A Gay Syrian Refugee’s Msage to Donald Tmp: I Am a Human Beg

Contents:

• GAY LIFE SYRIA: AN INTERVIEW WH A GAY 'REFUGEE'
• ‘MR GAY SYRIA’: FILM DOCUMENTS LIV OF LGBTI SYRIAN REFUGE
• WHAT'S LIKE TO BE A GAY REFUGEE?
• MR GAY SYRIA
• GAY SYRIAN MAN BEHEAD AND MUTILATED TURKEY
• GAY SYRIAN REFUGE START NEW LIV VANUVER
• GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE UPLE BUILD A NEW FUTURE GERMANY
• GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE FOUND BEHEAD, MUTILATED TURKEY
• A GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE’S MSAGE TO DONALD TMP: I AM A HUMAN BEGSAFE HAVENI YEARN FOR MY LGBT IENDS SYRIA AND AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF THE AMERIN PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS UNTRY.SUBHI NAHASUPDATED APR. 11, 2017 4:06PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 20, 2017 12:15AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEASTWHEN I LEARNED ABOUT PRINT TMP’S EXECUTIVE ORR FELY BANNG SYRIAN REFUGE OM THE UNED STAT, I WAS VASTATED. AS A GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE WHO WAS ABLE TO BUILD A NEW LIFE THE UNED STAT, I HAD FLASHBACKS TO THE TERRIFYG MONTHS AND YEARS LEADG UP TO MY ARRIVAL HERE.AS A NEW AMERIN AND PROUD CALIFORNIAN, I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE NTH CIRCU LG THAT REFED TO RESTATE THE EXECUTIVE ORR. BUT THE FUTURE OF THE UNED STAT’ REFUGEE PROGRAM IS STILL UNCERTA. I FEAR THAT OTHERS LIKE ME WILL BE FORCED TO FACE DANGER AND POSSIBLE ATH.FOR MANY LGBT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, REACHG SAFETY THROUGH THE REFUGEE AND ASYLUM PROCS IS CCIAL. LGBT STAT IS CRIMALIZED MORE THAN 70 UNTRI, AND EVEN WHERE ISN’T WE OFTEN FACE DISCRIMATN, PERSECUTN, AND VLENCE. MANY OF HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FLEE THE UNTRI WHERE WE WERE BORN AND RAISED.IN SYRIA, LGBT STAT IS A CRIME, PUNISHABLE BY UP TO THREE YEARS JAIL. WHILE THIS LAW IS SELDOM ENFORCED, SANCTNS HOMOPHOBIA AND NTRIBUT TO A DANGERO CLIMATE FOR LGBT PEOPLE. GROWG UP NORTH OF DAMASC THE CY OF IDLIB, I FACED RELENTLS BULLYG SCHOOL FOR BEG EFFEMATE. WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER MY PARENTS DISVERED THAT I WAS GAY AND FOR MANY YEARS I BEME A PRISONER MY HOME, SUBJECTED TO ABE AND HOMOPHOBIA BY MY OWN FAY. AFTER THE WAR BEGAN SYRIA THGS FOR LGBT PEOPLE GOT MUCH, MUCH WORSE. BULLYG AND DISCRIMATN GAVE WAY TO BTALY AND VLENCE.ONE DAY 2012 SYRIAN SOLDIERS STOPPED THE B I WAS RIDG AND THEY TOOK ME AND OTHER PASSENGERS TO A SECLUD HOE. THERE THEY MOCKED ME AND MERCILSLY SPEWED ANTI-LGBT SLURS. I WAS CERTA I WOULD BE KILLED. MIRACULOLY, I WAS RELEASED.SOON AFTER I BEGAN TO HEAR NEWS OF AL QAEDA’S BTAL KILLGS OF LGBT PEOPLE. I WAS TERRIFIED TO LEAVE MY HOME, YET EVEN THERE I WASN’T SAFE. I LIVED NSTANT FEAR THAT MY FATHER WOULD REVEAL THAT I WAS GAY AND THAT I WOULD BEE THE NEXT VICTIM OF AL QAEDA.I CID I HAD TO TRY TO PE. I FLED TO LEBANON AND THEN TO A CY NEAR THE SYRIAN BORR TURKEY, WHERE I WORKED AS AN TERPRETER. EVEN THERE, I WAS DANGER. I RECEIVED ATH THREATS OM A FORMER IEND WHO HAD JOED ISIS. THE