Chinese Treatments To “Heal” Homosexuality

The Chinese Psychiatric Association has de-registered homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses for 15 years, and homosexuality itself is not a crime in China. Still, many clinics still offer treatments to “heal” from this “condition”.

The social and cultural stigma against homosexuals is still strong. For Chinese parents, the most important thing is that their children make them grandparents.
As John, a Chinese LGBT activist in this video, explains to us, for a Chinese person to come out with their parents is the most difficult thing.

The British Channel 4 has made a documentary in which a courageous Chinese LGBT activist has infiltrated one of the clinics that promise, with shock treatments, to “heal” homosexuality. The treatments people are subjected to in this clinic are horrifying and are IN fact dangerous. For example, there are various forms of electroshock – performed on different parts of the body – which should, in theory, make the patient associate a negative stimulus with the sexual impulse towards people of the same sex.

We can see the result in this trailer.

Gay Weddings In Italy: An Exciting Video

Other than continuing to chatter about DDL Cirinnà and civil unions: in Italy the time has come to say “Yes” to gay marriage. As they said it in the rest of Europe and in the world. And as they say “Yes” the boy and girl in this beautiful video, published by L’Amore è Uguale Per Tutti, a “virtual space to promote love”.

The Gay Short Film Wins The Maremetraggio Festival

The small and tender story of two men who have loved each other for over 30 years in hiding, in the belief that they have no right, not even in the event of the death of one of the two.
Yet on the day of the Pride of Naples, which could be the last of their life together, they find the courage of a revolutionary gesture for them …

Giuseppe Bucci’s short film – starring Francesco Paolantoni and Patrizio Rispo – wins the best short film, the “ShorTS ilPiccolo” prize, at the prestigious Maremetraggio Festival which puts the 89 best-selling international shorts of the season in competition.

In Italy, in addition to Maremetraggio, Luigi and Vincenzo won the Florence Queer Festival, the Corto Imola Festival, according to the Gender DocuFilm Festival (Gay Village Rome), best original subject award at the Sorridendo Festival Cinecitta ‘, prize at the Pompei cinema Festival for two protagonists and is in the selection for the 2014 David di Donatello nomination .

But also around the world the short film has received very important statements such as the victory of the 10 grands moments de solitude in Paris (also screened in Cannes) the presence at the Europride in Oslo, and it is the only Italian short film to hit the official selection in aces poker of the North American LGBT Festivals (Frameline San Francisco, OutFest Los Angeles, NewFest New York, InsideOut of Toronto) as well as screenings at the Turin LGBT Festivals, Barcelona, ​​Amsterdam, Brussels, and others, up to Rio and Mumbai and at the Tres Court in Paris which projects the finalists simultaneously in 100 cities around the world.

Fairytale Lesbian Wedding

Eventually it will also happen in Italy. The homosexual marriage between gay and lesbian couples must necessarily be legalized in our country too. We are sure of it. Things change and history goes on.
And it also goes on thanks to people like Anita and Claudia who don’t give up, gather their strength and decide to get married in Kent, England, crowning their dream of love far from our country.
This beautiful video, created by the video agency 2become1, tells the emotions of that day in a few minutes.
Try not to be moved …

15 Secret Asexuality Confessions

The complex universe of asexuals is still little known, little told and above all little understood.
Asexuality is sexual orientation characterized by a lack of interest or desire for sex. Therefore, an asexual person does not experience any physical attraction towards others, not even his partner.

What does it mean to be asexual and how do you explain it to others? Is it possible, as asexuals, to think that you have a lasting relationship?
In this Buzzfeed video, 15 asexual people confess on the social Whisper. Below the video you will find the translation.

My best friend just came out as an asexual … I don’t know if I should tell her that I am too.

When I tell people that I am asexual, they look at me like I am a caz * or unicorn … According to many people, we don’t exist.

I am openly asexual at school but not at home. I tried to tell mine but they say it is a phase, and that I will think differently growing up.

It makes me angry when people laugh because I’m 17 and still a virgin. They don’t understand that I’m asexual.

I don’t understand when people say “You can’t know you’re asexual if you’ve never tried to have sex.” It’s like saying “You can’t know you’re heterosexual if you’ve never tried to be with someone of the same sex.”

