The South Caucasus News - SouthCaucasusNews.comAt 13:00 on 22 June, positions of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in the direction of Mollabayramli village of the Kalbajar district were again shelled with small arms fire from the territory of Armenia.
The Azerbaijani side took adequate response measures, the Defence Ministry said.
A day earlier, the military department…
(JTA) — It’s been 30 years since I feared that my gay identity might threaten my sense of belonging in the Jewish community.
I was in college. I walked into Shabbat dinner holding my girlfriend’s hand. Tightly. We were the only openly queer people in the room, and I felt all eyes on us. I wasn’t sure if my Jewish community would accept me, but I wanted to live in a world where I and other queer Jews could be our full selves. I became an activist and a bridge builder, bringing together queer and Jewish communities, planting the seeds for the work I do today.
This year, that fear and vulnerability I knew in college has crept back for the first time since 1993. In the wake of Oct. 7, I have feared not belonging in LGBTQ+ spaces as a Jew.
I hear this fear echoed among my LGBTQ+ Jewish colleagues and friends. Friends who have marched every year for the last 40 years will not come to Pride events this year because they don’t know if they will be safe from verbal harassment or even physical violence. Some LGBTQ+ Jews worry about stepping into queer spaces where there will be litmus tests on their views on Israel and Palestine. Some LGBTQ+ Jews are angry that their non-Jewish counterparts have abandoned them. These worries and fears tempt us to hide parts of ourselves or to withdraw from longtime communities.
In Keshet’s work mobilizing Jews to fight for LGBTQ+ equality, we work in partnership with many secular LGBTQ+ rights organizations. A few months ago, one of our partners issued a statement about Israel and Gaza that we at Keshet found deeply troubling. In my heart, part of me wanted to distance myself and not engage at all. But as I know from over two decades of this work, when we reach out, we often discover that we are not alone and new understandings can emerge. Partnership in the midst of tension can be painful, but it is the only way to potentially bridge divisions. If we are committed to LGBTQ+ and Jewish liberation, we cannot abandon one another. Too much is on the line.
I took a deep breath and reached out to the CEO. I shared with her what I and many Jews found hurtful and polarizing about the statement. I also talked about what was painful for me, personally, as an Israeli-American who has long worked for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Authentically leaning into the relationship and entering into a vulnerable conversation made all the difference. The leader assured me that the most problematic aspects of the statement would not be shared again by her organization.
What I have learned from queer history, what I have learned from Jewish history, and what I have learned from my own experience as an LGBTQ+ Jewish community leader, is that we cannot let fear, grief, hurt, or anger stop us. In fact, to the contrary: We must engage all parts of ourselves and we must turn toward each other — even when it might feel hard, perhaps especially when it is hard. How else can we move forward with greater strength?
For many Jews, the challenges and uncertainties of celebrating Pride in 2024 are deep and real. The ruptures between and within certain communities might feel irreparable. But I know deep in my bones that LGBTQ+ Jews have an unshakeable spirit and clarity about the power of being fully ourselves. Our resilience in the face of fear and uncertainty, and our clear-eyed commitment to what it takes to make change, will guide us to a better time and help us shape a more just world. The way through this moment can be found in what Pride offers us and demands of us: Protest. Community. Joy.
This month and onward, my deepest hope for our communities is that we do not cede joy. We do not cede wholeness. We do not cede Pride. That we will take to the streets. We will march. We will dance. We will protest. We will have hard conversations. We will stay in relationship. We will move what feels immovable. As for me, I will celebrate this Pride as I have in the past, as an out, proud queer Jew. I will wear my Star of David. I will hold my wife’s hand. See you there.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of JTA or its parent company, 70 Faces Media.
The post Made to feel unwelcome at Pride, LGBTQ Jews will not cede joy appeared first on The Forward.
Jacob Riis Beach hosts the day of body positivity and fun, in the city at the heart of the fat acceptance movement
Fat Beach Day events are springing up across the US in an effort to fight back against fat-phobia, reclaim safe spaces for the community and honor plus-size culture. Today, one of these celebrations is being held to coincide with Pride month at Jacob Riis Beach in New York, a location deeply ensconced in the city’s activism space.
“We’re going through something culturally that is impacting us every day on an individual level and a systemic level,” said Jordan Underwood, the event organizer. “We’re really trying to open up a space for people to be themselves.”
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26 iyun – Silahlı Qüvvələr Günü ərəfəsində media nümayəndələri üçün Azərbaycan Ordusunun qoşun növlərində mediaturlar təşkil edilib.
