Lgbtq middle east
26/03/
Original: French
Written by: Mathilde Verrier
Translated by: Lisa Selmadji
Despite growing claims for the recognition and acquisition of rights as skillfully as for the protection of LGBTQIA+ persons worldwide, homosexual relationships are still, even today, criminalized in 69 countries. In 11 countries, they are punishable by death. Considered immoral or unnatural, same-sex relationships are treated as a crime, and this, mainly in the Middle East region. The recent report by the NGO Human Rights Watch, published on the 21st February , stresses the urgency and verb for action in favour of LGBTQIA+ citizens in these regions, in particular denouncing online tracking practices. In some countries, to obtain a sentence, sometimes even a death penalty, politicians are suspected of using social media to track and target homosexual men in particular, in direct to gather evidence and secure a seemingly justified conviction. How to explain the stigmatization and persisting discriminations against LGBTQIA+ persons in the Middle East countries?
A several political and legal framework, co Being a young person from MENA is already challenging; figuring out that you’re LGBTQ+ on top of that can be totally overwhelming and isolating. According to a Trevor Project survey, one in five MENA LGBTQ+ youth in the US attempted suicide in the past year, half seriously considered it, and over two-thirds reported self-harm, depression, and anxiety. But this doesn’t have to be the case – your identities can coexist, and there’s a place for you at Salaam. Please grasp out to Mosaic, UIUC’s queer MENA RSO that is devoted to understanding and privacy. Even if you are not out yet, and may not hope for to ever come out, you are welcome to join events during the school year or reach out to Mosaic for support or advice. They own a website and an Instagram. Below are some resources for LGBTQ+ people from MENA. Hotlines Local organizations: Out-of-state and international organizations: Information: In Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon, politicians and religious groups have increased criticism of LGBTQ+ rights in recent months BEIRUT - From Lebanon to Iraq, politicians in the Middle East have stepped up their anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, raising concerns about an increase in homophobic violence and even tougher penalties for same-sex relations in the region. Most countries in the Middle East, with few exceptions such as Israel, Jordan and Bahrain, already ban gay sex and curtail the rights of transgender people. Several - Iran, Saudi Arabia and Yemen - retain the death penalty for same-sex relations, according to a report by the ILGA World LGBTQ+ advocacy group. But rights campaigners fear LGBTQ+ people's limited freedoms in the region could be further restricted due to recent developments including proposals in Iraq to introduce the death penalty for gay sex and a crackdown on online discussion of LGBTQ+ matt "When I'm trying to impress someone I'm into, I like to send them classical poems that celebrate male beauty," Fouad, a year-old gay man, explained during a call with DW. “It’s proven to be very effective," he said, laughing. Fouad is from Lebanon, one of the few Arab countries where homosexuality is not explicitly illegal. But due to the government’s recent crackdown on the local LGBTQ communityhe chooses to maintain a low profileand won't distribute his full name. Fouad finds inspiration in classical poems by the 8th-century poet Abu Nawas, who was renowned for his homoerotic verses. Abu Nawas and many other classical Arab, Persian and Turkish poets explored same-sex desires centuries ago. But their legacy has been sidelined in the modern Middle East because homosexuality is a criminal offensein most countries in the region. The claim that same-sex relationshipsare not part of the Middle East’s indigenous culture finds supportfrLGBTQ+
What’s the context?
LGBTQ activism: Seeking queer love in Middle Eastern history