HRC Back Story

Interesting news on the international front that's being picked up by some of the blogs: Gay Palestinian gets OK to live with Israeli lover:

The 33-year-old Palestinian from Jenin was issued a temporary permit to live with his Israeli partner in Tel Aviv after arguing he faced death threats from fellow Palestinians who disapproved of him being gay, the official said.[...]

But while homosexuality is largely taboo in conservative and majority Muslim West Bank cities, one rights groups working with Palestinian gays said there had been few reports of physical violence in recent years.

However Palestinians are wary of collaborators and Rauda Morcos, director of Aswat support group for Palestinian lesbians, said this suspicion was directed at gay men and women.

Morcos said Palestinian gays were sometimes targeted by the Israeli secret service and told they must collaborate or face being outed.

While homosexuality is more widely accepted in Israel, some sections of society such as ultra-Orthodox Jews are strident opponents of gay rights and some religious Jews threatened violence during last year's Gay Pride parade in Jerusalem.

Even as we continue to push open the doors for full equality for GLBT people here the United States, this story reminds us that still today in many countries, being gay is not only taboo - but can pose serious threats to one's personal safety, including death.