Today I told the girl that she has a crush on me that I am asexual. Now he hates me.

I’m afraid people wouldn’t find me so cute if they found out I’m asexual.

Just because I’m not sexually attracted to anyone and I don’t want to have sex doesn’t mean I don’t want a love affair.

I feel that being asexual reduces my chances of finding a relationship.

Asexuals don’t find love … nowadays it seems that love without sex is not possible.

I am asexual. I am also a rape victim. Even if people try to tell me that the two are connected, I can say 100% that these two are completely disconnected from each other.

The thing that scares me most about the future is to spend it alone, because I am asexual.

I just told my boyfriend I was asexual. He was absolutely comfortable. I love him so much.

To all my asexual friends out there … you are not wrong. We are not wrong.

I’m asexual and I’m hot to die for!

The Airbnb Video That Invites To Host LGBT Couples

Celebration of “traveling to open your mind” also towards those who host LGBT families or couples, this video published by Airbnb in coincidence with the legalization of gay marriage in the USA has generated appreciation and many controversies, as it was easy to imagine.

It actually highlights a big problem for LGBT travelers: being able to simply be themselves anywhere in the world. A desire still far from being reality. This is why it is #HostWithPride, it proudly hosts the hashtag / appeal addressed to users of the widely used app, this year sponsoring the San Francisco Pride for the second consecutive year.

Queer Short Film, Pink Moon

In a society where heterosexuals are persecuted and abortion is forbidden, two teens are forced to hide.

Brandon Tyler Harris, Thomas Roberts, Cole Johnston, Adam Jepsen, Sandy York, Shawn Parr, and Riley Suter, confronts the issues of bullying, LGBTI equality, and abortion / reproductive rights.

Winner: Best Short Film (Big Apple Film Festival)
Date: 2015-06-22 21:15:07
Duration: 00:17:35

Anticipation grows for ‘Girl/Girl Scene’ season two

If you haven’t seen the series, Girl/Girl Scene, you have time to catch up on season one episodes before the season two release in July. Girl/Girl Scene premiered their first 45 minute episode in June 2010 and quickly garnered the attention of the LGBT community, gaining instant fans.

Tucky Williams is the creator, writer and lead actress of the series. She started in the industry after auditioning for the indie horror film, Shadows Light where she not only landed her first role but also was cast as the female lead. Unfortunately, a common story among actresses emerged; she was not getting parts she related to or wanted to play. That’s when executive producer and friend Nick Brown stepped in and encouraged her to write. She wrote the first episode the night they spoke and he helped her to its fruition. “We had just made the first episode and I was surprised it even got made, and we put it out online and all my wildest dreams came true and people loved it, and embraced it, and watched it; and I still can’t believe that it happened to me; that I got so lucky; to find that success so quickly,” said Williams.
The show is shot guerilla-style in her home state of Kentucky and has no budget or affiliation to a studio or TV network. “I’m really lucky to have the talented cast and crew that we have,” Williams said. “We have very limited amounts of money. The show is very low budget and I watched the dailies and they’re beautiful. We have this amazing talent; we do have this tiny budget and it looks like we have a huge budget; so we’d love to have more money to put into it but … we’ve done so much with so little,” Williams continued.
Most recently, Williams caught the eye of producers from Showtime’s The Real L Word. They mic’d her during a New York engagement and during her hosting gig at The Dinah in Palm Springs this year. “I don’t think I was cast, it was more like I was there, and I wasn’t going to be a dick and say no you can’t mic me and you can’t put me on camera,” said Williams. The impromptu appearance on the show seemed to confuse the members of The Real L Word, that hadn’t seen Girl/Girl Scene. They looked on quizzically as her fans approached her for pictures and hugs. She imagined they thought she was someone’s girlfriend.

