Pakistan’s Gay Communy Quietly Breakg Barriers

Contents:

• TURNS OUT, BARBIELAND ISN'T AS GAY AS S QUEER FANS HAD HOPED
• GAY DATG PAKISTAN
• JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY
• MY STORY (GAY IN PAKISTAN)
• PAKISTANI SAYS HE KILLED 3, USG GAY SE TO LURE THEM
• PAKISTAN’S GAY COMMUNY QUIETLY BREAKG BARRIERSFREE TO BE YOU AND MEACTOR ASSAD KHAN IS PART OF A GENERATN OF YOUNG MEN BREAKG BARRIERS FOR GAYS NSERVATIVE PAKISTAN, WHERE HOMOSEXUALY IS PUNISHED BY PRISON OR WORSE.SAMI YOAFZAIRON MOREUPDATED DEC. 21, 2021 10:39AM EST / PUBLISHED OCT. 30, 2013 5:45AM EDT ASSAD KHAN KNEW HE WAS DIFFERENT OM A VERY YOUNG AGE. AS A CHILD AT HOME HE PREFERRED PLAYG WH HIS TWO SISTERS RATHER THAN HIS TWO BROTHERS. AT SCHOOL, TOO, HE GRAVATED TOWARD PLAYG WH GIRLS. “IN SCHOOL I WAS MORE SECURE AND HAPPY PLAYG WH GIRLS THAN WH BOYS,” SAYS THE 23-YEAR-OLD, BOYISHLY HANDSOME KHAN. AS A RULT OF HIS BEHAVR, HE SAYS, HIS FAY LARGELY IGNORED HIM. “I GOT A TERRIBLE PLEX AS MY FAY FAVORED, AND GAVE MORE ATTENTN TO, MY BROTHERS,” HE RELLS.AS HE GREW UP ISLAMABAD, REACHED PUBERTY AND REALIZED HE WAS GAY, HE SUFFERED EVEN MORE. “BEG A GAY A SOCIETY LIKE PAKISTAN IS NOT EASY,” KHAN SAYS. “FOR A LONG TIME, I WAS IGHTENED OF WHO I WAS, SO I HID MY GAY STAT…I ACTED 24 HOURS A DAY.”EVEN SO, HE WAS NSTANTLY TEASED AND HARASSED FOR HIS APPEARANCE AND MANNERISMS, EVEN OSTRACIZED. HIS PARENTS AND S MA FUN OF HIM. HIS PARENTS WERE ASHAMED TO TRODUCE HIM AS PART OF THE FAY. “AT THE MOSQUE DURG FRIDAY PRAYERS I WAS TEASED AND STARED AT,” HE RELLS. “AT SCHOOL AND LLEGE OTHER STUNTS SHUNNED ME AND MY SMALL CIRCLE OF IENDS.”NOW A SUCCSFUL ACTOR AND FASHN SIGNER, KHAN HAS LIVED AND WORKED THE NSERVATIVE AND BOMB-TERRORIZED NORTHWTERN CY OF PHAWAR FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. “I FELT THAT SOCIETY WAS TELLG ME I WAS NOT ONE OF THEM, THAT I WAS NOT A PROPER PERSON,” HE SAYS. “BUT SOON I REALIZED THAT ’S NOT MY FLT THAT GOD MA ME GAY. SO AS A YOUNG MAN I ME TO ACCEPT WHO I WAS AND TO BE PROUD OF MYSELF.” HE HAS FLOURISHED EVER SCE HE MA THAT REALIZATN—SUCCEEDG AGAST ALL THE ODDS HOMOPHOBIC PAKISTAN, WHERE THE POWERFUL MLIM CLERGY PREACH THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS PROHIBED UNR ISLAM, AND WHERE SODOMY IS ILLEGAL UNR THE CIVIL AND PUNISHABLE BY A LONG JAIL TERM (THOUGH THE HARSH SENTENCE IS RARELY HAND DOWN). IN THE TALIBAN-NTROLLED TERRORY OF THE NORTHWTERN TRIBAL AGENCI, THE PENALTY IS WORSE: ATH BY FIRG SQUAD OR STONG. EVEN THE MAN ON THE STREET SEEMS TO HAVE NO TIME FOR GAYS. A PEW REARCH CENTER SURVEY OF 39 UNTRI PUBLISHED EARLY JUNE FOUND THAT ONLY TWO PERCENT OF PAKISTANIS BELIEVED THAT “SOCIETY SHOULD ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALY,” SEND ONLY TO NIGERIA, WHICH REGISTERED A ROCK-BOTTOM ONE PERCENT ACCEPTANCE RATG OF GAYS. (BY WAY OF PARISON, 80 PERCENT OF CANADIANS SAID THEY ACCEPTED GAYS.)WHILE THE PAKISTANI ERNMENT DON’T TARGET LGBT CIZENS, NEHER DO HAVE MUCH TOLERANCE FOR THE GAY MUNY OR S ISSU. LATE LAST MONTH AND WHOUT MENT, ISLAMABAD SHUT DOWN THE UNTRY’S FIRST AND ONLY GAY WEBSE, , WHICH WAS FIRST LNCHED LAST JULY. THE WEBSE’S FOUNR, WHO GO BY THE PSDONYM FAKHIR, SAYS THE BAN IS “UNNSTUTNAL AND OPPOS EEDOM OF SPEECH.” BUT HE DO NOT WANT TO PURSUE LEGAL ACTN AS HE DON’T WANT A NONTATN WH THE ERNMENT, WHICH ULD UNMASK THOSE BEHD THE WEBSE WHOSE SUBTLE IS “KNOW , DON’T HATE US.” FAKHIR SAYS THE SE IS NOT “BLASPHEMO OR PORNOGRAPHIC” BUT IS AIMED AT TG GAYS ON HEALTH ISSU SUCH AS PREVENTG THE SPREAD OF HIV, AND ON HOW TO AL WH SOCIAL AND FAY PRSUR AND WH PRSN.BUCKG DISCRIMATN, KHAN, AN ETHNIC PASHTUN WHO GO BY THE NICKNAME OF DANNY, STUDIED FASHN