Collapsed roofs and shattered dreams

In the past few months, I interviewed several members of the LGBTQIA community in northern and north-western Syria, to shed the light on an entirely overlooked community, in a land marked by one direction and one color. My aim was to break the stigma surrounding them and highlight their existence in this area, which is isolated from the rest of

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FROM SYRIA TO TURKEY: A JOURNEY OF CONCEALED TRUTHS

Source: MY.KALI Words by Lara Bellone d’Altavilla1Illustrations by: Aude Nasr  When most Syrian LGBTQ persons flee to Turkey, they don’t do so seeking safety for their sexual orientation. Rather, they flee seeking safety from the conflict and violence that has endured in Syria for over 10 years. The ongoing conflict has left 2.8 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in northwest Syria, with the

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Persecution and violence follow LGBTQIA+ people, even at pride parades.

Pride marches are an opportunity for LGBTQIA+ communities to confront legislation/laws that oppose their human rights. However, they are often met with discrimination and abuse, particularly by authorties in countries that actively work against the execution of these events.  Bello lives in Istanbul and tells us about what he experienced during his last pride walk:  “This was not my first

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Interview with GRLbint

Article Source: GRLبنت We are excited to share our recent interview with GRLbint, which focuses on gender issues in the MENA region. Read more about our organization and our upcoming goals! WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO START GEM & WHAT DOES GEM HOPE TO ACHIEVE? GEM was founded by Syrian LGBTQIA+ rights defenders, humanitarian workers, and activists. The concept for

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Syrian LGBTQ group set up to protect its community

Article Source: Lesbian News A Syrian LGBTQ group has been set up last March called the Guardians of Equality Movement (GEM) to protect the rights of the LGBTQ community in Syria. Presently, LGBTQ people in Syria face daily discrimination and violations as policies and legal provisions incite hatred and violence against those that don’t meet prevailing social standards and expectations

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Rare Syrian NGO formed to defend LGBT community

Article Source: Al-Monitor Syrian LGBT activists are carrying out various campaigns to demand their rights and stop the violations against them. Homophobia remains prevalent in the Middle East and North Africa regions. Most countries in these regions do not recognize the rights of the LGBT community, and homosexual acts are criminalized. LGBT people in Syria, in particular, face daily discrimination and violations

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