LGS HOME PAGES: http://www.josken.net

ISSN 1446-4896

On June 11 this year, the National Assembly of Nicaragua dominated by the rightwing union National Opositirs (UNO), passed an anti-sodomy law. According to the US gay magazine, THE ADVOCATE, this statute could go as for as to outlaw meetings by gay rights activists. The statute prescribes prison terms of one to three years for anyone who "induces, promotes, propagandizes, or practices in a scandulous manner coitus between individuals of the same sex." THE ADVOCATE also explains that according to this statute teachers and other authority figures who break this law could be additionally charged with "illegitimate seduction", a crime that carries a penalty or two to four years in prison. The law would apply to both men and women.

The statute could only become law if the President, Violeta Chamorro, signed it on the 11th of July. The only opposition came from the opposition party - the Frente Sandinista de Liberacion Nacional. Two members of the ruling party also broke ranks to vote against it.

In the interim period, before Chamorro's decision, the lesbians and gay men active in Managua, the country's capital city, who the previous year had formed Fundacion Sochequetzal, the capital's only permanent gay rights organisation, called for international pressure to be placed on the President. This call was taken up by the San Francisco-based International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) ands internationally by the International Lesbian and Gay Organisation.

Tliis did not prevent President Chamorro from signing the new law. Now the Fundacion Sochequetzal will organise against the law and will also challenge it in the supreme court. Inside the country it has the support of the FSLN, which came onside for gay liberation during the years of the revolution. International pressure is still urgently needed.

Lesbian and Gay Solidarity is organising an Australia wide petition which people are encouraged to sign and get others to sign. The petition will be presented to Fundacion Sochequetzal by one of our comrades who plans to visit Nicaragua in November.

We're also hoping to invite two Nicaraguan gay/lesbian rights activists to tour Sydney this coming February, during the Mardi Gras. We have put in a submission to the Mardi Gras Festival Director for help with funding their tour.

While repression still remains the key word transexuals in Latin America (in a general situation of the repression of democracy in general), Latinoa gay and lesbian groups from the continent are planning to organize a conference to be held in Managua, Nicaragua, sometime next year. LGS will try to keep readers of tliis newsletter informed so that messages of solidarity can be sent

A number of gays in El Salvador are trying to set up the country's first gay group. Their aim is to use it for local campaigning in favour of human rights and to provide safe sex information, as well as to exchange information with gay groups in other countries, so as to take advantage of their experience. In their first contacts with the international gay movement, the organisers of the group in El Salvador explain that very strong social pressures are exerted on gays and lesbians there.

Members of the group suspect that mail and telephone calls are liable to be intercepted. Therefore the ILGA Information Secretariat is trying to establish contact with them by alternative means. (ILGA Bulletin 2/92)

The following is a letter which LGS sent to the French Consul General in Sydney (with a copy to the ILGA Information Secretariat):

The members of Lesbian and Gay Solidarity wish to express our anger and outrage regarding the brutal police action against peaceful gay and lesbian demonstrators in Paris on the 16th of July this year.

On that day, 200 gay and lesbian international delegates attending the 14th International Conference of the International Lesbian and Gay Association held a peaceful demonstration outside the Mexican Embassy in Paris.

Without any provocation the riot police surrounded and brutally assaulted the demonstrators, injuring nine.

We are angry at this attack on our colleagues and demand tliat action is taken against the police involved as well as against the people responsible for issuing them their orders. We request that you pass on this letter to the relevant authorities in Paris."

While ILGA was holding its International Conference, the delegates meeting from all around the world received news that five men, AIDS activists, had been murdered in July. The Police in Mexico City found their bodies on the 12 th of July. They had been tied to chairs, stabbed and strangled. The previous week two other gay activists had been murdered. This took place in a country whose state shows little respect for democracy and human rights. The ruling party has been in power through a combination of violence and rigged elections for decades. Human rights activists, progressives, and gay and lesbian liberationists in Mexico are often the victims of official and unofficial state violence and victimisation.

