#statement

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
ILGA-EUROPE
ALL OUT

JOINT PUBLIC STATEMENT

AI Index: EUR 44/8693/2018
28 June 2018

Turkey: Istanbul Pride march must go ahead unhindered

As the annual Istanbul Pride due to take place on Sunday 1 July approaches, Amnesty International, ILGA-Europe and All Out stand in solidarity with Turkey’s LGBTI+ communities and their allies, calling on the authorities to ensure Istanbul Pride march takes place without any unlawful restrictions.

Fotis Filippou, Campaigns Director for Europe at Amnesty International said:

“In the current climate of fear, where authorities are clamping down on civil society, freedom of expression and diversity, it is all the more important for LGBTI individuals to be visible and freely celebrate pride. People around the world are standing in solidarity with Turkey’s LGBTI activists and their allies, who, against all odds are marching for human rights and equality.”

The last time it took place in 2014, an estimated 90,000 people participated in the vibrant Istanbul Pride parade in Istiklal Avenue, the city’s main shopping street. This was the largest of the gatherings since 2003, when just 30 LGBTI+ activists had been present in the first ever Pride march. But all this changed when the Istanbul Governorate banned the 2015 Pride march in Istanbul, police violently dispersing participants with water cannons, tear gas and pepper ball projectiles, detaining dozens of people in the process. In 2016 and 2017, small groups of LGBTI+ activists and allies were also prevented from marching following bans by the Governorate.

Björn van Roozendaal, Programmes Director for ILGA-Europe said:

“In 2018, Pride is undoubtedly a litmus test for democratic values – a test that over the past few years, Turkey has failed to meet. It’s particularly disappointing when you consider the incredible history of Pride in Istanbul. Sadly, the restrictions on LGBTI public events since then in the region are indicative of the attempted erosion of civil society organising and human rights. History is repeating itself. And make no mistake, this is harming all of society, not just the LGBTI communities and their allies. Attacks on activism and dissenting voices, a constant refusal from authorities to engage with their citizens, and persistent disregard for fundamental rights - this is something that should provoke a reaction from all communities, not only the LGBTI movement.”

Turkey’s LGBTI+ communities are determined to exercise their right to peacefully celebrate pride. In fact, on 11 May, students at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara did just that, despite the ongoing city wide blanket ban on all LGBTI+ events. In Izmir, hundreds took part in the 6 th annual Pride march on 10 June.

Matt Beard, Executive Director for All Out said:

“We will continue to stand in solidarity with LGBTI people in Istanbul and across Turkey. Authorities can ban peaceful gatherings, they can silence dissent, they can use hard, raw power to bully and coerce others. But they will never extinguish the hunger for freedom, respect, and dignity that are at the very heart of Pride.”

Under domestic and international law, Turkish authorities are under obligation to protect the rights to freedom of peaceful expression and assembly. On 1 July, Istanbul Pride must be allowed to go ahead unhindered and be protected.

Ends/

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the-modern-female:

vintageinstepford:

dominantjournal:

“Would you get me a beer?”

is a world away from

“Get me a beer, please.”

The first is a request to which she might easily (and logically) reply, “no.” The second is a polite direction. The speaker assumes his request will be granted. It is easier for her to comply than to construct an argument or a valid reason for refusal.

What’s more, the first version causes her to doubt you. The man who says “Would you get me a beer?” isn’t certain. She’ll sense this, even if only on a subconscious level, and it will turn her off ever so slightly. Whereas “Get me a beer, please,” might rub her the wrong way at first–how presumptious of him!–it will also activate her internal drive to please, or at least her inner compulsion to avoid conflict. In the end, if you use the second way, you eliminate the need for her ever-spinning female brain to process your uncertainty. You make it easy for her to comply. You remove part of the decision-making process. In the long term, she will appreciate it. And you’ll get your beer.

This is critically important, gentlemen.  The way you word things is crucial to evoking certain feelings in the listener.

With your girl, as in everyday life, the way you word a command, a request, a statement, etc. can either cause her to be happy about the command she has received, or be resentful that you won’t do things yourself.

Watch your wording.  It makes all the difference in the world.

-VIS

OMG, yes! That is sooo true.

But i wanna add, you don’t have to be mean or extra demanding with your tone. Just say it matter of factly. “Get me a beer” like “the sun is shining today”. Don’t ask me to do something, don’t shout at me to do something, just state what you want me to do.

Devotional Training: Simply Stated.

Like Mother Nature I wish to be mysterious and beautiful and kind

Hey everyone.  On account of recent events, me and the team find it necessary to make a public statement on the situation.  Squigglydigg, who previously did freelance on “The Future” video will not be returning for any position of production on any project related to Mystery Skulls Animated. 

She was brought on as freelance, among a group of other freelancers, roughly a year ago.  Her input on the project itself did not extend beyond her given roll as an animator.  Regardless, the views expressed by her in no way reflect the views of the small, core MSA team or anyone else who participated in any leg of production.  I wish to personally denounce such statements as much as possible.  These views are extremely irresponsible and dangerous. 

We will be placing an open call for freelance animators in the near future as expected.  For anyone harmed by the toxicity this situation presented, I wish to personally extend an apology to those effected.  We will strive to make sure this kind of scenario does not happen again. 

-Mystery Ben