SYRIA: Paper Claims Gays Are "Infesting" Cities In Wake Of Rebel Uprising

A Syrian newspaper claims that gay men are "infesting" the cities now that the police have their hands full dealing with the rebel uprising. Pink News reports:

The article states the uprising ‘gave homosexuals a freedom they would’ve never dreamt of’ and that since March 2011, the number of Syrian members in a popular online dating site has increased from 20,000 to 100,000 members. The website is not mentioned explicitly but it is presumed to be ManJam, a popular gay dating site. In reality, the number of members on ManJam whose location on the site is stated as within Syria does not exceed 10,000. The Baladna article also says that before the uprising, gays looking for meets or cruising were a priority for the Mukhabarat – the Syrian ‘secret’ intelligence service. But it claims now they have bigger problems at their hands they’ve left gays alone, thus facilitating their ‘proliferation’.

The paper offers these tips for spotting gays in Syria: "A loose wrist, a noticeable way of using the fingers, sitting and crossing the legs together in a feminine manner and an interest in gossip and whispers are among homosexuals’ main distinctive features."