'You n't be out': Gay Egyptians ntue to fear persecutn

Contents:

• GAY DATG EGYPT
• JUMPG INTO THE GAY “TRAVEL CLOSET” EGYPT
• GAY CAIRO
• SHIRTLS EGYPTIAN POLICE AMY GRADUATN GO VIRAL: ‘FOR A TERRIFYGLY HOMOPHOBIC ANTI-LGBT GOVERNMENT … THIS SCREAMS PRETTY GAY’ — WATCH
• ALL POSTS TAGGED "EGYPTIAN GAY MEN"
• MEET ANCIENT EGYPT’S FIRST GAY COUPLE. ALLEGEDLY.
• THE ULTIMATE 10 DAY EGYPT ERARY FOR GAY TRAVELLERS (NILE RIVER CISE CLUD)
• THE TTH ABOUT BEG GAY ANCIENT EGYPT
• EGYPT GAY TRAVEL
• 'YOU N'T BE OUT': GAY EGYPTIANS NTUE TO FEAR PERSECUTN
• EGYPTIANS OUTRAGED OVER MOVIE PICTG GAY UPLE
• ‘WE ARE BEG HUNTED’: WHY LGBTQ EGYPTIANS ARE LIVG FEARPERSECUTNLGBTQ PEOPLE EGYPT WHO HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY THE UNTRY’S VILENTLY ANTI-GAY THORI TELL THE DAILY BEAST OF THEIR FEAR, MISERY, AND THE GRADATN OF BEG RCERATED.BEL TREWPUBLISHED OCT. 26, 2017 1:00AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY SARAH ROGERS/THE DAILY BEASTCAIRO—THE YOUNG GAY EGYPTIAN MAN HAD BEEN CHATTG TO A GUY HE MET ON A POPULAR GAY HOOK-UP APP FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE PLUCKED UP THE URAGE TO ASK HIM ON A DATE. (AS WH OTHER NTRIBUTORS TO THIS PIECE, THE DAILY BEAST IS NOT NAMG HIM, TO PROTECT HIS INTY AND SAFETY.)NOTHG ABOUT HIS PARTNER’S ONLE PROFILE RAISED ALARM FOR THE YOUNG MAN. THE PAIR AGREED TO MEET A DISCREET DOWNTOWN Fé POPULAR WH MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY WHO HAVE TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE EGYPT WHERE THEY ARE TARGETED BY THE SECURY FORC. BUT STEAD OF SEEG HIS NEW IEND, THREE LOW-RANKG POLICEMEN AND AN OFFICER PLA CLOTH WERE WAG. NO ONE DARED TERVENE AS THEY SILENTLY DRAGGED THE YOUNG MAN TO THE BACK OF A POLICE R. A “HABUAL BCHERY” SE HAD ALREADY BEEN PREPARED AGAST HIM AT THE POLICE STATN. THE MAN WAS SWIFTLY SENTENCED AND LOCKED UP FOR A YEAR, HIS LIFE STROYED. THIS IS JT ONE OF MANY HORROR STORI TOLD BY MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY, WHO ARE FACG THE WORST CRACKDOWN THE HISTORY OF EGYPT.BEG GAY EGYPT IS NOT FACT ILLEGAL, BUT THE STATE TCHALL TERMS LIKE “BCHERY” AND “SEXUAL VIANCE” TO LOCK UP THOSE ACCED OF BEG HOMOSEXUAL. THE EGYPTIAN PUBLIC, WHICH IS CREASGLY NSERVATIVE, OFTEN CHEERS OM THE SIL. SCE SEPT. 19 AT LEAST 70 MEN AND WOMEN ACCED OF BEG GAY HAVE BEEN ROUND UP, ACRDG TO THE EGYPTIAN INIATIVE FOR PERSONAL RIGHTS (EIPR). IN THAT SHORT PERD 27 HAVE BEEN NVICTED AND HAND JAIL TERMS OF BETWEEN SIX MONTHS AND SIX YEARS. THIS IS THE HIGHT NUMBER OF ARRTS EVER RERD EGYPT, EIPR SAYS. IT EVEN TOPS THE NOTOR 2001 RAID ON THE QUEEN BOAT, A FLOATG NIGHTCLUB ON THE NILE. BACK THEN 52 MEN WERE ARRTED AND 21 OF THEM WERE HAND THREE-YEAR JAIL SENTENC. THE POLICE HAVE NOT ONLY TENSIFIED THEIR CRACKDOWN RECENT WEEKS BUT SHIFTED TACTICS OM HIGH-PROFILE PUBLIC RAIDS TO, AS WH THE SE OUTLED ABOVE, FOCG ON ONLE ENTRAPMENT.“TECHNOLOGY IS MAKG EASIER TO MEET PEOPLE VERY QUICKLY ONLE. THE POLICE E FAKE PHOTOS OF FOREIGNERS LIKE SDIS, AND SOME EVEN E PHOTOS BELONGG TO TAE, WHOSE PHON THEY HAVE NFISTED,” SAID A THIRTYSOMETHG MAN, A IEND OF THE JAILED MAN MENTNED ABOVE, WHO WAS JAILED HIMSELF 2015 FOR BEG GAY. NOW OUT OF JAIL AND ON PAROLE, THE THIRTYSOMETHG MAN STOPPED G DATG APPS RECENTLY WHEN HE HIMSELF WAS NEARLY UGHT BY THE POLICE. HE HAD ADD A POTENTIAL LOVE TERT TO A GROUP CHAT AFTER HIM MEETG ONLE. “SENDS LATER MY IEND LEFT THE GROUP CHAT AND LLED ME TO SAY THIS WAS HIS , HE WAS FELY A POLICE OFFICER,” THE MAN SAID. “I HAVEN’T ED APPS SCE THEN.” “THIS IS THE WORST CRACKDOWN EVER RERD.” THE LATT RASH OF ARRTS WAS SPARKED BY THE SURGE OF PUBLIC ANGER WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE