Mideast Piece

Earlier this week Matt posted a piece featuring the work of Adi Nes. Adi Nes’ art is just hot. From time to time, I am sure that we’ll feature other works he’s done. My friend Lisa left a comment on Matt’s post and we made tentative plans to meet up to see the latest Adi Nes exhibit at the Tel Aviv Art Museum’s contemporary art gallery. Unfortunately, Lisa and I are busy folks and we weren’t able to meet up but I went anyway. After working up an appetite with all that art viewing, I got a burger at a nearby restaurant. Yes, we also eat hamburgers in the Middle East. It’s not just pita, hummus and falafel.

Anyway, I made a friend take a picture of me for your viewing pleasure. When Matt and I started this blog, I wasn’t sure if we were going to put our pictures up or not. Matt and I have debated anonymity and well, hell, here’s my first step at whoring myself out! If you like what you see, leave me a comment! I’ll put up more pictures. If you leave me mean comments, I’ll put a curse on you like Whoopi Goldberg put on Mister in The Color Purple. By the way, the picture was taken under a yellow awning - I am not naturally a Martian color.

More Adi Nes goodies:

In the coming weeks Mideast Piece will unveil partnerships we’ve formed with Middle East-based gay bloggers based in countries ranging from Turkey to the United Arab Emirates. We plan on regularly running content from these blogs in our quest to highlight commonalities, differences and - of course - our never-ending hunt for Mideast Piece(s).

Please let us know of bloggers who we could invite to be part of our mission, wherever they may be based in the region or whatever their background. In just two months we’ve built a community with thousands of supporters in literally every country in the Middle East (including Oman!). With your help, we can build a worldwide platform for our message of love, tolerance and hot men who make the Fertile Crescent so fertile.

I’ve been to Egypt several times, and it is one of the only places in the world that I think lives up to the romantic and exotic image we have of it. The pyramids are stunning, the Nile Valley lush beyond belief, and the hot Arab men…well, you know how I feel about them.

Check out this well-known limerick about the mysterious smile of the Sphinx that stands guard in front of the pyramids, and just try telling me that homo-erotica does not exist in the decidely homophobic Arab world!

The sexual life of the camel
Is stranger than anyone thinks.
At the height of the mating season
He tries to bugger the sphinx.
But the sphinx’s posterior sphincter
Is all clogged by the sands of the Nile,
Which accounts for the hump on the camel
And the sphinx’s inscrutable smile.

For more gay Egypt tidbits, click here.

Meet Ivri Lider, Israel’s most prominent gay male singer (this year, at least). His first two albums - recorded in the late 90’s - established him as one of the most important singer-songwriters of his generation. But let’s get to the real stuff…

Ivri’s first sexual encounter with a man was at the ripe age of 24, and he came out publicly three years later, after already having achieved fame in Israel. Ivri says his music is informed by his sexuality (just like straight musicians, duh!), and vice versa:

“I would have felt really pathetic releasing an album called ‘The New People’ while hiding in the closet. I also did it for my own mental health, to be a free person, and also for my audience. I have a social commitment. It’s the commitment of an artist. I think it’s a right I have and I’m glad I acted on it. A lot of famous people have this right and don’t use it. For me, the desire to be a better and braver person exceeded the concern about whether it would make me lose fans. If I hadn’t done it, I’d have disappointed myself.”

Learn more about Ivri’s journey here, and listen to some songs here.

Looking for love? Frustrated? It’s tough, I know. Listen, lighten up. Love is not open heart surgery even though it can feel like it! Life is what’s happening when your making plans and waiting for something to happen to you. Live it!

Check out this hunk of an Israeli soldier flexing outside a tent. How hot that he has a kippah on his head, meaning he believes in the big G upstairs. That, the dogtag and those pecs make me wanna toss him into that tent and show him some appreciation for his service…

Israel might not have any oil, but check out these well-lubed local pieces and tell me what you’d rather have a barge-load of!

My birthday is rapidly approaching, and I hope to get a few creative gifts this year.

I’ve done some research and found a helpful “Gay Gift Ideas” list. I especially love the “Golden Girls” DVD set, because those women cheer me up every time. Of course my favorite in Blanche Devereaux, because she gets ass as a senior citizen and has an ‘x’ at the end of her name.

Who is your favorite Golden Girl?

So your options for my birthday are as follows: get me something from this list, get me this dude at right, or make a donation to Mideast Piece so I know I am loved. Just don’t do nothing.

Matt: What up dog

John: nothing cat

Matt: guess what?! t’s been one week since I ordered in ass from the Internet!!!

John: wow that is like the pope not praying for a day

Matt: yeah i can’t believe i made it this far

John: your jaw must finally be working normally?

Matt: LOL! oh you!

John: listen don’t go on permanent hiatus, we need you to share your dirty nights out with our readers!

Matt: yeah i know

John: don’t be turnin into Mother Teresa now!!

Matt: don’t worry i like food too much

John: and men!

Matt: ok you are right i will get me some ass this weekend… for the sake of Mideast Piece!!

John: yeah it would be esp good if you got some non-Jewish Israeli ass, to prove the point about tolerance and acceptance and all.

Matt: good call. or maybe a 3-some? one from each of the monotheistic faiths?

John: NOW you’re talking!

Last night I went to a showing of Jerusalem is Proud to Present at the DocAviv documentary film festival here in Tel Aviv. I was impressed by the large crowd that turned up for the film. Just like other pride events, it was great to be surrounded by “my” community, our supporters, and other cool people just looking for an interesting documentary film for a Friday night.

I had low expectations for the film and I guess that’s why I was pleasantly surprised that I liked it. The movie is about all the ups and downs that were associated with putting on World Pride 2005 - that became World Pride 2006. It shows how World Pride (and accordingly the LGBTQ civil right movement in the Middle East) was forced to take a back seat to the pull out from Gaza in 2005, a war with Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006, and violent protests from the ultra-orthodox community in Israel.

I was living in Jerusalem during the planning for World Pride and was a volunteer at the Jerusalem Open House (the GLBTQ organization that put the event together) at the time. I led the English speakers meetings there and help to recruit people from around the globe to attend the event. It was a very frustrating experience and watching the movie made those memories fresh in my mind. It also reminded me how much work we still have to do here regarding GLTBQ issues and human rights in this neck of the woods. Matt and I feel that this blog is our way of making the Middle East a better place for gays, lesbians, bi, trans and queer people. Yes, we bring you hot guys (nothing wrong with that!), but in our hearts we’re social activists that are doing the best we can to make a difference. You can help us in our work by becoming a Mideast Piece Ambassador. A few folks have already made contributions and we really appreciate your help!

Here are a couple of YouTube videos of Jerusalem World Pride 2006. The first clip is a news report in Russian! I tried to find an English one - but watch anyway. You’ll see the event and all the police protection that was necessary to protect our civil rights to march, gather, and speak freely. The second video is someone’s personal clip of part of the concert portion of the celebration.