Gay Refuge Could Be Rettled PNG, Which Bans Homosexualy | Time

Contents:

• PAPUA NEW GUEA'S GAY AND TRANSGENR MUNY FDS SAFETY HANUABADA VILLAGE
• GAY ASYLUM SEEKERS COULD BE RETTLED PAPUA NEW GUEA, WHICH OUTLAWS HOMOSEXUALY
• LGBT GAY PNG IMAGE

PAPUA NEW GUEA'S GAY AND TRANSGENR MUNY FDS SAFETY HANUABADA VILLAGE

The sleepy astal village of Hanuabada ss on the north wtern outskirts of Papua New Guea's pal, Port Morby, and is probably bt known for producg half of PNG's natnal cricket is ls known for is beg a safe haven for Port Morby's gay and transgenr muny. "[It's] probably the only place Port Morby where they feel safe and many of them, they were born different plac so they moved to Hanuabada village bee they are accepted by the lol muny there, " Vlad he and his -producer Roman Kalyak got to know the gay and transgenr people of Hanuabada, he learned that was a safe space where people live openly, whout fear of retaliatn om lols. (Vlad Sokh/Panos Pictur)About 30 gay men, or 'Gelegele' the lol tongue, permanently live the village, while others drift and Papua New Guea, the Gelegele tend to take tradnally female rol society.

GAY ASYLUM SEEKERS COULD BE RETTLED PAPUA NEW GUEA, WHICH OUTLAWS HOMOSEXUALY

They do the okg, wash cloth and participate on the women's si cultural ruals and tradnal of the Gelegele featured Vlad's documentary film Guavas and Bananas: Livg Gay PNG, is Haraga, known to lols as 'Speedy' has lived Hanubada village for 22 years, movg there at the age of 15. "'Straight' men seek gay sexHanuabada is a known homosexual hub amongst lols, wh many 'straight' or bisexual men and boys travellg to the village seekg sex wh the men says some teenage boys e to gay men seekg their first sexual experience bee they are too shy to approach gay PNG mician Mos T said the documentary, that PNG, most gay men go wh straight or bisexual men.

LGBT GAY PNG IMAGE

(Vlad Sokh/Panos Pictur)Vlence and stigma the palSome of Port Morby's nightclubs hold gay nights, attend by both Gelegele, often drsed women's clothg, and straight or bisexual men om the says leavg the safety of the village to attend the nights is always a risk. "Film changg hearts and mdsThe documentary Guavas and Bananas: Livg Gay PNG has been screeng as part of the fifth PNG Human Rights Film ftival tours around the untry, om big ci to ty villag, screeng films addrsg human rights issu Papua New Guea and the Pacific. "So far, I heard already really posive feedback Port Morby and on the Facebook page of the ftival they posted a photo of a man who they terviewed and he said before he didn't really appreciate, he didn't like transgenr and gay people but after seeg the film, he changed his opn, " Vlad said.

In other areas of Papua New Guea, such as Port Morby, gay men are reportedly often targeted by lol men, particularly those who hail om the highland provc, and have been raped, beaten and even murred. In November, was reported that gay asylum seekers arrivg Atralia were beg sent to be taed and procsed at tentn centr on Man Island Papua New Guea, spe the crimalisatn of same-sex sexual nduct the untry at the time. It was further reported that gay asylum seekers the tentn centr were regularly sexually harassed and asslted, but they fear gog to the police bee same-sex sexual nduct is illegal Papua New Guea, and have been told by mp thori that they will be jailed.

Members of the Hanuabada LGBT (lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr) muny say that if a gay person reports a rape to the police, he may be blamed stead of the perpetrator and arrted for practicg homosexualy, which is punishable by up to 14 years prison.

Although there are few nightclubs Port Morby that allow gay and transgenr people to have “gay nights”, for safety reasons, most of the Hanuabada gay populatn prefer not to leave the village at night, anisg parti near their ho stead. Amnty had “nsistently raised the issue of gay men on Man wh the [Atralian] immigratn partment” but “never had a clear rponse, ” Graeme McGregor, Amnty Atralia’s refugee-mp ordator, told the Guardian.