PHOTOGRAPHED RAISG THE RABOW LGBT FLAG AT A POP NCERT CAIRO ON SEPT. 22. MASHROU’ LEILA, A POPULAR LEBANE BAND ONTED BY AN OPENLY GAY LEAD SGER, WAS PLAYG THAT NIGHT. AS PHOTOS OF THE MULTILORED FLAGS FLOOD SOCIAL MEDIA, THE STATE VOWED TO CSH THE LGBT MOVEMENT, LLG A THREAT TO PUBLIC MORALS. TWO ACTIVISTS, AHMED ALAA, 21, AND SARA HEGAZY, 28, WERE TAED CAIRO FOR ACTUALLY RAISG THE FLAG, ON CHARG CLUDG “PROMOTG SEXUAL VIANCE” AND “BELONGG TO A BANNED GROUP” WHICH N RRY A 15-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE. THEIR PRE-TRIAL TENTN WAS EXTEND BY ANOTHER 15 DAYS LAST WEEK. BUT THE RT OF THE TAE HAD NOTHG TO DO WH THE FLAGS. THEY APPEAR TO BE PART OF A GENERAL PH BY THE ERNMENT TO APPEASE A DISGNTLED PUBLIC. EGYPT IS THE GRIPS OF GELG FANCIAL CRISIS: THE VALUE OF THE EGYPTIAN POUND HAS HALVED SCE A CURRENCY FLOAT LAST NOVEMBER, FLATN HAS SOARED PAST 30 PERCENT, AND UNWIELDY SUBSIDI HAVE BEEN SLASHED. INSTEAD OF FOCG ON THE WO OF THE STATE, EGYPTIAN TELEVISN CHANNELS, THAT ARE OFTEN CENSORED BY THE THORI, HAVE BEEN AWASH WH ANGRY MENTATORS DISCSG WAYS WHICH TO “CURE” HOMOSEXUALY AND SAVE SOCIETY. POLICIANS HAVE LOBBIED THE ERNMENT TO TOUGHEN PRISON SENTENC AGAST THOSE ACCED OF “BCHERY.” THE THORI HAVE GLEEFULLY ADVERTISED THE ARRTS. MAHMOUD KHAMIS, AN MP OM THE NILE DELTA’S SHARQIYA, LAST WEEK PROPOSED LEGISLATN RAISG THE MAXIMUM JAIL TERMS FOR “HABUAL BCHERY” TO 10 YEARS TO BAT “THE DISGTG PRACTIC OF HOMOSEXUALS” AFTER THE FLAG-WAVG CINT. SHADIA THABET, A MEMBER OF THE PARLIAMENT’S HEALTH MTEE, MEANWHILE URGED JAIL TERMS FOR “CG” HOMOSEXUALY ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO BE RAISED TO SEVEN YEARS. OUTSPOKEN PRO-REGIME TV PRENTER AND MP MOSTAFA BAKRY SUBMTED A FORMAL REQUT TO THE PARLIAMENT TO ASK THE ERNMENT TO BAN EIGHT RIGHTS GROUPS, CLUDG EIPR, THAT HAD CRICIZED THE CRACKDOWN ON THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE WRTEN PLAT HE SAID SUPPORTG HOMOSEXUALY REPRENTED AN “ASSLT ON RELIG BELIEFS, MORAL IAS,” WAS AN “OFFENSE TO ALL EGYPTIANS,” AND “VLATED THE NSTUTN.” AMR AEB, A TV PRENTER AT QAHIRA WA NS CHANNEL, PARED HOMOSEXUALY TO “EXTREMISTS” AND PEOPLE WHO MARRY AND RAPE CHILDREN. THIS HAS ALL NTRIBUTED TO A PUBLIC HYSTERIA WHICH IS FUELG NEW ARRTS, ACRDG TO AHMED HOSSAM, A HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER REPRENTG SEVERAL TAE SWEPT UP THE CRACKDOWN. HE SAID THE NFN THE NUMBER OF THOSE ARRTED FOR BEG GAY ULD BE AS HIGH AS 120. “THIS IS THE WORST CRACKDOWN EVER RERD. NGOS ONLY DOCUMENT THE S THEY PERSONALLY KNOW OR THE ON THAT SEEK HELP OM THEM. THIS IS WHY I THK THERE ARE AT LEAST 120 S THE RECENT CRACKDOWN,” HOSSAM TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “FOR EXAMPLE, AT MY LAST TRIP TO URT WHERE I WAS SET TO ATTEND TO TWO S, WHEN I ARRIVED, I FOUND NE S.” HE SAID THE MAJORY OF THE FENDANTS HE WAS REPRENTG HAD BEEN JAILED AFTER POLICE OFFICERS POSED AS GAY MEN ON MOBILE PHONE APPS. THE UNRVER POLICEMEN WERE CREASGLY OFFERG TO PAY MONEY FOR SEX VIA THE DATG APPS A BID TO ENTRAP VULNERABLE AND IMPOVERISHED MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY. THE FANCIAL DIMENSN PLIT THE SE, AND MEANS CHARG RELATED TO PROSTUTN N BE ED, LENGTHENG THE PRISON TERMS. BUT CG A “CRIMAL” TO DO A CRIMAL ACT IS ILLEGAL, HOSSAM SAID. “THK ABOUT , A POLICE OFFICER NNOT NTACT A KILLER AND SAY HE WANTS SOMEONE KILLED AND WILL PAY FOR , AND THEN ARRT THE KILLER WHEN HE ATTEMPTS ,” HOSSAM ADD. DALíA ABL-HAMID OF THE EIPR, WHICH IS TRYG TO WARN SOCIAL MEDIA ERS EGYPT, SAID THE POLICE WERE BEG CREASGLY “SOPHISTITED.” “IN A RECENT SE, THE OFFICER, G AN ONLE DATG PROFILE, FAKED A GULF ACCENT TO HIS TARGET AND EVEN SENT A PY OF A SDI PASSPORT HE HAD PECIALLY ACQUIRED.” “THERE IS A POLICE STATE. THEY SEE AS A THREAT.” ALARMED BY THE SUDN SURGE ARRTS, U.S.