SIGN AT A LLEGE ISLAMABAD AND QUICKLY FELL TO THE GROWG BS OF FASHN, MOLG AND ACTG. HIS ACTG REER GOT A BIG BOOST 2009 WHEN HE WAS ST A BRISH FILM, LLED KANDAHAR BREAK: FORTRS OF WAR, WHICH WAS BEG SHOT BALUCHISTAN, THE WILD-AND-WOOLLY HOME OF HIS ULTRA-TRADNAL SAFI TRIBE WTERN PAKISTAN. HE PLAYED A TALIBAN TERPRETER WH GAY TENNCI WHO WORKED FOR A BRISH EXPLOSIVE ORDANCE DISPOSAL TEAM THAT MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR’S REGIME HAD HIRED TO CLEAR ME FIELDS 1999.IN 2010, KHAN MOVED TO HEAVILY TALIBAN-FLUENCED PHAWAR TO FURTHER HIS ACTG AND FASHN REERS, BUT CHIEFLY TO BE CLOSER TO HIS PARTNER. AT FIRST HE WAS TERRIFIED, AAID OF THE TALIBAN AND THE EQUENT TERROR BOMBGS. EVERY DAY HE UTLY EMERGED OM HIS HOTEL FILLED WH TREPIDATN. BUT HE WAS SOON PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY WHAT HE FOUND: GAYS WERE NOT AS UNWELE AND UNR THE GUN AS HE HAD IMAGED. ON THE NTRARY, HE QUICKLY RECEIVED A VIBE THAT MANY YOUNG MEN THE OSTENSIBLY MACHO, LARGELY ISLAMIST CY WERE GAY OR GAY-IENDLY. “IN PHAWAR I FEEL LIKE ALMOST EVERY SEND GUY IS GAY BY THE WAY THEY LOOK AND TALK,” HE SAYS. “ON THE STREETS AND THE MARKETS I THK MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT CUTE BOYS MORE THAN AT GIRLS.” BUT, HE ADDS: “UNFORTUNATELY GAYS FEEL THEY HAVE TO HI THEIR FEELGS AND THEIR TE SELV.”KHAN AND OTHER PAKISTANI GAYS SAY THAT BEG GAY PAKISTAN IS NOT ALL THAT UNUAL SPE THE OSTENSIBLY STRONG PREJUDICE AGAST HOMOSEXUALS. “I’VE FOUND THAT MALE-TO-MALE SEX IS MORE MON THAN YOU’D IMAGE OUR SOCIETY,” SAYS SHEHZAD, A SMART, FASHNABLE AND TED 25-YEAR-OLD GAY MAN OM LAHORE. A JUNE ARTICLE MOTHER JON MAGAZE NFIRMED SHEHZAD’S FEELG, REPORTG THAT PAKISTANIS LEAD THE WORLD GOOGLE SEARCH FOR THE TERMS “SHEMALE SEX,” “TEEN ANAL SEX” AND “MAN F---KG MAN.”PAKISTANI GAYS LIKE KHAN AND SHEHZAD SAY THE UNTRY IS RIFE WH HYPOCRISY. “I KNOW THAT SOME PAKISTANI POLICY MAKERS PRACTICE GAY LOVE PRIVATE, THEN GO OUT AND MAKE LAWS AGAST GAYS,” SAYS SHEHZAD. KHAN AGRE: “I KNOW THAT SOME PAKISTANI POLICIANS OF ALL PARTI, CLUDG THOSE OM RELIG PARTI, ARE TERTED GAY MEN,” HE SAYS. “EVEN SOME MEN WHO TEASED ME FOR BEG GAY SUDNLY E ON TO ME WHEN WE ARE A QUIET SPOT.” “IF YOU HEARD THE NAM OF THE PROMENT MEMBERS OF PAKISTANI SOCIETY WHO ARE GAY, YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE YOUR EARS,” ADDS CHDHRY JAVID, A 28-YEAR-OLD GAY MAN WHO WORKS FOR A FOREIGN AID AGENCY AND LIV A LUXURY APARTMENT ISLAMABAD.STILL, JAVID KEEPS HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN THE CLOSET, HIDG OM HIS FAY AND IENDS, AND CLAIMG IS TOO EARLY FOR HIM TO REVEAL HIMSELF. “IF WE E OUT, OUR FAI WILL CUT OUT LIKE A NCER,” HE SAYS. HE ADDS THAT HE’S ASHAMED THAT HE N’T TELL HIS PARENTS THAT HIS BT IEND IS ALSO HIS SEXUAL PARTNER WHOM HE LOV. “I SUFFER WHEN I LIE TO MY PARENTS SCRIBG HIM AS JT A GOOD IEND,” HE SAYS. SHEHZAD, TOO, SAYS ’S TOO EARLY FOR HIM TO E OUT. “SOCIETY DON’T ACCEPT ,” HE SAYS. “I DON’T DARE TO GO PUBLIC.” FAISAL KHAN, A 28-YEAR-OLD ERNMENT BURECRAT PHAWAR, SAYS HE WOULD GET FIRED OR WORSE IF HE ME OUT. (HE IS NOT RELATED TO ASSAD KHAN.) “I NNOT EXPOSE MYSELF,” HE SAYS. “PEOPLE THE OFFICE WOULD E AGAST ME AND I’D LOSE MY JOB.” FAISAL KHAN SAYS HE DON’T DARE VIS HIS FAY’S HOME VILLAGE JT SOUTH OF PHAWAR FOR FEAR THE TALIBAN WOULD FD OUT ABOUT HIS GAYNS AND PTURE HIM, G A SNDAL FOR HIS FAY. NOR WOULD HE DARE TO NFS HIS SEXUAL PERSUASN TO THE MULLAH AT HIS MOSQUE. “HE WOULD PROBABLY SEND ME TO THE TALIBAN WHO WOULD MAKE A KEBAB OF ME,” HE SAYS.EVEN SO, FAISAL KHAN AND OTHER PAKISTANI GAY MEN SEE HOPE THE FUTURE AS THEY SENSE THAT PUBLIC ATTUS ARE SLOWLY CHANGG. FOR STARTERS, PEOPLE ARE BEGNG