ON APRIL 28, 2006, “March of Toleration,” a gay parade, was attacked in Kraków. Youth activists of the parliamentary party League of Polish Families threw stones, eggs, bottles, and slurs at peaceful GLBT marchers. …

AFTER the major media success and publicity in 2000 of Rome World Pride, the group behind the event, InterPride (International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Coordinators), elected the organization Jerusalem Open House to organize a similar event entitled “Love Without Borders” in Jerusalem in August 2005. On May 14, 2005, however, …

Following is a statement issued by the Alternative Lifestyle Foundation (LGBT Humanitarian Project) of Nigeria. This unsolicited report describes a dire situation for gay men and lesbians in one of the world’s poorest countries, and announces the formation of an organization whose mission is to fight anti-gay persecution and to lobby for sexual equality. We publish this report as a public service in the hope that some readers will respond to the group’s plea for help in getting this organization started. [The editors.]

The stereotypical images of southern Italy as a land of pasta and mafia vendettas needs to be replaced with a new understanding of the Mezzogiorno, as the southern regions of Italy are collectively known. The region now has the distinction of electing the first openly gay regional president in the history of the Italian republic. …

… Gay activist Vladislav Topchev echoed Nahorna’s pessimism. “The presentation of us in the media is to satisfy heterosexual interest. Even if journalists are gay-friendly, information tends to be distorted.” He has heard about physical attacks everywhere in Ukraine. Homophobia is rampant both in the industrial, largely Russian-speaking east, and in the Europe-turning, Catholic west, he told me. “There is no difference in the level of homophobia.” …

Taher (not his real name) was eighteen, a law student, and terrified when I met him. One of his best friends had just been arrested, charged with consensual homosexual conduct-a crime under Egyptian law. …

This piece follows up on a feature article by Pawel Leszkowicz on gay art and politics in Poland in the G&LR’s May-June 2003 issue.