[Foundation-l] Reboot on LGBT/Egypt issue (was Re: [Wikimania-l] Wikimania 2008 will happen in Alexandria, Egypt)

[Daniel Mayer]

OK folks - I think this heated back and forth has gone on long enough. While I certainly
sympathize and agree with those people who feel that the human rights record of Egypt is really
bad in the area of gay/LBT rights, I don't think that the selection of Alexandria by the jury was
in any way whatsoever an endorsement of those policies or even came from an insensitivity by the
jury in this area. Remember - let's assume good faith. 

What I would like to see, however, are some statistics, not anecdotes, on the real risk GLBT
visitors* to Egypt will face. If those aren't forthcoming, then I don't think further discussion
will be particularly useful. 

* I specifically mention visitors since those who are in Egypt already have been living with the
risk. So attending Wikimania in their own nation would not, IMO, put them in significantly
increased peril. And the risk to Wikimania attendees is the only part of this discussion that is
relevant to this list, IMO.  

-- mav

PS - As a gay man I must be aware of my surroundings and act accordingly; while I'm openly gay to
all my friends, family, coworkers, schoolmates and neighbors (and all of you) I feel that walking
down the street of a small town in Alabama or Utah while holding my partner's hand would be
needlessly asking for trouble. Yep, that's not fair. But that is how things are. 

Advancing GLBT rights by provoking bigots is not why I travel to places. So yeah, I compromise in
certain situations in order to reduce my chances of getting harassed or bashed. Looks like the
same will be true for Alexandria. I'm not going to lose sleep over that or cancel my plans to
attend Wikimania 2008 with my partner. Like traveling anywhere, certain precautions will need to
be followed and some knowledge (dare I say respect with a small 'r') of local social norms is
needed. 


       
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