get rid of sex work, graduate from an art academy and become a famous artist. Famous transgender female artist.

Now i work at one place, in a distribution where the boss knows I’m in a trans, but the condition is that I do not disclose it at work. I told him that I was going to leave Georgia and I wanted to save money. The staff knows nothing about me, I do not allow them to talk to me about this topic. There is one woman whom I respect very much, she calls me “my girl”. She realises who I am and so she calls me like that, it makes me very happy.

The Art

I have been drawing since I was very young, I have no education, I am self-taught. I mastered drawing techniques on the Internet, watched video tutorials on how to draw people, animals, various figures or objects, and added my vision and style to my education. I took painting seriously in 2012, when I had to paint on behalf of one of the NGOs, after that there was a penitentiary where I drew icons and made a living, other inmates bought my icons and I had a small income, along with income, it gave me a lot of experience.

The women I paint depict specific moments of my life, by painting these women I express my inner state and the stage am in. By portraying this character as a woman, I want to remind the public that we, women, are not going to stop, it is true that no one has taught us to fight, but we are ready to fight for our rights the way men do. Gone are the days when women were associated with the oppressed group, in our country and in the world in general, it’s long gone, the slavery of women ended with the years of the rule of our female king, Tamar. Unfortunately people do not remember it and I want my paintings to remind people of this.

I want to include a lot of ideas in my paintings, but what I would probably single out the most is saying no to hatred, no to violence, no to transphobia, and no to oppression of people of different genders, religions, or sexual orientations. It is also common in our community when people of different sexual orientations are intolerant of each other, do not allow each other, develop, become stronger, with my drawings I want to call upon these people to show more acceptance, and the same goes for the rest of society. I want to show that it does not matter whether you are a woman or a man, transgender or gay, black or white, through my drawings, I try to erase the boundaries that are imposed between people and my characters do not have the characteristics that make hate and confrontation so common.

My grandmother used to tell me as a child that life is a huge cake, everyone’s gets a piece of this huge cake, there is no person who does not have their share, but there are people who try to take someone else’s cake pieces. My creativity is based on these words of my grandmother, I want to tell everyone with my drawings to do their part, not to take anyone and at the same time not to allow anyone to steal from others.

My only dream is to graduate from an art academy, I have friends in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, they promise to help me get into university. I want to live more peacefully, spend more time painting and create drawings that will give me and others pleasure. I’m not going to stop, and when it comes to queer artists, I always say and urge people – wake up, do what you like! Do you sing – Sing, do you paint? – Paint! If you have something to say, be sure to say i, find your medium, change people’s attitudes towards the LGBT community!

The interview was prepared with the support of the Women in Georgia Foundation (WFG)

Author: Nino Urushadze

Photos: Vakho Kareli

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Cara Delevingne – Queer Fashion and the Red Carpet

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Cara, of course, has a lot of amazing features that have nothing to do with the clothes she wears. Also, everyone knows that she is an admirer and supporter of the queer community.

Ranging from simple clothes to a silver shaved head, She adds an extra charm to the red carpet.

Rainbow Costume at Met Gala 2019

At the premiere of “The Great Gatsby”, Delevingne demonstrated an amazing synthesis of vintage and glamor. Cannes Film Festival, 2013:

The psychedelic jumpsuit that Cara is wearing looks magical:

The jumpsuit that Cara wore to the Girl Up # GirlHero Awards, 2019:

Cara’s simplicity and glamour in one photo

This look resembles interior of a bathroom, but it still looks magnificent:

Rihanna and Cara at British Fashion Awards

She looks fantastic in this cosmic dress too;  Thousand Planets Premiere, 2017:

Cara looked amazing in a silver glitter costume at the American Music Award:

A beautiful jumpsuit by Velvet; MTV Movie Awards, 2016:

Cara Delevingne in the beginning of her career, 2012

MTV Movie Award, 2017:

Cara in a beautiful, elegant dress,  Women of The Year, 2016:

source: buzzfeed.com

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A Transgender Woman Was Shot with a Pneumatic Weapon in Tbilisi

