Tag: gay egypt

Gay Egyptians come out of the closet

Cairo – Being gay in Egypt used to be a closely-guarded secret. Yet thanks to more widespread Internet use by Egyptians and the demonstrations of the Arab Spring calling for freedom, many gays are more open about their sexuality. Social media groups have been created to discuss gays’ problems, religious fatwas (legal pronouncements) regarding homosexuality… Read more »

Egypt blocks inclusion of gay health in World Health Organization’s agenda

Egypt’s Health Minister, Mohamed Mostafa Hamed, boasted that he ‘succeeded’ in deleting an item on improving the health of LGBT people from the agenda of the World Health Organization (WHO) LGBT health issues were removed from the agenda of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) board meeting, after Egypt and other member states of the Eastern… Read more »

Egypt’s homosexuals struggle for freedom

Fifty-two men were arrested on May 11, 2001, on Queen Boat, a gay nightclub on the Nile in Cairo, in one of the most publicized police raids against homosexuals in Egypt. Out of the accused, many of whom were tortured and raped while detained, 23 were convicted for debauchery and defaming Islam and sentenced to… Read more »

Iran, Russia and Egypt threaten to scupper UN women’s declaration due to gay rights opposition

An alliance made up of Iran, Russia and Egypt has threatened to derail a UN declaration urging an end to violence against women and girls by objecting to language concerning LGBT rights and reproduction. Reuters reports delegates to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women are racing to reach a deal on a… Read more »

Egypt: Campaigners say life has gotten worse for gay people since the Arab Spring

Homophobia is on the rise in Egypt since the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak, according to the Egypt Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR). The visibility of the gay men and women who took to the streets during the revolution in 2011 has caused a backlash against them, instead of clinching them the greater freedom they… Read more »

‘Getting worse’: Egypt’s gays fear government crackdown

Cairo, Egypt – Maha remembers going to Tahrir Square on Jan. 25, 2011. The 27-year-old office worker only wanted to look around the Cairo intersection filled with thousands of protesters. But seeing Egypt’s revolution unfold before her, she left to get friends and quickly returned. Without planning to, Maha became one of the highly visible… Read more »

The Cultural & Religious Debates on HIV/AIDS in the Muslim World

On December 8, 2012, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) hosted a Red Gala Dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in Cairo, Egypt to raise awareness about the virus and how it affects the lives of over three hundred thousand people across the Arab world. The by-invitation-only event featured high-profile celebrity attendees, including satirical… Read more »

Egypt: 7 men remain detained over anti-gay charges

Seven men in Egypt, who were arrested for breaking the country’s law on sexual conduct, are reportedly still in prison. According to OutQ News, they were captured in a police raid of a Cairo apartment last month and are accused of being gay. Homosexuality is not technically illegal in Egypt, so the young men, whose… Read more »

The infamous “Queen Boat”

I happen to be one of the men who were on the infamous “Queen Boat” that was raided by under cover police agents on the early morning of May 11, 2001. I currently live in the United States and would like to share my story with you. I had a rough day and I really… Read more »

Egyptian Gay Rights Magazine ‘Ehna’ Goes Dark After Single Issue

An online magazine devoted to gay rights in Egypt has shuttered after publishing its first issue. Ehna (We) was believed to be the first magazine to cater to Egypt’s LGBT community. A May 27 post on the magazine’s Facebook page read: “We have been forced to shut down the online magazine due to security reasons.… Read more »

Maghreb bike tour supports human rights

A bike tour by young Tunisians, Libyans and Egyptians aims to gather signatures for a petition against torture and human rights abuses, Tunisia Live reported on Sunday (July 1st). According to Mosaique FM, the delegation is meeting government and civil society representatives across North Africa. The young activists have already obtained signatures from the Egyptian… Read more »

Coming Out Story: We’re Not in Cairo Anymore

Egyptian multihyphenate Omar Sharif Jr., grandson of the screen legend, comes out both as gay and half Jewish — and worries that his country’s fledgling government will persecute others like him. I write this article in fear. Fear for my country, fear for my family, and fear for myself. My parents will be shocked to… Read more »

A future for gay Egypt?

Lesbian and gay Egyptians express their concerns for the future and suggest a way forwards The Gay Star News feature on the future for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people in Egypt, which we ran in January, attracted both criticism and praise. Much of the most vociferous praise came from LGBT people actually living… Read more »