The Dinah event in Palm Springs also lead to the casting of American pornographic actress and lobbyist for the adult entertainment industry, Kayden Kross. “I met Tucky on one of the red carpets at the Dinah last year. I was hosting the special for Here! TV and she was walking it and we kinda met mouth first. There’s YouTube footage,” said Kross. “Her producer emailed me out of the blue and asked if I’d be interested. I figured it would be fun and had the free time.” In comparison to her day job, Kross found some similarities and differences, “The mood seemed very similar though. For the most part it’s relaxed and there is a cohesiveness in the group effort involved in getting wrapped on time. The difference is we don’t wrap on time on porn sets,” said Kross.
Another new member to the cast is Abisha Uhl from the band Sick of Sarah. “The first time I met her she ran up to me and gave me a hug; she was just really sweet and so I asked her to be on the show in episode eight, and we flew her out here and she did one scene and I was like, ‘Oh My God’ because she was amazing, and so then she became a cast member in season two, because she was that good; she’s hilarious,” said Williams.

That one episode has Uhl’s music fans eager for more; so much so that a promo photo of Uhl and Williams kissing spread like wildfire on Tumblr and viewership instantly increased. “Well, they haven’t even seen much yet, but so far the response has been great! I’m thinking they like seeing me kiss girls. My character really develops more this next season. I’m excited for the response,” said Uhl. With acting experience under her belt and touring with her band, expect to see more of Uhl. “I would love to do both. My band is my main thing, but acting is something I’ve always wanted to explore,” Uhl added.

“I think we’re just taking it up a level and it’s the same show and at the same time it’s more fun, more engaging, but we still take it to those dark places plus we got some really really awesome new cast members for season two” says Williams, enthusiastically. One of the themes that will be explored in season two is epilepsy which she hopes more public figures will speak out about. “So many people are in the closet about having it and it makes me crazy because [there’s] just such a stigma over it,” explains Williams.
As the anticipation for the new season grows there are two things to learn from Williams, Uhl and Kross. One, if you want to be on Girl/Girl Scene make sure to give Williams a kiss and/or hug when you see her and two, if you want something, go for it, live your dreams and if you’re good, the fans will follow.

You can watch Girl/Girl Scene on blip.tv, girlgirlscene.blip.tv and/or on GGS’ official Web site, girlgirlscene.com. For more about Tucky Williams go to tuckywilliams.com.

For more information about Kayden Kross go to clubkayden.com and/or follow her on Twitter @kayden_kross.

For more information about Abisha Uhl and her band, Sick of Sarah, go to sickofsarah.com.

Short URL: http://lgbtweekly.com/?p=24847

For one openly gay Muslim, a pilgrimage to Mecca carries threat of death

The struggles normally associated with making an independent documentary are largely associated with costs; the cost of paying for equipment and rentals, the cost of paying the actors and crew and keeping them fed, the costs associated with marketing and promoting the film. But for openly gay Muslim, Parvez Sharma, the costs associated with making his documentary A Sinner in Mecca included the very real threats to his life. “For a gay filmmaker, filming in Saudi Arabia presents two serious challenges: filming is forbidden in the country and homosexuality is punishable by death.”

The documentary, which filmed, among other things, the mass pilgrimage to Mecca by Muslims – known as the “Hajj” – with two smuggled cameras and iPhone, put the Indian-born filmmaker in constant fear for his safety. But, as he told the Indian portal Scroll.in recently: “As a filmmaker and an activist intent on reforming Islam, it was important for me to challenge Saudi authority ‒ this is the most corrupt and secretive regime in Islam and they have an insidious and longstanding project to export their version of an 18th century Islam called Wahabi Islam, which is an Islam of fear. It is an Islam that reserves the death penalty for openly gay Muslims like me.”

And according to OpposingViews.com, which picked up on the story, the film also explores “the brash commercialization of the five-day Hajj experience, the harsh treatment of Shia Muslims by Sunni Muslims and the filthy conditions created by the mass overcrowding for the event, which Muslims are expected to attend at least once in their lives.”

Meanwhile, The Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival has implemented strict security measures for next week’s world premiere of A Sinner in Mecca. Hot Docs Communications Director Jonathan Da Silva told The Hollywood Reporter about hiring personal security for Sharma, “Hot Docs strives to ensure that all guests feel safe and secure while attending the festival, and out of an abundance of caution we felt this measure was appropriate.”

Short URL: http://lgbtweekly.com/?p=59632

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