-BASED DATG APPS HAVE NOW ISSUED WARNGS AND ADVICE ARABIC TO THEIR EGYPTIAN ERS. SOME OF THEIR TIPS CLU LETTG PEOPLE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOG BEFORE MEETG SOMEONE, CHECKG IF YOU HAVE MUTUAL IENDS, AND TRYG TO MEET VIRTUALLY THROUGH VIO FIRST. “IT WILL MAKE PEOPLE TAKE MORE PREUTNS… WE KNOW THAT THE POLICE ARE UNR PRSURE TO ARRT PEOPLE AND THEY ARE GOG ABOUT DOG THAT THROUGH ALL THE AVENU THAT THEY HAVE,” JACK HARRISON-QUTANA, A DIRECTOR AT GRDR, TOLD RTERS THIS WEEK. MANY OF THOSE ACCED OF BEG GAY ARE POORLY TREATED TENTN. HEGAZY TOLD THE PROSECUTOR WHO QUTNED HER THAT SHE WAS BEATEN AND SEXUALLY HARASSED BY HER CELLMAT SAYIDA ZEAB POLICE STATN AFTER THE SECURY FORC THERE TOLD THEM THAT SHE WAS CHARGED WH “HABUAL BCHERY.” AT LEAST FIVE OF THE 70 ARRTED HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO FORCED ANAL EXAMATNS BY THE THORI TO “CHECK” THEIR ORIENTATN, WHICH RIGHTS GROUP SAY IS AK TO RAPE. OTHERS HAVE CLAIMED TO BE REPEATEDLY SEXUALLY ASSLTED ONCE THEY ARE NVICTED. A TRANSGENR WOMAN WAS RELEASED OM A MEN’S JAIL LAST MONTH AFTER THREE YEARS BEHD BARS FOR “HABUAL BCHERY.”SHE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT PRISON GUARDS FORCED HER TO PERFORM SEX ACTS, WOULD WATCH HER WHILE SHE WENT TO THE TOILET, AND ONCE STRIPPED HER NAKED AND TOOK PHOTOS. IF SHE DID NOT PLY SHE SAID SHE WAS BEATEN, STARVED, AND HELD A PCH-BLACK SOLARY NFEMENT CELL FOR WEEKS AT A TIME, WHICH SHE NICKNAMED “THE GRAVEYARD.” “THERE WAS A LONG HALL WH FIVE ROOMS, EACH ONE WAS ONE METER BY ONE METER, THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS BY GIVG SEXUAL FAVORS. THOSE WHO DIDN’T WERE KEPT THE DARKNS FOR DAYS AND WEEKS,” SHE SAID. ONE OF HER IENDS, WHO WAS ALSO TRANS, WAS SO PRSED AFTER MONTHS BEHD BARS SHE TRIED TO KILL HERSELF WH THE LID OF A TUNA N. HER IEND WAS PATCHED UP, PUT BACK SOLARY AND ALL NNED FOOD WAS BANNED. “THAT WAS . NO VTIGATN NO QUTNS. NO NOTHG,” THE TRANSGENR WOMAN TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. THE EGYPTIAN THORI CLED TO MENT. BUT THE PAST THE INTERR MISTRY AND EGYPTIAN PRINT ABL-FATTAH AL-SISI HIMSELF HAVE REPEATEDLY NIED THAT TORTURE OR ANY FORM OF VLENCE IS ED EGYPT’S TENTN CENTERS. THE SECURY FORC MATA THE PRISONS ARE KEPT TO TERNATNAL STANDARDS AND THERE IS NO TARGETED CRACKDOWN. THE TRANSGENR FORMER PRISONER TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT WH THE SURGE ARRTS AND PUBLIC SENTIMENT GALVANIZG AGAST THE LGBTQ MUNY, SHE NOW HAS ZERO OPTNS. WHEN SHE WAS HAND OVER TO THE POLICE BY AN RMANT POSG AS A FEMALE PIMP 2014, THE MEDIA SPLASHED HER PHOTO AND NAME ALL OVER THE NEWS. SO, LIKE MANY OF THOSE RELEASED OM JAIL AFTER SERVG SENTENC FOR BCHERY, SHE IS TRAPPED AT HOME. SHE NNOT TRAVEL ABROAD; THE PUBLIC SHAME MEANS NO ONE WILL HIRE HER; HER INTIFITN RD STILL RRI HER ORIGAL MALE NAME, G NFN. HER FAY, WHO TRIED TO SUBM HER TO ELECTRIC SHOCK TREATMENT THE PAST, STILL BELIEV THEY N “CURE” HER. LIKE HER, THE THIRTYSOMETHG GAY MAN TERVIEWED ABOVE FEARS THIS IS JT THE START, THAT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. “THE CRACKDOWN IS VERY HARD THIS TIME. EVEN UNR [FORMER PRINT] HOSNI MUBARAK, WE WERE LEFT ALONE UNBOTHERED. BUT NOW, THERE IS A POLICE STATE. THEY SEE AS A THREAT,” HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST, BREAKG DOWN. “I STOPPED MEETG NEW PEOPLE BEE I NEVER KNOW IF THEY ARE REALLY HOMOSEXUALS OR JT PRETENDG TO ROB ME, TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE OR THEY ARE THE POLICE. WE ARE BEG HUNTED.” BEL TREW
• ALL POSTS TAGGED "GAY"

