Singer Refusing to Perform at Patriarchate Event Becomes a Target of Cyber-bullying
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, May 16
Famous Georgian singer, Tamar Chokhonelidze, says that she became a target of cyber-bullying and aggression from part of the society after she refused to sing at the concert organized by Georgian Orthodox Church for May 17, which is the Family Purity Day, established against the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, marked on the same day.
Chokholidze told TV Pirveli, that by refusing to sing at the church concert, she is not going against the Catholicos-Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II or the Patriarchate.
“How can Georgian people be so dark and ruthless? I could have never imagined. How can they be so full of hatred?” She said. Adding, that some other singers, who also refused to take part in the concert, were targeted with criticism and hatred too.
The singer says that it would be delusional to think that the Family Purity Day was chosen to be celebrated on May 17 unintentionally. She says that she will never take part in events that might be controversial or stir conflict in the society.
“Discriminating people based on their sexual orientation is not correct. The God does not teach us this,” she said, adding that the family institute is not in danger in Georgia, even if the LGBT Day is marked.
Chokhonelidze also recalled May 17, 2013, events, when part of the clerics and their parish physically attacked the peaceful activists commemorating the International Day against Homophobia.
“It was violence. How can I, a woman and a mother approve this?” she said.
The Public Defender, Nino Lomjaria, expressed her support of Chokhonelidze.
In her open address, Lomjaria said that she respects the singer for having “correct and healthy civil position.”
The Ombudsman said that the hatred and aggression that is spread through the internet in Georgia is orchestrated by specific groups.
“They do this in order to create an impression that the majority of the society think like them about certain topics and to make the people who have different position feel that they are in the minority… It is very important for everyone to be able to express their position freely and without aggression,” she added.
The Day against Homophobia and Transphobia has been marked since 2004 worldwide. In Georgia, the event was commemorated for the first time in 2011 by a small group of LGBT activists.
In 2013, on May 17, a large-scale confrontation ensued in Tbilisi between the LGBT activists and right-wing and Orthodox church groups. Stirring an international outcry.
The day of the Family Purity was established by the Georgian Patriarchate in 2014, in the wake of a harsh confrontation on May 17, 2013.
In 2014, 2015 and 2016 the LGBT supporters didn’t hold rallies. Only a silent performance was arranged in Tbilisi and several NGOs gathered to show their support of the LGBT community.
In 2017, May 17 was marked under special circumstances: supporters of the LGBT community gathered at different police stations and they were transported to the administration building of the government of Georgia by law enforcers early in the morning. With the presence of police, they were able to hold a hour-long rally.
As for the last year, the NGOs and supporters of the LGBT community in Georgia cancelled the events that they had planned, “to avoid civil confrontation.” They said they did not feel safe to hold a rally. However, the community organized a Facebook rally instead. The people who wanted to join could do so by “checking in” at the Parliament of Georgia at a certain time.
