Late last year, Unzipped: Gay Armenia talked to AGLA NY President Chris Atamian about the group and our plans for 2008.
Check out the interview at:
http://gayarmenia.blogspot.com/2007/11/agla-ny-re-launch-of-armenian-gay.html
by Nancy Agabian
On November 16, several AGLA NY members attended a lecture by Vigen Guroian, Prof. of Theology at Loyola College (MD), entitled, “Homosexuality & Same-Sex Union” at the Armenian Prelacy, 138 East 39th Street, New York, as part of their series on ethics and values, sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). It included a book presentation, Q&A, discussion and reception. Archbishop Choloyan was in attendance, as well as forty to fifty community members.
The main point of Professor Guroian’s talk was that same sex union goes against one of the Armenian Apostolic church’s sacraments, that of a marriage between a man and a woman, as stated in the bible.
The situation needed to be addressed by the church, he claimed, because of the law in Massachusetts which grants civil unions to gay and lesbian couples. American culture was now creating a situation in which priests would be pressured to perform same sex wedding ceremonies. He cited an Armenian church in St. Petersburg which performed a marriage between two gay men and was thus stripped of its certification or status as a church.
Professor Guroian unconvincingly tried to claim that he didn’t begrudge “homosexuals” the same rights as straight people, and that he wasn’t at war with them, and that he even had a family member who was one. (Some of my best friends are…) But a same- sex marriage law, he claimed, would harm the sanctity of marriage. He even went so far as to use the example of same sex couples who aren’t gay getting married. He mentioned the example of two (straight) widows living together in order to benefit from reduced tax burdens and heath care costs as a legally married couple.
Guroian also discussed whether homosexuality was genetically chosen. He claimed that his point wasn’t to devalue homosexuality, but to simply state that homosexuals are sinners, “just like the rest of us”, and that they are still classified as a psychological disorder by the APA—which is actually blatantly false-it was de-listed in 1973!!
Discussion during the Q & A was heated. The first question came from Anoush, who cited an instance in an Armenian church of a lesbian who was being turned away by a church member, but was then defended by a former Archbishop, and that she has married lesbians as a member of the Universalist clergy.
Describing his last collection, Diran writes: “I fantasized about a world of elegance as a way of life. I wanted to create a collection that was an ode to that sensibility yet feels fresh to a new generation”. Loris presented a collection of structured designs that reflected the spirit of the great ladies of New York’s “Carriage trade”. A long ago world where opulence was at a premium and sophistication was its own gift..
Utilizing only luxurious fabrics such as Duchess Satin, Silk Wool, fantasy Tweeds and vintage chiffon prints, Loris incorporates demi-couture hand work into the designs to create something unique.
This last year, Loris also designed a hit Tshirt with a male portrait overlaid with Armenian lettering! The Tshirt was featured in the June issue of Playboy Magazine pictured above).
For more on Loris Diran Couture visit: http://www.lorisdiran.com/
Also be sure to check out Loris Diran’s Fall/Winter Fashion Show from Fashion Week 2007 on YouTube:
AGLA NY Member Nancy Agabian will be hosting a special Gartal Event this Saturday February 17th at Cornelia Street Cafe. The event will feature a reading of the new book (An)daratsutian Mej or In the (Un)space in English, French and Armenian with authors Nancy Agabian, Lara Aharonian, & Shushan Avagyan
Sunday, February 17th, 6 to 8pm
at the Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street
between W 4th and Bleecker
W of 6th Ave in Greenwich Village
Subway: ACEBDFV to W 4th St
212 989-9319 for reservations and info
$7 cover includes a drink
http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com/
While 2008 is shaping up to be the biggest year yet for AGLA NY, we wanted to take a quick look back at a few of the events from the past year.
Here are just some of the events hosted by AGLA NY in 2007.
1/8/07 – AGLA NY’s Annual Armenian Christmas Party
Twenty members of AGLA New York and their friends celebrated Armenian Christmas on January 8th at the LGBT Community Center on West 13th Street. There was great Middle Eastern food, as well as amazing duduk and oud playing by way of musicians extraordinaire Souren Baronian and Haig Manoukian Everyone was happy to be celebrating this two-thousand year-old tradition together. Some people even got up and danced! Hoopa!
3/30/07 – Lecture on Armenian Poet Daniel Varoujan
On March 30th at the LGBT Center, Columbia University Professor of Armenian Studies Marc lectured to a rapt audience of thirty people about Armenian poet Daniel Varoujan. His presentation, entitled “Daniel Varoujan, Poet of Mourning” concentrated on Varoujan’s haunting poem “Vahakn,” which is the name of the Armenian god of thunder. It was a difficult but brilliant exposition on the poet’s relationship to religion, Nietzsche and ultimately, Armenian culture. Varoujan was a leading exponent of “Poetic Paganism” and was brutally murdered by the Young Turkish regime in 1915 at the onset of the Armenian Genocide. The lecture coincided with the release in French of Nichanian’s new book “Entre l”art et le Témoignage: Littératures Arméniennes au XXème Siècle, Le Deuil de la Philologie” (MetisPresses, Geneva, 2006), the second volume in his trilogy “Writers of Disaster.” One member of the audience commented afterwards: ”My mother used to recite Varoujan. I wish she could have heard this lecture tonight. Fascinating.”
6/25/07 – AGLA NY Marches in the NYC Gay Pride Parade
On Sunday, June 25th, ten members of AGLA NY were cheered on by a rowdy crowd and an occasional Armenian along 5th Avenue as they marched under the AGLA New York/HyeQ banner in the 2007 Gay Pride Parade. Sandwiched between a lesbian party float, the Russian LGBT Organization and the Anti-Circumcision Society (yup, you heard right), the HyeQ’s were well-placed to enjoy their fifth time as participants in this seminal LGBT event. Next year, we are working on creating an even bigger impact. So get ready! We are forming a Pride Committee to plan for next year, so anyone interested please attend an upcoming meeting, we’d love your help and input!
8/9/07 – Screening of Bebo: Pocorn and Armenian Films
Christopher Atamian screened Bebo, the first Armenian sound feature film on August 9th to an enthusiastic audience of 30. The screening was preceded by a reading about its director Hamo Bek Nazarov and the film’s main themes, and was followed by a short Q&A session. Atamian is currently working on a book of film criticism called “Deconstructing Ararat: Armenian Identity and Film.”
To be notified of future AGLA NY Events please register on our new website at http://aglany.org
Celebrated metalware designer, Michael Aram – known for his unique treatments of organic themes in heavy metals – opened his first retail store this past year on West 18h Street in the heart of Manhattan’s exploding Chelsea home décor district.
The store was featured in major press and was a big deal in the interior design world.
Sold for almost two decades in high-end department stores and boutiques around the world, this opening marks Michael Aram’s first venture into retail. Lovingly restoring a landmarked 19th century carriage house from the inside out, the project has taken well over a year to complete. The structure maintains many of the architectural details from the original carriage house, such as the raised former loading dock that floats at the back of the room and the respectfully restored historical details of the front façade.
The Michael Aram Retail Store is located at 136 West 18th Street, NY, NY, 10011.
For more information, please go to http://www.michaelaram.com or call toll-free 866.792.ARAM