GAY DATG EGYPT

Read on for one glimpse of what gay travel Egypt is like. Did you know that people are monly arrted for beg gay Egypt? As an out gay man, I’m ed to livg a very open life.

Did this Nubian guy I’d jt met jt ask me if I was gay? I don’t know how he reacted to my reactn to his qutn, but I know that if someone gave me the answer I’d given him when asked pot blank about their sexualy, I would have tomatilly assumed they were gay.

JUMPG INTO THE GAY “TRAVEL CLOSET” EGYPT

He has a wife and children… Then aga, ’s Egypt, certaly not the easit place the world to be gay…. We wele gut posts highlightg what life on the road is like for gay and lbian travelers.

Wtern cha hotels are where gay travelers will want to stay Cairo.

GAY CAIRO

Most likely you already know that homosexualy is unofficially illegal Egypt. You've probably heard of the "Cairo 52" se om 2001, when a group of 52 men were arrted at a gay party the "Queen Boat" moored on the Nile. Dpe terventn by ternatnal human rights anizatns, the suatn for homosexuals remas que alarmg the untry, wh arrt and torture beg mon practice.

SHIRTLS EGYPTIAN POLICE AMY GRADUATN GO VIRAL: ‘FOR A TERRIFYGLY HOMOPHOBIC ANTI-LGBT GOVERNMENT … THIS SCREAMS PRETTY GAY’ — WATCH

As a gay traveler, don't e lol chat rooms to meet lol men, and be ut cisg areas. Wh mon sense you'll be able to enjoy Egypt and still fd your gaydar peakg plac. Simply hang out where the trendit straight crowds do, and you'll see plenty of gay lols and expats.

Other apparently gay-iendly plac are:.

ALL POSTS TAGGED "EGYPTIAN GAY MEN"

Remendatns for Gay Travelers Cairo.

Everyone ss people-watchg om the sofas as they enjoy specialty cktails, and this is where you're most likely to fd a discreet mix of straight and gay. Fashnable gay men playg straight head to the Marrtt for the expensive drks at s Harry's Pub. Gay-Friendly Hotels.

No hotel Cairo advertis self as gay-iendly, but the large chas do attract wealthy gay upl, pecially those lookg out to the pyramids and offerg all sorts of pamperg servic such as spa and fns center.

MEET ANCIENT EGYPT’S FIRST GAY COUPLE. ALLEGEDLY.

A bizarre graduatn ceremony of the Egyptian Police Amy featurg paras of flexg shirtls men jumpg through rgs of fire has gone viral, tchg the attentn of Gee Takei, who tweeted, “For a terrifygly homophobic and dangeroly anti-LGBT ernment Egypt, this screams pretty gay. A cluels foreigner on the streets of Cairo might assume that two men wh their arms lked are gay lovers. Congratulatg the uple on their bold statement, however, would be a mistake that would almost fely lead to a severe beatg – and that’s the bt-se Egyptians such as myself, who believe thigh-squeezg isn’t as much an acceptable method of requtg someone's attentn as is a se of sexual harassment, would thk twice before accg an overly touchy male of homosexualy.