TERRORIST GROUP’S POWER HAD GROWN AND S MEMBERS HAD FILTRATED THE TURKISH BORR TOWN. I KNEW I ULD NOT STAY AND I ULD NOT GO HOME.I HAD BEE A REFUGEE. AFTER UNHCR REFERRED ME FOR RETTLEMENT NSIRATN, I WENT THROUGH UNTLS TAILED TERVIEWS WH U.S. OFFICIALS, BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND A WA THAT SEEMED ENDLS, BEFORE FALLY BEG APPROVED FOR RETTLEMENT THE UNED STAT. I WAS OVERJOYED AND RELIEVED.I ARRIVED THE UNED STAT JUNE 2015. IT IS DIFFICULT TO FULLY REVER OM LIVG NSTANT FEAR, BUT I HAVE MANAGED TO MOVE FORWARD. I LOVE THE LIFE I HAVE BUILT HERE SAN FRANCIS. I N WORK, BE MY TE SELF, AND HELP OTHERS. I RECENTLY FOUND AN ANIZATN, SPECTRA PROJECT, TO SUPPORT LGBT REFUGE FLEEG PERSECUTN AROUND THE WORLD.I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP OTHER LGBT REFUGE OR SHARE MY STORY PUBLICLY. BUT DECEMBER 2015, I BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY CIVILIAN EVER TO SPEAK BEFORE THE U.N. SECURY COUNCIL. I HAD THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE UNED STAT ERNMENT—A SUATN THAT WOULD’VE BEEN UNIMAGABLE SYRIA, WHERE MY OWN ERNMENT REJECTED ME.LAST SUMMER I WAS A GRAND MARSHALL OF THE LGBT PRI PARA NEW YORK CY. SURROUND BY THOANDS OF CHEERG SUPPORTERS, I FELT A SENSE OF BELONGG. I WAS FALLY EE. I’M SADNED BY THE STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WARM WELE I HAVE RECEIVED AND WHAT THIS EXECUTIVE ORR REPRENTS. I YEARN FOR MY LGBT IENDS SYRIA AND AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF THE AMERIN PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS UNTRY.WHILE WE DON’T KNOW YET WHAT THE TMP ADMISTRATN WILL DO NEXT, SEEMS CLEAR THAT STILL FALSELY BELIEV THAT BANNG REFUGE WILL PROTECT THE UNED STAT OM TERRORISTS. BUT REFUGE AREN’T TERRORISTS, PRINT TMP. WE’RE HUMAN BEGS FLEEG OM TERROR AND LONGG TO LIVE OUR LIV EEDOM AND SAFETY. SUBHI NAHAS
• FLATMAT OF GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE BEHEAD TURKEY FEAR THEY WILL BE NEXT
• THIS GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE FOUND ASYLUM IN THE U.S. AND NOW HE'S ON AN AMAZG MISSNLGBT REFUGE AROUND THE WORLD STILL NEED {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}ISSUBY KRISTA MASICSEPTEMBER 10, 2015/12:36 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}GETTYROSZKE, HUNGARY- SEPTEMBER 9: HUNGARIAN POLICE OFFICERS STOP A GROUP OF REFUGE NEAR A MAKHIFT MP FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS ROSZKE, SOUTHERN HUNGARY, WEDNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015. (PHOTO BY THOMAS CAMPEAN /ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAG)BY KRISTA MASICSEPTEMBER 10, 2015 / 12:36 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THIS GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE FOUND ASYLUM IN THE U.S. AND NOW HE'S ON AN AMAZG MISSN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2015-09-10T16:36:38.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2015-09-10T16:36:38.