Ahmadinejad calls ‘no homo’ on Wolf Blitzer

BY ROB SALERNO – CNN’s Wolf Blitzer got a chance to interview Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad this weekend and used the opportunity to grill him about statements he made in 2007 that there are no homosexuals in Iran.

Ahmadinejad responded that he wouldn’t know any homosexuals in Iran since “in Iran, homosexuality is looked down upon as an ugly deed,” but he then suggested that “perhaps there are those who engage in such activities and you may be in contact with them and more aware of them.”

You gotta love the headline writers at FOX News, who decided to present CNN’s video under the headline “Ahmadinejad Kinda Calls Wolf Blitzer Gay.”

Xtra has reported on the growing community of queer Iranian refugees in Canada several times, so we’re also in contact with them and more aware of them.

Meanwhile, in China, a confusing report from China Daily announces that the country is rescinding its ban on homosexuality in prisons, as long as the homosexuality remains “spiritual” and not “physical.” So as long as you scream “Oh, God” when you’re close, you’re okay?

And Northern Ireland has confirmed that it won’t rescind its ban on gay blood donations along with the rest of the UK.

Rob Salerno is a playwright and journalist whose writing has appeared in such publications as Vice, Advocate, NOW and OutTraveler.

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