About Tunisia
 official name: Republic of Tunisia
capital: Tunis
head of state: President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali
state: multi party
population: 10,276,158 (July 2007 est.)
independence: from France in 1956
languages: Arabic (official and one of the languages of commerce), French (commerce)
religion: Muslim 98%, Christian 1%, Jewish and other 1%
currency: Tunisian dinar (TND)
media: NA
legal wise
status of homosexuality: illegal
age of consent: 20
laws covering homosexual activity: Article 230 [of the Penal Code of 1913 (largely modified in 1964)] decrees imprisonment of up to three years for sodomy between consenting adults. (Arno Schmitt and Jehoeda Sofer - "Sexuality and Eroticism Among Males in Moslem Societies") ILGA
The Pink Book states that Article 230 covers both women and men.
transgender rights
December 22, 1993: The Appeal Court of Tunis dismissed the request of a transsexual to change his civil status.
background information and government attitudes:
one gay man is known to have been granted asylum in 1996/7 by the US (GLAS). Voted against granting ILGA consultative status at the UN in January 2002.
Communications
main lines in use: 1.258 million (2005)
cellular telephones: 5.681 million (2005)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 428 (2006)
Internet users: 953,800 (2005)
links and contacts
Kelma: Paris based, French language site on/for Arab gays from Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria. http://www.kelma.org
Gay Tunisia: French language (some English) Le club de contactes gay Tunisia:
www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/café/7425
Articles:
 UN FILM RELANCE LE DEBAT SUR L’HOMOSEXUALITE EN TUNISIE
by Jerina Chendze Messie 23/9/2009
TUNISIE – 22 Septembre 2009: Un film tunisien dont la sortie est prévue pour le 07 Avril 2009, relance le débat sur l’homosexualité dans la société tunisienne. Le premier long métrage du tunisien Mehdi Ben Attia intitulé « Le fil » aborde le sujet l’homosexualité entre hommes au sein d’une société machiste où les hommes sont supposés être des hommes et où les anciennes valeurs traditionnelles perdurent.
FILM EXPLORES BEING GAY IN TUNISIA
by Jerina Chendze Messie 22/9/2009
TUNISIA – 22 September 2009: A film, set to be released on the 7 April 2010, has brought the topic of homosexuality back in the agenda in Tunisia. The first feature film by Tunisia’s Mehdi ben Attia titled “Le Fil”, tackles the issue of homosexuality between men within a male chauvinistic society where men are supposed to be men and ancient traditions still rule.
les lesbiennes du maghreb et du moyen orient mettent au défi l’homophobie dans les régions islamisées.
by Abeli Zahabu 7/4/2008
Maghreb – 07 Avril 2008 : Pour la première fois, les lesbiennes originaires du Maghreb et du Moyen Orient vivant à Montréal s’organisent pour lutter contre la lesbophobie et promouvoir les droits des Lesbiennes, Bisexuelles, Transsexuelles et Transgenres (LBTT) dans leurs pays d’origine.
lesbians to challenge homophobic muslim region
by Mask Admin 3/4/2008
AFRICA ABROAD – April 3, 2008: For the first time in history, lesbian women abroad in Canada have organised themselves to fight for the lesbian, bisexuals, transgender and transsexual (LBTT) rights for the Magrheb (Sahara) region.
rights: stick in hand, tunisia talks freedom
by Mask Admin 21/2/2005
February 21, 2005: London - The media freedom group Reporters Without Borders has declared it "ridiculous" that the second phase of the World Summit of the Information Society (WSIS) should be held in Tunisia later this year.
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Cathy Crimmins, author of How the Homosexuals Saved Civilization