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"KRISTA MASIC","ARTICLESECTN":"ISSU"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S NOT SAFE TO BE GAY SYRIA. ALL SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS ILLEGAL -- LGBT PEOPLE N FACE PRISON SENTENC OF UP TO THREE YEARS IF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS EXPOSED, AND WHILE 'S UNSAFE FOR JT ABOUT EVERYONE SYRIA RIGHT NOW, THE PERSECUTN OF THE LGBT MUNY HAS GOTTEN EVEN WORSE THAN ED TO BE THE MIDST OF SYRIA'S CIVIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}UNFORTUNATELY, SYRIA ISN'T THAT UNUAL -- MORE THAN 75 UNTRI THROUGHOUT THE WORLD STILL ENFORCE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY LAWS (MANY WH MUCH HARSHER PUNISHMENTS -- CLUDG THE ATH PENALTY) -- WHICH LEADS MANY LGBT REFUGE TO SEEK ASYLUM OTHER UNTRI OUT OF FEAR FOR THEIR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SUBHI NAHAS IS A GAY SYRIAN WHO LEFT HOME AFTER BEG TERRORIZED FOR HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN BY THE SYRIAN ARY, SURGENT IAS, AND EVEN MEMBERS OF HIS OWN FAY. THE SAN FRANCIS NEWS OUTLET KQED REPORTS THAT AFTER AN ATTACK OM HIS DAD LEFT HIM HOSPALIZED, NAHAS PED TO LEBANON AND THEN FLED TO TURKEY, WHERE HE BEGAN RECEIVG ATH THREATS OM ISIS FOR BEG GAY, BEFORE HE WAS EVENTUALLY GRANTED ASYLUM THE U.S. NOW HE LIV SAN FRANCIS, AMONG A MUNY WHERE HE FALLY FEELS SAFE, LOVED, AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NAHAS WAS RECENTLY VED TO TELL HIS HARROWG STORY AT THE FIRST-EVER MEETG ON LGBT RIGHTS AT THE UNED NATN SECURY COUNCIL, AND NOW THAT HE'S SAFE, HE'S DOG EVERYTHG HE N TO HELP OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NAHAS IS WORKG WH THE SAN FRANCIS-BASED ORGANIZATN FOR REFUGE, ASYLUM, & MIGRATN (ORAM) -- THE SAME ANIZATN THAT HELPED HIM FD ASYLUM THE U.S. -- WHICH PROVIS LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO LGBT REFUGE AND ASYLUM APPLINTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. ORAM ALSO PROVIS TOOLS, TRAG AND ROURC TO AID WORKERS WORKG WH LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE OF THE TOOLS IS A FIVE-LANGUAGE GLOSSARY OF LGBT TERMS -- WHICH ORAM'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEIL GNGRAS TOLD KQED IS SUPER SENTIAL "SO WHEN REFUGEE PROFSNALS TERVIEW SOMEONE WHO IS GAY, THEY DON’T LL HIM A MALE PROSTUTE STEAD OF LLG HIM A GAY PERSON, WHICH IS VERY, VERY MON" SCE “A LOT OF REFUGEE PROFSNALS ONLY KNOW SULTG TERMS FOR LGBT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.25%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ACRDG TO NAHAS, THERE ARE AT LEAST 400 OTHER LGBT SYRIAN REFUGE WHO HAVE PED TO TURKEY, WHERE THEY STILL FACE SOME VERY REAL THREATS -- "IN ISTANBUL AND ANKARA, GROUPS RAISED BANNERS LLG FOR GAYS TO BE KILLED," HE WROTE A RECENT STORY FOR THE HUFFGTON POST. "MY IENDS ARE FEELG ALONE AND TERRIFIED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THEM; THE SAME LONELS AND FEAR THAT I ONCE FELT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO MUCH TO IMPROVE NDNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE SYRIA, IRAQ OR OTHER UNTRI," HE NTUED. "BUT WE SURE N HELP THE DIVIDUALS WHO MANAGE TO PE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

