Being a young person from MENA is already challenging; figuring out that you’re LGBTQ+ on top of that can be totally overwhelming and isolating. According to a 2022 Trevor Project survey, one in five MENA LGBTQ+ youth in the US attempted suicide in the past year, half seriously considered it, and over two-thirds reported self-harm, depression, and anxiety. But this doesn’t have to be the case – your identities can coexist, and there’s a place for you at Salaam.
Please reach out to Mosaic, UIUC’s queer MENA RSO that is committed to understanding and privacy. Even if you are not out yet, and may not want to ever come out, you are welcome to join events during the school year or reach out to Mosaic for support or advice. They have a website and an Instagram.
Below are some resources for LGBTQ+ people from MENA.
Hotlines
Local organizations:
- Mosaic, the queer SWANA alliance at UIUC
- The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center
- Uniting Pride
- Salon Kawakib (MENA LGBTQ+ gatherings in Chicago)
- Aywa Hafla (more MENA LGBTQ+ gatherings in Chicago)
Out-of-state and international organizations:
- Helem (Lebanese / broader MENA LGBTQ+ organization)
- Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality
- Iraqueer
- Transat (MENA trans organization in Arabic, English, and Amazigh)
- Al-Qaws (Palestinian LGBTQ+ organization)
- Tarab NYC
- Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health
Information:
- George Washington’s LGBT MENA research guide
- The Trevor Project’s Research Brief on LGBTQ+ MENA Young People
- GLSEN Research Brief on MENA LGBTQ+ Students in US Secondary School