In this brief video on current.tv, you will see why transexuality is, in fact, allowed in Iran (homosexuality in Iran is still considered a sin and illegal); and how some transexuals live in their strict Islamic society.

"He's here, he's not queer and it's really unclear why he's here." WTF!? Is Jeremy Paul really clueless or just dumb? I guess the American Family Foundation is trying to break the block. What other explanation could there possibly be?

As someone who grew up from the nourishment of the British colonial government, I never considered that I might have the option to be married to my same-sex partner at British diplomatic offices. For those who reside in Hong Kong and hold a British passport (both British nationals and Hong Kong Chinese who don't have the right to adobe in Britain), they were told today that they can't do so in that tiny, packed Special Administrative Region while they can do it in other countries including, believe it or not, the USA. Hong Kong objected to ritght of British passport holders to be entered into same-sex civil unions. Read the report from the International Herald Tribune.

What's the surprise here? Do you think the Hong Kong government would really let same-sex couples marry on their soil (even though the Consulate is considered foreign territory) when they are still in the process of considering if laws preventing discrimination against gays are even necessary? Let's do the math: if half of the Hong Kong population holds a passport that entities them to get married in the British Consulate, we could reasonably expect that more than few might want to make official their same sex untions. This is most likely causing the Chinese to freak out. Gay marriage? Over their dead bodies!

And by the way, they've already spent more than a year contemplating on the necessity for the anti-discriminating laws against gays. What's there to consider for those damn laws? Discrimination is discrimination and they should legislate equal protection for gays just like any other marginalized gorup. And can you guess who's opposing the anti-discrimination laws in Hong Kong? Did I hear you say the religious right? That's right, you got it, it's them again, they're everywhere and they are trying to prevent equal rights everywhere. They might as well make their rallying cry "Kill the Gays." Hmm I wonder what Jesus would do?

Picture by Wajaja during his visit to Hong Kong many years ago.

Last night I watched the Canadian movie Denial, and it touched me immensely. It was about this jock and his high school crush. Well maybe not exactly his crush in high school, but they were high school buddies and then he is so madly in love with him. This guy Merrick is in denial and continues to sleep with the confused jock, Troy. And at the end Troy decides to leave and get a life for himself.

My goodness, so much it reminded of my own story. Well you see, it wasn't exactly the same story I had in high school, but the story reminded me of my feelings to him so much. "The high school crush," I hate this feeling. I am having butterflies in my stomach all over again. It's more than 10 years and what, I still can't get over it? Apparently so. Nothing ever happened, and nothing will ever happen.

At least, I told him that I was gay last year. He was cool about it but he never told me that he was gay either. Oh bummer. Okay, I convinced myself that he's in denial.

I love Jason Mraz. I love love love Jason Mraz. There, I said it. Now, can we all just give him some more attention, please!?

I was trying to get some friends to go with me to his concert here in New York yesterday and I was baffled to realize that almost all of them don't seem to know who the heck he is. True, Mraz's music might be very poppy, and I suppose these friends of mine tend me to be a little more "mature."

But then, he's oh, so adorable.

I am not going to talk about his music here, if you want, you can easily find out all about his music everywhere. His music is easy listening, really poppy and commercial, but Mraz has such a cheery and positive character. He was the geek in school and now he calls himself a geek. He wore a pink t-shirt with the word "GEEK" in the concert the other night (well, that happens to be a concert merchandise too), where he was making silly geeky jokes and gestures all night. He is not afraid to say that he have experimented with boys when he was young. He claims to have a bisexually open mind, and if a right man came along, "then sure," he said. Now could you imagine Ricky saying that?

I adore him for being so true to who he is and he is not afraid to be something he is. People love him, because he is real. He is a geek, so big deal, he embraces it and enjoys playing with his geekiness. And I know he is not gay, but I will still be his boyfriend.

Tomorrow is National Coming Out Day in the USA. While coming out can be seen as an ongoing process and not a one-day event it is a day that commemorates our being true to ourselves. And, if you haven't done it yet, or if you are still hoping to come out someday, tomorrow is an excellent reason to push yourself and get the hell out of your closet.

At a time when the Catholic church is planning to ban gay men from becoming priests, and many in the gay community overtly express their disdain for and/or reconsider their relationship with the Church, I have a rather inspiring story about the Church and coming out to share. It is part of my coming out story.

My parents could be considered to be rather typical and traditional Chinese parents (Oh and BTW, they are both devoted Catholics), and not surprising they weren't a bit supportive of my coming out. In fact that's a big of an understatement, they told me to die! Horrible, isn't it? Well as shocking as it might sound I know it wasn't an entirely uncommon reaction and I actually understood their harsh reaction and I chose to forgive them. They were in shock and I knew it. My dad even commented that that he would prefer me to be a druggie over a fag. (Do think about this for a second. Druggie vs. Fags.) My Dad then began sending me excerpts from the Bible, including the infamous Leviticus quote, "If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them." (Leviticus 20:13) FYI, my dad only converted to Catholicism a few years ago, while I was born Catholic and bought up Catholic. I was repulsed by his selective use of the texts, I threatened him that he would become a fundamentalist if he continued.

October 15, 2004. Hong Kong had its first-ever Gay Parade organized by the local GLBT organization Horizons. I am disappointed at myself that I didn't know about it earlier. Not that I'd do anything, but still I feel like I should have known. Anyway, what an impressive move! So far Asian countries including Thailand, Japan and Taiwan have had their parades (please add other countries if Wajaja has missed any). Way to go Hong Kongers! I'm even more proud to be one of them now. Keep it going!

Read the coverage from Fridae.

Now that Lance Armstrong and Nike's WEARYELLOW LIVESTRONG one-dollar cancer-benefit wristband has become such a fashion statement, and completely back-ordered, it might be necessary to remind ourselves that there is indeed another benefit wristband out there, started long before these popular yellow rubber bands.

The Until there's A Cure Foundation has been selling bracelets since 1994 to raise over $6 million for HIV/AIDS education, care services, and vaccine development. Celebrities, including the recent Mandy Moore, Alan Cumming, Kevin Bacon, Tony Hawk, Rosie Perez and The Rock have appeared on the ads to promote the bracelets and the cause. They are sold in a number of retail locations, with The Body Shop as the major partner. You can also buy them on the Until There's A Cure Website.

Now these braclets are not as cheap as the $1 dollar WEARYELLOW LIVESTRONG wristbands — they range from $10 (plastic) to $400 (14k gold); and though they might not look as hip as the yellow rubber bands; but they definitey worth the same, if not more, attention. Imagine if Adidas and the Magic Johnson Foundation work together and come with up a $1 dollar red rubber band...