Bee spe what all the male-on-male kissg and hand-holdg might imply, Egyptian society still operat unr the firmly held belief that homosexualy is “wrong. "Consirg how hands-on Egyptian men typilly are wh each other, is there hypocrisy their homophobia?

”Jureidi, who spent six years Cairo before movg to the Amerin Universy Beit, explas that the typil displays of affectn Egyptian men share wh one another do not necsarily translate to, nor are they provoked by, sexual attractn, addg that “men who display this type of [behavr] may be jt as homophobic as those who do not.

THE ULTIMATE 10 DAY EGYPT ERARY FOR GAY TRAVELLERS (NILE RIVER CISE CLUD)

”“There are many [suatns] when men are ‘allowed’ to display exprsns of closens whout beg terpreted as homosexual [behavr], ” Jureidi stat.

”In terms of homophobia, Jureidi also believ Egypt is “no different” om virtually any other society. “In pretty much every society [you will fd] homophobia exprsed among mal [as part of their] procs of tablishg their heterosexualy, ” he claims.

THE TTH ABOUT BEG GAY ANCIENT EGYPT

“In all societi, men of all ag exprs hostily and revulsn towards homosexualy. ”“There is a state-sanctned policy agast homosexualy” which Juri believ ntribut to the perpetuatn of homophobia.

EGYPT GAY TRAVEL

Jureidi also pots out that Arab fai, kissg and huggg between fathers, sons, and other male relatns is more acceptable than “fai om Anglo-Wtern untri" – further evince supportg his view that the characteristics of male relatnships Egypt and the Arab world have more to do wh culture than homosexualy. “I unrstand that this type of behavr isn’t perceived as beg homosexual nature, but that don’t make any ls hypocril, ” says Am, a 29-year-old gay Egyptian who requted his name be changed for the sake of personal safety. ”As a gay man who has spent his entire life Egypt, Am is nvced that homosexualy still plays a role morn Egyptian male bondg, even if on a subnsc level.

'YOU N'T BE OUT': GAY EGYPTIANS NTUE TO FEAR PERSECUTN

Dpe his sistence to the ntrary, Am do not speak for the entire Egyptian gay muny. ”Mansour also pots out that the perceived ngy between male bondg and homophobia Egyptian society “is siar, a way, to all the veiled women that wrap themselv layers but still breastfeed their babi public. Many scholars today suggt that while all matters of sex were treated as somewhat taboo, tolerance of homosexualy seemed such a foreign ncept that no rerds show the practice as forbidn.

EGYPTIANS OUTRAGED OVER MOVIE PICTG GAY UPLE

This may dite a certa negative sentiment about gay inty. But many stori show that while Seth uld be lled a villao figure, his homosexualy was not what ma him so. In one tale documented well Richard Parkson's Homosexual Dire and Middle Kgdom Lerature, Hos is eher raped or sced to a sexual enunter.

