Documentary Film 'Listen To Me: Untold Stories Beyond Hatred' Premieres in Yerevan
Special for the Armenian Weekly
The staff at PINK Armenia was abuzz on Oct. 11, as were the many young people who visit the organization’s Yerevan office each day. They come with appointments or for drop-ins to see one of PINK’s psychologists, lawyers, or the social worker; to meet, discuss, and organize in the community room; or simply to be themselves in perhaps the only space in the entire country whe
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Treating all people fairly and decently?
Yes.
Legalizing same sex marriage and teaching homosexuality in the lower grades, as is happening in the US?
NO.
No one “teaches homosexuality in lower grades” in the U.S., or any other grade for that matter. Please stop this empty and untrue ‘Putinist” rhetoric, which aims to scare and divide. In the US, much like other developed countries, they teach to respect your peers and not to bully and beat up someone who may be different from yourself either in race, sexual orientation, disability, or looks for that matter. Isn’t that a good thing?
@ Marianna
You know nothing about Family Life Education (FLE) program in the US. The FLE curriculum in many counties around the country includes teachings on homosexuality and gender identity not only in schools, but in some counties even in kindergartens(!).
It is sad, perhaps even tragic, that a nation that justifiably complains, even rages, against hatred, prejudice, discrimination and lack of human respect committed against its people in historical events finds it apse justifiable to hate, threaten, and use violence and government sanctions against its own people for mere sexual identity. Have the lessons of history now been learned, internalized and understood p?
Exactly how are two absolutely unmatched cases connected, may I ask? How is it possible to even juxtapose the genocidal extermination of the nation and our rightful indignation for this crime against humanity and our non-admittance of the Western blasphemy of same sex marriages and propaganda, a practice totally alien to our traditional values, the sanctity of the Armenian family, and our Christian beliefs? What we learned from our history is that our millennia-long national traditions and values, our sanctities and beliefs, and our way of life must be cherished and protected in spite of satanic globalist attempts to destroy them not only in Armenia, but worldwide.
The prevailing majority of Americans favor the right to keep and bear arms which they enjoy under the Second Amendment to the United States constitution despite their government’s incessant attempts by means of school shootings etc. to alter or remove the Amendment. How would you, so proud to be an American, feel if the Embassy of Armenia in the United States extended support to an minor civil group to produce a documentary film about gun prohibition in America? How will it feel?
@ John:
I know, comparing Armenian Genocide with persecution of sexual minorities in Armenia (and elsewhere) seems a little out of place, but it only does so because of the numbers of victims involved. If you look at it from the point of view of the persecutor, a.k.a. the Hater – the other party is considered “unworthy” of the same kind of rights and somehow inferior. Same happened in Ottoman Turkey towards Armenians at the time, and that’s exactly what you’re promoting in the case of sexual minorities.
Talking about preserving traditions: yes, we Armenians have great traditions, and a ton of bad ones as well. For instance, beating your wife, gossiping behind your friends’ and neighbours’ backs, and judging everyone who dares be different. I remember growing up in Yerevan and seeing kids pointing at an African tourist and laughing, beating up a Russian kid, just because he stood out, and many other similar instances that happened on a daily basis and are a shameful part of our culture. And so is the traditional entitlement of Armenian men to cheat on their wives – how’s that for fostering family values? I am all for preserving good traditions, but nothing about hating others for who they are is good. If any tradition or belief goes against respecting the premise of “DO NO HARM” – then it needs to be scratched.
You understand nothing about the sentiment of Americans towards gun control laws. Gun ownership, while afforded by constitution, is not a human right. So, quite frankly, it’s irrelevant to this discussion.
@ Marianna
You know nothing about human rights and freedoms that the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia guarantees to ALL of her citizens.
Article 14: Human dignity shall be respected and protected by the state as an inviolable foundation of human rights and freedoms.
Article 14.1: Everyone shall be equal before the law. Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or other personal or social circumstances shall be prohibited.
