Kyrgyzstan Voters Ban Same-Sex Marriage

December 12, 2016 LGBT News, Marriage Equality

Radio Free Europe reports:

Kyrgyz election officials said voters have overwhelmingly backed amending the constitution to ban same-sex marriage and shift some presidential powers to the prime minister.

The two questions were among a package of 26 proposed amendments that voters in the mostly Muslim former Soviet republic were being asked to approve with a simple “yes-or-no” vote on December 11.

The Central Election Commission said 80 percent of voters backed the measures and just over 42 percent of eligible voters cast ballots. The amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman — a change that would effectively ban gay marriages — had garnered wide attention.

The measure parallels related legislation making its way through parliament that toughens punishments for promoting “a homosexual way of life” and “nontraditional sexual relations.” The bill passed a first reading in parliament but has not been given final approval.

While no same-sex marriages have believed to have been recorded by local marriage registries anywhere, some Kyrgyz same-sex couples may have gotten married anyway, through other means. The only restriction that was explicitly stated in the current constitution had been that married couples should be adults.

Neither same-sex marriage, nor homosexuality more broadly, have much support among most Kyrgyz and the issue has been condemned by some Islamic clerics and nationalist groups, who view it as Western values being imported into the country.

Kyrgyzstan has a population of six million. (Tipped by JMG reader Luis)

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  • That_Looks_Delicious

    How can they ban something they never had?

    • Baltimatt

      I read somewhere that marriage was defined as being between two persons, but no one had tried to marry someone of the same sex.

    • Mark

      their magic fairy douche tells them so…..

  • Baltimatt

    Really, asking for an up or down vote for 26 constitutional amendments?

    • McSwagg

      Authoritarian democracy in action, opening nation wide in America on January 20th, 2017.

  • Baltimatt
    • That_Looks_Delicious

      They’re muslims. They have zero interest in Lively’s flavor of cray-cray, although their own is just as bad or worse. But it is interesting that Lively is reduced to pedaling his hate in muslim countries now. The christians won’t have him anymore?

    • crewman

      If you’re interested in knowing where the Crimes Against Humanity trial is (featuring his handiwork in Uganda), this is a great site:
      https://ccrjustice.org/home/what-we-do/our-cases/sexual-minorities-uganda-v-scott-lively

      • Bj Lincoln

        Thank you. I haven’t hear much about it and can’t wait to hear what happens to that hateful closet case.

    • William

      They should have served him for dinner.

      • McSwagg

        That would have been a “Deadly” meal.

  • Mike in Texas

    International LGBT rights will take a huge hit with Tillerson as Secretary of State.
    This is an Advocate article from 2013. Tillerson was the driving force for the extreme antigay position of Exxon/Mobil. He is also a past president of Boy Scouts of America.
    http://www.advocate.com/print-issue/current-issue/2013/09/03/whats-wrong-exxon?pg=full

  • zhera

    Just from looking at the map, Kyrgyzstan looks like a hellhole. And they seem to think they should live up to that.

    I’m sorry for the kids growing up there.

  • SoCalGal20

    OT but Trump has gotten off to a great start with China!

    https://twitter.com/philiprucker/status/808291945801981953

    • Ninja0980

      You mean China isn’t taking Trump’s trash talk?
      Who would have thunk it?

    • Treant

      Perhaps it’s unwise to antagonize a fifth of the world population when they make most of our stuff and could crush us economically if they really wanted to.

      • Skeptical_Inquirer

        I wonder when they’ll kick his and his daughter’s companies out of the country.

    • gaymex1

      They nailed it.

  • I’ve seen pictures of Kyrgyzstan. It’s like they’ve also outlawed every color except red and “drab.”

  • kirtanloorii

    It’s name ends with “stan.” I’ve heard enough.

  • Well I’ll be sure to never travel to Kyrgyzstan or spend any money on their goods so they can continue to be a third world nation.

  • Well, there go my vacation plans.

  • medaka

    Had a student from Kyrgyzstan here last year. Kind and smart, he assured me that Kyrgyzstan was now a democracy.

    But then when it came to a simple discussion about health, he said that it was okay for men to smoke, but not women. Because women had to have the babies.

    And this is one reason that class now has discussions about marriage equality, transgender rights, and FGM. I’m moving the goalposts.

