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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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There will be some here who have the knowledge or the skill to read Arabic. O can only report that this is pne of the first, if not THE first Arabic gay portal at least in Israel. Those with the ability to translate it may be able to flesh this out for us.
http://www.alqaws.org/ is the site
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
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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The Jerusalem Open House (JOH) has launched Al-Qaws (www.alqaws.org "the rainbow in Arabic), a groundbreaking Arabic-languiage LGBT portal.
Al-Qaws is making a first by providing original and unique content in Arabic on sexual and gender identity, offers safe discussion forums and other features.
Its chief goal is to open up dialogue on LGBT issues by creating an attractive, accessible and interactive virtual space for ubiased information.
Haneen Maikey, JOH Palestinian Outreach Coordinator, commented:
"The Al-Qaws portal is about making it possible to being together our cultural identity as Palestinians and Arabs, and our personal identity as lesbians or gays".
The launch was celebrated at a reception in Jerusalem. Members of the community, guests and the media watched a presentation in English and Arabic.
JOH's montly Palestinian LGBT party immediately followed the reception.
The project was made possible thanks o the generous contribution of the Ford Foundation Israel Fund and the Alan B. Slifka Foundation.
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
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796
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To those of us who live in enlightened nations, even though the veneer of enlightenment is sometimes fragile, this may seem like no news at all.
"What's that all about?" I can already hear.
But the Arab world, despite having for centuries passed small boys round like after dinner mints, seems to have a very public distaste for homosexuality. Small boys, apparently, did not count.
There is major persecution of homosexuals in these nations. The internet is monitored by governments and even people coming here are subject to scrutiny. I am sure a similar level of monitoring will be aimed at this new site, too, and some people who view it will have committed "A sin too far" and receive terrible and evil punishments.
But hope for change has to start somewhere. The USA may have influenced the collapse of much of communism via "The Voice of America". It may not. But it acted in all the ways it could act.
So should we all, though taking care not to put those in genuine fear of their lives intoany danger.
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
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