Gays & Lesbians to attend 2nd Russian Social Forum during G8 Summit
13/07/2006
By
Ed Mishin, "Together" - Russian National GLBT Center
As the media reports that many participants of the 2nd Russian Social Forum are being arrested in many regions of Russia, g activists are still planning to journey to St. Petersburg to attend. The forum, which has been sanctioned by local authorities, is set to take place in the city on the Neva River during the "Big 8" Summit.
Included in the forum is a seminar on the problems of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transvestite emancipation, under the name "Love Threatens Modern Society." The seminary was launched by the "Leftist Antifascist" (LAF) movement, whose membership includes several gay activists.
"The goal for our seminar," explains the organizers, "is to draw the attention of left-wing, civil and political activists to the problems of discrimination and violation of LGBT rights."
The Antifascists are hoping to attract as many gays and lesbians as possible to join their ranks. "It is (now) possible and necessary to protect the rights of the LGBT society, but the initiative needs to come from the bottom up -- from people who are subjected daily to discrimination and violence based on sexual and gender characteristics, whether in their families, schools, universities or work places, not to mention the army, prisons and other closed institutions," the application for the seminar read.
The Leftist Antifascists will also be making presentations at the seminar aimed at the battle against fascism, nationalism, xenophobia, homophobia and the violation of LGBT rights. "Sexual minorities have become one more object of fascist attacks," comments the LAF Manifesto from their website. "Europeans gays and lesbians have accomplished a great deal in the fight for equal rights, but, in Russia, because of economic issues, cultural backwardness and social differentiation, the process of emancipation of the LGBT society plods along and encounters frequent relapses. "Perverts" become easy targets and scapegoats.
To contact the organizer of the Seminar regarding problems of emancipation of Lesbians Gays Bisexuals and Transvestites in context of the 2nd Russian Social Forum, please e-mail: dioxis@yandex.ru
Gay.Ru
http://www.gay.ru/english/communty/news/2006-07-13.htm
Included in the forum is a seminar on the problems of Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transvestite emancipation, under the name "Love Threatens Modern Society." The seminary was launched by the "Leftist Antifascist" (LAF) movement, whose membership includes several gay activists.
"The goal for our seminar," explains the organizers, "is to draw the attention of left-wing, civil and political activists to the problems of discrimination and violation of LGBT rights."
The Antifascists are hoping to attract as many gays and lesbians as possible to join their ranks. "It is (now) possible and necessary to protect the rights of the LGBT society, but the initiative needs to come from the bottom up -- from people who are subjected daily to discrimination and violence based on sexual and gender characteristics, whether in their families, schools, universities or work places, not to mention the army, prisons and other closed institutions," the application for the seminar read.
The Leftist Antifascists will also be making presentations at the seminar aimed at the battle against fascism, nationalism, xenophobia, homophobia and the violation of LGBT rights. "Sexual minorities have become one more object of fascist attacks," comments the LAF Manifesto from their website. "Europeans gays and lesbians have accomplished a great deal in the fight for equal rights, but, in Russia, because of economic issues, cultural backwardness and social differentiation, the process of emancipation of the LGBT society plods along and encounters frequent relapses. "Perverts" become easy targets and scapegoats.
To contact the organizer of the Seminar regarding problems of emancipation of Lesbians Gays Bisexuals and Transvestites in context of the 2nd Russian Social Forum, please e-mail: dioxis@yandex.ru
Gay.Ru
http://www.gay.ru/english/communty/news/2006-07-13.htm
