LGBTQ 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.
Contents:
- THE TTH ABOUT BEG GAY ANCIENT EGYPT
- THE SECRET GAY HISTORY OF ANCIENT EGYPTHOMOSEXUALY AND ANCIENT EGYPT: A COMPLITED RELATNSHIP.SAL·FOLLOWPUBLISHED LSONS OM HISTORY·5 M READ·APR 8, 2021--1SHAREPHOTO CREDS: GNOME STEWANCIENT EGYPT IS UALLY ASSOCIATED WH MARVELO TOMBS FILLED WH GOLD, MAGNIFICENT STCTUR THE FORM OF THE GREAT PYRAMIDS AND THE LG DYNASTI, AND PHARAOHS. HOWEVER, THIS ANCIENT YET GREAT CIVILIZATN WAS SIAR TO MANY OTHER STAT TODAY WHEN TO HOMOSEXUALY: WAS SEEN AS UNNATURAL AND NOT ACCEPTED SOCIETY.WHILE THERE IS MUCH EVINCE THAT TTIFI THAT HOMOSEXUALY WAS NOT THE NORM, THERE ARE OTHER SPECULATNS THAT S REMNANTS WERE FOUND EVEN AT THE HIGHT STRATA OF THE SOCIAL LADR WH ANCIENT EGYPT. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SRCE, THE CLU DO NOT STOP HISTORIANS OM GGG THE PREVALENCE OF HOMOSEXUALY. FROM THE HOLY BOOKS THAT TALK ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY TO THE POTENTIAL PRACTICE OF BY AN EGYPTIAN EMPEROR, THIS IS A LOOK AT HOMOSEXUALY ANCIENT EGYPT.THE CUR CASE OF NIANKHKHNUM AND KHNUMHOTEP
- HISTORY’S FIRST GAY COUPLETHEY LIVED, DIED AND WERE BURIED TOGETHER AS EARLY AS 2400 B.C EGYPTKAMNA KIRTI·FOLLOWPUBLISHED LSONS OM HISTORY·3 M READ·AUG 13, 2020--5SHARENIANKHKHUM AND KHNUMHOTEPSOURCE: PUBLIC DOMAWHEN EGYPTOLOGISTS DISVERED THE TOMB AT SAQQARA, EGYPT 1964, THEY WERE SURPRISED. THIS WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY TOMB THE NECROPOLIS WHERE A SAME-SEX UPLE WAS BURIED TOGETHER.WH MOST OF THE HISTORY GETTG LOST TRANSLATN, EGYPTOLOGISTS HAVE EXTRAPOLATED OM THE EVINCE THEIR TOMB THAT KHNUMHOTEP AND NIANKHKHNUM ARE HISTORY’S FIRST DOCUMENTED GAY UPL. THE CLAIM OF A FIRST RERD SAME-SEX UPLE HAS MET NSIRABLE BATE ACROSS AMIANS.HIEROGLYPHS ADORNED ACROSS THE TOMB PICT THEM AS HOLDG HANDS, FACE TO FACE WH THEIR NOS TOUCHG, EMBRACG A WAY THAT PICTS A MARRIED UPLE.THE TOMB
- 'YOU N'T BE OUT': GAY EGYPTIANS NTUE TO FEAR PERSECUTN
- MEET ANCIENT EGYPT’S FIRST GAY COUPLE. ALLEGEDLY.
- ‘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
THE TTH ABOUT BEG GAY ANCIENT EGYPT
Egypt's anti-gay crackdown ma headl last September, but one year later, human-rights advot and LGBTQ Egyptians say the persecutn ntu. * were egyptians gay *
In spe of the overwhelmg assumptn the Arab world, that homosexualy never existed before Sodom and Gomorrah, historil and lerary evince suggts otherwise.
Homosexualy was not alien to the first civilizatns known to humany—more importantly, was not nsired viant. The Quran says of homosexualy: “Will ye m abomatn such as no creature ever did before you? ” Further, homosexuals are often referred to as the “people of Lot”, whose story appears all three Abrahamic texts.
Yet, has been found that Ancient Egyptian society was faiar wh homosexualy as a cultural norm and practice, manifted var artifacts and historil evince. ” This suggts that there was a gree of leniency toward lbianism at the time, pared to the prevailg attus toward homosexual men. This particular passage, nohels, do not pot to the prohibn of homosexualy or ntempt for the receptive (“passive”) partner.
THE SECRET GAY HISTORY OF ANCIENT EGYPTHOMOSEXUALY AND ANCIENT EGYPT: A COMPLITED RELATNSHIP.SAL·FOLLOWPUBLISHED LSONS OM HISTORY·5 M READ·APR 8, 2021--1SHAREPHOTO CREDS: GNOME STEWANCIENT EGYPT IS UALLY ASSOCIATED WH MARVELO TOMBS FILLED WH GOLD, MAGNIFICENT STCTUR THE FORM OF THE GREAT PYRAMIDS AND THE LG DYNASTI, AND PHARAOHS. HOWEVER, THIS ANCIENT YET GREAT CIVILIZATN WAS SIAR TO MANY OTHER STAT TODAY WHEN TO HOMOSEXUALY: WAS SEEN AS UNNATURAL AND NOT ACCEPTED SOCIETY.WHILE THERE IS MUCH EVINCE THAT TTIFI THAT HOMOSEXUALY WAS NOT THE NORM, THERE ARE OTHER SPECULATNS THAT S REMNANTS WERE FOUND EVEN AT THE HIGHT STRATA OF THE SOCIAL LADR WH ANCIENT EGYPT. EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE SRCE, THE CLU DO NOT STOP HISTORIANS OM GGG THE PREVALENCE OF HOMOSEXUALY. FROM THE HOLY BOOKS THAT TALK ABOUT HOMOSEXUALY TO THE POTENTIAL PRACTICE OF BY AN EGYPTIAN EMPEROR, THIS IS A LOOK AT HOMOSEXUALY ANCIENT EGYPT.THE CUR CASE OF NIANKHKHNUM AND KHNUMHOTEP
Among the pyramids we vis on our upg Egypt cise li the necropolis Sakkara. Here awas the tomb of (likely) Egypt's first gay ernors: Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum. * were egyptians gay *
Rather, specifilly refers to homosexual (lbian) terurse the temple, which at the time served as the se of popular celebratns and ruals of fertily, which sexual acts would unfold between men and women, particular the temple prostut. From vengeful gods to ltful lbians, the stori of homosexualy Ancient Egypt are both diverse and plentiful. A number of Egyptologists and archaeologists believe them to be the first homosexual uple rerd history, th ncludg that the culture at the time did not preclu homosexual relatns.
While evince pots to the fact that Ancient Egyptian society was largely acceptg of male homosexualy, nohels, the receptive partner was viewed as ferr, while the active partner was celebrated and praised for his virily.
HISTORY’S FIRST GAY COUPLETHEY LIVED, DIED AND WERE BURIED TOGETHER AS EARLY AS 2400 B.C EGYPTKAMNA KIRTI·FOLLOWPUBLISHED LSONS OM HISTORY·3 M READ·AUG 13, 2020--5SHARENIANKHKHUM AND KHNUMHOTEPSOURCE: PUBLIC DOMAWHEN EGYPTOLOGISTS DISVERED THE TOMB AT SAQQARA, EGYPT 1964, THEY WERE SURPRISED. THIS WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY TOMB THE NECROPOLIS WHERE A SAME-SEX UPLE WAS BURIED TOGETHER.WH MOST OF THE HISTORY GETTG LOST TRANSLATN, EGYPTOLOGISTS HAVE EXTRAPOLATED OM THE EVINCE THEIR TOMB THAT KHNUMHOTEP AND NIANKHKHNUM ARE HISTORY’S FIRST DOCUMENTED GAY UPL. THE CLAIM OF A FIRST RERD SAME-SEX UPLE HAS MET NSIRABLE BATE ACROSS AMIANS.HIEROGLYPHS ADORNED ACROSS THE TOMB PICT THEM AS HOLDG HANDS, FACE TO FACE WH THEIR NOS TOUCHG, EMBRACG A WAY THAT PICTS A MARRIED UPLE.THE TOMB
Wh the passg of time and the chang iology and beliefs, as traced the artifacts om each era, the disda for the receptive partner a homosexual relatnship grew. Mohamed Gamal supports this theory, statg: “In ntemporary Egyptian society, certa youth circl, particularly those the tourism and hospaly dtri, is not shameful to adm havg engaged homosexual relatns, so long as you are the active partner. He trac the chang iology to the fact that Egypt was the center of a vast empire, thereby g to ntact wh a number of different civilizatns and cultur, which “perhaps disdaed homosexualy, and therefore fluenced Egyptian culture that regard.