‘WE ARE BEG HUNTED’: WHY LGBTQ EGYPTIANS ARE LIVG FEARPERSECUTNLGBTQ PEOPLE EGYPT WHO HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY THE UNTRY’S VILENTLY ANTI-GAY THORI TELL THE DAILY BEAST OF THEIR FEAR, MISERY, AND THE GRADATN OF BEG RCERATED.BEL TREWPUBLISHED OCT. 26, 2017 1:00AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY SARAH ROGERS/THE DAILY BEASTCAIRO—THE YOUNG GAY EGYPTIAN MAN HAD BEEN CHATTG TO A GUY HE MET ON A POPULAR GAY HOOK-UP APP FOR TWO WEEKS BEFORE HE PLUCKED UP THE URAGE TO ASK HIM ON A DATE. (AS WH OTHER NTRIBUTORS TO THIS PIECE, THE DAILY BEAST IS NOT NAMG HIM, TO PROTECT HIS INTY AND SAFETY.)NOTHG ABOUT HIS PARTNER’S ONLE PROFILE RAISED ALARM FOR THE YOUNG MAN. THE PAIR AGREED TO MEET A DISCREET DOWNTOWN Fé POPULAR WH MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY WHO HAVE TO KEEP A LOW PROFILE EGYPT WHERE THEY ARE TARGETED BY THE SECURY FORC. BUT STEAD OF SEEG HIS NEW IEND, THREE LOW-RANKG POLICEMEN AND AN OFFICER PLA CLOTH WERE WAG. NO ONE DARED TERVENE AS THEY SILENTLY DRAGGED THE YOUNG MAN TO THE BACK OF A POLICE R. A “HABUAL BCHERY” SE HAD ALREADY BEEN PREPARED AGAST HIM AT THE POLICE STATN. THE MAN WAS SWIFTLY SENTENCED AND LOCKED UP FOR A YEAR, HIS LIFE STROYED. THIS IS JT ONE OF MANY HORROR STORI TOLD BY MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY, WHO ARE FACG THE WORST CRACKDOWN THE HISTORY OF EGYPT.BEG GAY EGYPT IS NOT FACT ILLEGAL, BUT THE STATE TCHALL TERMS LIKE “BCHERY” AND “SEXUAL VIANCE” TO LOCK UP THOSE ACCED OF BEG HOMOSEXUAL. THE EGYPTIAN PUBLIC, WHICH IS CREASGLY NSERVATIVE, OFTEN CHEERS OM THE SIL. SCE SEPT. 19 AT LEAST 70 MEN AND WOMEN ACCED OF BEG GAY HAVE BEEN ROUND UP, ACRDG TO THE EGYPTIAN INIATIVE FOR PERSONAL RIGHTS (EIPR). IN THAT SHORT PERD 27 HAVE BEEN NVICTED AND HAND JAIL TERMS OF BETWEEN SIX MONTHS AND SIX YEARS. THIS IS THE HIGHT NUMBER OF ARRTS EVER RERD EGYPT, EIPR SAYS. IT EVEN TOPS THE NOTOR 2001 RAID ON THE QUEEN BOAT, A FLOATG NIGHTCLUB ON THE NILE. BACK THEN 52 MEN WERE ARRTED AND 21 OF THEM WERE HAND THREE-YEAR JAIL SENTENC. THE POLICE HAVE NOT ONLY TENSIFIED THEIR CRACKDOWN RECENT WEEKS BUT SHIFTED TACTICS OM HIGH-PROFILE PUBLIC RAIDS TO, AS WH THE SE OUTLED ABOVE, FOCG ON ONLE ENTRAPMENT.“TECHNOLOGY IS MAKG EASIER TO MEET PEOPLE VERY QUICKLY ONLE. THE POLICE E FAKE PHOTOS OF FOREIGNERS LIKE SDIS, AND SOME EVEN E PHOTOS BELONGG TO TAE, WHOSE PHON THEY HAVE NFISTED,” SAID A THIRTYSOMETHG MAN, A IEND OF THE JAILED MAN MENTNED ABOVE, WHO WAS JAILED HIMSELF 2015 FOR BEG GAY. NOW OUT OF JAIL AND ON PAROLE, THE THIRTYSOMETHG MAN STOPPED G DATG APPS RECENTLY WHEN HE HIMSELF WAS NEARLY UGHT BY THE POLICE. HE HAD ADD A POTENTIAL LOVE TERT TO A GROUP CHAT AFTER HIM MEETG ONLE. “SENDS LATER MY IEND LEFT THE GROUP CHAT AND LLED ME TO SAY THIS WAS HIS , HE WAS FELY A POLICE OFFICER,” THE MAN SAID. “I HAVEN’T ED APPS SCE THEN.” “THIS IS THE WORST CRACKDOWN EVER RERD.” THE LATT RASH OF ARRTS WAS SPARKED BY THE SURGE OF PUBLIC ANGER WHEN A GROUP OF PEOPLE WERE PHOTOGRAPHED RAISG THE RABOW LGBT FLAG AT A POP NCERT CAIRO ON SEPT. 22. MASHROU’ LEILA, A POPULAR LEBANE BAND ONTED BY AN OPENLY GAY LEAD SGER, WAS PLAYG THAT NIGHT. AS PHOTOS OF THE MULTILORED FLAGS FLOOD SOCIAL MEDIA, THE STATE VOWED TO CSH THE LGBT MOVEMENT, LLG A THREAT TO PUBLIC MORALS. TWO ACTIVISTS, AHMED ALAA, 21, AND SARA HEGAZY, 28, WERE TAED CAIRO FOR ACTUALLY RAISG THE FLAG, ON CHARG CLUDG “PROMOTG SEXUAL VIANCE” AND “BELONGG TO A BANNED GROUP” WHICH N RRY A 15-YEAR JAIL SENTENCE. THEIR PRE-TRIAL TENTN WAS EXTEND BY ANOTHER 15 DAYS LAST WEEK. BUT THE RT OF THE TAE HAD