Video about Gay Palestinians in Israel:
We were presented with this really interesting video in class which explores how young homosexual Palestinians living in and around Israel are trying to find their place in society. The challenge to their identity is multi-faceted. Not only do these people feel condemned by the Islamic religion which is predominant in most Arab countries for being gay, but they also feel condemned in Israel for being Palestinians. Their many identities seem to contradict each other which leaves many people feeling lost. The issue of sexuality aside, I'm sure any Arab who is also Israeli or any Jewish person in parts of the Arab world feel uncomfortable and as though the everyday identity they display does not reflect who they truly are. This is because one feels they must hold back truths, whether they are religious, political or sexual.
The idea of exploring a more progressive approach to sexuality in the Middle East sadly seems to be a long-shot. Although America prides itself on equality, I'm sure every American homosexual has still experienced social injustice or prejudice and that is in a place where individual rights and preferences are not outlawed. In much of the Middle East any homosexual PDA is actually illegal. It has taken us a long time to come to a place of better understanding and acceptance and even we have a long way to go. I can't imagine how must young people feel if their entire society actually outlaws what they feel in their hearts. This can be true for any difficult identity one tries to accept about themselves, but I really sympathize for those who could never imagine a life without keeping that part of you a secret. This will be an interesting issue to watch develop and hopefully videos like this will at the very least raise awareness about the issue itself. Thoughts?
We were presented with this really interesting video in class which explores how young homosexual Palestinians living in and around Israel are trying to find their place in society. The challenge to their identity is multi-faceted. Not only do these people feel condemned by the Islamic religion which is predominant in most Arab countries for being gay, but they also feel condemned in Israel for being Palestinians. Their many identities seem to contradict each other which leaves many people feeling lost. The issue of sexuality aside, I'm sure any Arab who is also Israeli or any Jewish person in parts of the Arab world feel uncomfortable and as though the everyday identity they display does not reflect who they truly are. This is because one feels they must hold back truths, whether they are religious, political or sexual.
The idea of exploring a more progressive approach to sexuality in the Middle East sadly seems to be a long-shot. Although America prides itself on equality, I'm sure every American homosexual has still experienced social injustice or prejudice and that is in a place where individual rights and preferences are not outlawed. In much of the Middle East any homosexual PDA is actually illegal. It has taken us a long time to come to a place of better understanding and acceptance and even we have a long way to go. I can't imagine how must young people feel if their entire society actually outlaws what they feel in their hearts. This can be true for any difficult identity one tries to accept about themselves, but I really sympathize for those who could never imagine a life without keeping that part of you a secret. This will be an interesting issue to watch develop and hopefully videos like this will at the very least raise awareness about the issue itself. Thoughts?
I find hope in initiatives like this: http://ahwaa.org/
ReplyDeleteThats such a good idea for a discussion forum. Another thought I had was if spaces like Second Life could be used a safe and anonymous way to bring issues of gay rights to light in more restrictive societies. That could be another useful forum.
ReplyDelete