Pink News.
Their news story goes on to quote a spokesperson for Amnesty International:
"Amnesty International is seeking more information on this case. If the man reported in the Sabq story has been arrested and charged with homosexuality, Amnesty International would consider him to be a prisoner of conscience and call for his immediate and unconditional release..."
Fagburn agrees with Amnesty - let's find out more, like if this happened.
Particularly as so many LGBT stories from the Middle East turn out to be invented, spun or distorted.
The Saudi Arabia story could prove to be true, of course, but it could turn out to be a fiction like last year's "abduction" of A Gay Girl In Damascus.
The Pink News story was first published on GayMiddleEast.com.
It was written by Dan Littauer - executive editor of Gay Middle East, a German citizen who lives in London.
Gay Middle East's unreliability - often driven by a pro-Zionist bias - has been pointed out by many queer Arab activists.
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Where are all these queer Arab activists based? Egypt? Libya? Syria?
ReplyDelete"Sodomy laws and age of consent have been important indicators of sexual freedom and equality in many countries. In fact, the United States had sodomy laws until 2003 when the Supreme Court ruled that they were unconstitutional. In other countries, they are also a colonial legacy of laws authored by European powers which persisted after independence. With cruising tips, age of consent, sodomy law information and tourism advice, the GME project looks more like orientalist sex tourism rather than human rights advocacy."
ReplyDeleteGood Grief! What a stupid, whining, left wing wanky article! Jeezus.
Yes, the USA had sodomy laws IN SOME STATES until 2003, but the USA is also where the stonewall riots occurred that provided the spark that led to gay pride marches held all over the western world. It also, according to david hockney, had in Los Angeles large gay clubs.
No muslim shit hole can approach this. Even private gay parties held on boats (egypt) or behind the locked doors of a compound (saudi arabia) are attacked by the police and the participants dragged off for public show trials, beatings and long prison sentences.
So, whilst the USA has many problems with an insane religious right wing, to equate it with muslim countries - ie saying the USA had anti sodomy laws until 2003 is to miss the point entirely.
And then to condemn the guide for pointing out where the best cruising areas are because this is "orientalist sex tourism" is equally wanky and vile. Until recently we, and I am 55, would buy gay guide books to western countries to find out where we could find fellow gays, often the only places to meet would be in nighttime cruising areas like parks. And this was considered in the 70s and 80s to be liberating, to be part of gay liberation, self liberation.
Fucking puritanical left wing idiots, "sexual tourism" IS sexual liberation. Fucking hell.
In response to an email, yes, GME has many Arab contributors who live in the Middle East - and who are often writing at great personal risk...
ReplyDeleteYou are, in effect, saying Arab contributors risk their personal safety to write for a pro-Israel website. Why would they do that?
ReplyDeleteWhy gay Middle Easterners can't stand Gay Middle East.com
ReplyDeletehttp://paper-bird.net/2012/01/28/why-gay-middle-easterners-cant-stand-gaymiddleeast-com/