NOTHG TO DO WH THE FLAGS. THEY APPEAR TO BE PART OF A GENERAL PH BY THE ERNMENT TO APPEASE A DISGNTLED PUBLIC. EGYPT IS THE GRIPS OF GELG FANCIAL CRISIS: THE VALUE OF THE EGYPTIAN POUND HAS HALVED SCE A CURRENCY FLOAT LAST NOVEMBER, FLATN HAS SOARED PAST 30 PERCENT, AND UNWIELDY SUBSIDI HAVE BEEN SLASHED. INSTEAD OF FOCG ON THE WO OF THE STATE, EGYPTIAN TELEVISN CHANNELS, THAT ARE OFTEN CENSORED BY THE THORI, HAVE BEEN AWASH WH ANGRY MENTATORS DISCSG WAYS WHICH TO “CURE” HOMOSEXUALY AND SAVE SOCIETY. POLICIANS HAVE LOBBIED THE ERNMENT TO TOUGHEN PRISON SENTENC AGAST THOSE ACCED OF “BCHERY.” THE THORI HAVE GLEEFULLY ADVERTISED THE ARRTS. MAHMOUD KHAMIS, AN MP OM THE NILE DELTA’S SHARQIYA, LAST WEEK PROPOSED LEGISLATN RAISG THE MAXIMUM JAIL TERMS FOR “HABUAL BCHERY” TO 10 YEARS TO BAT “THE DISGTG PRACTIC OF HOMOSEXUALS” AFTER THE FLAG-WAVG CINT. SHADIA THABET, A MEMBER OF THE PARLIAMENT’S HEALTH MTEE, MEANWHILE URGED JAIL TERMS FOR “CG” HOMOSEXUALY ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO BE RAISED TO SEVEN YEARS. OUTSPOKEN PRO-REGIME TV PRENTER AND MP MOSTAFA BAKRY SUBMTED A FORMAL REQUT TO THE PARLIAMENT TO ASK THE ERNMENT TO BAN EIGHT RIGHTS GROUPS, CLUDG EIPR, THAT HAD CRICIZED THE CRACKDOWN ON THE LGBT MUNY. IN THE WRTEN PLAT HE SAID SUPPORTG HOMOSEXUALY REPRENTED AN “ASSLT ON RELIG BELIEFS, MORAL IAS,” WAS AN “OFFENSE TO ALL EGYPTIANS,” AND “VLATED THE NSTUTN.” AMR AEB, A TV PRENTER AT QAHIRA WA NS CHANNEL, PARED HOMOSEXUALY TO “EXTREMISTS” AND PEOPLE WHO MARRY AND RAPE CHILDREN. THIS HAS ALL NTRIBUTED TO A PUBLIC HYSTERIA WHICH IS FUELG NEW ARRTS, ACRDG TO AHMED HOSSAM, A HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER REPRENTG SEVERAL TAE SWEPT UP THE CRACKDOWN. HE SAID THE NFN THE NUMBER OF THOSE ARRTED FOR BEG GAY ULD BE AS HIGH AS 120. “THIS IS THE WORST CRACKDOWN EVER RERD. NGOS ONLY DOCUMENT THE S THEY PERSONALLY KNOW OR THE ON THAT SEEK HELP OM THEM. THIS IS WHY I THK THERE ARE AT LEAST 120 S THE RECENT CRACKDOWN,” HOSSAM TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. “FOR EXAMPLE, AT MY LAST TRIP TO URT WHERE I WAS SET TO ATTEND TO TWO S, WHEN I ARRIVED, I FOUND NE S.” HE SAID THE MAJORY OF THE FENDANTS HE WAS REPRENTG HAD BEEN JAILED AFTER POLICE OFFICERS POSED AS GAY MEN ON MOBILE PHONE APPS. THE UNRVER POLICEMEN WERE CREASGLY OFFERG TO PAY MONEY FOR SEX VIA THE DATG APPS A BID TO ENTRAP VULNERABLE AND IMPOVERISHED MEMBERS OF THE LGBTQ MUNY. THE FANCIAL DIMENSN PLIT THE SE, AND MEANS CHARG RELATED TO PROSTUTN N BE ED, LENGTHENG THE PRISON TERMS. BUT CG A “CRIMAL” TO DO A CRIMAL ACT IS ILLEGAL, HOSSAM SAID. “THK ABOUT , A POLICE OFFICER NNOT NTACT A KILLER AND SAY HE WANTS SOMEONE KILLED AND WILL PAY FOR , AND THEN ARRT THE KILLER WHEN HE ATTEMPTS ,” HOSSAM ADD. DALíA ABL-HAMID OF THE EIPR, WHICH IS TRYG TO WARN SOCIAL MEDIA ERS EGYPT, SAID THE POLICE WERE BEG CREASGLY “SOPHISTITED.” “IN A RECENT SE, THE OFFICER, G AN ONLE DATG PROFILE, FAKED A GULF ACCENT TO HIS TARGET AND EVEN SENT A PY OF A SDI PASSPORT HE HAD PECIALLY ACQUIRED.” “THERE IS A POLICE STATE. THEY SEE AS A THREAT.” ALARMED BY THE SUDN SURGE ARRTS, U.S.