GAY LIFE SYRIA: AN INTERVIEW WH A GAY 'REFUGEE'

In this swirlg flow of human events, homosexual dividuals are not sure where they will land, on their feet wh tolerance or further margalized to the g of society.

One gay man’s rponse has been to abandon his native Syria and s current upheaval state and live Turkey where he fds support om the LGBT muny but still leav him a man whout a untry. Adad is a gay Syrian man, 34 years old, livg Turkey temporarily until June 2012 when his visor perm ns out. He is currently a man whout a untry, forced om Syria by a dangero revolutn, fay disagreements as well as ary threats, not so much for his beg gay but for tryg to make a polil statement of fiance toward the Assad regime that’s currently slghterg thoands of own cizens.

‘MR GAY SYRIA’: FILM DOCUMENTS LIV OF LGBTI SYRIAN REFUGE

Adad’s views beme known through his two psdonymo web blogs which advote for human and gay rights agast the ernment treatment of gays as well as the btaly and rptn of the currently lears. As a gay man who seeks sexual and emotnal timacy Turkey n only offer him a limed rponse to his needs.

WHAT'S LIKE TO BE A GAY REFUGEE?

Although Turkey is nsirably more tolerant of LGBT life than most other Middle East untri (along wh Israel and Lebanon) is still a culture steeped homophobic discrimatn. As well, he has the past been taed by the Syrian police on spicn for immoral (gay) behavr but he was not wed by them and mand their nam and inty badge numbers.

MR GAY SYRIA

Homosexualy is not a crime Syria and Adad was very aware that the police actn toward him was merely harassment so he was not aaid to fend himself.

(In his twenti he was studyg medice but gave up as he felt that reer would lim his eedom as an dividual and as a gay man Syria. Adad observed that before the Syrian revolutn started March 2011 Syrian people were generally tolerant of homosexualy even while beg homophobic.

If you md your own bs and did not turn gay issu to polil issu and did not make a public nuisance people tend to leave you alone, he said.

GAY SYRIAN MAN BEHEAD AND MUTILATED TURKEY

” A gay fay member was ually upsettg at first but life had more important thgs that mattered–food, secury, safety, earng e, children’s school lsons and not drawg attentn to yourself or your fay. Vlent hate crim were virtually unheard of Syria; an honor killg of a gay fay member has never happened Adad’s awarens.

Disverg someone’s (other than a fay member) sexual secret more often led to actual or attempted blackmail, which was a greater crime than beg homosexual. From time to time at the whim a a police chief, there might be a police raid on a gay club or party or the on the one gay bar (“Mlims don’t drk!

GAY SYRIAN REFUGE START NEW LIV VANUVER

But then a new police chief felt the need to prove his effectivens, not agast wispread rptn the ernment or the civil service, but agast the meager gay muny for imaged immoral behavr agast the natural orr.

However, that fervent actn only lasted for a few months late 2010 when thgs went back to normal “tolerance wh reason” and gay iends ntued to meet and greet each other certa f and private small parti.

GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE UPLE BUILD A NEW FUTURE GERMANY

When Adad was taed by the police a send time the officer charge, probably tryg to timidate him, displayed a large rmatn book wh nam and photos taken om onle social work webs of allegedly gay people Syria (and elsewhere) along wh their profil and iends.

Dpe his succsful fiance he unrstood om this police actn that was a stern warng to stick to gay life and away om polil issu.

GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE FOUND BEHEAD, MUTILATED TURKEY

“My blog is about real life gay stori of Syrians who only want to live peace, cludg my own.

A GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE’S MSAGE TO DONALD TMP: I AM A HUMAN BEGSAFE HAVENI YEARN FOR MY LGBT IENDS SYRIA AND AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF THE AMERIN PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS UNTRY.SUBHI NAHASUPDATED APR. 11, 2017 4:06PM EDT / PUBLISHED FEB. 20, 2017 12:15AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY ELIZABETH BROCKWAY/THE DAILY BEASTWHEN I LEARNED ABOUT PRINT TMP’S EXECUTIVE ORR FELY BANNG SYRIAN REFUGE OM THE UNED STAT, I WAS VASTATED. AS A GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE WHO WAS ABLE TO BUILD A NEW LIFE THE UNED STAT, I HAD FLASHBACKS TO THE TERRIFYG MONTHS AND YEARS LEADG UP TO MY ARRIVAL HERE.AS A NEW AMERIN AND PROUD CALIFORNIAN, I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE NTH CIRCU LG THAT REFED TO RESTATE THE EXECUTIVE ORR. BUT THE FUTURE OF THE UNED STAT’ REFUGEE PROGRAM IS STILL UNCERTA. I FEAR THAT OTHERS LIKE ME WILL BE FORCED TO FACE DANGER AND POSSIBLE ATH.FOR MANY LGBT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD, REACHG SAFETY THROUGH THE REFUGEE AND ASYLUM PROCS IS CCIAL. LGBT STAT IS CRIMALIZED MORE THAN 70 UNTRI, AND EVEN WHERE ISN’T WE OFTEN FACE DISCRIMATN, PERSECUTN, AND VLENCE. MANY OF HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO FLEE THE UNTRI WHERE WE WERE BORN AND RAISED.IN SYRIA, LGBT STAT IS A CRIME, PUNISHABLE BY UP TO THREE YEARS JAIL. WHILE THIS LAW IS SELDOM ENFORCED, SANCTNS HOMOPHOBIA AND NTRIBUT TO A DANGERO CLIMATE FOR LGBT PEOPLE. GROWG UP NORTH OF DAMASC THE CY OF IDLIB, I FACED RELENTLS BULLYG SCHOOL FOR BEG EFFEMATE. WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER MY PARENTS DISVERED THAT I WAS GAY AND FOR MANY YEARS I BEME A PRISONER MY HOME, SUBJECTED TO ABE AND HOMOPHOBIA BY MY OWN FAY. AFTER THE WAR BEGAN SYRIA THGS FOR LGBT PEOPLE GOT MUCH, MUCH WORSE. BULLYG AND DISCRIMATN GAVE WAY TO BTALY AND VLENCE.ONE DAY 2012 SYRIAN SOLDIERS STOPPED THE B I WAS RIDG AND THEY TOOK ME AND OTHER PASSENGERS TO A SECLUD HOE. THERE THEY MOCKED ME AND MERCILSLY SPEWED ANTI-LGBT SLURS. I WAS CERTA I WOULD BE KILLED. MIRACULOLY, I WAS RELEASED.SOON AFTER I BEGAN TO HEAR NEWS OF AL QAEDA’S BTAL KILLGS OF LGBT PEOPLE. I WAS TERRIFIED TO LEAVE MY HOME, YET EVEN THERE I WASN’T SAFE. I LIVED NSTANT FEAR THAT MY FATHER WOULD REVEAL THAT I WAS GAY AND THAT I WOULD BEE THE NEXT VICTIM OF AL QAEDA.I CID I HAD TO TRY TO PE. I FLED TO LEBANON AND THEN TO A CY NEAR THE SYRIAN BORR TURKEY, WHERE I WORKED AS AN TERPRETER. EVEN THERE, I WAS DANGER. I RECEIVED ATH THREATS OM A FORMER IEND WHO HAD JOED ISIS. THE TERRORIST GROUP’S POWER HAD GROWN AND S MEMBERS HAD FILTRATED THE TURKISH BORR TOWN. I KNEW I ULD NOT STAY AND I ULD NOT GO HOME.I HAD BEE A REFUGEE. AFTER UNHCR REFERRED ME FOR RETTLEMENT NSIRATN, I WENT THROUGH UNTLS TAILED TERVIEWS WH U.S. OFFICIALS, BACKGROUND CHECKS, AND A WA THAT SEEMED ENDLS, BEFORE FALLY BEG APPROVED FOR RETTLEMENT THE UNED STAT. I WAS OVERJOYED AND RELIEVED.I ARRIVED THE UNED STAT JUNE 2015. IT IS DIFFICULT TO FULLY REVER OM LIVG NSTANT FEAR, BUT I HAVE MANAGED TO MOVE FORWARD. I LOVE THE LIFE I HAVE BUILT HERE SAN FRANCIS. I N WORK, BE MY TE SELF, AND HELP OTHERS. I RECENTLY FOUND AN ANIZATN, SPECTRA PROJECT, TO SUPPORT LGBT REFUGE FLEEG PERSECUTN AROUND THE WORLD.I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD BE ABLE TO HELP OTHER LGBT REFUGE OR SHARE MY STORY PUBLICLY. BUT DECEMBER 2015, I BEME THE FIRST OPENLY GAY CIVILIAN EVER TO SPEAK BEFORE THE U.N. SECURY COUNCIL. I HAD THE FULL SUPPORT OF THE UNED STAT ERNMENT—A SUATN THAT WOULD’VE BEEN UNIMAGABLE SYRIA, WHERE MY OWN ERNMENT REJECTED ME.LAST SUMMER I WAS A GRAND MARSHALL OF THE LGBT PRI PARA NEW YORK CY. SURROUND BY THOANDS OF CHEERG SUPPORTERS, I FELT A SENSE OF BELONGG. I WAS FALLY EE. I’M SADNED BY THE STARK DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WARM WELE I HAVE RECEIVED AND WHAT THIS EXECUTIVE ORR REPRENTS. I YEARN FOR MY LGBT IENDS SYRIA AND AROUND THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF THE AMERIN PEOPLE THAT I KNOW IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THIS UNTRY.WHILE WE DON’T KNOW YET WHAT THE TMP ADMISTRATN WILL DO NEXT, SEEMS CLEAR THAT STILL FALSELY BELIEV THAT BANNG REFUGE WILL PROTECT THE UNED STAT OM TERRORISTS. BUT REFUGE AREN’T TERRORISTS, PRINT TMP. WE’RE HUMAN BEGS FLEEG OM TERROR AND LONGG TO LIVE OUR LIV EEDOM AND SAFETY. SUBHI NAHAS

