How lesbians are viewed in other countries

I've been MIA and not paying fair attention to our blog here recently. I traveled abroad - to Asia to be specific. I went there after doing a bit of internet research on how lesbians are viewed abroad, but came up rather empty-handed. What I really wanted to know was whether my colleagues in the educational/government-work sector would be socially and culturally comfortable talking about gays or knowing I was gay.

I was disappointed with my results while there. The topic only came up with my Asian colleagues twice: once was a joke about getting AIDS (clearly culturally dated to someone from the United States, as it isn't as much of a health or social issue and not at all funny to me) and another making a gender stereotype about males ("guys here both hug and put their arms around one-another's shoulders... and it doesn't mean that they're gay").

The issue couldn't be broached at all. I'm not one to go making waves unless if someone steps on my toes or says something completely inaccurate. The AIDS joke drew my attention though. It wasn't in reference to gay men, but just the tone of it wasn't exactly soul-soothing.

When traveling with European compatriots - none of whom were gay - there were some references made to gays in passing, but no gays out on my tours. In the street my US friend working with me received a few offers for sex - I think because of his build, baldness and attractiveness.

You could tell who was gay even in the countryside, but it just wasn't talked about or brought up. Maybe others visiting us wouldn't bring it up either, but I just thought it was interesting that it wasn't talked about more. I had to bring it up with my American coworkers and tell them about my partner, which wasn't too much of a big deal at all. They chose not to offer it up as info to our Asian colleagues, but instead offered to others that I was "single."

In China there was an article in the newspaper about the police arresting a pride marcher for being too exuberant in his demonstrating. Apparently the case was going to the supreme court. It was written with a spin in favor of the man, which was interesting because the article is government-approved, but i was worried that the case would be settled in favor of the government not the man due to the law.

All-in-all, I think American is rather progressive on the issue of accepting gays throughout our culture. I think the more gays stand up and say "I'm gay" helps to change the attitudes and legislation supporting gays in a locality. It's important to do that wherever you are - and I could have in Asia - but it's also important to know the attitudes and acceptance of gays where you're traveling too!