Mediaturlar çərçivəsində media nümayəndələri şəxsi heyətin xidməti və döyüş fəaliyyətinin təşkili, eləcə də sosial-məişət şəraiti və maddi-texniki təminatı ilə yaxından tanış olublar.
Media nümayəndələri, həmçinin azad edilmiş ərazilərdə dislokasiya olunan hərbi hissələrdən birində olub, burada xidmət edən hərbi qulluqçularla görüşüblər.
Hərbi qulluqçularımız Azərbaycan Respublikasının Prezidenti, Silahlı Qüvvələrin Ali Baş Komandanı cənab İlham Əliyevin diqqət və qayğısı nəticəsində yaradılan şəraitdən məmnunluq ifadə ediblər, Azərbaycan Ordusuna xidmət etməkdən qürur duyduqlarını bildiriblər.
Silahlı Qüvvələr Günü ərəfəsində mediaturlar təşkil edilib – VİDEO
В преддверии 26 июня – Дня вооруженных сил для представителей СМИ были организованы медиа-туры в виды войск Азербайджанской Армии.
В рамках медиа-туров журналисты ознакомились с организацией служебной и боевой деятельности личного состава, а также с социально-бытовыми условиями и материально-техническим обеспечением.
Представители СМИ также посетили одну из воинских частей, дислоцированных на освобожденных территориях, и встретились с военнослужащими, несущими здесь службу.
Военнослужащие выразили удовлетворение условиями, созданными благодаря вниманию и заботе Президента Азербайджанской Республики, Верховного Главнокомандующего Вооруженными силами Ильхама Алиева, и гордость тем, что служат в Азербайджанской Армии.
В преддверии Дня Вооруженных сил были организованы медиа-туры – ВИДЕО
On June 18, the French Le Point political magazine published a so-called letter addressed to President Emmanuel Macron, in which French citizens urged their leader to provide additional support to Armenia – specifically, to send French troops to aid the “sister” nation, according to Azerbaijan in Focus, reporting Azernews.
Among the signatories are the well-known “defender” of Armenian rights, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, along with former politicians, artists, media figures, and other “friends” of Armenia.
Jean-Michel Brun, Chief Editor of the Paris-based La Gazette du Caucase online newspaper in his article revealed who these ardent defenders of Armenians are and what their true goals might be.
“In the magazine Le Point, known for its Islamophobic covers and summaries, French “prominent figures” have written a “letter” to President Emmanuel Macron, urging him to send French armed forces to Armenia. This letter is a collection of clichés cherished by the defenders of a mythical “Christian West”: the evil Turks, and the hatred of Azerbaijan. This is likely because Azerbaijan embodies everything supremacists hate: cosmopolitanism and multiculturalism,” the author said.
This group of French individuals is primarily “concerned” that Azerbaijan might attack Armenia at any moment, and they believe Armenia needs urgent protection. Jean-Michel Brun rightly pointed out that, unlike neighboring Armenia, Azerbaijan has never seized a piece of land from another country.
“Azerbaijan, where a diverse array of peoples, cultures, and religions thrive and coexist, stands in stark contrast to Armenia. For example, the Jewish community in Azerbaijan feels more protected than almost anywhere else in the world. Meanwhile, Armenia is mono-ethnic and homogeneous. During the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Armenia expelled 350,000 Azerbaijanis who had lived there for centuries. In 2023, Armenia made headlines by burning the country’s only synagogue. Furthermore, one of Armenia’s national heroes, whose statue prominently stands in major cities, is Nzhdeh Garegin, a true Nazi,” the author said.
Jean-Michel Brun concluded by saying that it seems the letter’s signatories are defending not Armenia itself, but rather Armenian ultra-nationalists who fantasize about a “Greater Armenia”.
“And that’s likely what’s happening. The media is brainwashing the French public, with newspapers consistently promoting the views of the Armenian far-right, which vilifies the Armenian Prime Minister. This narrative is echoed by certain French politicians who see it as a reflection of their own supremacist and Islamophobic ideologies. It’s not surprising to find, at the bottom of the page alongside the names of Armenian activists, the names of those who constantly attack Muslims in media publications and either deny or diminish the significance of state-sponsored Islamophobia,” the article reads.
Sure, it’s no surprise to see such strong support recently from the French political community for Armenia. Macron’s party took a big hit in the recent parliamentary elections, so they’re scrambling to win back some votes however they can. And the votes from the Armenian diaspora are a big deal. But will it be enough?
The post La Gazette du Caucase reveals true motives of Armenia supporters in Paris: French media’s hypocrisy exposed appeared first on Azerbaijan In Focus.