Kyle Khandikian (in the photo), a young Diaspora Armenian returned to Armenia from the United States, has announced on his Facebook page that he was dismissed from the dance group by the member of the “Karin” folk dance ensemble, dance instructor Harut Baghdasaryan for his sexual orientation. Kyle Khandikian told in an interview with Aravot.am how in his words he was “shocked” when the dance instructor had told why he had also dismissed Davit from their group, “I did not tell much during our conversation, I was shocked, he focused on homosexuality. But more significantly that during our conversation he asked me whether I remembered the boy named David who was dancing in our dance group.
Mr. Baghdasaryan said that he dismissed this guy from the dance group because he was sectarian. This problem is about discrimination and prejudice, and it is not only my problem. Another Armenia was exposed to discrimination because he was different in his way and was deprived of our Armenian dances and our culture. There is no anti-discrimination law in the Republic of Armenia to protect people from this sort of discrimination that should be illegal in a democratic society where all people are equal to each other and have the same rights. All people must be protected.
There should be a law that will protect the most vulnerable groups in the society: women, ethnic and religious minorities, disabled and LGBTs.” Kyle Khandikian said, “Do you know how many Armenians I know who deny their Armenian identity because they feel that they are not accepted and there is no place in the Armenian world for them. Last day, I read a note under a publication by a young Armenian man where he was expressing his concerns about Armenia. He wrote that he wants to come to Armenia and set up contacts with his homeland but he fears that his country would reject him because he is a gay. It is very sad. Instead of attracting people to our culture and accept all Armenians, we restrict people and deny. We are the people who survived genocide and we well aware of hatred, prejudice and discrimination.
The center of all genocides is the hatred. Who actually hurts the honor of the Armenian: I who came to Armenia and wanted to learn Armenian dances and feel close to my culture and criticize calls for homophobia and violence and want a homeland where all Armenians will be accepted, or the Armenians who are praising Hitler for slaughtering thousands of homosexual men during the Holocaust about which I wrote? How this issue is not about the honor. In a free and democratic society, a man must be free to talk, discuss and criticize things that are harmful to the society or violates someone else’s rights. Criticism is not a bad, on the contrary, it is a very good. Once we are able to discuss and talk about our disagreements humanly and without personal insults and, of course, without calls for violence, we will be closer. My goal was not only insulting an Armenian, I love Armenia. If I had not loved Armenia, I would not have come to this country. I know who I am and I am confident that our culture belongs to us all. I must continue to dance and love our culture and our homeland.”
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To our question that someone wrote under your publications: “All homophobists to Baku”, so whether you agree with this “mode of punishment”, Kyle Khandikian replied, “Absolutely not, and I am against this stormy type of nationalist calls, no matter whom they are addressed. I love all my compatriots: homophobists and non-homophobists. Such calls are ineffective. We must discuss with each other and talk about our disagreements humanly.” Kyle Khandikian said that he is going to continue to dance and is already invited by some individuals to dance ethnographical dances with them.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
