Fridae

As same-sex partnerships become increasingly common with Britain being the latest country to grant gay couples similar rights as heterosexually married ones this month, countries that don't, will in time find itself faced with tough decisions.

A Singapore court has sentenced five men to eight to ten months in jail for providing false information when donating blood, which was later found to contain the HIV virus.

Same-sex couples in the UK can now be covered under the new Civil Partnership Act, which gives them the same rights as married heterosexual couples. In London, Robbie Williams, had accepted undisclosed libel damages from publishers of three publications that claimed he had sex with several men.

Queers from around the world gathered in November in South Korea to plot the overthrow of conventional sexual thinking at the United Nations. Doug Sanders was there.

Welcome to Fridae's monthly advice column where Alvin dispenses his own unique brand of advice for those who need it oh-so-badly.

The influence of Christian right groups in shaping AIDS education and prevention strategies worldwide has proven to be highly problematic with its tactics such as the spreading of disinformation about condom safety and efficacy, and rigid abstinence-only sexual education programming.

A controversial gay-friendly ad has won a prestigious US advertising award after being banned by several US TV networks. In China, MSM have become a focal point in its HIV/AIDS fight. More on the renewed ban on 'gay' priests by the Vatican and arrests in UAE.

Kimberly S, one of LA's hottest DJs, will play at Fridae's SnowBall'5 in Taipei on Dec 23. The highly accomplished 2nd degree black belt Martial Arts instructor talks about her connection with Asia and her Taiepi gig.

The film adaptation of Rainbow Boys, a popular American award winning series of coming-of-age romance novels, breaks the traditional stereotypes of gay men in Thai cinema.

China's media has long tiptoed around the issue of gays and lesbians. But over the last few months, mainland journalists have been turning their attention to queers, and, for the first time, putting forward the idea that it's ok to be gay. Beijing-based Dinah Gardner has more.