Samir, like many gay men the Arab world, guards his sexual orientatn wh a paranoid secrecy. To feel ee he tak long vatns to Thailand, where he has a boyiend, and spends weekends Lebanon, which he regards as havg a more gay-tolerant society. But at home Sdi Arabia, he is vigilant. Samir's parents don't know of his liftyle. He says his mom would kill herself if she found out. They nstantly set him up wh women they nsir potential wiv. At work, Samir watch his words, reful not to aroe the spicn of lleagu.
Contents:
- SDI GAY SCENE: 'FORBIDN, BUT I N'T HELP IT'
- SAMIRA WILEY REVEALS SHE WAS ACCINTALLY OUTED AS GAY BY HER 'ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK' CASTMATE
SDI GAY SCENE: 'FORBIDN, BUT I N'T HELP IT'
* samir gay *
DUBAI, Uned Arab Emirat, May 25, 2009 — -- For Samir*, a 34-year-old gay man livg Sdi Arabia, each day is a nial. He liv Mec, the holit cy acrdg to Islam, and is acutely aware of the stigma that surrounds his gay liftyle.
But I know that I'm gay and I'm livg as one, so I n't see a clear visn for the future. "Samir, like many gay men the Arab world, guards his sexual orientatn wh a paranoid secrecy.
SAMIRA WILEY REVEALS SHE WAS ACCINTALLY OUTED AS GAY BY HER 'ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK' CASTMATE
To feel ee he tak long vatns to Thailand, where he has a boyiend, and spends weekends Lebanon, which he regards as havg a more gay-tolerant at home Sdi Arabia, he is vigilant. "You n't let a word slip that mak you seem gay-iendly or gay, " he says. "Samir ocsnally go to Sdi f known to be popular gay hangouts, but his public engagements stop there.
He and his iends are nstantly wary of officers om the Commissn for the Promotn of Virtue and Preventn of Vice, the kgdom's relig police, who patrol for and punish men they spect of beg gay. Homosexualy is illegal Sdi Arabia, but the charge lls for four wns to make a se. In a recent se they apprehend one man at a Jeddah shoppg mall, spectg he was gay om his tight jeans and fted shirt.