Gays in Mideast fear new political era

CAIRO — While many of their compatriots savor a new political era, gays in Egypt and Tunisia aren't sharing the joy, according to activists who wonder if the two revolutions could in fact make things worse for an already marginalized community.

In both countries, gays and their allies worry that conservative Islamists, whose credo includes firm condemnation of homosexuality, could increase their influence in elections later this year.

"Our struggle goes on — it gets more and more difficult," Tunisian gays-rights and HIV-AIDS activist Hassen Hanini wrote to The Associated Press in an email. "The Tunisian gay community is still seeking its place in society in this new political environment."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43120673/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa

The revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia have a LEFTWING, labor character and the muslim extremist elements, while a factor, are at a minimum. I'm sorry but Mubarak was not a champion of gay rights. It will be a long struggle for our LGBT brethren abroad and this is absolutely a step in the right direction.

I'm meeting with some Egyptian revolutionaries in July and I'll report back on the situation for LGBT Egyptians.

But we need to wait and see what comes next. I remember reading that Kabul, Afghanistan had a vibrant LGBT community until the Soviet-back government was driven out. I don't need to tell you what came after.

Yes, the gains of the revolutions could collapse into right-populism, all revolutions will if the left elements are too weak (see Iran '79); that being said, the US interest is to push Egypt rightward away from the Socialist Coalition being formed in Egypt right now. Part of the reason why LGBT people suffer around the globe is because the US (and not only the US) meddle with left-leaning struggles and put right or center-right dictators in power. So, in a way, LGBT people DO have something to worry about but not because their revolution automatically means a rightward shift, but if they don't continue to push their struggle to the left, they'll lose it: and not just LGBT Egyptians, but the vast majority.

I basically agree with you, though. I just hate reductive "democracy means right-populism" descriptions in US media. I think they definitely serve an interventionist agenda, which inevitably result in disaster wherever we turn. (And not just post-Soviet Kabul... look at the fate of LGBT people in Iraq since our entrance.)

The report comes off to me as basically a strong statement about certain issues that may be present, not as a gross generalization like some people have made in the past about Arabs.