Archives > October 2007
Two Queens and a Prince
Times of India – India, October 14, 2007
A Pakistani drag queen at Lakme Fashion Week. A transgender fronting a Tamil TV show. A gay prince from Gujarat who will be appearing on Oprah to talk about his work for gays and lesbians. These are just some of the stories on alternative sexualities that made it to Indian newspapers in the last week.
Read more..
Seduced, Imported, Sold
Hindustan Times – India, October 14, 2007
As the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) identifies India as a top source, transit and destination country for human trafficking, the spotlight is, yet again, on the issue and its million victims.
Read more..
Child Sex Tourism Raises its Head in India
Sify - Chennai, India, October 14, 2007
As India tries to get more visitors to its shores, experts are warning that child sex tourism is raising its head in a dangerous way, not just in tourist havens but also in religious hubs in Tamil Nadu and Orissa.
Read more..
South Asia Regional Conference Calls for Punishment of Human Traffickers
Press Information Bureau (press release) - New Delhi, India, October 12, 2007
The South Asia Regional conference on Human Trafficking concluded here yesterday evening called for concerted efforts for effective enforcement of law so that offenders are punished quickly, certainly and severely in time bound manner for trafficking of children and women.
Read more..
Calling Mr. Condom
Asia Sentinel - Hong Kong, China, October 12, 2007
A television advertisement, part of a campaign called “Proud to Carry Condoms,” is designed to make Thai teenagers understand that it’s normal to practice safe sex. The message sounds harmless enough, but it deeply angered conservative groups here who said it encouraged teenagers to have sex.
Read more..
HIV Rate Rises in Married Couples
Nation Multimedia - Bangkok, Thailand, October 11, 2007
In 2005, some 6,399 cases or 38.7 per cent of new infections were married couples. Last year, the figure was 7,000 or 40 per cent of new cases. Women are most at risk of getting HIV from partners through unprotected sex.
Read more..
Report of National Family Health Survey Released
Press Information Bureau (press release) - New Delhi, India, October 11, 2007
The Final Report of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3), 2005-06 released today by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare offers a comprehensive picture of the health, nutrition and population in the country.
Read more..
Singapore Gays Call for Decriminalisation
PinkNews.co.uk – UK, October 10, 2007
Hundreds of Singaporeans are calling for the government to decriminalise homosexual sex, ahead of a parliamentary debate on the first overhaul of criminal law in Singapore in a quarter century.
Read more..
Family, Not Sex, is Pinoys' No. 1 Source of Happiness
Inquirer.net – Philippines, October 10, 2007
Family, health and religion are the three most important sources of happiness among Filipinos, while sex, sports, politics and cultural pursuits rank among the least important, according to a recent study by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).
Read more..
'State Failed in Empowering Disabled'
Hindu - Chennai, India, October 9, 2007
The Government and some activists working for the cause of people with disabilities have failed in empowering them because of their “charity” and “welfare” approach, rather than focussing on a rights-based framework while formulating policies.
Read more..
China Gets to Grips with Gay Marriage Debate
PinkNews.co.uk – UK, October 9, 2007
Chinese academics are calling for the country's estimated 40 million homosexuals to be given the right to marry.
Read more..
Bayer in Sexual Health Education
CSR Asia - Hong Kong, China, October 7, 2007
Bayer Healthcare and web portal Youth.SG say telling teenagers to abstain from sex is no longer realistic. They believe that what is needed now is to teach youth about responsible sex.
Read more..
Casual Sex Among Cambodia's MSMs an HIV Timebomb
AFP – October 6, 2007
While a barrage of public service campaigns have raised overall awareness of the causes of HIV/AIDS transmission, a shocking level of ignorance is also fueling this growing crisis among MSM, say advocates.
Read more..
Jakarta Court Holds Line on Polygamy
The Age – Jakarta, October 4, 2007
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court has criticised polygamy, ruling against broadening its legality but leaving untouched the loopholes used by many men. The court rejected an application by Muhammad Insa to allow polygamy to be practised by all. Mr Insa lodged the application after being refused permission to take a younger wife.
Read more..
Hide Your Love Away
Times of India – India, October 4, 2007
The story of Priyanka-Rizwanur is the tale of young couples trapped between their desire, the rights guaranteed by the law and their socio-cultural reality. It is about how the family, community and state agencies like the police treat love as a criminal activity and young lovers as criminals.
Read more..
‘Sexuality of the disabled being ignored’
The Hindu - Karnataka, Bangalore, October 3, 2007
At a national symposium on “Sexual Empowerment of Disabled Women in India,” Dr. Anita Ghai from Delhi University attempted a cultural explanation of the challenge facing the disabled. She said “In a culture where any deviation from a normally accepted archetype is seen as a marked deviation, the impaired body becomes a symbol of imperfection,”
Read more..
Sex Education in Schools: Parliamentary Panel Invites Suggestions
Newindpress - Chennai, India, October 2, 2007
The Parliamentary Committee on Petitions has decided to consult a cross-section of people for a national debate on the introduction of sex education in Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated schools all over the country.
Read more..
Transgendered in Malang
Inside Indonesia – Indonesia, October 1, 2007
Despite this confusion about who they really are, waria are certainly an identifiable presence in Malang. No one seems to have heard of any incidences of violence directed at them, even though expressions of hostility against waria are sometimes reported from other cities.
Read more..
Defining Waria
Inside Indonesia – Indonesia, October 1, 2007
While the organisers of the Miss Waria Indonesia event appear to be at pains to distance the pageant and its participants from association with the negative stereotypes of waria, there is at least some tacit acknowledgement that the behaviours associated with the stereotype do continue to characterise the waria community.
Read more..
Muslim Women in India Seek Secular Justice
Pakistan Christian Post - Karachi, Pakistan, October 1, 2007
Frail, exhausted, illiterate Imrana is one woman among tens of thousands in the many villages of India. Yet Imrana--in rural India women are often known only by their first names--is becoming a symbol of change and resilience for Muslim women across the country.
Read more..
Muslim Women in India Seek Secular Justice
Pakistan Christian Post - Karachi, Pakistan, October 1, 2007
Frail, exhausted, illiterate Imrana is one woman among tens of thousands in the many villages of India. Yet Imrana--in rural India women are often known only by their first names--is becoming a symbol of change and resilience for Muslim women across the country.
Read more..