TO TOLERATE UNMARRIED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN NGREGATG TOGETHER PUBLIC. IF THE PUBLIC IS BEGNG TO ACCEPT MEN AND WOMEN DATG, THEY REASON, THEN EVENTUALLY GAY RELATNSHIPS WILL ALSO BE TOLERATED. WEARG A SU AND RED TIE AND SPORTG LONG BLACK HAIR, FAISAL KHAN POTS TO THE NUMERO HETEROSEXUAL UPL STG TOGETHER A MORN UNIVERSY TOWN Fé PHAWAR, TALKG AND LGHG AS THEY EAT WTERN FOOD AND LISTEN TO ROCK MIC. “LOOK, THE BOYS AND GIRLS ARE HERE PUBLIC WHOUT ANY HATN OR FEAR OF SOCIETY OR THE TALIBAN,” HE SAYS. JAVID SAYS THAT A AGO YOU WOULD NEVER SEE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HOLDG HANDS PUBLIC. NOW IS ALMOST MON THE CI. IRONILLY, ’S NOT UNMON, AND NOT VIEWED AS HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR, FOR YOUNG MEN TO HOLD HANDS PUBLIC AS THEY WALK—’S A CTOMARY SIGN OF IENDSHIP.BUT THERE ARE STILL STRICT LIMS. IN RAL, TRADNAL PAKISTAN THERE IS A CLEAR SEPARATN OF THE SEX AS BOYS AND GIRLS ARE FORBIDN TO MEET PUBLIC. YET THE TRADN-BOUND NF OF THE UNTRYSI, IS EASIER FOR GAY PAKISTANI UPL TO NGREGATE PUBLIC THAN FOR MIXED-SEX UPL. “IT’S NORMAL FOR A GROUP OF MEN TO HANG OUT TOGETHER SO NO ONE N BOTHER ,” SAYS JAVID. “BUT SOME TRADNAL AREAS, BOYS AND GIRLS GOG OUT TOGETHER IS STILL A S AGAST SOCIETY AND OUR RELIGN.” JAVID ADDS THAT VIEWG HOMOSEXUALY AS A S, AS MOST PAKISTANIS DO, IS ABSURD SCE THERE IS NO VICTIM. “AREN’T THE RAMPANT RPTN OUR SOCIETY AND THE KILLG OF NOCENTS BY THE TALIBAN GREATER SS?” JAVID ASKS.FOR MOST GAYS PAKISTAN, SOCIETY’S VIEWS ARE NOT CHANGG FAST ENOUGH. SO FOR NOW, THEY ARE FORCED TO LIVE LARGELY AN UNRGROUND EXISTENCE. THEY POT TO THE MANY AND LAVISH SUBTERRANEAN GAY PARTI AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR SOCIAL LIV. “THE WEEKLY UNRGROUND PARTI KEEP HAPPY,” SAYS SHEHZAD. “HERE WE HAVE A PLACE TO ENJOY OURSELV HIDN OM THE TALIBAN, THE ERNMENT AND THE POLICE.” ORGANIZG THE EXTRAVAGANT, GAY PARTI ISLAMABAD AND PHAWAR HAS BEE A GOOD BS FOR ASSAD KHAN. HE SAYS THAT MANY OF THE PARTI HE ANIZ ST $5,000 OR MORE TO VER THE EXPENSE OF RENTG A LARGE, POSH HOE OR RECEPTN HALL, PROVIDG PRIVATE SECURY, LIVE BANDS, FOOD AND DRKS AND PAYG OFF THE PS. PARTYERS PAY AN ADMISSN CHARGE, ALLOWG KHAN TO MAKE A PROF. “ISLAMABAD IS A CY FAMO FOR THE BIGGT NUMBER OF GAY PARTI,” ASSAD KHAN SAYS. “THE NUMBER OF THE PARTI, AND THE NUMBER OF GAYS ATTENDG, IS CREASG, EVEN PHAWAR.” HE ALSO HELPED ANIZE A SUMMER MIC FTIVAL THE MOUNTA RORT OF SWAT THIS PAST SUMMER THE FACE OF TALIBAN THREATS, AND HE PLANS TO BRG FASHN SHOWS TO NSERVATIVE PHAWAR SOON.ALTHOUGH MAY BE PREMATURE, KHAN IS TRYG TO ANIZE A GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT PABLE OF STANDG UP TO THE TALIBAN, THE POLICIANS AND AGGRSIVE PAKISTANI PS. AS A RULT OF HIS EFFORTS, HE HAS RECEIVED ANONYMO, THREATENG PHONE LLS AND HAS PED AN ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP HIM AT A WEDDG RECEPTN NOT LONG AGO. BUT HE REMAS UNSHAKEN. “WE HAVE TO FEAT THE NCEPT OF FEAR AND TERROR,” HE SAYS. “EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE AS THEY PLEASE. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DICTATE TO .” HE ADDS: “I WANT TO BE A LEADG VOICE FOR GAY RIGHTS AND PROTECTN.”BUT HE QUICKLY EMPHASIZ THAT HIS PH FOR GAY RIGHTS STOPS SHORT OF MPAIGNG FOR THE LEGALIZATN OF GAY MARRIAGE. “WE DON’T WANT TO PH FOR GAY MARRIAGE, ONLY FOR OUR HUMAN RIGHTS,” HE SAYS. MOST OTHER GAYS STEER CLEAR OF ANY GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, FEARG RETALIATN. “THE TALIBAN AND OTHER EXTREMISTS WILL TARGET ANY GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT,” SAYS SHEHZAD. “IT’S TOO DANGERO TO GET VOLVED.” SAMI YOAFZAI

