While it may not have made the news over here, this month the world took a step in the right direction on LGBT rights with the United Nations Security Council holding its first ever meeting on LGBT issues. The closed-door briefing – organised by the US and Chile – examined the persecution of gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans Syrians and Iraqis under ISIS. While ISIS have shown no mercy towards anyone from Jordanian pilots to western journalists to even priceless artefacts of Palmyra, the threat posed to gay men and women living in cities controlled by Islamic State is particularly grave. Islamic State militants have been known to throw gay men off buildings to their deaths, among other gruesome forms of execution.
According to Washington-based LGBT website Blade, 11 of the 15 countries on the council sat in on the meeting with UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power and Chile Ambassador Cristian Barros-Melet and the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission executive director speaking. Among those who gave evidence at the briefing were a gay man still living in Iraq who had a pseudonym and a gay man from Syria, Subhi Nahas who was granted refugee status and now lives in San Francisco. Nahas fled to Lebanon and later to Turkey, after Al Qaeda-affiliated militants seized his hometown of Idleb. He remained in Turkey until the United States grant him asylum. “For millions of Syrians both in and outside the country, time is running out. For my compatriots who do not conform to gender and sexual norms, the 11th hour has already passed. They need your help now.”
The Australian Electoral Commission has released details of the costs to taxpayers of holding a plebiscite on same sex marriage. If the plebiscite were held at the same time as the next election – as many have suggested it should be if it must happen at all – it would cost $44 million – which would include the cost of additional paper ballots, printing and producing material with arguments for and against for voters. If that seems like a colossal waste of public money, consider it is a mere fraction of what it would cost to hold the plebiscite as separate vote, which Tony Abbott has endorsed. That option would cost a staggering $158 million. It is no wonder gay rights lobbies polled this month found many disapproved of holding a popular vote. A plebiscite of course is an expensive stalling tactic, where even an overwhelming consensus would not actually be a binding change of law. The last time we held a plebiscite – to endorse a national anthem – it still took seven years for a government to pass legislation to introduce it. And it will of course only tell us what literally dozens of polls on the issue have already confirmed – that more than two thirds of Australians support marriage equality.
Closer to home, the Andrews Labor Government have announced $1.2 million in grants in support of LGBTI young people, with the funding to be focussed in regional Victorian communities. The funding announced by Equality Minister Martin Foley earlier this month will be spread to organisations across the state – including Minus18, the Rainbow Network and others – to help them run programs aimed at suicide prevent and other training and support services for young people dealing with sexuality and gender diversity.
English gay couple Gilbert Prousch, 71 and George Passmore, otherwise known as Gilbert & George have announced they are coming from London to MONA for a major art exhibition in Hobart. The couple met as art students at St Martin’s back in 1967 have been making art together for decades, but haven’t visited Australia since 1973. The exhibition features 100 of their pictures and opens on Saturday November 28.
For the well-timed marriage equality edition this Friday September 18, CLOSET is celebrating the Liberal spill with a party gives our Coalition politicians the finger. CLOSET will be donating proceeds from the party to Australian Marriage Equality and Equal Love, and will be encouraging our fellow homosexuals to donate a gold coin on the door or at the bar. Remember, CLOSET is now at Hugs&Kisses, 22 Sutherland Street, CBD(off LaTrobe St), and it’s a members’ club so you need to register to get in. $15 on the door, less if you ask us nicely for a guestlist.
The Outpost is back next month with the next “gay ass disco” on Saturday October 10. For the Stars In Your Eyes, residents and party impresarios Whiskey Houston and Mr Weir will be joined by CC DISCO! The Outpost is at The Gasometer, 484 Smith St, CBD from 9am until 3am. $15 on the door.
