Sdi gays flnt new eedoms: 'Straights n't kiss public or hold hands like '

21 Dec 2024

Samir, like many gay men the Arab world, guards his sexual orientatn wh a paranoid secrecy. To feel ee he tak long vatns to Thailand, where he has a boyiend, and spends weekends Lebanon, which he regards as havg a more gay-tolerant society. But at home Sdi Arabia, he is vigilant. Samir's parents don't know of his liftyle. He says his mom would kill herself if she found out. They nstantly set him up wh women they nsir potential wiv. At work, Samir watch his words, reful not to aroe the spicn of lleagu.

SDI GAY SCENE: 'FORBIDN, BUT I N'T HELP IT'

* sudi gay *

DUBAI, Uned Arab Emirat, May 25, 2009  -- For Samir*, a 34-year-old gay man livg Sdi Arabia, each day is a nial. He liv Mec, the holit cy acrdg to Islam, and is acutely aware of the stigma that surrounds his gay liftyle.

To feel ee he tak long vatns to Thailand, where he has a boyiend, and spends weekends Lebanon, which he regards as havg a more gay-tolerant at home Sdi Arabia, he is vigilant. "Samir ocsnally go to Sdi f known to be popular gay hangouts, but his public engagements stop there.

He and his iends are nstantly wary of officers om the Commissn for the Promotn of Virtue and Preventn of Vice, the kgdom's relig police, who patrol for and punish men they spect of beg gay.

In a recent se they apprehend one man at a Jeddah shoppg mall, spectg he was gay om his tight jeans and fted shirt.

SDI ARABIA CELEBRAT PRI MONTH BY HANGG GAYS WH RABOW NOOSE

"I've been ved to private parti for gay men Jeddah, but I never go bee I know what would happen if we were ught, " Samir told ABC News. Gay men n go cisg -- a term for pickg up partners -- and socialize male-only sectns of f and rtrants.

In le wh sex-segregated social norms, gay lovers n often spend timate time together whout arog gays and lbians Sdi Arabia still need to acmodate the prsur of public life, some s pairg off to acmodate a eer liftyle.

It's the perfect solutn, " says Samir, addg that he wouldn't md a lbian wife of his Samir, the dozens of emergg Web foms for gay Arab men are a eer alternative to the offle Sdi society.

Sdi gays flnt new eedoms: 'Straights n't kiss public or hold hands like ' | The Inpennt | The Inpennt

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SDI GAY SCENE: 'FORBIDN, BUT I N'T HELP IT'