Pattaya – On Sunday March 28, at Boyz Boyz Boyz in Boyz Town, twelve young hopefuls entered the Miss Pattaya Pride 2010 contest.

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Bangkok – Now that negotiations between the Thai government and leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship have collapsed, gay businesses in Bangkok are bracing for more losses after weeks of disruption.

The UDD, known locally as the ‘red shirts’ due to their colourful attire, have been holding mass anti-government protests in the Thai capital, with numbers of protesters reaching more than 100,000 at times.

While the protests have been peaceful, huge traffic gridlock has been one result of marches snaking around the city, and many Bangkokians prefer stay home in the evening and weekends, rather than get embroiled in the jams.

The result has been devastating for some gay businesses, especially those in the central business district of Silom/Suriwong which have seen a significant downturn in customers since the mass rallies began, and those located in he busy Sukhumvit Road have also been hit.  One area that seems to have escaped much damage to business is the busy Lumsalee area, where bars continue to stay packed.

Straight businesses are also suffering, with hotels reporting large numbers of cancellations, and a major drop in tourist arrivals. One business group picketed Silom Road last week to protest about the red shirt activities, which they said were damaging the economy, while a cooperative of residents made formal complaints to both the red shirt leaders and the government, stating that Bangkokians are fearful and unable to lead their normal lives. (Gay Asia News Service)

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Sydney – The Australian city of Coffs Habour is proposing a gay festival to be called “Coast Out” as a way of atrracting more tourists.

The City Council is supporting a local entrepreneur who wants Coffs Coast, as the area is marketed,  opened to more gay and lesbians tourists.

“It will be the chance for all of us to say ‘g’day to a gay’,” said Councillor Denise Knight.

To say she is excited that a gay and lesbian festival is being planned for the city is an understatement.

It was Councillor Knight who last year proposed the idea of a gay games-type event when the then shadow treasurer Joe Hockey declared that Coffs Harbour needed a signature event.

“I put the idea forward because this is something we have never done before on the Coffs Coast even though we have a large local gay community,” she said

“We are talking about welcoming and embracing people who are well known for having fun, being creative and being non-violent. It will also be a chance for all of us here to show our acceptance.”

Called ‘CoastOut’ it will be a privately run three-day event held on the last weekend of October.

The Coffs Harbour City Council has thrown its support behind CoastOut, providing the Park Beach Reserve for the fair day and tea dance, Jetty Beach for the beach carnival and assistance with marketing and insurance costs.

CoastOut will also feature Australia’s first gay and lesbian surf contest and a welcome cocktail party.

Coffs Coast Marketing Manager Glenn Caldwell said it will showcase the city’s myriad attractions and stunning natural environment to new tourists from major cities.

“This festival will expose the Coffs Coast to a completely new demographic of holiday makers, investors and sea-changers,” Mr Caldwell said.

“I have been working closely with economic development manager Jenny Oloman and her team. We are confident this festival with provide a big economic boost to the area.”

The city is on the northern coast of New South Wales between Sydney and Brisbane.

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Jakarta – Organizers of an international conference on gender rights and sexually marginalized groups expressed regret about the ban on the event by police on Wednesday, saying it was hoping to seek solutions to problems faced by marginalized communities in general.

Poedjiati Tan, who chairs the organizing committee of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex Association (ILGA) conference, said the congress was also aiming to discuss challenges faced by women across Asia.

”This is not an exclusive event for gay and lesbian groups, but is open to all people who support the rights of all genders and sexually marginalized groups,” Tan said.

During the congress, scheduled to take place from Wednesday through Friday, a series of discussions on reproductive health and contagious disease prevention were to be held, featuring experts from Indonesia and overseas.

More than 200 delegates representing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual groups from 16 countries across Asia had registered to attend the event, when Surabaya Police announced that the conference could not go ahead on Wednesday, citing it could stir social anxiety.

The local branches of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) and Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim organization, had objected to the conference.

Previously, ILGA has held conferences in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in 2008, Cebu, the Philippines, in 2005 and Mumbai, India, in 2002.

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Kuala Lumpur – New censorship guidelines for the Malaysian film industry relax a strict ban on showing homosexuality — as long as the gay characters change their ways by the end of the story.

Malaysian Film Producers’ Association president Ahmad Puad Onah explained the new rules to Agence France-Presse.

“We are now allowed to show these scenes,” he said. “As long as we portray good triumphing over evil and there is a lesson learnt in the film, such as from a gay [character] who turns into a [straight] man. Previously we are not allowed to show these at all.”

In the conservative majority-Muslim country of Malaysia, books and films are routinely banned or edited in order to delete portions believed to threaten moral and religious values.

Under the new rules, according to AFP, kissing, undressing, and obscenities will still be banned. The rules apply to other subjects deemed detrimental to morality, not just homosexuality.

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Taipei – More than 100 protestors gathered outside the Taipei City Government headquarters recently, demanding an apology for an anti-Gay memo sent to Taiwan high schools by the Ministry of Education.

According to the Taiwan Post newspaper, the ministry had circulated a suggestion by the Taipei City Council Civil Affairs Committee that city departments should discuss ways to “avoid high school student groups from leading students into homosexual activities.”

The ministry expressed the hope that, free from such influences, students might develop “naturally.”

Taiwanese LGBT activists said the ministry’s memo violated the country’s Gender Equity Education Act.