TURNS OUT, BARBIELAND ISN'T AS GAY AS S QUEER FANS HAD HOPED

“First of all, I’m gay, ” he said, “and this movie is gog to be gay non.

GAY DATG PAKISTAN

"Alex AvilaAnd Gay Tim, a Brish LGBTQ news se, celebrated Friday, the day of the film’s official release, as “Barbie day“ and lled the world-renowned doll a “queer cultural phenomenon.

PicturIn an terview wh Fandango, actor Kate McKnon, who is openly gay and plays “Weird Barbie” the film, said Barbie is about “imagatn.

JAGS' MAXEN IS FIRST MALE AMERIN PRO SPORTS ACH TO E OUT AS GAY

Many also flagged the teased scene which Barbie, now the real world, exchang a longg look wh Ameri Ferrera’s Gloria character; though, the relatnship between the two turns out to be a tribute to motherhood and the tradnal, nuclear before the film’s release, Robbie all but squashed the mors that some or any of the Barbi and Kens would be gay, tellg the Brish LGBTQ magaze Attu: The dolls don’t “actually have sexual orientatns.

MY STORY (GAY IN PAKISTAN)

There are brief appearanc by Earrg Magic Ken and Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken, both of which Mattel has always nied were tentnally gay-d. ”As far as the queer-d trailers and promotnal clips for the new “Barbie” film, Rand poted to a phenomenon known as “gay wdow advertisg, ” or the practice of advertisers gturg to queer dienc a way that will go over the heads of those who would disapprove. -- Jaguars assistant strength and ndng ach Kev Maxen has bee the first male ach major Amerin men's profsnal sports to publicly e out as gay, tellg he ma the cisn bee he didn't want to hi who he is any longer and to possibly spire others siar 's a cisn and move that drew praise and support om owner Shad Khan, who was a vol and emphatic supporter of a cy ordance that expand protectns on the grounds of sexual orientatn, genr inty and genr exprsn.