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A transgender woman was shot with a pneumatic weapon in a Circus area in Tbilisi yesterday. In a conversation with Queer, a transgender woman, Cecilia, says that she has never had contact with these people before:

“Yesterday, at about one o’clock I was coming down from Aleksidze turn. When I got out of the car, i was on foot walking to the Heroes’ Square, three strangers came up to me and ran away. After that, they got into the car, as soon as I arrived at Aleksidze lane, I had to cross the road in the direction of the circus, during which I was shot from the car with a pneumatic gun, one rubber bullet hit me in the chin and the other in the back. There was no swearing, no insult, I had no contact with them before, I saw them for the first time in my life.

They are arrested now. As they say themselves, we did not even know that it was a trans, we just wanted to intimidate and make fun of her, we did not think that she would get hit and get any kind of injury. But this is advised by the lawyers so that the anti-discrimination laws don’t apply to the investigation, so they aren’t prosecuted on the grounds of transphobia.”

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138 Organizations Have Signed an Open Letter for the Protection of Afghan LGBTQ+ People

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In a joint statement posted on the ILGA Asia website, various LGBTQ + advocacy groups called for the protection of women, children and other vulnerable groups in Afghanistan.

On August 15, Taliban fighters seized control of the Presidential Palace in Kabul and the entire country after the president’s ouster. The rapid spread of Taliban power has led to the sudden disintegration of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Political and advocacy organizations have taken an interest in the situation of vulnerable groups in the country, including LGBTQ + people, women and religious minorities.

“We are concerned about Sharia law imposed by the Taliban. It is well known that many women and girls are afraid to participate in public life and are at risk of being banned from school and university. We are saddened by the fact that for decades the advancement of women’s groups has changed suddenly and catastrophically.

Also, we are afraid that LGBTQ people will start being criminalized and persecuted, the Taliban government has made a statement that the death penalty for gay men will be restored. Afghan LGBT people have been living in fear of violence and murder for several years now, and we fear that this situation will only get worse.” –  is said in a public statement.

The letter from ILGA Asia states the following

We call on the Taliban to respect all the human rights enshrined in the Afghan constitution, as well as the international agreements ratified by Afghanistan, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international human rights norms.

We demand that any efforts to quell this political crisis be made in a timely manner.

We call on the international community to provide urgent humanitarian assistance and protect all Afghans.

We call on countries to open their borders and accept refugees and asylum seekers from Afghanistan. We appreciate Canada’s commitment to accept 20,000 vulnerable Afghans and prioritizing LGBT individuals, women leaders, and other groups. We expect other countries to do the same.

We urge everyone to work together to provide support as much as they can. We call on individuals and groups to make donations and donations to provide emergency funding to LGBTQ + organizations in Afghanistan.

Below is a list of LGBTQ + advocacy groups that have signed this statement:

  1. 6Rang (Iranian Lesbian and Transgender Network)
  2. Access Planet Organization
  3. African Trans Network
  4. Aleph Melbourne
  5. All Out
  6. All Women’s Action Society (AWAM)
  7. Alouen
  8. Amnesty International Taiwan Section
  9. Antalya Feminist Kolektif
  10. ASEAN Feminist LBQ Network
  11. ASEAN SOGIE Caucus
  12. Asia Pacific Transgender Network
  13. Asia-Pacific Rainbow Catholics Network
  14. Bangladesh Queer Partnership Platform- EQUAL
  15. Beyond Borders Malaysia
  16. Bisdak Pride, Inc.
  17. Bisexual Alliance Victoria
  18. Boys of Bangladesh (Formerly)
  19. Campaign for Change
  20. CAN-Myanmar
  21. CEDAW Committee of Trinidad & Tobago
  22. Centre for Civil and Political Rights
  23. Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) Malaysia
  24. COC Netherlands
  25. Community Welfare and Development Fund
  26. Covenants Watch
  27. CPCD Studio
  28. Dawei Probono Lawyer Network
  29. Deaf Rainbow
  30. Diversity and Solidarity Trust – Sri Lanka
  31. Diversity Lounge Toyama
  32. Doshisha University
  33. Edge Effect
  34. ELLY Fukui
  35. Equal Asia Foundation
  36. EQUAL GROUND, Sri Lanka
  37. GAYa NUSANTARA Foundation
  38. Gays Without Borders
  39. Helem
  40. Human Dignity Trust
  41. Human Rights Defenders World Summit
  42. ICS Center
  43. ILGA Asia
  44. ILGA World
  45. Iloilo Pride Team
  46. Inclusive Bangladesh
  47. International Service for Human Rights
  48. International Women’s Rights Action Watch Asia Pacific
  49. Intersex Asia
  50. Intersex Philippines
  51. isha lisha – Haifa feminist center
  52. Ishikawa Conference for LGBT
  53. Iwate Rainbow Network
  54. J-ALL (Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation)
  55. JEJAKA
  56. Justice for sisters
  57. Kampania Przeciw Homofobii | Campaign Against Homophobia (Poland)
  58. Kanazawa Rainbow Pride
  59. Kaos GL
  60. Korean Sexual-minority Culture & Rights Center
  61. LakanBini Advocates Pilipinas
  62. Legal Dignity
  63. Let’s Breakthrough, Inc.
  64. Lezpa
  65. LGBT Centre
  66. LOUD (Lesbians of Undeniable Drive)
  67. LOVE4ONE
  68. M-coalition
  69. MANODIVERSA
  70. Manushya Foundation
  71. Marsa Sexual Health Center
  72. Matimba
  73. Metro Manila Pride
  74. Midneunfemi
  75. Monsoon Malaysia (MM)
  76. MOSAIC Mena
  77. Movimiento de Integración y Liberación Homosexual (MOVILH)
  78. Mujer-LGBT Organization, Inc
  79. Namibia Diverse Women Association
  80. Nijiiro Diversity
  81. Noboprobhaat
  82. Nőkért Egyesület (Association for Women), Hungary
  83. NPO Tokyo Rainbow Pride
  84. Oogachaga
  85. Organization Intersex International-Chinese (Oii-Chinese)
  86. Outrage Magazine
  87. Pacific Human Rights Initiative
  88. Palestinian Working Woman for Development “PWWSD”
  89. Pan Africa ILGA
  90. PELANGI Campaign
  91. Persatuan Sahabat Wanita, Selangor (Friends of Women Organisation, Selangor)
  92. Pioneer Filipino Transgender men Movement
  93. PLACE TOKYO
  94. Planet Ally
  95. PLUHO (People Like Us Hang Out!)
  96. Pride House Tokyo
  97. PROHAM
  98. Proud Futures
  99. PT Foundation
  100. Queer Voices of Bhutan
  101. Queers4Climate
  102. Rainbow Action Against Sexual-Minority Discrimination
  103. Rainbow Egypt
  104. RainbowJesus (무지개예수)
  105. RFSL (The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Rights)
  106. Sans Tabous
  107. Sayoni
  108. SEED Malaysia
  109. Seoul Human Rights Film Festival in South Korea
  110. SGRainbow
  111. SHARE, center for Sexual rights And Reproductive justicE
  112. Sisters in Islam, Malaysia
  113. SOGILAW
  114. SORANIJI HIMEJI
  115. Success Capital Organisation
  116. Swasti
  117. Taiwan Association for Human Rights
  118. Taiwan Equality Campaign
  119. Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association
  120. Taiwan LGBTQ Family Rights Advocacy
  121. Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association
  122. The Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya (GALCK)
  123. The Global Center for LGBTI+ Freedom and Education
  124. The Institute for Studies on Society, Economy & Environment – iSEE
  125. Thorne Harbour Health
  126. Together4Change: DAWOOM
  127. Transgender Equality Hong Kong
  128. Transgender Victoria
  129. Transpiration Power
  130. Trikone Australasia Inc
  131. Tufts University
  132. UP Babaylan
  133. Visayas LBTQ Network
  134. Women Against Rape
  135. Women for Women’s Human Rights (WWHR)
  136. Youth Voices Count
  137. にじ♡はぐ　石川
  138. ひだまりの会

source: https://www.ilgaasia.org/news/2021/8/18/joint-statement-on-afghanistan

https://www.gaytimes.co.uk/life/136-organisations-sign-open-letter-calling-for-protection-of-lgbtq-people-in-afghanistan/

