Can you be gay in egypt

While contemporary Egyptian law does not explicitly criminalize same-sex sexual acts, it does criminalize homosexual activity under public morality laws. As a result, the LGBT community in Egypt faces discrimination, persecution, and limited legal protections. There are reports of widespread discrimination and violence towards openly LGBTQ people within Egypt, with police frequently prosecuting gay and transgender individuals.

However, Egypt is not the most welcoming destination for gay travelers by a long shot. Whilst they don't have an explicit anti-gay law in place, the government and local police find other ways to target and harass the local LGBTQ community even using Grindr to target/arrest gay guys yes really!. Overall, Egypt is a safe place for gay, lesbian, and other travelers who are part of the LGBTQIA2S+ family, but there are some important cultural, legal, and social aspects to be aware of when planning your Egypt adventure.

While same-sex sexual relations are not explicitly prohibited in Egyptian law, a report by the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA) found that. On 18 August , the Egyptian Ministry of Education conveyed a direct message to all its education directorates across Egypt. Oct 5, Today, it has been 13 years since the January 25th revolution and 11 years since El-Sisi's regime came to power — two very fundamental turning points in our analysis.

In an attempt to examine the role of the revolution in how it affected LGBTQ activism in Egypt, we are looking at two significant cases that pave the way for a better understanding of the queer sphere in Egypt. These are the Queen Boat case in and the Mashrou' Leila concert in Sixteen years separate both incidents.

During this period, Egypt witnessed three major regime changes, a revolution, many uprisings, and many hopes for freedom. In those years, queerness has also been normalized in the West and co-opted into their national and imperial agendas which would also affect and reframe the discourse around homosexuality in Muslim and Arab societies, particularly Egypt. This paper focuses on the two incidents Queen Boat case and the Mashrou' Leila concert separately as a means to understand the differences in the responses of the government, the media, and the people.

It examines the political context of both periods, as well as the diverse reactions and repercussions. It also argues that while the revolution was a fundamental turning point, its impact has not been evident since the Sisi regime assumed power in Furthermore, it contends that the incident has potentially restricted the sphere of activism on many more levels than the incident.

This is analyzed through the rise of homonationalist discourse in the West and heteronationalist discourse in Egypt. On 25 January , millions of Egyptians revolted against the Mubarak regime, a regime that was in power for almost 30 years. The key demands were very clear: bread, freedom, and social justice.

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As much as it was a revolution where the poor demanded basic rights such as food, clean water, electricity , it was also a revolution for all kinds of rights. It was a revolution of sexuality. Honors thesis, Duke University. This was a moment where everything was possible for everyone demanding to live a dignified life in their country — a transformative moment where many individuals redefined their identities, roles, and aspirations in the wake of newfound hope.

Human rights came into focus as a package that cannot be separated. They stood with the rest of the opposition, not necessarily as queer people and certainly not under a queer flag. Amidst the revolution, social networks served as a crucial form of solidarity and activism, helping during and even after the uprising. The revolution might not have achieved its intended outcomes; however, it shed light on the existence of the queer community and, somehow, instilled a sense of solidarity among the different members who share the same cause.

Ten years prior to the revolution, on 11 May , a police raid allegedly targeted 52 men suspected of being queer in a nightclub called "Queen Boat" based on information received from informants. The men were accused of satanism and homosexuality. Other offences in it, such as 'exploiting the prostitution or debauchery of another'—pimping—are punishable even if only committed once. Commentaries cite, as another example of habitual crime in Egyptian law, the habitual practice of usury 'lending money … at a rate of interest higher than the legal ceiling for interest' , under article of the Criminal Code.

By contrast, prostitution and debauchery are not offences at all on the first commission. This case marked the beginning of a new era of LGBT prosecution in Egyptian history and highlights the tactics and oppressive actions the state would adopt and continue to use to this day. Yet, six years after the revolution, we were struck with another incident that would also shape the sphere through which queer bodies exist.

In September , during the Sisi regime, a group of young Egyptians decided to raise the rainbow flag at the Mashrou' Leila concert. Two people, who were the main victims, Sarah Hegazi and Ahmed Alaa, got arrested immediately, followed by a major arrest campaign that included around 75 individuals.