Gay Iranians launch online campaign
Gay community in Iran launches Facebook campaign against regime that views their sexual identity a crime punishable by death
Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Iranians have posted videos of themselves online in an attempt to tell the world about the discrimination they suffer from, the Guardian has reported.
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'We are everywhere' page on Facebook (Screenshot)
Despite Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim in 2007 by which there are no gays in Iran, so far, over 1,600 have joined the page, titled 'We are everywhere'.
Iranians who posted their stories online made efforts to hide their identity fearing they would be exposed, while some Iranian expatriates spoke freely of their sexual preferences.
"As a gay person, my biggest problem in Iran is that I cannot be my real self," said an Iranian gay man, only identified as Mehdi, who has posted a video online from inside Iran. "I always have to play a role. I always have to suppress my own existence and part of my identity and hide myself in fear from the society and potential problems that I might face."
In the video, Mehdi's face was only shown from the mouth down. "Like this video, I always have to hide a part of myself from others in my life," he said.
In another video of a gay Iranian living outside of Iran, a man is seen filmed at chest level with his message written on paper towel. "I am an Iranian gay. I fear to show my real face, I fled Iran, I escaped from my own family, I was driven away from my country. Now, I am a gay refugee in Turkey and count the days, we are everywhere."
As a neighboring country, Turkey serves as a refuge for many gay Iranians who escape from Iran through the mountains. However, they complain that they experience homophobic treatment in Turkey as well.
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