Comparing crimes against humanity, such as the Armenian Genocide, with social non-admittance by the prevailing majority of the Armenian people of homosexual propaganda and same sex marriages in Armenia is disgraceful. Ottoman Armenians had nowhere to turn to when they were murdered en masse, tortured, gang-raped, mutilated, buried and burnt alive, forcibly deported, and made die of hunger and diseases. Homosexuals in Armenia are protected by the SAME laws that ALL of Armenia’s citizens enjoy. If he or she feels they were treated badly, they know where they can seek protection similar to all other citizens. Injustice and lawlessness in some cases is, again, applicable to ALL of Armenia’s citizens. There is no need to single out homosexuals from the whole fabric of the Armenian society. Same with the cases that you’ve enumerated, i.e. wife-beating, bullying, cheating, etc.
You understand nothing about the gun control laws, gun ownership, and the whole notion of fundamental and human rights. The right to keep and bear arms in the United States is a fundamental right, while the right of self-defense—armed in most cases—is a SUBSTANTIVE HUMAN RIGHT. How come you promote relevance of the Armenian Genocide to homosexuality, but fail at the same time to see relevance in a situation if the Armenian embassy in Washington, DC would extend material support for the production of a documentary propagating gun prohibition in the United States? How would you feel?
Another Western funded NGO operation…
{a documentary film produced […] with support from the United States Embassy in Yerevan [about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people]}
This is what the United States Embassy is supporting in Armenia? Jesus…
Any information if US Embassies in Baku and Tbilisi provided such support for such a documentary film ?
The question is rhetorical, of course.
Azerbaijan being an IslamFascist state, nothing of the sort would be tolerated.
As to Georgia: I don’t know.
But highly doubtful.
In May 2013 (during West’s darling, ‘tolerant’ Saakashvili admin) a planned gay-rights march in Tbilisi turned into a massive, violent riot as a result of 1,000s of counter protesters. Police had to rescue the gay-rights marchers.
Interesting that only Armenia is the lucky recipient of such largess. No?
I’m seriously horrified by the completely illogical comments about “millennia-long Christian traditions” (what about our pagan traditions?) and “Western” influence of homosexuality. Homosexuality exists everywhere, in some places it is simply more accepted than others. It’s absolutely normal for LGBTQ people to keep mum and for straight people to not have any idea about those communities, so you can’t say it’s a new western thing, secret meeting spots are not an original thing of the West. No one is teaching kindergarten kids to BE homosexual – they’re simply being told that that’s another type of family which exists. And it does exist.
Preservationism is part of what’s keeping Armenia in such a shitty state.
As for funding, if it doesn’t happen in Baku it’s not because of Islam, it’s because no one has made the request for a filmmaking grant yet. Perhaps people turn more violent there (an answer I’m sure you would love, that Azeris are violent people), or Armenians are more emboldened when faced with adversity. But it’s unlike that it’s an initiative of the US Embassy. And in any case, it’s quite obvious that people in Armenia are against LGBTQ community, what with the DIY bombing. To say “can’t believe it’s accepted here and not there,” you’re ignoring the risk these people are taking.
…more imported western ‘values’ to Armenia…
So proud of my little Armenia and every single hero of this documentary for standing up for what is right. They do that every minute of their life despite the hatred and threats they face at every corner, coming from the petty people who’d rather stick their nose in other people’s business and beds, than work on self-improvement and building a fair and just society in Armenia. Love is Love, and it comes in all different shapes, sizes, colours, and tastes, just like we all do! And anyone who thinks otherwise has never truly experienced it!
Why are you guys hating on others ?? Why does a persons sexuality offend and frighten so many people ? They are human beings like the rest of the world who are tired of living in fear and judgement and the proof is in some of the statements here.
Remember one thing , look where hate and judgement got us 100 years ago. There is no difference. Hate is hate.
From the fearful comments on this board, it seems that homophobia isn’t limited to Armenians in Armenia…
Bravo Kyle, Bravo PINK Armenia!
Let knowledge grow from more to more, and more of understanding in us dwell…
Congratulations to these brave souls, who claim their rightful place and space on this planet. I strongly support them. It is high time our macho leaders wake up and see what is happening around them.
About time! No one chooses to be stigmatized or outcast. LGBT people are the same as we are. It’s been with us since the beginning of time.
