Disclaimer: This post was originally meant for LGBTQ+ History Month, but with everything happening in the news, it felt important to share it now.

LGBTQ+ Rights in the Middle East: A Reality Check

LGBTQ+ rights vary drastically across the Middle East, with many countries enforcing harsh penalties for same-sex relationships. Some key facts:

Legal & Recognized: Israel is the only country in the region where LGBTQ+ people have rights, including legal same-sex relationships and adoption.

Illegal & Criminalized: In most Middle Eastern countries, being LGBTQ+ can result in imprisonment (UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Iraq, etc.). Even where it's not explicitly illegal, queer people face persecution.

Punishable by Death: Iran, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and parts of Qatar enforce the death penalty for same-sex relationships.

Why Israel’s LGBTQ+ Protections Matter

For many queer people in the Middle East, Israel is the only place where they can live openly and safely. Without it, LGBTQ+ individuals would have nowhere in the region to turn. Tel Aviv has become a rare refuge, offering legal protections and asylum for those fleeing persecution.

Yet, some activists claim to support "Queers for Palestine," ignoring the reality that being LGBTQ+ in Gaza is illegal and life-threatening under Hamas rule. Supporting regimes that persecute queer people while attacking the only country in the region that protects them isn’t activism—it’s hypocrisy.

Queer rights should never be sacrificed for political narratives.

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