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Brazil’s First Transgender Pastor – Being Trans is not a Flaw

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In a country full of hatred toward queer people, Alexia Salvador uses her faith to help other queers. “I feel their pain in my body because my family and I went through this” – says the first transgender pastor in Brazil and she hopes that she can help many people with her faith. She wishes to change the relationship between the church and the LGBTQ+ community, make it more accepting and tolerant.

According to the National Association of Travestis and Transexuals of Brazil (Antra), 175 trans people were killed in Brazil last year. Most of them were black and poor women. Sadly, this violent tendency is still on-going this year as well. One transgender woman was beaten by 2 man, she was tied up in a car trunk, as the nearby police ignored the situation.

Despite the fact that preaching is a part of Alexia Salvador’s job, the most important thing for her is accepting transgender individuals into to the church, listening to them and finding out about their needs – be it food, shelter or spiritual nourishment. The doors of her church are always open for the queer people and are a safe haven for the oppressed.

Salvador has always been religious. At the age of 7 she asked her parents to take her to a church. Bullying was common at schools then as well, and Salvador was searching for relief and acceptance. “When they first spoke to me in the church and didn’t make fun of me, I was shocked. It was the first time I felt needed and important”– she recalls. After this, Alexia decided to study at the seminary and join the Catholic Church, but there she was met with a great deal of resistance and rejection. Because of the toxic environment, Alexia left the Catholic seminary, however she never lost her faith.

After one year, she discovered a church in São Paulo, where she met one of the pastors – Troy Perry. The Latin-American parish accepted and welcomed Alexia to the church. This is where the transgender pastor married her husband. “The panic that lived in my head until I discovered the MCC was that I would go to hell, that I was God’s mistake. While studying theology, I learned that I have flaws like all humans do, but being a trans woman is not one of them.” – says Alexia.

Alexia had to go through a difficult path full of resistances to become a pastor. Now, because of the pandemic, the church is working online, but they are continuing helping others. “The Christianity that Jesus brought forward was for all people. Being a part of the church today, as a trans woman, is a reclamation of the space that we know is also ours.”

Source: theguardian.com

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Alastair Bruce – The Story of Britain’s Highest Rank Queer Officer

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When Alastair Bruce joined the army in 1979, it was impossible to be serving the country and a homosexual at the same time. Last month General Bruce became the highest ranking officer in the British army, and married his male partner, with whom he has been in a relationship with for 20 years.

Bruce has been hiding his relationship with Stephen Knott for years, and this year he got married dressed in a military uniform.

The general kept his sexual orientation a secret for almost his entire career because of fear that he would be fired from a job, and he has put in a great deal of work into it and repeatedly made sacrifices.

The British Army has changed its attitude towards homosexuals since the year 2000. Prior to that, it was forbidden for queer people to be in the army.

General Bruce met his partner when he was a lecturer on a cruise ship. “I was very surprised when I found out that he was interested in the same historical issues as I was. Our relationship continued after the lectures too. A few months later Stephen left his home and moved to the UK to be with me. It was a very brave step on his part and then I realized what was most important in life,” said Bruce.

 

Source: bbc.com

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Madonna is 63 years old: 13 gay anthems of the Queen of Pop

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On August 16, the pop legend turned 63! Madonna began her career in the 1970s after moving to New York City. The young girl wanted to try her luck in choreography – after several unsuccessful attempts she got into music, recorded her first album Madonna and began a dizzying history in the world of pop.

Throughout her career, the American singer has been actively involved in promoting the LGBT + community. Even when Hollywood and Pop did not talk openly about queer issues, Madonna used all platforms to support the queer community, which is why she soon became a real icon for the LGBT community.