Did Jesus teach us to judge some people as “queer”?
No, Jesus did not judge people. But homosexaual behavour is clearly against the christian faith. “A man should not go to a man as a man goes to a woman”. Western countries are moraly destroyed. I wish we had less of Western influence on our country. And i wihs we dit not have moslim naitons as neibourgs and i wish we could live in peace in our country. And those who compare the armenian genocide and with rights of LBGT or even mention it in this kind of contexts have no honor nor consciense!
“Another western funded blah, blah, blah” The west didn’t create homosexuality and neither changes Armenians into homosexuals. Your ignorance of biology is ridiculous.There are Straight Armenians, Gay Armenians, and Bisexual Armenians, either you like it or not. Armenians need to learn to respect fellow Armenians, and stop violating their rights. Everyone has the right to be treated fairly under the law. AND NO we don’t learn about homosexuality in elementary school in the United States. I didn’t even know what sexuality was until Middle School and it was because of fellow students. Some of you need to put aside the right-wing Christian propaganda.
Some biological facts!!!sexual orientation, like left-handedness or right handedness, is not something that people voluntarily choose or that they can usually change. like most other complex human behaviors, it reflex a complex interplay of genetics and non-genetic influences. Sexual orientation depends on testosterone levels during the sensitive period of brain development from
the second month of pregnancy until the end of the fifth month. Therefore,
sexual orientation is influenced by prenatal hormones during the sensitive period for sexual development. Prenatal exposure to masculinizing hormones may contribute to some instances of female homosexuality. so let’s accept our brothers, sisters, sons and daughters as they are and love them for who they are and not for who they sleep with. What happens behind closed doors is none of anybody’s business. let’s focus on more important issues to better our fellow countrymen lives to reach equality,justice and happiness for all state.
For those happy to dismiss queer and trans people as “Western imports” and against Armenian tradition, I would suggest actually doing more historical research. In most pre-colonial communities and civilizations, gender and sexual diversities existed and were even honored. Persecution of queer people and the artificial gender binary are actually imports of colonization and the Crusades. So if you want to harken on history and tradition, by all means, let’s do it. Let’s go back to when we honored and revered queer and trans people.
{Let’s go back to when we honored and revered queer and trans people.}
Who is “we”? Armenians?
Evidence, please, when “we” (Armenians?) supposedly “honored and revered queer and trans people”.
In fact I am not aware of any civilization or society in human history which, quote, “revered” homosexual or transsexual people.
Accept, tolerate, live-and-let-live? Sure.
But _revere_?
This is a great initiative. Hope it makes headway. I love that it is attuned not just to Armenia but the diaspora, since the diaspora is by no means accepting and tolerant on this issue (among others).
Avery, Hijra in India are revered (and discriminated against). Hijra are third genders and are recognized by law. Indians believe Hijra are touched by angels or other spirits and thus Indians sought out Hijra to bless them and their families (at the same time, Hijra won’t be considered a serious applicant when applying for a typical job).
False. In India they are only recognized as a “third gender” in law. Not revered.
The macho BS in these few hateful comments is astonishing. The world has moved on from Armenia. Quite sadly. While you idiots think you must preserve the long standing Armenian family traditions and Christianity vs. the “globalist satanic agenda”, the rest of the world is rolling up their collective sleeves to fight fascism. This explains how I know so many elderly (and sadly younger) Armenians who voted for Donald Trump. The guy who wants to ban Muslims (you think he can distinguish between Christian Armenians and Islamic Jihadists? The guy who makes fun of the disabled. The guy who has Russian and Azeri business interests. 50 years in America and all they learned to do was hate and divide. This country was on the right track for so many years and sadly we have to fight for our disadvantaged groups whether they be LGBT or dark skinned. Maybe among the saddest things is to see what little has become of our old country. It remains so far in the past. John, Paul . . . stick around for Trump’s America. You are going to love it here, if you don’t find yourselves wishing you could leave for being an immigrant (or sons of immigrants) sooner.
And, if you really believe Kindergarten students are being taught homosexuality you are literally blinded by your own propaganda.
I hope God exists and can heal your ignorance.