Amid state-sponsored repression and social stigma, LGBTQ people across in the Middle East and North Africa are speaking out against homophobia and transphobia. A new multimedia project from Human Rights Watch (HRW) and the Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality (AFE) is seeking to amplify the voices of these human rights activists. Rashed, a 21-year-old transgender man from northern Jordan, was one of 18 activists from 10 Arabic-speaking countries who participated in the video series. Hajar explained how authorities in Morocco play on family dynamics to intimidate activists, using "family as a tool of repression." Hamed Sinno, a 30-year old gay musician from Lebanon, sent a message of hope to young LGBTQ people in the Mideast and North Africa in his video.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 25, 2018 14:15 UTC