Donate today to support LGBT+ people in Egypt with much-needed legal support as they face arrests, attacks, and persecution from authorities.
Being queer in Egypt is increasingly dangerous as law enforcement leads an unprecedented crackdown against the LGBT+ community.
Authorities are using archaic laws to entrap, threaten, and prosecute queer people.
Simply logging into dating apps, like Grindr, can lead to arrest. Victims have faced discrimination and torture, including beatings and sexual violence, forced anal exams, and virginity tests while in police custody.
In addition to the legal consequences queer people face simply for existing, the crackdown is having a profound impact on mental health.
Bedayaa, an Egyptian LGBT+ rights group on the front lines of this battle, is trying to support as many LGBT+ Egyptians as possible. But they need your help!
Your donation will help fund critical legal aid for those targeted by authorities, and will help support life-saving services like mental health counseling. Can they count on your support?
Check out the following testimonials from LGBT+ Egyptians as they bravely share their stories of survival and resilience, and why global solidarity is so important right now.
* We are not using people’s real names, for their own safety. Although these stories are being shared anonymously, they represent first-hand accounts of what life is like for the LGBT+ community in Egypt.
While at a café with friends, undercover police searched our phones and accused us of terrorism. After finding nude photos and explicit conversations on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Badoo, we were held in detention for over a month. Thankfully, I got help from one of Bedayaa's lawyers and they helped me and my friends get out of this mess. It's like having an emergency ambulance service when you're having a heart attack.
After showing support for LGBT+ rights icon Sarah Hegazy on my Facebook, I was threatened with assault and even murder. I had no choice but to leave my hometown, Qalyub, and move to Cairo in search of safety and work. Upon my return, I was confronted by the police, who questioned me about my Facebook activity. Bedayaa was involved in my case and even got me a lawyer who helped make sure I was released.
I met someone I thought I liked on Grindr. One thing led to another and he insisted on bringing a friend to hang out. It turned out that they weren't gay and demanded almost $3,000 USD, threatening to expose us. Two days later, they attacked me in public and outed me as gay. The police detained me for four days, but thankfully I had help from Bedayaa who had hired a lawyer and made sure I was set free.
Bedayaa is an Egyptian organization that has worked to promote and protect LGBT+ rights across Egypt since 2010.
Their small team is working towards a society free from stigmatization and discrimination, that respects the rights of individuals with different gender identities and sexual orientations
Bedayaa’s mission is to create spaces for Egypt’s LGBT+ community where they can communicate, share experiences, and access legal and health services.
Due to the legal crackdown on Egypt’s LGBT+ community, Bedayaa is a critical resource that offers a chance for hope to so many LGBT+ folks.