Here are 13 gay anthems of the Queen of Pop:

Material Girl (Like A Virgin, 1984)

Material Girl is one of the first songs in Madonna’s work that opened the door to fame for the singer. After the release of the music video, critics and listeners agreed that the 26-year-old singer’s star would shine for many more years. The song is inspired by the life of Marilyn Monroe and carries strong feminist messages.

True Blue (True Blue, 1986)

Before Madonna became a pop legend, she had come a long way, fame and recognition did not come easily to her, this song also accurately reflects the singer’s long and unruly path, the young star does not shy away from experiments and all her steps are unknown and unexpected.

Open Your Heart (True Blue, 1986)

In an another song from the 1986 album True Blue, the singer pays homage to gay icons in a music video – Lisa Minnelli and Marlene Dietrich. In addition, she confronts the male gaze and presents another gay anthem to the listener. The song was also performed by the Queen of Pop on the Grammy stage in 2014 to support same-sex marriage rights.

Express Yourself (Like A Prayer)

In the late ’80s, Madonna, at the height of her fame, recorded a new, fourth album and offered listeners another song, Express Yourself, which is especially important for women and the LGBT community. The singer breaks down gender boundaries and appears in a music video with a male alter ego. It was this legendary song that became the cause of the famous controversy between Lady Gaga and Madonna, fans of the Queen of Pop consider Gaga Born This Way to be a copy of this song.

Vogue (I’m Breathless, 1990)

The world has entered a new decade, the bright and colorful 80s are over, Madonna does not stop and this time in the most dirty and hidden places, she goes to the basement of New York Ballrooms, from the basements to the mainstream, she shows transcendental and transgender women of color. Shortly after her release from Vogue, the pop singer became the queen of pop.

Justify My Love (The Immaculate Collection, 1990)

Justify My Love is recognized as the birth of a new Madonna, the singer leaves her characteristic sound and naivety and her voice, lyrics, melody – becomes even bolder, sexy, feminine and provocative. The music video was blocked by MTV due to sexual footage, BDSM and bisexuality, to which the singer soon replied that she did not understand why they show murder scenes on screens without any problems and forbid footage where women kiss each other.

Fever (Erotica, 1992)

The year 1992 turned out to be special for Madonna, with another one of her albums Erotica appearing on the shelves, which was soon followed by a sex book. The album was soon banned in China and Singapore. Fever’s music video well captures Madonna’s transformation and the spirit of the ’90s. The song does not belong to Madonna, though the Madonna version is more recognizable.

Human Nature (Bedtime Stories, 1994)

In the 1990s, critics, journalists, and the Conservative community sharply criticized Madonna for her boldness and sexuality, and Madonna’s answer is another hit, Human Nature, where she actually laughs at a society that constantly restricts women and vulnerable groups. This famous composition of Madonna is ahead of its time and will be an inspiration for Christina Aguilera and Rihanna in the future.

Nothing Really Matters (Ray of Light, 1998)

As if the listener can not be surprised by anything, the pop legend once again manages to transform and returns with a completely new sound. The music video is one of the most memorable in the singer’s career, and the red kimono featured in the eighth season of the popular Rupaul’s reality show.

Hung Up (Confessions on a Dance Floor, 2005)

Created with the sound of ABBA Gimme Gimme Gimme, this famous hit is one of the most iconic in Madonna’s 2000s, pop legend once again proves that her heart still belongs to the LGBT + community and she is not going to stop.

Sorry (Confessions on a Dance Floor, 2005)

Madonna’s existence contributed to the emergence of new female artists in the 2000s. The music world no longer complains about the lack of women, though that does not necessarily mean that Madonna enjoys the glory of the past, she still continues to pamper the listeners with amazing compositions and this time apologizes in five different languages.

Girl Gone Wild (MDNA, 2012)

50 წელს გადაცილებული ვარსკვლავი კიდევ ერთხელ ახერხებს მსმენელების გაოცებას, მადონა უბრუნდება Erotica-ს ესთეთიკას, შავ-თეთრი მუსიკალური კლიპი, მამაკაცები ტყავის თეთრეულებში და მაღალ ქუსლებზე, რა თქმა უნდა, ეს ჩვენი მადონაა!