When asked if he has had any trouble om namg gay venu on his webse he said “no, as long as there is not trouble stirrg we are mostly ee to go about our own affairs but they still try to sre and warn agast any big parti or public showgs. His (legal) move to Turkey was a step toward eedom, a sort of halfway hoe away om a totalarian society, spe Turkey’s own versn of homophobia.

“It’s far om utopia here but at least here they have somewhat fair electns and the gay muny is allowed to anize to rights groups and to have public gay monstratns. Asked where he would want to live: “of urse I want to live my home culture near my fay but that will not happen any time soon; perhaps a untry where gay people are given some feelg of rights and equaly, like France or Germany.

FLATMAT OF GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE BEHEAD TURKEY FEAR THEY WILL BE NEXT

Look at the hatred toward gays om so many fundamentalists who pretend to be Christians; the hypocrisy–of vout Mlims too-is hard for me to swallow. Soon after the short-lived police gay party bts and tentns end December 2010, (why they end is a mystery to Adad; perhaps anticipatn of bigger thgs to e), the ‘Arab Sprg’ reached Syria as the mostly unarmed populace rose up agast the heavily armed ernment. Curly, however, Adad reported that even after the revolutn started the gay muny seemed to be left alone and not specifilly targeted as a moral or secury risk, even as the ernment vilified the opposn forc as ‘homosexual revolutnari’ needg to be put down.

Now out of immediate harm’s way, he is not as nfint the tradnal ‘soft’ attu of Syrians toward gays.