PAKISTANI SAYS HE KILLED 3, USG GAY SE TO LURE THEM

Outsi lebacker Carl Nassib beme the first active NFL player to e out as gay and to play a game Associated Prs ntributed to this report. Gay men? Jt right?Every year, Gallup releas a survey of how many Amerins intify as lbian, gay, bisexual or transgenr.

“Three out of 10 women unr the age of 25 nsir themselv to be gay or transgenr.

Everyone will be eher gay or trans or nonnformg or whatever the list of 50 or 60 different optns there are.” The edian Bill Maher said on his show that by 2054, if we follow what he se as the current trajectory, “we will all be gay,” addg that the rise the number of younger people intifyg as transgenr seemed spic.

PAKISTAN’S GAY COMMUNY QUIETLY BREAKG BARRIERSFREE TO BE YOU AND MEACTOR ASSAD KHAN IS PART OF A GENERATN OF YOUNG MEN BREAKG BARRIERS FOR GAYS NSERVATIVE PAKISTAN, WHERE HOMOSEXUALY IS PUNISHED BY PRISON OR WORSE.SAMI YOAFZAIRON MOREUPDATED DEC. 21, 2021 10:39AM EST / PUBLISHED OCT. 30, 2013 5:45AM EDT ASSAD KHAN KNEW HE WAS DIFFERENT OM A VERY YOUNG AGE. AS A CHILD AT HOME HE PREFERRED PLAYG WH HIS TWO SISTERS RATHER THAN HIS TWO BROTHERS. AT SCHOOL, TOO, HE GRAVATED TOWARD PLAYG WH GIRLS. “IN SCHOOL I WAS MORE SECURE AND HAPPY PLAYG WH GIRLS THAN WH BOYS,” SAYS THE 23-YEAR-OLD, BOYISHLY HANDSOME KHAN. AS A RULT OF HIS BEHAVR, HE SAYS, HIS FAY LARGELY IGNORED HIM. “I GOT A TERRIBLE PLEX AS MY FAY FAVORED, AND GAVE MORE ATTENTN TO, MY BROTHERS,” HE RELLS.AS HE GREW UP ISLAMABAD, REACHED PUBERTY AND REALIZED HE WAS GAY, HE SUFFERED EVEN MORE. “BEG A GAY A SOCIETY LIKE PAKISTAN IS NOT EASY,” KHAN SAYS. “FOR A LONG TIME, I WAS IGHTENED OF WHO I WAS, SO I HID MY GAY STAT…I ACTED 24 HOURS A DAY.”EVEN SO, HE WAS NSTANTLY TEASED AND HARASSED FOR HIS APPEARANCE AND MANNERISMS, EVEN OSTRACIZED. HIS PARENTS AND S MA FUN OF HIM. HIS PARENTS WERE ASHAMED TO TRODUCE HIM AS PART OF THE FAY. “AT THE MOSQUE DURG FRIDAY PRAYERS I WAS TEASED AND STARED AT,” HE RELLS. “AT SCHOOL AND LLEGE OTHER STUNTS SHUNNED ME AND MY SMALL CIRCLE OF IENDS.”NOW A SUCCSFUL ACTOR AND FASHN SIGNER, KHAN HAS LIVED AND WORKED THE NSERVATIVE AND BOMB-TERRORIZED NORTHWTERN CY OF PHAWAR FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. “I FELT THAT SOCIETY WAS TELLG ME I WAS NOT ONE OF THEM, THAT I WAS NOT A PROPER PERSON,” HE SAYS. “BUT SOON I REALIZED THAT ’S NOT MY FLT THAT GOD MA ME GAY. SO AS A YOUNG MAN I ME TO ACCEPT WHO I WAS AND TO BE PROUD OF MYSELF.” HE HAS FLOURISHED EVER SCE HE MA THAT REALIZATN—SUCCEEDG AGAST ALL THE ODDS HOMOPHOBIC PAKISTAN, WHERE THE POWERFUL MLIM CLERGY PREACH THAT HOMOSEXUALY IS PROHIBED UNR ISLAM, AND WHERE SODOMY IS ILLEGAL UNR THE CIVIL AND PUNISHABLE BY A LONG JAIL TERM (THOUGH THE HARSH SENTENCE IS RARELY HAND DOWN). IN THE TALIBAN-NTROLLED TERRORY OF THE NORTHWTERN TRIBAL AGENCI, THE PENALTY IS WORSE: ATH BY FIRG SQUAD OR STONG. EVEN THE MAN ON THE STREET SEEMS TO HAVE NO TIME FOR GAYS. A PEW REARCH CENTER SURVEY OF 39 UNTRI PUBLISHED EARLY JUNE FOUND THAT ONLY TWO PERCENT