Visitors to Lebanon talk about a gay culture but what most of them see is just gay consumerism

By Diamond Walid:
guardian.co.uk, Monday 31 August 2009 14.00 BST

Beirut has been labelled the Paris, sometimes the Switzerland, of the Middle East. According to one recent New York Times article, it is now the region's Provincetown (the Cape Cod resort favoured by gay visitors). This ever-changing city seems to have become a mirror where people project their own fantasies.

In an article in the New York Times on August 2, 2009, entitled "Beirut, Provincetown of the Middle East," Patrick Healy details his personal encounters and experiences during a trip to Beirut. In this travel-style article, Healy not only narrates his endeavors in what he baptized the "party-capital of the Middle East," but also makes conclusions that incensed gays and gay rights activists in Beirut.

by Michael K. Lavers
National News Editor
Wednesday Apr 1, 2009

Gay Lebanese activist Georges Azzi never thought he would see the day a government official or entity would publicly call for the decriminalization of homosexuality. Yet the Lebanese Ministry of Health did just that late last year.

"Everything is possible," Azzi told EDGE in a recent interview. "If it’s possible in Lebanon, its possible anywhere."

Written By: Madian al Jazerah, co-owner of Books@Cafe

This is about where we stand in hypocrisy and bigotry…and where we will be if we remain quiet.

Books@Cafe and many other establishments have been closed this week. Here is what I witnessed and what happened to us at Books@Cafe:

The night before Ramadan, the police violently stormed into the café and asked us to close down. “This is the holy month of Ramadan!” they barked. Since we are officially licensed and they could provide no official papers, we refused to close.

The 23rd world conference of the International lesbian and gay association (ILGA), who fights for the recognition of LGBT rights in the whole world started last Thursday 30th of March, and will be held until Monday April 3rd at the international center of conferences of Geneva.

DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates has authorized its first non-governmental organization to begin work to enforce human rights in the Gulf state, said Al-Emirat Al-Yawm newspaper last week. Quoting a licensing decision issued by the Social Affairs Ministry, it said the Emirates Human Rights Association (EHRA) aimed to "respect and enforce human rights according to the state's laws and constitution."

"Raising awareness among individuals and clarifying their rights and duties towards society" are part of the association's aims, the ministry added.

Source: Aljazeera - by Christian Henderson

In 2001, Egyptian police arrested and detained 52 gay men, including one minor, who the authorities said had engaged in lewdness at a party on a private boat along the Nile shoreline.

Twenty-three of the men received severe prison sentences for among other things, contempt of religion.
In Abu Dhabi in November police broke up a so-called gay wedding and arrested scores of men. UAE officials said they would inject suspects with hormones although they later denied the treatment took place.

Lebanon Out of the Closet!

A short film on Beirut's gay subculture produced byDateline, a program on Australia's SBS TV. The piece also features an interview with Helem member Ghassan Makarem. 2005-03-02