Bitch I’m Madonna (Rebel Heart, 2015)

Gay iconography is not easy, for Madonna this title is honorable and she also feels responsible. Bitch I’m Madonna is one of the last singles of the artist, in which the actress does not shy away from showing ego, however, in her video, she gives place to such young stars as Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj.

Source: gaytimes.co.uk

The article was prepared by Zura Abashidze

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Photo Chronicle: The HIV/AIDS Epidemic (1981-2021)

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The HIV / AIDS virus is still one of the biggest economic, medical and social problem for modern society. As of 2020, more than 37 million people worldwide are infected with the virus.

The virus spread in the 80s of last century and killed more than 36 million people. HIV / AIDS was particularly harmful to the LGBTQ community and contributed to their marginalization.

Nowadays, in terms of timely diagnosis and treatment, the life expectancy and quality of an infected person and an uninfected person are equal, HIV is no longer a death sentence.

Here is a photo chronicle of the HIV / AIDS epidemic and all the important historical facts surrounding the epidemic:

Circa 1884-1924

Between 1884 and 1924, a hunter killed a chimpanzee in West Africa, the animal’s blood penetrated the hunter’s body through a gun. The blood is safe for monkeys, though it is deadly for humans. The virus rapidly spread to other colonial cities in Africa.

Although the epidemic dates back to the 1980s, many researchers believe that the virus existed long ago in African countries and that the spread of the virus in the United States was facilitated by the export of cheap blood.

1981

In June 1981, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published information about 4 gay men living in Los Angeles who were diagnosed with pneumocystis pneumonia.

On July 4, another announcement was made about New York men who died of Kaposi’s sarcoma. By the end of the year such cases increased to 337, with 130 deaths.

1982

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls the virus AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) and it is clear that the virus is transmitted through blood.

1983

The disease also infects women who have sexual intercourse with infected men, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns residents that the disease also spreads to heterosexual couples and may transmit the virus to a newborn during pregnancy or very shortly after birth. The population is in a panic, there are many rumors that the virus can spread in everyday life. Apartment owners in New York are evicting people living with HIV.

1984

Researchers at the Pasteur Institute, Luc Montagnier and François Barre-Sinus, have been actively trying to isolate the virus from the lymph nodes of an HIV-infected person, giving scientists a significant boost in determining the nature of the virus and guiding further processes.

1985

Lisa Minnelli, Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor, one of the first AIDS philanthropists are shown in the picture.

Actor Rock Hudson is the first American public figure to declare that he was infected with the HIV virus in July 1985. Three months after the actor’s announcement, which further fueled hysteria in the population, the actor bequeathed $ 250,000 to establish the American AIDS Research Foundation. The first chair of the foundation is actress Elizabeth Taylor.

A study by the Los Angeles Times was published by the end of the year, where the majority of Americans support the quarantine of people diagnosed with HIV.

1985

In March 1985, the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved the first commercial blood test for the virus, and a month after that event, the first international conference on AIDS was held in Atlanta.

In December, 20-month-old Dwight Bark died of AIDS, Dwight being the first child to die of HIV.

1987

At the opening ceremony of the HIV / AIDS Hospital in London in April 1987, Princess Diana shook hands with a sick patient without a glove, and the ceremony was broadcast on national and international television channels. This act of a member of the royal family helps to defeat stigma, many people in the world still believe that the virus can be transmitted by simple contact with an infected person.

1988

American activist, playwright and producer Larry Kramer founded the international organization ACT UP, which was founded to mobilize forces to defeat the virus.

The organization is holding its first large-scale protest near the FDA headquarters in the United States, demanding that the Food and Drug Administration speed up scientific research into HIV / AIDS. The protest is attended by more than 1,000 activists and their slogan is SILENCE = DEATH. At the protest rally, up to 178 activists were arrested, however activists still reach the outcome and in 10 days the FDA has announced that the process will be accelerated.

1988

THE WHO (World Health Organization) declares December 1 as AIDS Day, the aim of the initiative is to raise awareness about the virus. On December 1, many activists and supporters continue to pay tribute to those infected and those who have died of the virus.