OF PAKISTANIS BELIEVED THAT “SOCIETY SHOULD ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALY,” SEND ONLY TO NIGERIA, WHICH REGISTERED A ROCK-BOTTOM ONE PERCENT ACCEPTANCE RATG OF GAYS. (BY WAY OF PARISON, 80 PERCENT OF CANADIANS SAID THEY ACCEPTED GAYS.)WHILE THE PAKISTANI ERNMENT DON’T TARGET LGBT CIZENS, NEHER DO HAVE MUCH TOLERANCE FOR THE GAY MUNY OR S ISSU. LATE LAST MONTH AND WHOUT MENT, ISLAMABAD SHUT DOWN THE UNTRY’S FIRST AND ONLY GAY WEBSE, , WHICH WAS FIRST LNCHED LAST JULY. THE WEBSE’S FOUNR, WHO GO BY THE PSDONYM FAKHIR, SAYS THE BAN IS “UNNSTUTNAL AND OPPOS EEDOM OF SPEECH.” BUT HE DO NOT WANT TO PURSUE LEGAL ACTN AS HE DON’T WANT A NONTATN WH THE ERNMENT, WHICH ULD UNMASK THOSE BEHD THE WEBSE WHOSE SUBTLE IS “KNOW , DON’T HATE US.” FAKHIR SAYS THE SE IS NOT “BLASPHEMO OR PORNOGRAPHIC” BUT IS AIMED AT TG GAYS ON HEALTH ISSU SUCH AS PREVENTG THE SPREAD OF HIV, AND ON HOW TO AL WH SOCIAL AND FAY PRSUR AND WH PRSN.BUCKG DISCRIMATN, KHAN, AN ETHNIC PASHTUN WHO GO BY THE NICKNAME OF DANNY, STUDIED FASHN SIGN AT A LLEGE ISLAMABAD AND QUICKLY FELL TO THE GROWG BS OF FASHN, MOLG AND ACTG. HIS ACTG REER GOT A BIG BOOST 2009 WHEN HE WAS ST A BRISH FILM, LLED KANDAHAR BREAK: FORTRS OF WAR, WHICH WAS BEG SHOT BALUCHISTAN, THE WILD-AND-WOOLLY HOME OF HIS ULTRA-TRADNAL SAFI TRIBE WTERN PAKISTAN. HE PLAYED A TALIBAN TERPRETER WH GAY TENNCI WHO WORKED FOR A BRISH EXPLOSIVE ORDANCE DISPOSAL TEAM THAT MULLAH MOHAMMAD OMAR’S REGIME HAD HIRED TO CLEAR ME FIELDS 1999.IN 2010, KHAN MOVED TO HEAVILY TALIBAN-FLUENCED PHAWAR TO FURTHER HIS ACTG AND FASHN REERS, BUT CHIEFLY TO BE CLOSER TO HIS PARTNER. AT FIRST HE WAS TERRIFIED, AAID OF THE TALIBAN AND THE EQUENT TERROR BOMBGS. EVERY DAY HE UTLY EMERGED OM HIS HOTEL FILLED WH TREPIDATN. BUT HE WAS SOON PLEASANTLY SURPRISED BY WHAT HE FOUND: GAYS WERE NOT AS UNWELE AND UNR THE GUN AS HE HAD IMAGED. ON THE NTRARY, HE QUICKLY RECEIVED A VIBE THAT MANY YOUNG MEN THE OSTENSIBLY MACHO, LARGELY ISLAMIST CY WERE GAY OR GAY-IENDLY. “IN PHAWAR I FEEL LIKE ALMOST EVERY SEND GUY IS GAY BY THE WAY THEY LOOK AND TALK,” HE SAYS. “ON THE STREETS AND THE MARKETS I THK MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT CUTE BOYS MORE THAN AT GIRLS.” BUT, HE ADDS: “UNFORTUNATELY GAYS FEEL THEY HAVE TO HI THEIR FEELGS AND THEIR TE SELV.”KHAN AND OTHER PAKISTANI GAYS SAY THAT BEG GAY PAKISTAN IS NOT ALL THAT UNUAL SPE THE OSTENSIBLY STRONG PREJUDICE AGAST HOMOSEXUALS. “I’VE FOUND THAT MALE-TO-MALE SEX IS MORE MON THAN YOU’D IMAGE OUR SOCIETY,” SAYS SHEHZAD, A SMART, FASHNABLE AND TED 25-YEAR-OLD GAY MAN OM LAHORE. A JUNE ARTICLE MOTHER JON MAGAZE NFIRMED SHEHZAD’S FEELG, REPORTG THAT PAKISTANIS LEAD THE WORLD GOOGLE SEARCH FOR THE TERMS “SHEMALE SEX,” “TEEN ANAL SEX” AND “MAN F---KG MAN.”PAKISTANI GAYS LIKE KHAN AND SHEHZAD SAY THE UNTRY IS RIFE WH HYPOCRISY. “I KNOW THAT SOME PAKISTANI POLICY MAKERS PRACTICE GAY LOVE PRIVATE, THEN GO OUT AND MAKE LAWS AGAST GAYS,” SAYS SHEHZAD. KHAN AGRE: “I KNOW THAT SOME PAKISTANI POLICIANS OF ALL