More than 110 organizations and 1,500 people signed a petition saying that the government is encouraging discrimination against LGBT students.

Gay and Lesbian Awakening Days (GLAD), a Taiwanese LGBT group, said that no one is “led” into being Gay, and added that the government’s ban on LGBT groups in schools is restricting the students’ “natural” development.

“We do not become homosexual because our friends are homosexual,” said GLAD’s statement.

“Sexual orientation is not about age, and we would not admit we are homosexual only after we are 18. Through homosexual groups and with the support of peers with similar experiences, we can overcome the feelings of inferiority and fear pressed on us by the society and understand and accept ourselves.”

Cho Keng-yu, spokesperson of Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association and a high school counselor, told the Taiwan Post that LGBT high school students suffer in a learning environment characterized by discrimination and misunderstanding.

Ministry of Education Secretary General Tsang Tsan-chin apologized for the memo and said his ministry will continue to respect the equality of different sexual orientations.

Taiwan’s Gender Equity Education Act of 2003 prohibits discrimination against LGBT students. Discrimination against LGBT people in the workplace was outlawed in 2007.

A poll of 6,439 adults released in 2006 by the National Union of Taiwan Women’s Associations/Constitutional Reform Alliance found that 75% believed being LGBT is acceptable, while 25% thought it unacceptable.

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Patong, Phuket – Boat Bar’s well known DJ Nat was found dead in his room above the bar on Wednesday night.

The DJ at one of Phuket’s most famous gay bats was believed to have died of natural causes. Although only 35 years old he was overweight and suffered from diabetes, and high blood pressure, as well as asthma.

Police attended the scene but found no signs of anything untoward and are treating Nat’s death as one of natural causes.

Boat Bar has been one of Patong’s longest serving gay bars, acting as an anchor to the vibrant local gay scene in and around the Paradise Complex.

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Taiwan – A Chinese New Year party for three gay friends in Taiwan turned tragic when one of them was stabbed to death after he had sexually attacked his friend’s lover.

The 40-year-old victim, identified only as Huang, had more than 10 stab wounds on his body.

Police said a 35-year-old gay man, identified only as Jian, had taken his lover to visit Huang on Friday for a Chinese New Year bash.

The trio were drinking at Huang’s house in Wan Li Xiang, Taipei, till the wee hours. At about 3am, they ran out of booze and Jian volunteered to go out and buy some.

When Jian returned to the house, he saw his friend sexually attacking his lover.

The furious Jian rushed to stop Huang and a fistfight started among the three gay friends, according to China Times.

During the struggle, Jian picked up a fruit knife and stabbed Huang while his lover grabbed another knife from the kitchen to join in the attack.

The couple stabbed Huang until he was motionless and lying in a pool of blood.

Ignoring their friend who was seriously injured, the couple continued drinking until 7am, the daily reported.

They only ran away when they found out that Huang was dead.

Another friend of Huang, who dropped by three hours later, made the gruesome discovery and called the police.

Police arrested the couple on Sunday, who were hiding in a secluded arbor near Zhongshan Hall.

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Penang – Malaysia continues to show it homophobic face with recent raids on gay businesses in Penang, and the second trial for sodomy of opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim.

In both cases antiquated ant-gay laws left over from the country’s colonial period are being used to repress gays or those viewed as MSM (Men having sex with men).

Police in Penang have for a long time led a drive to rid the island of gay businesses, especially saunas and massage centers, while neighbouring Singapore has learned to tolerate them.

In the latest incident, a sauna and massage center were raided by cops. In one case, the business owners had installed secure entry systems that required a customer to enter a password. Undercover cops nabbed a customer about to enter, and held him until h revealed the password, and then broke in, arresting many of the staff and customers.

As usual, Malaysian newspapers revelled in the scandal, reporting that “many of those inside were found with their pants down” and other similar stupid comments, including one deriding a 65 year old man.

Meanwhile, in Kuala Lumpur, opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim goes on trial for the second time on charges, widely believed to be trumped up, of sodomy. The last trial failed to destroy Anwar’s popularity, which the government sees as a threat.

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Chiangmai – A group of Chiangmai residents, including members of the Sexual Identity Network and the Chiangmai Araya Group, are to seek a court injunction against a ban on transgendered people taking part in the city’s annual flower festival.

“This completely discriminates against transgender people and violates Article 30(2) of the Constitution, which states that people cannot be discriminated against by race, language, age, disability, health, economic or social status, religion, education, political perspective, or gender,” Natee Teerarojjanaphongs, who leads the Chiang Mai Araya Group,  said.

Under a directive signed by Chiang Mai deputy governor Chuchart Keerapang on November 20,  any man or woman who will sit on a flower-festooned car that joins the competition should wear polite dress. Clothing that shows transexuality is prohibited.

“We want gay rights and transgender rights to be protected by law. Our rights should be respected,” he said.

“This completely discriminates against transgender people and violates Article 30(2) of the Constitution, which states that people cannot be discriminated against by race, language, age, disability, health, economic or social status, religion, education, political perspective, or gender,” Natee Teerarojjanaphongs, who leads the Chiang Mai Araya Group, said yesterday.

Under a directive signed by Chiang Mai deputy governor Chuchart Keerapang on November 20, any man or woman who will sit on a flower-festooned car that joins the competition should wear polite dress. Clothing that shows transexuality is prohibited.

“We want gay rights and transgender rights to be protected by law. Our rights should be respected,” he said.

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