Once again, Enola Gay and Lesbian & Gay Solidarity organised a contingent of gay men and lesbians in the annual anti-war Hiroshima Day March and Rally. The Order of Perpetual Indulgence, through the presence of two of its gay male (biologically female) nuns, gave an added zest and colour to our group.

Gays and Lesbians Against Racism organised an all day workshop on 1st August. Attended by some 40 people, the workshop was a success, with people exchanging their experiences of various forms of racism, both blatant and more insidious. The importance of having a support group was emphasised as was the need to combat racism through an organisation as well as individually. Miss Irene Moss, one of the speakers, gave information on anti-racist legislation and lobbying. Tanya McConvill, from the International Socialist Organisation, explained the class roots of oppressions based on race, gender, and sexuality.

For two days (22 &23 August) queer activists from campuses from all over Australia, gathered in Sydney for a highly successful conference. Various organisations and individuals gave workshops dealing with racism, culture, education and schools, bisexuality, transexuality, beats, safe sex, coming out, pornography and queer identity, amongst a host of other topics.

' Watching it feels like being hit over the head with a rolled umbrella.' So says one Sydney reviewer of the politics of Derek Jarman's latest film, EDWARD II - politics which depict the persecution of gays and lesbians by the Church and State alike. But what's the problem with that?!

What they really mean is tliat they are sick and tired of gay and lesbian activists whinging about their oppression, past and present and would prefer to see a film that makes them a lot more comfortable about themselves and the society around them. Tlinnkfully Edward II is not a subtle film. Based on the Christopher Marlowe play it depicts the horrors Edward faces for being a queer king and his fight for the recognition of his lover Gaveston

The contemporary political parallels plus the simple sets and ominous lighting are all upstaged however by Tilda Swinton (who plays Edward's wife Isabella) and her amazing number of costume changes.

While the ban on homosexuals in the military is still in force, gay and lesbian activists around Australia are still organising to force the military to cliange its policy.

On July 3, gay and lesbian activists rallied outside the Defence Forces Recruitment Centre on Oxford street. They expressed outrage that Minister Ray decided to continue the blanket ban on homosexuals in the armed forces.

On July 24, activists organised Australia wide protests. In Sydney the protest was held outside the Australian Labour Party's office in Sussex Street.

A leaflet put out by Enola Gay -Sydney's Lesbian and Gay anti-war group - stated:

'It is vitally important that our communities take decisive action to reverse this ruling. As with racism and sexism in the military, the anti-homosexual discrimination and witch hunts send messages to all employers justifying our exclusion or our forced closeting at work. In addition we need to tackle the compulsory annual HIV tests and expulsion of people with HIV from the armed forces."

The leaflet went on to question the role of the military. On the one hand we must fight discrimination within it. On the other we should firmly oppose the existence of the armed forces: "Are the military valiantly defending us and our freedom? Have gays and lesbians in the Australian armed forces died or sacrificed for the Australain people? No."

The Enola Gay leaflet went on to point out the aggressive and imperialistic role that the Australian armed forces have played, from the Boer War and WWl through to Vietnam and the Gulf War.

LGS meets on the second thursday of every month, at the Newtown Community centre (opposite the station) at 8pm.

Melbourne's monthly newsletter of gay and lesbian activism is available from PO Box 108, North Carlton, Victoria, 3054, for $16 ($5 concession) for one year.

CURRENT NEWSLETTER AND ARCHIVE OF PREVIOUS NEWSLETTERS

Mannie has a personal web site: RED JOS: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISM

Mannie's blogs may be accessed by clicking on to the following links:

MannieBlog (from 1 August 2003 to 31 December 2005)

Activist Kicks Backs - Blognow archive re-housed - 2005-2009

RED JOS BLOGSPOT (from January 2009 onwards)

This page updated 18 SEPTEMBER 2014 and again on 26 APRIL 2017

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