LGBT People in the Middle East (And Getting a Little Personal)

This is going to be a bit of a different piece from what I normally do, but it's too important to ignore. If you don't know, Blaire White gets Emails from LGBT people in the Middle East fairly often. Here, she shares some of these peoples' E-mails.

In places like Iraq, the UAE (United Arab Emirates), and Dubai, being LGBT is criminalized and these people can suffer imprisonment, torture, and even death if they actively transition or express their feelings for the same sex. Even worse, some parents lose their own children and rationalize their loss by saying that it was a punishment for violating the deep-rooted customs and traditions in these strict Muslim countries.

Chances are if you adhere to these customs, you might ask "Why would anyone choose to be gay, bi, or trans?" Those people ask the same question every day of their lives wondering why they are hated for a trait that is as natural as their eye color or parentage. Imagine seeing your own child being tossed off a building, not because of anything like committing treason but because they tried to see someone they genuinely loved or tried to be their most authentic self. Repressing that can lead to depression, suicidal ideation, resentment, apostasy, and seeking risky outlets for their urges. Even if you think being LGBT is wrong, please consider that they shouldn't be hurt or imprisoned for it.

If you don't know that I'm a person, I am a person and I have my own experiences that affect the context in which I see and interpret information. I went to a relatively conservative Christian school for middle school and high school and, late in my junior year, I realized that I was bisexual. Before this, word got out that another girl was bisexual (I didn't know her that well, so I can't say that it was or wasn't true.) and she got kicked out of some of the more spiritually-oriented activities she did. The school's policy allows the school to expel openly LGBT students.

I had supportive (online) friends and family and knew that I could just go to college and be fine. This isn't the case for the overwhelming majority of LGBT people in the Middle East. Therefore, my above experience can't even hold a candle to what these people go through. However, my experience is what makes me compelled to comment. If you're an LGBT Steemit user in the Middle East or know an LGBT person in a similar situation, please drop by and share your experience in the comments.

Why is this is going on under their noses of so-called "activists"? The American conversation about LGBT has been reduced to @kaliyuga genders, microaggressions, and how homosexuality affects incels. Meanwhile, people are getting killed, imprisoned, and raped with various objects over what seems to be turning into a complete non-issue.