PARTI, CLUDG THOSE OM RELIG PARTI, ARE TERTED GAY MEN,” HE SAYS. “EVEN SOME MEN WHO TEASED ME FOR BEG GAY SUDNLY E ON TO ME WHEN WE ARE A QUIET SPOT.” “IF YOU HEARD THE NAM OF THE PROMENT MEMBERS OF PAKISTANI SOCIETY WHO ARE GAY, YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE YOUR EARS,” ADDS CHDHRY JAVID, A 28-YEAR-OLD GAY MAN WHO WORKS FOR A FOREIGN AID AGENCY AND LIV A LUXURY APARTMENT ISLAMABAD.STILL, JAVID KEEPS HIS SEXUAL ORIENTATN THE CLOSET, HIDG OM HIS FAY AND IENDS, AND CLAIMG IS TOO EARLY FOR HIM TO REVEAL HIMSELF. “IF WE E OUT, OUR FAI WILL CUT OUT LIKE A NCER,” HE SAYS. HE ADDS THAT HE’S ASHAMED THAT HE N’T TELL HIS PARENTS THAT HIS BT IEND IS ALSO HIS SEXUAL PARTNER WHOM HE LOV. “I SUFFER WHEN I LIE TO MY PARENTS SCRIBG HIM AS JT A GOOD IEND,” HE SAYS. SHEHZAD, TOO, SAYS ’S TOO EARLY FOR HIM TO E OUT. “SOCIETY DON’T ACCEPT ,” HE SAYS. “I DON’T DARE TO GO PUBLIC.” FAISAL KHAN, A 28-YEAR-OLD ERNMENT BURECRAT PHAWAR, SAYS HE WOULD GET FIRED OR WORSE IF HE ME OUT. (HE IS NOT RELATED TO ASSAD KHAN.) “I NNOT EXPOSE MYSELF,” HE SAYS. “PEOPLE THE OFFICE WOULD E AGAST ME AND I’D LOSE MY JOB.” FAISAL KHAN SAYS HE DON’T DARE VIS HIS FAY’S HOME VILLAGE JT SOUTH OF PHAWAR FOR FEAR THE TALIBAN WOULD FD OUT ABOUT HIS GAYNS AND PTURE HIM, G A SNDAL FOR HIS FAY. NOR WOULD HE DARE TO NFS HIS SEXUAL PERSUASN TO THE MULLAH AT HIS MOSQUE. “HE WOULD PROBABLY SEND ME TO THE TALIBAN WHO WOULD MAKE A KEBAB OF ME,” HE SAYS.EVEN SO, FAISAL KHAN AND OTHER PAKISTANI GAY MEN SEE HOPE THE FUTURE AS THEY SENSE THAT PUBLIC ATTUS ARE SLOWLY CHANGG. FOR STARTERS, PEOPLE ARE BEGNG TO TOLERATE UNMARRIED YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN NGREGATG TOGETHER PUBLIC. IF THE PUBLIC IS BEGNG TO ACCEPT MEN AND WOMEN DATG, THEY REASON, THEN EVENTUALLY GAY RELATNSHIPS WILL ALSO BE TOLERATED. WEARG A SU AND RED TIE AND SPORTG LONG BLACK HAIR, FAISAL KHAN POTS TO THE NUMERO HETEROSEXUAL UPL STG TOGETHER A MORN UNIVERSY TOWN Fé PHAWAR, TALKG AND LGHG AS THEY EAT WTERN FOOD AND LISTEN TO ROCK MIC. “LOOK, THE BOYS AND GIRLS ARE HERE PUBLIC WHOUT ANY HATN OR FEAR OF SOCIETY OR THE TALIBAN,” HE SAYS. JAVID SAYS THAT A AGO YOU WOULD NEVER SEE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN HOLDG HANDS PUBLIC. NOW IS ALMOST MON THE CI. IRONILLY, ’S NOT UNMON, AND NOT VIEWED AS HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR, FOR YOUNG MEN TO HOLD HANDS PUBLIC AS THEY WALK—’S A CTOMARY SIGN OF IENDSHIP.BUT THERE ARE STILL STRICT LIMS. IN RAL, TRADNAL PAKISTAN THERE IS A CLEAR SEPARATN OF THE SEX AS BOYS AND GIRLS ARE FORBIDN TO MEET PUBLIC. YET THE TRADN-BOUND NF OF THE UNTRYSI, IS EASIER FOR GAY PAKISTANI UPL TO NGREGATE PUBLIC THAN FOR MIXED-SEX UPL. “IT’S NORMAL FOR A GROUP OF MEN TO HANG OUT TOGETHER SO NO ONE N BOTHER ,” SAYS JAVID. “BUT SOME TRADNAL AREAS, BOYS AND GIRLS GOG OUT TOGETHER IS STILL A S AGAST SOCIETY AND OUR RELIGN.” JAVID ADDS THAT VIEWG HOMOSEXUALY AS A S, AS MOST PAKISTANIS DO, IS ABSURD SCE THERE IS NO VICTIM. “AREN’T THE RAMPANT RPTN OUR SOCIETY AND THE KILLG OF NOCENTS BY THE TALIBAN GREATER SS?” JAVID ASKS.FOR MOST GAYS PAKISTAN, SOCIETY’S VIEWS ARE NOT CHANGG FAST ENOUGH. SO FOR NOW, THEY ARE FORCED TO LIVE LARGELY AN UNRGROUND EXISTENCE. THEY POT TO THE MANY AND LAVISH SUBTERRANEAN GAY PARTI AS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THEIR SOCIAL LIV. “THE WEEKLY UNRGROUND PARTI KEEP HAPPY,” SAYS SHEHZAD. “HERE WE HAVE A PLACE TO ENJOY OURSELV HIDN OM THE TALIBAN, THE ERNMENT AND THE POLICE.” ORGANIZG THE EXTRAVAGANT, GAY PARTI ISLAMABAD AND PHAWAR HAS BEE A GOOD BS FOR ASSAD KHAN. HE SAYS THAT MANY OF THE PARTI HE ANIZ ST $5,000 OR MORE TO VER THE EXPENSE OF RENTG A LARGE, POSH HOE OR RECEPTN HALL, PROVIDG PRIVATE SECURY, LIVE BANDS, FOOD AND DRKS AND PAYG OFF THE PS. PARTYERS PAY AN ADMISSN CHARGE, ALLOWG KHAN TO MAKE A PROF. “ISLAMABAD IS A CY FAMO FOR THE BIGGT NUMBER OF GAY PARTI,” ASSAD KHAN SAYS. “THE NUMBER OF THE PARTI, AND THE NUMBER OF GAYS ATTENDG, IS CREASG, EVEN PHAWAR.” HE ALSO HELPED ANIZE A SUMMER MIC FTIVAL THE MOUNTA RORT OF SWAT THIS PAST SUMMER THE FACE OF TALIBAN THREATS, AND HE PLANS TO BRG FASHN SHOWS TO NSERVATIVE PHAWAR SOON.ALTHOUGH MAY BE PREMATURE, KHAN IS TRYG TO ANIZE A GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT PABLE OF STANDG UP TO THE TALIBAN, THE POLICIANS AND AGGRSIVE PAKISTANI PS. AS A RULT OF HIS EFFORTS, HE HAS RECEIVED ANONYMO, THREATENG PHONE LLS AND HAS PED AN ATTEMPT TO KIDNAP HIM AT A WEDDG RECEPTN NOT LONG AGO. BUT HE REMAS UNSHAKEN. “WE HAVE TO FEAT THE NCEPT OF FEAR AND TERROR,” HE SAYS. “EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO LIVE AS THEY PLEASE. NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DICTATE TO .” HE ADDS: “I WANT TO BE A LEADG VOICE FOR GAY RIGHTS AND PROTECTN.”BUT HE QUICKLY EMPHASIZ THAT HIS PH FOR GAY RIGHTS STOPS SHORT OF MPAIGNG FOR THE LEGALIZATN OF GAY MARRIAGE. “WE DON’T WANT TO PH FOR GAY MARRIAGE, ONLY FOR OUR HUMAN RIGHTS,” HE SAYS. MOST OTHER GAYS STEER CLEAR OF ANY GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT, FEARG RETALIATN. “THE TALIBAN AND OTHER EXTREMISTS WILL TARGET ANY GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT,” SAYS SHEHZAD. “IT’S TOO DANGERO TO GET VOLVED.” SAMI YOAFZAI

Bee of the fluence of others.Isaac Schorr put siarly Natnal Review: “To suggt that social suggtibily uld be playg a role the skyrocketg numbers of young girls’ exprsg their sire to bee mal, for example, is not of urse to say that gay and transgenr people would not exist whout the topics’ beg discsed the public square. It’s only to say that people, and pecially young people, are sceptible to beg fluenced on all manner of issu, pecially when the arguments they’re hearg e om people posns of thory — such as teachers — and are prented as tth.”This fear is based on an unrstandg of genr and sexualy as alarmgly agile, easily undone by a gay teacher or a trans TikTok fluencer. And so are homosexualy, bisexualy and beg transgenr.There’s been an objective crease the number of visible L.G.B.T.Q.