Fridae

Progress towards gay equality does not spring in isolation from the broader environment. It is often dependent on trends and events in the political, social, legal and even economic sphere, both local and global. What are a few of these that may be worth watching in 2008?

Fridae's coffee connoisseur, Alvin Tan, confesses to being addicted to top-rated Korean drama The 1st Shop of Coffee Prince which brings homosexuality into spotlight - briefly, before expectedly reverting to a conventional hetero coupling.

The third regional ILGA-Asia conference to be held in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai is expected to bring together LGBT activists across Asia. Prof Douglas Sanders recalls his first ILGA conference held in Paris 15 years ago and provides an inside look at the challenges the organisation has had in organising in Asia.

Uruguay becomes the first country in Roman Catholic-dominated Latin America to legalise civil unions for same-sex couples in a nationwide measure.

Introducing the 2008 Fridae � List - the first Fridae readers' choice awards where members are given the chance to pick their favourite LGBT (friendly) establishments, parties, and businesses in eight countries and 13 cities across Asia.

As part of the Melbourne Outgames to be held Jan 30 - Feb 3, a 2-day human rights conference will feature a diverse range of panels including GLBT workforce issues, law, health, business, education and sport led by legal experts, LGBT activists, academics and and community leaders.

The Singapore Lyric Opera presents an evening of classical Christmas music by Prokofiev, Britten and Rutter - the perfect antidote to bad department store carols. Fridae interviews conductor Joshua Tan Kang Ming for more details.

First Love of The Happy Prince is a showcase of the works of Koichi Imaizumi who helmed First Love, which played to sold out screenings at the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival in November. Fridae speaks to the director, music composer Hiroki Iwasa and actor Hiroshi Murakami.

Citing Sydney's success in reducing HIV prevalence rates among MSM, Dr Balaji Sadasivan urged for greater co-operation among health authorities, the NGOs and the MSM community to reduce HIV infection rates.

Jodie Foster, who's known to be fiercely private, thanked her "beautiful Cydney" at an award ceremony - a move seen by the media as coming out.