THIS GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE FOUND ASYLUM IN THE U.S. AND NOW HE'S ON AN AMAZG MISSNLGBT REFUGE AROUND THE WORLD STILL NEED {FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.25 "GRAVY",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NONE;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#FFFFFF;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}ISSUBY KRISTA MASICSEPTEMBER 10, 2015/12:36 {HEIGHT:HER;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;POSN:RELATIVE;-WEBK-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-MS-FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;FLEX-WRAP:WRAP;-WEBK-ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-ALIGN:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-ALIGN:CENTER;ALIGN-EMS:CENTER;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-WEBK-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;-MS-TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;TRANSFORM-ORIG:CENTER;} IMG{HEIGHT:100%;WIDTH:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;}{HEIGHT:574PX;WIDTH:1020PX;}GETTYROSZKE, HUNGARY- SEPTEMBER 9: HUNGARIAN POLICE OFFICERS STOP A GROUP OF REFUGE NEAR A MAKHIFT MP FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS ROSZKE, SOUTHERN HUNGARY, WEDNDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015. (PHOTO BY THOMAS CAMPEAN /ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY IMAG)BY KRISTA MASICSEPTEMBER 10, 2015 / 12:36 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THIS GAY SYRIAN REFUGEE FOUND ASYLUM IN THE U.S. AND NOW HE'S ON AN AMAZG MISSN","THUMBNAILURL":","DATEPUBLISHED":"2015-09-10T16:36:38.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2015-09-10T16:36:38.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"MTV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"MTV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","URL":","WIDTH":1280,"HEIGHT":720}},"CREATOR":"KRISTA MASIC","ARTICLESECTN":"ISSU"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S NOT SAFE TO BE GAY SYRIA. ALL SAME-SEX SEXUAL ACTIVY IS ILLEGAL -- LGBT PEOPLE N FACE PRISON SENTENC OF UP TO THREE YEARS IF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATN IS EXPOSED, AND WHILE 'S UNSAFE FOR JT ABOUT EVERYONE SYRIA RIGHT NOW, THE PERSECUTN OF THE LGBT MUNY HAS GOTTEN EVEN WORSE THAN ED TO BE THE MIDST OF SYRIA'S CIVIL {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}UNFORTUNATELY, SYRIA ISN'T THAT UNUAL -- MORE THAN 75 UNTRI THROUGHOUT THE WORLD STILL ENFORCE ANTI-HOMOSEXUALY LAWS (MANY WH MUCH HARSHER PUNISHMENTS -- CLUDG THE ATH PENALTY) -- WHICH LEADS MANY LGBT REFUGE TO SEEK ASYLUM OTHER UNTRI OUT OF FEAR FOR THEIR {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SUBHI NAHAS IS A GAY SYRIAN WHO LEFT HOME AFTER BEG TERRORIZED FOR HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN BY THE SYRIAN ARY, SURGENT IAS, AND EVEN MEMBERS OF HIS OWN FAY. THE SAN FRANCIS NEWS OUTLET KQED REPORTS THAT AFTER AN ATTACK OM HIS DAD LEFT HIM HOSPALIZED, NAHAS PED TO LEBANON AND THEN FLED TO TURKEY, WHERE HE BEGAN RECEIVG ATH THREATS OM ISIS FOR BEG GAY, BEFORE HE WAS EVENTUALLY GRANTED ASYLUM THE U.S. NOW HE LIV SAN FRANCIS, AMONG A MUNY WHERE HE FALLY FEELS SAFE, LOVED, AND {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NAHAS WAS RECENTLY VED TO TELL HIS HARROWG STORY AT THE FIRST-EVER MEETG ON LGBT RIGHTS AT THE UNED NATN SECURY COUNCIL, AND NOW THAT HE'S SAFE, HE'S DOG EVERYTHG HE N TO HELP OTHER MIDDLE EASTERN LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}NAHAS IS WORKG WH THE SAN FRANCIS-BASED ORGANIZATN FOR REFUGE, ASYLUM, & MIGRATN (ORAM) -- THE SAME ANIZATN THAT HELPED HIM FD ASYLUM THE U.S. -- WHICH PROVIS LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO LGBT REFUGE AND ASYLUM APPLINTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. ORAM ALSO PROVIS TOOLS, TRAG AND ROURC TO AID WORKERS WORKG WH LGBT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ONE OF THE TOOLS IS A FIVE-LANGUAGE GLOSSARY OF LGBT TERMS -- WHICH ORAM'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEIL GNGRAS TOLD KQED IS SUPER SENTIAL "SO WHEN REFUGEE PROFSNALS TERVIEW SOMEONE WHO IS GAY, THEY DON’T LL HIM A MALE PROSTUTE STEAD OF LLG HIM A GAY PERSON, WHICH IS VERY, VERY MON" SCE “A LOT OF REFUGEE PROFSNALS ONLY KNOW SULTG TERMS FOR LGBT PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;PADDG-BOTTOM:56.25%;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:100% !IMPORTANT;WIDTH:100% !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}ACRDG TO NAHAS, THERE ARE AT LEAST 400 OTHER LGBT SYRIAN REFUGE WHO HAVE PED TO TURKEY, WHERE THEY STILL FACE SOME VERY REAL THREATS -- "IN ISTANBUL AND ANKARA, GROUPS RAISED BANNERS LLG FOR GAYS TO BE KILLED," HE WROTE A RECENT STORY FOR THE HUFFGTON POST. "MY IENDS ARE FEELG ALONE AND TERRIFIED ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN TO THEM; THE SAME LONELS AND FEAR THAT I ONCE FELT."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#F3F3F3;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO MUCH TO IMPROVE NDNS FOR LGBT PEOPLE SYRIA, IRAQ OR OTHER UNTRI," HE NTUED. "BUT WE SURE N HELP THE DIVIDUALS WHO MANAGE TO PE."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Beg gay has always been a reason for firg someone om their job and that is creased now out of fear; the thori may spect an otherwise nocent employer if he is found to have a gay person workg for him.