A Place of Safety
I expect simple behaviours here. Friendship, and love.
Any advice should be from the perspective of the person asking, not the person giving!
We have had to make new membership moderated to combat the huge number of spammers who register
















You are here: Home > Forum > A Place of Safety > General Talk > Gays inPalestine
Gays inPalestine  [message #13073] Mon, 04 August 2003 08:21 Go to next message
Steve is currently offline  Steve

Really getting into it
Location: London, England
Registered: November 2006
Messages: 465



You may recall that a few weeks ago I posted here a newspaper article in which the terrible plight of Palestinian gays was mentioned. I received the following press notice in an e-mail from the Jerusalem Open House, buy Hagai El-Ad. (Those with even better memories will be pleased to note that Hagai (who suffered from the GBS Syndrome for many months) is back at work with great zeal.
___________________________
Jerusalem, August 3rd, 2003

Press Release

First in Israel: Publication Concerning Homosexuality and Sexual Orientation in Arabic

A Shared Initiative of the Jerusalem Open House and Amnesty Israel


For the first time in Israel (or, for that matter, the Middle East), a unique publication is being distributed in the Arabic language concerning homosexuality and sexual orientation. The pamphlet provides professional information in clear, concise language that credibly reviews the matter of sexual identity in its five components: biological sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender roles, and sexual behavior.

Until today, information like this did not exist in Arabic and its absence has made it difficult to create discussion in Palestinian society in Israel and the Palestinian Authority regarding homosexuality. Haneen Maikey, Palestinian Outreach Coordinator for the Jerusalem Open House (JOH): “Ignorance is one of the central causes for prejudice. This booklet deals sensitively with the absence of language and the absence of discussion, in tactful language, appropriate for a traditional, conservative community that does not often discuss issues relating to sexuality openly. We highlight the variety of components of sexual identity and the differences between people in their self-definition.”

Yael Weiss-Rind, director of Amnesty Israel, adds: “There are no borders in human rights – neither geographical, political, cultural, nor of sexual identity. The right to actualize sexual identity is a basic human right, and the information we present in this publication is directed at that.”

The publication is a shared effort of Jerusalem’s LGBTQ center – The Jerusalem Open House – and of Amnesty Israel. In addition to its distribution to institutions of education and social welfare as a published pamphlet, it is also accessible on the web sites of the JOH (direct link: http://www.gay.org.il/joh/marhaba.htm ) and of Amnesty Israel. Maikey adds, “This is the first step in raising this issue to the Palestinian public. This is the beginning of a process that I hope in the future will bring greater understanding and acceptance.”

For more information, and to receive copies of the publication, please contact:

Haneen Maikey, JOH Palestinian Outreach Coordinator, 058-674816 or email marhaba@joh.gay.org.il
icon7.gif Thanks for this piece of information...  [message #13077 is a reply to message #13073] Mon, 04 August 2003 08:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lenny is currently offline  lenny

On fire!
Location: Far Away
Registered: March 2002
Messages: 1755




I have been wondering about Haggai and how he's been recovering, I probably should have asked you, but I thought maybe it was kind of personal or something... Anyway, I am SO GLAD he is okay now, since I have had just a small taste of what he went through myself.

I'm very happy, and the information pamphlet thing sounds nice too. Smile


-L



"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."

-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
icon7.gif thanks Steve  [message #13086 is a reply to message #13077] Mon, 04 August 2003 13:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
smith is currently offline  smith

On fire!

Registered: January 1970
Messages: 1095



I'm real glad to hear that your friend is doing well. The world doesn't need to lose any good people and I remember you telling us all the great things he does. That was the first time I ever wrote to you Smile when I sent you a message to relay to him.

I hope the door opens wider than this crack in the future, but I guess at least everyone should be glad the door is open. Thanks for sharing the information.

smith J
Re: Gays inPalestine  [message #13092 is a reply to message #13073] Mon, 04 August 2003 14:02 Go to previous message
timmy

Has no life at all
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796



We forget how near Palestine is.

If "feels" like a hot place that no-one cares about, but is a part of the world we inhabit, and is very close.

And the news about Hagai is awesome



Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
Previous Topic: YESSS!!
Next Topic: LennyLink Wannabe Entry
Goto Forum: