Y, There Are Gay People Iran

Contents:

• Y, THERE ARE GAY PEOPLE IRAN
• Y IM GAY. Y LIVE IRAN, WE EXIST RETWEETS 96.LKE8
• WHAT 'S LIKE TO BE GAY IRAN
• =~ GAY PERSON Y IM GAY. Y I LIVE IRAN. WE EXIST 0000641066 MB IRANAN GOVARNMENT

Y, THERE ARE GAY PEOPLE IRAN

Iran is among the few untri the world where gays still risk executn for their sexual orientatn.

But Iran's gay muny has succeed rvg out greater space for self recent years and gag some important social regnn. Through onle activism, publishg poetry, lerature and artwork onle, and engagg wh global gay culture through televisn and the ter, gay Iranians are g of age, spe the myriad of rtrictns they still face Iranian society and at the hands of the state.

Mehdi Hamzad is young gay man his early thirti who has recently fished higher tn; he liv Tehran, and has braved g out to his iends, though not to his fay. We spoke to him about what life is like the days for gay, lbian, bisexual and transgenred Iranians, and whether is even possible to live a fulfilled, secure life as a gay person a untry such as Iran:.

Y IM GAY. Y LIVE IRAN, WE EXIST RETWEETS 96.LKE8

Over the past uple of months, European and Amerin gays and lbians have secured some important legal rights. A feral anti-gay law was overturned the Uned Stat, and Bra gay marriage has beme legal. What is the suatn wh Iranian homosexuals right now?

Can one be homosexual Iran and still enjoy life?

Unr the current circumstanc, Iranian youth, whether gay or straight, face many different obstacl, some of which have to do wh the regime (social rtrictns and iologil and polil prsure or the enomic suatn), and some to do wh public culture (a lack of acceptance of different liftyl and closed, tradnal thkg).

WHAT 'S LIKE TO BE GAY IRAN

The problems homosexuals face are not that much more plex or tense than what the rt of the people have to al wh. What are the biggt challeng and problems of a homosexual’s life Iran? The suatn wh my iends is the bt, as they are eher homosexuals themselv, or have accepted homosexualy and feel fortable wh me this rpect.

There will always be teractns among -workers, people on the street and the bazaar, and gathergs that will have trac of homophobia them, and which will create an unwanted distance between a homosexual and his environment. When did you accept yourself as a homosexual?

How hont do you thk other homosexuals Iran are wh themselv? Wh all the media attentn around this subject (pecially onle, satelle televisn programs, and foreign films and seri), homosexuals make peace wh themselv rather quickly and relatively easily, but there are problems, too.

=~ GAY PERSON Y IM GAY. Y I LIVE IRAN. WE EXIST 0000641066 MB IRANAN GOVARNMENT

One major problem is the tradnal and relig upbrgg of the society, and the patriarchal state propaganda that alienat homosexuals and acceptance of homosexualy to take a lot of time and energy. Homosexuals who live small towns, more sular environments, and those who e om lower social levels and don’t have sufficient avenu for accsg rmatn and fdg others wh siar characteristics, or fdg a more accurate unrstandg about themselv, face other problems. Do your iends know that you are gay?

Have you subnscly ma peace wh your homosexualy Iran, or are you nstantly aware of your homosexualy? Almost all my close heterosexual iends know that I’m gay. Those who have known about my homosexualy om the begng, and those who learned about later, have approached wh acceptance and support.

In alg wh myself, I have fully accepted my homosexualy, but alg wh the outsi world, wh people and the society, I am always led to circumstanc where I am willgly or unwillgly remd of my homosexualy. How do homophobia manift self Iran? How homophobic are the people around you, and how has the suatn changed durg the recent years?