1989

HIV / AIDS virus also reaches Soviet Georgia. The case is recorded in the city of Sokhumi. A few years before the first case was registered, in 1984, the AIDS Service was established on the territory of the Center for Infectious Diseases.

1991

The world loses a basketball player Magic Johnson and the influential face of the pop world, Freddie Mercury.

The deaths of both celebrities raise awareness around HIV / AIDS.

1993

The fight against the AIDS epidemic is entering a new phase

 

  • . President Clinton creates new policies to fight HIV / AIDS
  • The international organization ACT UP and clothing line Benetton are installing a giant condom in Concorde Square in Paris to remind the world of the importance of safe sex in the fight against the virus.
  • A play with HIV / AIDS themes “Angels in America” wins Prestigious American Pulitzer Prize
  • Film “Philadelphia” comes out on the movie screens, telling us about a lawyer infected with AIDS. The film stars Tom Hanks, who soon won an Oscar.

1996

Revolutionary, antiretroviral HAART drugs are emerging that can reduce the virus in the human body. AIDS researcher David Ho argues that this treatment may completely drive viruses out of the body. Although it is soon established that the virus is going nowhere, it is hidden in dormant cells. However, new therapies reduce mortality by up to 40%.

1998 – 2000

Health organizations are spreading the word that antiretroviral therapy has dangerous side effects, and there is a need to develop new, more powerful medications. The FDA will soon approve new drugs that are safer but do not completely cure the virus.

2001-2002

As the number of deaths from AIDS increases, the problem becomes more widespread and global.

Kofi Annan, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Laureate, came out in 2001 with the initiative to establish the International AIDS and Health Fund, whose main goal would be to fight viral diseases. In the same year, at a special session, the UN supported Kofi Annan’s initiative and set up the World Fund.

2002

The 43rd President of the United States George W. Bush announces a presidential plan to fight AIDS. The program is funded with $ 15 billion and supplies antiretroviral drugs to 15 countries.

2012

The FDA, Food and Drug Administration has accredited the daily drug PrEP, which protects 99% of people transmitting AIDS during sexual intercourse. The drug also showed 74% effectiveness during various injections.

2020

In March 2020, an article was published in a medical journal describing how a patient was completely cured of the HIV virus. Adam Castello is the second person in the world to be completely cured of the virus.

The patient was cured as a result of a stem cell transplant, the purpose of the transplant was not to cure HIV, the patient had a diagnosis of cancer and that is why he underwent expensive surgery and as it turned out, the donor was found to be resistant to HIV.

This procedure is quite expensive and can not be used to treat millions of people, but the fact itself will have a positive effect on people living with HIV / AIDS and will allow scientists to investigate such surgical interventions and continue effective scientific work.

2021

The American pharmaceutical company Moderna just a few days ago announced a new vaccine against HIV. The vaccine is made with the latest mRNA system and promotes the production of antibodies against HIV in the body.

The first phase of the vaccine trial will begin in a few days, with 56 HIV-free people taking the test, and the second and third phases of the trials will be needed for the new vaccine to be finally authorized and made available to the general public.

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A Record Number of Queer Participants at the Tokyo Paralympics

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This year, 27 openly queer people from eight countries will take part in the Paralympic Games, which is twice the rate of the previous Paralympic Games. “We hope that more athletes will participate in the future, because it is important for all people with disabilities to have a positive role model,” said a representative of one of the NGOs.

Most of the openly queer people at the current Paralympic Championships are women. Among them, a basketball player couple – Robin Love and Lori Williams. They were married before the pandemic began.

Two non-binary people also take part in the Paralympics: Robin Lambard and Maria “Maz” Strong. “As it turned out, my dreams came true, I am a participant in the Paralympics,” said Robin.

