IsRealli - the State of Israel official blog » Muslim Lesbians Conference in Haifa

Muslim Lesbians Conference in Haifa

March 29, 2007 at 8:18 am | In Lifestyle, Religion | Send to a friend

Whether you agree with it or not, we here at Isrealli are proud to be part of a country that not only respects and protects minority rights, but serves as a beacon of freedom and expression for the most maligned minorities in the world. Yes, this is an instance where we can, and should, pat ourselves on the back. Israel as any democratic and open society has problems with racism, discrimination and ignorance, but Israel’s democratic foundations allow and more importantly, insist on this sort of freedom of being and expression.

Again, whether you agree with it or not, this is a proud day for Israel.

From MSNBC.com:

Arab lesbians hold rare public meeting in Israel
Women quietly gather in Haifa; homosexuality strictly forbidden in Islam

HAIFA, Israel - Arab lesbians quietly defied Islamist protesters and a social taboo to gather at a rare public event Wednesday in a northern Israeli city.

Many of the attendees said they were sad that the only place safe enough to hold a conference for gay Arab women was in a Jewish area of Haifa, which has a mixed Arab-Jewish population. Israel’s Jewish majority is generally tolerant of homosexuality.

“This conference is being held, somehow, in exile, even though it’s our country,” said Yussef Abu Warda, a playwright.

Driven deep underground for the most part, only 10 to 20 Arab lesbians attended the conference, organizers said. Most blended in with Israeli lesbians and heterosexual Arab female supporters without making their presence known.

“We’d like all women to come out of the closet — that’s our role. We work for them,” said Samira, 31, a conference organizer who came with her Jewish Israeli girlfriend. Samira agreed to be identified only by her first name for fear of reprisals.

Outside the conference hall, 20 women protesters in headscarves and long, loose robes held up signs reading, “God, we ask you to guide these lesbians to the true path.”

Security was tight. