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MOSCOW, September 21 (GayRussia
wire) – For the first time ever, a clear majority of
Russians say that there should be equal rights for gays in the country,
a new opinion poll has found.
Figures released yesterday
(September 20) show that 51% of those questioned favoured equality for the
LGBT community, with 39% disagreeing and 10% undecided.
At the same time, a majority of
those questioned also supported a legal ban on sexual orientation
discrimination, with 39.2% agreeing, 36,7% against and 24,1% undecided.
The poll, undertaken by independent
Levada for GayRussia.ru, gives considerable encouragement to Russian gays,
said Nikolai Alekseev, gay activist and head of GayRussia.ru, who sees the
result as suggesting that next year’s Moscow Gay Pride would not increase
the level of homophobia, as feared by some opponents of the Pride.
The results were announced at a
press conference by Moscow Gay Pride organisers who include Evgeniya
Debryanskaya, leader of the Russian lesbian movement, Roman Kalinin, one of
the founders of Russian gay movement, gay activist/journalist Nikolai Baev
and Alekseev.
They circulated copies of an open
letter to Boris Yeltsin, the first President of Russia, who in 1993 signed
into law the decriminalising of homosexuality.
The activists asked former
President Yeltsin for political and moral support, recognising his role in
the democratic liberties in Russia. It also invited him to take part in the
international conference being staged alongside Gay Pride in May next year.
During the press conference
Alekseev and Debryanskaya announced further details of the Pride programme
of the festival.
They said that Merlin Holland, the
grandson of Oscar Wilde, would be taking part in the cultural side of
Pride. This would be on May 25, the 111 years to the day when
Oscar Wilde was sentenced to prison by a British court for being gay.
In addition, a special programme of
Scandinavian ‘homoculture’ will be presented.
The previously announced first-ever
conference of the International Day against Homophobia (IDAHO) will see
numerous guests from Russia and Europe, including politicians,
parliamentarians, experts, scientists and activists.
Following the Pride Parade, it will
be party time. French singer Desireless will present her show La Vie est
Belle
Desireless has been extremely
popular in Russia since the Soviet era with her hit song VoyageVoyage
but she will also perform her new songs. In the interview with GayRussia.ru
she said that she will be writing a special song for Moscow Gay Pride.
Anyone wishing to take part in
Moscow gay festival or to know more about the events should email: contacts
(at) gayrussia.ru.
LINKS
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Recent Articles
September
20:
Iran:
Iranian Gays Live in Fear.
This is the full
text of the press statement from PGLO (Persian Gays &
Lesbians Organisation) received by email received at Outrage! in
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Amir, a young Iranian homosexual, recently spoke out
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September
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UK:
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September
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Russia/Komi Republic:
Russian Gay Activist Accused of Breach of 1923 Convention.
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September
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Namibia:
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September
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UK:
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USA:
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September
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Russia:
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UK:
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September
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Nepal:
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Nepal’s Blue Diamond Society (BDS) has been awarded a
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UK/Canada:
London Gay Group to Join
Protest Against Sharia Law in Canada. Human rights
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in London tomorrow (Thursday September 8) from 12 noon – 2 pm.
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UK:
Search For ‘Gay’ Faces of
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Do you want to be seen by
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EuroPride posters, magazines, leaflets and on their web site.
September
6
Russia:
Moscow to Host First IDAHO
Annual Conference During Gay Festival.
The first annual
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September 5
Latvia:
Prime Minister Responds to
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Aigars Kalvītis, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, has responded
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Gay Rugby Club
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UK:
Ymunwch â'r Ddraig Binc!
(Enter the Pink Dragon!) Organisers of the seventh
annual Cardiff-Wales Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras vowed to paint the town pink
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September 1
USA:
New Gay Web Site for Providence, Rhode Island.
The gay community in Providence, Rhode Island now have a dedicated web site
that will reflect their community. |
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