-BASED DATG APPS HAVE NOW ISSUED WARNGS AND ADVICE ARABIC TO THEIR EGYPTIAN ERS. SOME OF THEIR TIPS CLU LETTG PEOPLE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOG BEFORE MEETG SOMEONE, CHECKG IF YOU HAVE MUTUAL IENDS, AND TRYG TO MEET VIRTUALLY THROUGH VIO FIRST. “IT WILL MAKE PEOPLE TAKE MORE PREUTNS… WE KNOW THAT THE POLICE ARE UNR PRSURE TO ARRT PEOPLE AND THEY ARE GOG ABOUT DOG THAT THROUGH ALL THE AVENU THAT THEY HAVE,” JACK HARRISON-QUTANA, A DIRECTOR AT GRDR, TOLD RTERS THIS WEEK. MANY OF THOSE ACCED OF BEG GAY ARE POORLY TREATED TENTN. HEGAZY TOLD THE PROSECUTOR WHO QUTNED HER THAT SHE WAS BEATEN AND SEXUALLY HARASSED BY HER CELLMAT SAYIDA ZEAB POLICE STATN AFTER THE SECURY FORC THERE TOLD THEM THAT SHE WAS CHARGED WH “HABUAL BCHERY.” AT LEAST FIVE OF THE 70 ARRTED HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO FORCED ANAL EXAMATNS BY THE THORI TO “CHECK” THEIR ORIENTATN, WHICH RIGHTS GROUP SAY IS AK TO RAPE. OTHERS HAVE CLAIMED TO BE REPEATEDLY SEXUALLY ASSLTED ONCE THEY ARE NVICTED. A TRANSGENR WOMAN WAS RELEASED OM A MEN’S JAIL LAST MONTH AFTER THREE YEARS BEHD BARS FOR “HABUAL BCHERY.”SHE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT PRISON GUARDS FORCED HER TO PERFORM SEX ACTS, WOULD WATCH HER WHILE SHE WENT TO THE TOILET, AND ONCE STRIPPED HER NAKED AND TOOK PHOTOS. IF SHE DID NOT PLY SHE SAID SHE WAS BEATEN, STARVED, AND HELD A PCH-BLACK SOLARY NFEMENT CELL FOR WEEKS AT A TIME, WHICH SHE NICKNAMED “THE GRAVEYARD.” “THERE WAS A LONG HALL WH FIVE ROOMS, EACH ONE WAS ONE METER BY ONE METER, THE ONLY WAY OUT WAS BY GIVG SEXUAL FAVORS. THOSE WHO DIDN’T WERE KEPT THE DARKNS FOR DAYS AND WEEKS,” SHE SAID. ONE OF HER IENDS, WHO WAS ALSO TRANS, WAS SO PRSED AFTER MONTHS BEHD BARS SHE TRIED TO KILL HERSELF WH THE LID OF A TUNA N. HER IEND WAS PATCHED UP, PUT BACK SOLARY AND ALL NNED FOOD WAS BANNED. “THAT WAS . NO VTIGATN NO QUTNS. NO NOTHG,” THE TRANSGENR WOMAN TOLD THE DAILY BEAST. THE EGYPTIAN THORI CLED TO MENT. BUT THE PAST THE INTERR MISTRY AND EGYPTIAN PRINT ABL-FATTAH AL-SISI HIMSELF HAVE REPEATEDLY NIED THAT TORTURE OR ANY FORM OF VLENCE IS ED EGYPT’S TENTN CENTERS. THE SECURY FORC MATA THE PRISONS ARE KEPT TO TERNATNAL STANDARDS AND THERE IS NO TARGETED CRACKDOWN. THE TRANSGENR FORMER PRISONER TOLD THE DAILY BEAST THAT WH THE SURGE ARRTS AND PUBLIC SENTIMENT GALVANIZG AGAST THE LGBTQ MUNY, SHE NOW HAS ZERO OPTNS. WHEN SHE WAS HAND OVER TO THE POLICE BY AN RMANT POSG AS A FEMALE PIMP 2014, THE MEDIA SPLASHED HER PHOTO AND NAME ALL OVER THE NEWS. SO, LIKE MANY OF THOSE RELEASED OM JAIL AFTER SERVG SENTENC FOR BCHERY, SHE IS TRAPPED AT HOME. SHE NNOT TRAVEL ABROAD; THE PUBLIC SHAME MEANS NO ONE WILL HIRE HER; HER INTIFITN RD STILL RRI HER ORIGAL MALE NAME, G NFN. HER FAY, WHO TRIED TO SUBM HER TO ELECTRIC SHOCK TREATMENT THE PAST, STILL BELIEV THEY N “CURE” HER. LIKE HER, THE THIRTYSOMETHG GAY MAN TERVIEWED ABOVE FEARS THIS IS JT THE START, THAT WILL ONLY GET WORSE. “THE CRACKDOWN IS VERY HARD THIS TIME. EVEN UNR [FORMER PRINT] HOSNI MUBARAK, WE WERE LEFT ALONE UNBOTHERED. BUT NOW, THERE IS A POLICE STATE. THEY SEE AS A THREAT,” HE TOLD THE DAILY BEAST, BREAKG DOWN. “I STOPPED MEETG NEW PEOPLE BEE I NEVER KNOW IF THEY ARE REALLY HOMOSEXUALS OR JT PRETENDG TO ROB ME, TO REPORT ME TO THE POLICE OR THEY ARE THE POLICE. WE ARE BEG HUNTED.” BEL TREW

Intertgly, the tale shows that ancient Egyptian culture didn't look down on homosexualy -- somethg heroic Hos engaged himself -- so much as held beg subjugated low teem. NephthysWhile there are fewer tal Egyptian history and mythology about female than male homosexualy, many nsired the godss Nephthys to be a lbian. Scholars have bated whether the stori of Nephthys, who did bear one son by Osiris, show that the culture held lbians greater teem than gay men, bee they uld still be fertile spe their sexual orientatn.

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The mother godss and a protector of children, she also red for society's downtrodn, which may be why gay prits ancient Egypt worshipped the y.