Comments on: Lebanese gays shun closet to fight for rights

By: Katherine

Katherine — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:44:12 +0000

This is one of the few times I am proud to be human. People like these and stories like these are inspirational. I hope to hear a lot more stories like this.

By: The Menstruator

The Menstruator — Tue, 12 May 2009 12:43:32 +0000

Does anyone even realize what they do to torture the homosexuals in Iraq? Apparently it deals with glue in the anus and inducing sickness so the stomach just basically turns into itself? I can’t really describe it as it is so vile. However they’ve been doing horrid things like that to women for years and still do, but yes, let’s help the homo males first? Yanar Mohammad is all over this too which I find odd since she’s a feminist and this is happening to men.

By: Katie Murphy

Katie Murphy — Mon, 11 May 2009 19:10:17 +0000

The question is laid upon the table. Are the right wing christians and Catholic church taking lessons from or giving lessons to the extremists of Islam.

The same people who talk about defending America from religious terrorism. And oftem kneel to the Pope, who unexcommunicated Catholic leaders who denied the holocaust. Why – desperation to avoid the blame they deserve for the hatred of the Jews that gave the world WWII and the Holocaust.

And the same Pope who talks about life, while telling Africans that they shouldn’t use condoms, while 23 million of those desperately poor people are dying of AIDS, babies by the millions are being born with it, etc.

The pope should be excommunicated, along with all the birds who voted him into office.

By: Andrew M. Potts

Andrew M. Potts — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:59:52 +0000

For any 365gay.com readers who are Lebanese citizens or of Lebanese ancestry, Helem is organizing a petition to abolish Article 534 of the Lebanese Penal Code, which criminalizes “sexual acts against nature” and is used by the authorities to harass and target Lebanese GLBTs. The petition can be found at-

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/abolish-article-534-of-the-lebanese-penal-code

It already has 2,200 signatures and you don’t have to be gay to sign it so if you’re Lebanese or of Lebanese ancestry and have supportive Lebanese friends or family, let them know about it so they can sign it as well!

Best of luck,
Andrew M. Potts
(not Lebanese or a Helem member, just helping to get the word out!

By: drewski

drewski — Mon, 11 May 2009 18:33:19 +0000

This is fantastic, and all the more so because it’s homegrown. Their action takes real courage, because in the Middle East it really is life or death.

By: Mark

Mark — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:51:17 +0000

Uh Morgan? What are you talking about? No one is ‘trashing’ hetero’s in this article..
They are highlighting the treatment gay men and women are fighting against..

By: Morgan

Morgan — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:17:45 +0000

Here we go with this thoroughly nutty antihetero bias again!

Heteros are human beings too, the ones who step up and support gay rights and there are a lot who do, are also our “brothers” and “sisters” our straight brothers and sisters that is.

I honor Brad Pitt for donating $100,000 fo his money to fight fight Prop 8 when he didn’t have to and I honor my mother and father for putting me here on Planet Earth.

the heteros are how most of us LGBTs got here. Ellen Degenere’s mother is a straight woman. She is a great ally of the LGBT community. Are we going to act creepy, bigotted and biased toward her too?

When is this bigotted foolishness from inside our own community going to end?

Unless we are willing to produce potential GLBT people out of our loins…
Time of us to do our producing of LGBTs. Or our we not man or woman enough to do so? There are resources for LGBT people out there to do so, let’s start using those resources and be responsible adults instead of acting ugly and stupid toward even those heteros who support our cause.

By: shawn

shawn — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:49:42 +0000

My heart goes out to those very brave individuals as well as all of our other freedom fighters around the globe! keep up the good fight and be vigilant. Heteros won’t be around forever. peace out.

By: Salem

Salem — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:58:38 +0000

In my opinion these organization and LGBT community in the middle east are the true Heros, we in U.S. have issues but they have serious issue i can imagine its 100 times more terrifying where the killing of homosexuals is praised is to come out to speak out, when a tragedy happens here it dealt with the courts and although not always a fair just trial at least we are listened to, to some degree and over there no one seem to ever listen. My closet friend is from the UAE, she left to live an open life here in the state but the stories i have heard from her are just terrifying.

By: 00HaveAniceDay00

00HaveAniceDay00 — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:20:04 +0000

I am glad that Logo has finally recognized the Important work of this Gay Lebanese Organization.Its also important to mention that Helem was presented with The Felipa Award, a prestigious international award in the United States in recognition of its work, on March 30 in New York and on April 2 in San Francisco, California.
Beirut has always been the most cosmopolitan city in the Middle east with a night life and club scene that competes with Miami and NYC. The gay club scene is alive and flourishing with clubs and bars. Beirut made Lonely Planet’s top 10 Liveliest cities of 2009 , ahead of San Fran and right after NYC. It was also listed as the number one place to visit in 2009 by New York Times Magazine.
Kudos to Helem for its work and mission to be the first of its kind in the middle east to fight for equality under the law for gays and lesbians in Lebanon, which is a major accomplishment for this part of the world. Especially when considering that we are still fighting for equality here in the land of the free.