“I like to emphasize that we are queer Paralympians, because I think we still have a long way to go. However, the society has become more receptive, “said American volleyball player Monique Matthews.

source: nbcnews.com

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The Plight of LGBTQ+ Afghan Refugees

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Edafe Okporo (he/him) is author of the forthcoming book, ASYLUM, a Memoir, and

Manifesto by Simon and Schuster, out summer 2022. Okporo is the United States Mobilization Director of Talent Beyond Boundaries, helping refugees find safety with offices in the U.K. Australia, Canada, U.S.A, Jordan and Lebanon.

 

“The advancement of the Taliban and the toppling of the Afghanistan government has led to displacement for women, children, and LGBTQ people. Queer people are subject to the penal code for being queer in Afghanistan. Article 130 of the Afghan constitution allows for the implementation of Sharia Law, which prohibits same-sex sexual activity. The maximum penalty is death and is applicable in cases of sex between men or between women.

 

I started receiving messages from friends online asking me what we are doing to support LGBTQ Afghans, and I did not have a better answer but to reply, “When they get to the United States, we would help them settle in.” The problem is not a lack of support when they get here but how they get here.

 

The next shared message I received was a Gofundme link, from a friend in Dublin. He is organizing a relocation fund for his friend Omid, a 25-year-old gay man based in Kabul “so he can travel safely and legally to Turkey and begin his journey away from persecution and the risk of being killed for being who he is.

 

I’ve become increasingly worried about young people like Omid, a law graduate living in Kabul as a gay man. Omid is not a single story, but an obvious indication of the need of many LGBTQ Afghans who are afraid to speak up because laws such as the penal code and other discriminatory legislation render them hopeless. The ones left behind are likely to face the Sharia penal code or section 645 or 646, which criminalizes same-sex intimacy between women for up to one and two years imprisonment. In times of war, and major disasters, LGBTQ people, women, and children are the most vulnerable.

 

I was triggered because I remember how my journey as an asylum seeker began. My country passed a law that criminalized same-sex relationships by 14 years of imprisonment, subsequently led to the persecution of members of the LGBTQ community, and many had to flee to find safety like myself. It was a life-changing event for me, I lost most of my twenties to the process of being relocated to a new country. The trauma of not being able to live my twenties like any other remains deeply, up until today. That’s why Omid, who is younger than me, needs support from systems and not individuals.

 

The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from being a refugee is longlasting; these people who are displaced are my family, and I wish the United States can do more than extract their own from Afghanistan, I hope the U.S. will take swift action as Canada has, announcing it will take in 20,000 refugees from Afghanistan. If saving lives is all we care about, we should all be advocating for taking as many refugees as possible because the ones left behind would likely suffer torture and, in extreme circumstances, death.

 

The United States has more responsibility than any other country. The current refugee resettlement program requires refugees to go to a safe country and then apply for our existing resettlement pathway, which is not an option for people desperate for their lives. The Special Immigrant Visa SIV pathway has a backlog of 17,000 applicants. We can open pathways for refugees to come into the country aside from existing mechanisms.

 

This is a systemic issue and not an individual one. We need more awareness of the current plight faced by Afghan people. They cannot carry the burden of finding a new home and spreading awareness at the same time. Wherever you are, you can play a role, call your representative, and tell them saving Afghans’ lives is a priority for you and the constituents they represent.

 

I’m calling on LGBTQ philanthropists and individuals to contribute to organizations supporting LGBTQ displaced people and refugees and equip them to extract people living in danger. The situation in Afghanistan is an LGBTQ issue, and a humanitarian crisis; the sooner our community recognizes it the better.

 

In times like this, the response to humanitarian aid for LGBTQ people has always been bureaucratic and less actionable. Global equality of LGBTQ people should be the anthem, which means responding in times of crisis to the plea of LGBTQ displaced persons to find safety and an opportunity to rebuild their lives, as I was afforded when the U.S. government granted me refugee status in 2017.

 

LGBTQ people seeking protection have lacked the support they need in the rallying movement of migration and resettlement. The goal is not to leave anyone behind, but to provide resources to individuals and organizations fighting for LGBTQ displaced persons to find safety.

 

We consistently say never again, and this moment is a call to action for our promise to never again let people in dire circumstances be left behind.

 

Source: advocate.com

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