  • Bj Lincoln

    Don’t know much about them but I feel for all the LGBT people there. Religion is sadly a powerful force among the ignorant. Too bad that in this age of technology and science there is any place on this planet that is not catching up. It is NOT the average human who just wants peace, shelter and something eat running anything. It is the hateful and greedy that run the world and they don’t care about peace or anyone else. We should be united in one cause. To dump all our hateful ways and work toward a greater good together. Our current religions are awful! They promote hate and distrust. The greedy leaders use this to rule. They always have. If every belief system dumped all their hateful parts and ONLY spread the love and kindness parts, we could achieve that. The average human needs to stand up for all that is good and demand Peace and equality from themselves, their chosen faith and their governments. At least that is what my Pagan beliefs and my understanding of being an American tells me. Where did we go so incredibly wrong?

    • gewaite

      Why do you ask rhetorical questions?

  • John Calendo

    You’re on a roll, Brian! Another win for NOM. It won’t be loooooooooong now.

  • Professor Barnhardt
  • Ernest Endevor

    OT but not really. I saw this last night. An agonizing reminder of why we need marriage rights (among others). It shows dramatically the complete lack of humanity of those who oppress us. Their arguments are beneath contempt and should be treated with nothing but mockery and derision. Bridegroom. Warning for those who haven’t seen it: your heart will break.
    https://www.netflix.com/search?q=bridegroom&jbv=70274399&jbp=0&jbr=0

  • Ernest Endevor

    This was high on my must-see list of places to go before I die.

    • sherman

      It’s still worth visiting, there are many good people there. Our strong female guide was a fighter and people like her could use our support.

      After a game of goat polo: https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/7fb6476780536b3d6b6d02e04fd17eecbce2df0019ec5217ddd49b138722d5a4.jpg

      • William

        Those aren’t goats.

        • sherman

          Those are the “polo ponies” and riders. The goat was the “ball”. Fortunately we got there a bit late and missed the initial slaughter, and just saw the beheaded carcass being grabbed, pulled, and carried from one end of the field to the other. The trick riding after the game was much more enjoyable to watch.

          • William

            Right. I saw that on some program where a Westerner was sightseeing in the eastern former Soviet Republics. He didn’t look to good during the game.

          • Guffey

            When I started reading the comments and saw “goat polo” I said to myself, “surely that can’t be as sickening and cruel as it sounds”. I guess I was wrong… I don’t think I need to do an internet search.

          • sherman

            There are videos on youtube. I actually thought it was kind of boring – maybe it’s not primarily a spectator sport.

      • Ernest Endevor

        Of course. I was kidding. I don’t want to die without witnessing goat polo.

      • stuckinthewoods

        I’m guessing goat polo is buzkashi. When someone asks if I follow sports I tell them “only buzkashi”.

        • William

          Turkish oil wrestling should be televised on Saturday afternoon.

      • James

        You can’t support the oppressed minority without supporting the oppressive majority, which is why I’ll never set foot on Jamaican soil or buy anything made there.

        • sherman

          I think the world’s more complex than that.

          • James

            Really? Because I think the decision not to financially support a country that enshrines discrimination in its constitution is pretty simple. That’s what opposition to and refusal to do business with Apartheid South Africa was all about, even though some people who did not support the regime suffered as a result.

          • sherman

            Is that your only standard – something in their constitution and you will not visit? Or do you also boycott any products made there? How about if they just don’t recognize marriage, though it’s not in the constitution? Do you boycott companies that do business in those countries? Is it just marriage that starts your boycott, or do you also freeze them out if they allow discrimination in housing and employment? Do you have a list of states that you boycott, and is that visiting or products?

            Like I said, I think the world is complex.

  • sherman

    Having enjoyed visiting there once (and yes, I have the hat), this is sad but not unexpected. The countryside is dotted with new mosques, financed by the extremists in the middle east. An authoritarian government, like most of the former Soviet republics, will gladly target unpopular minorities to focus attention on and distract from larger problems in the country.

    The optimism I felt during the Clinton administration, and which was briefly renewed when Obama was first elected, was badly damaged in the 2010 Republicon wave, and now completely destroyed. Now I think the world will just get worse, and I’m just glad that I’m old enough that I’ll miss the worst of what is to come.

  • andrew

    I’m stunned that a Muslim nation would ban marriage equality.

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