The Cali Garmo

Last week it was reported by a few news sources that [Alexander Paluyan, a gay-rights activist in Belarus and owner of gay.by, would be drafted into the homophobic miliitary of Belarus. The army has now reversed direction and is no longer drafting Paluyan.]{lang="EN-GB"}

[Alexander Paluyan was originally not allowed to join the Belarus Army due to a pre-existing health condition, but at the end of last year the country changed its laws on health conditions not allowed into the military. Once the laws changed Paluyan was then sent his draft letter telling him to join the military. Unfortunately the military in Belarus is homophobic. So naturally once the news became public local and international LGBT groups joined forces to not allow this to happen. There was also an appeal made by the Belarusian Initiative for Sexual and Gender Equality to the Mozyr City Council about the staging of a picket in front of the military department if the draft was enforced.]{lang="EN-GB"}

[According to the military though, if a person comes in during his medical examination and states that he gay, he is classified as having a 'psychiatric disease' and is therefore no longer allowed to join the military. Paluyan is the first known person to be exempt from the military draft without being diagnosed as mentally ill.]{lang="EN-GB"}

[Apparently, the Belarus military will also be receiving diversity training in order to reduce the number of hate crimes against gay people.]{lang="EN-GB"}

[Source:  Gay Russian / UK Gay News
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