” This was, of urse, pound by the advent of the Abrahamic fahs, which forba homosexualy. In many s, history or archaeology lecturers have nsired such reprentatns of homosexualy as offensive to their nceptns of history, thereby attemptg to erase large swath of antiquy. This might sound like the set-up for a terrible gay remake of Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, but at the time, groomg the Pharoah was revered labor.
'YOU N'T BE OUT': GAY EGYPTIANS NTUE TO FEAR PERSECUTN
And the Book of Dreams (cir 1200 BCE), different fat are laid out for the woman who has sex wh a married woman vers the one who has sex wh a sgle and all, would be historilly accurate to talk about “gay Ancient Egyptians, ” Lacey hastens to clarify, for two reasons. Lacey tells me that there is a persistent mor among scholars who study Nubia that “there were entirely homosexual groups of men livg the kgdom of Kh, ” though no one has ever isolated the source of those mors, or proven or disproven them. Homosexualy and Ancient Egypt: A Complited Creds: Gnome StewAncient Egypt is ually associated wh marvelo tombs filled wh gold, magnificent stctur the form of the Great Pyramids and the lg dynasti, and Pharaohs.
However, this ancient yet great civilizatn was siar to many other stat today when to homosexualy: was seen as unnatural and not accepted there is much evince that ttifi that homosexualy was not the norm, there are other speculatns that s remnants were found even at the hight strata of the social ladr wh Ancient Egypt.
Even though they are srce, the clu do not stop historians om ggg the prevalence of homosexualy.
MEET ANCIENT EGYPT’S FIRST GAY COUPLE. ALLEGEDLY.
From the Holy Books that talk about homosexualy to the potential practice of by an Egyptian emperor, this is a look at homosexualy Ancient Cur Case of Niankhkhnum and KhnumhotepPhoto Creds: PtertNiankhkhnum and Khnumhotep were two men that lived at the time Nierre was a Pharaoh. They are most notably known for their burial and pictn a picture where historians speculated that they were homosexuals who lived hidn liv, secretly love wh each other. Even though both of the men had wiv and, surprisgly, even children, their fai cid to bury them most nvcg evince, and the most popular one, of them beg gay is the patg their tombs where they stand very close to each other, their nose touchg and both of them almost embracg each other.
“One event that was never rerd was the year of an dividual’s birth — and I mean any dividual, kg, moner or prce, ” Mertz views on homosexualy to the rights of women, Ancient Egypt turns out to be a particularly progrsive civilizatn. This was the first and only tomb the necropolis where a same-sex uple was buried most of the history gettg lost translatn, Egyptologists have extrapolated om the evince their tomb that Khnumhotep and Niankhkhnum are history’s first documented gay upl. In fact, homosexualy is no stranger the first civilizatns known to mankd as ancient Egypt, more importantly this is not nsired to be misleadg.
In spe of the multu of opns that ancient Egyptians did not exist homosexual relatns before Sodom and Gomorrah, a seri of historil and lerary evince proved the oppose. It has been disvered that the ancient Egyptian society was faiar wh the ncept of homosexualy and nsired a cultural practice, exprsed by many artifacts and historil evince. This suggts that ancient Egypt had more tolerance for lbianism than for male homosexualy.
‘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
However, this special passage do not mentn the prohibn of homosexualy or ntempt for gay people.