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Digital persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals in the MENA region

LGBTQ+ individuals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region face imprisonment and violence for expressing their identities online, while major platforms like Meta fail to protect them. Human Rights Watch's Rasha Younes writes on how we can create safer digital spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals.

It’s time for women to lead the world to peace

Men have led us to war, death, and destruction. It's time for a new way.

Former CIA Director John Brennan on Mike Johnson, America’s Terrorist Threats, and Donald Trump

In a wide-ranging interview, Brennan talks about the Gaza war, domestic terrorism, Speaker Johnson's extremism, and the mortal danger to the U.S. if Trump is reelected.

Gay Jewish Lawmaker's Apartment Targeted With Anti-Semitic Graffiti

Maryland Delegate Joe Vogel’s vandalized residence reflects a grim ripple effect as experts warn of escalating inter-community conflicts with the ongoing Middle East turmoil.

Intolerable: Growing Up Gay in the Middle East

In this exclusive excerpt from his powerful debut, Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes, gay Arab author Kamal Al-Solaylee reflects on the first time he discovered the underground gay scene in Cairo.

'La Cage Aux Folles' Heading to the Middle East

Proceeds from the production will benefit LGBT youth.

What Part of the Middle East is a Great Gay Destination

Skip Israel and find fun, beauty, and some hunky gay men in Jordan.

'Onward' Banned in Middle East Nations Over LGBTQ Character

It's only one line, but it was enough to get the Disney/Pixar movie banned in four countries.

Three New Films Capture LGBT Life in the Middle East

These documentaries reveal precarious, uncertain, and inscrutable queer existence in Syria, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.

'Bros' Won't Be Released in Middle East Over Gay Sex Scenes

Governments in the region are likely to find the film's sex scenes objectionable.

One of the Middle East’s Biggest Bands Has a Queer Front Man

Thanks to the influence of singer Hamed Sinno, Project Night's music targets homophobia and male predators.

WATCH: Boston Gay Men's Chorus's Middle Eastern Tour

When the BGMC embarked on a Middle East tour, it nearly became an international incident. Read how the group survived disappointments, insults, and very serious threats.

Op-ed: If Change Can Come Here, It Can Happen in Middle East

The experiences of a gay man in Bahrain demonstrate that things are difficult but not hopeless for LGBT people in homophobic nations.

President Joe Biden Interrupted by Israel-Hamas War Protester During LGBTQ+ Rights Speech

Protester’s message on Middle East tensions momentarily disrupted the president’s address.

The Golden Age of Denial: Orientalism

Considered by some a patronizing Western reimagining of the Middle East, many of these Orientalist depictions are frankly homoerotic.

'I Did the Shooting': Pulse Gunman's 911 Calls Released

In 911 calls, 29-year-old Omar Mateen claimed that the attack was retribution for airstrikes in the Middle East.

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Tel Aviv Pride Parade to Be World's First Bisexuality-Themed Parade

Israel's event, the largest Pride parade in the Middle East and Asia, addresses an oft-stigmatized part of the LGBT population.

7 Things That Are Everything This Week of August 30

Our entertainment and events highlights this week include an eye-opening look at being LGBT in the Middle East, the return of Stephen Colbert, and the world tour of Miss Jackson.

Postcard From Jerusalem: The Fight for LGBTQ Equality in Israel

Out Arizona politician Daniel Hernandez Jr. -- who became known to many after he saved Rep. Gabby Giffords's life -- on an eye-opening trip to the Middle East.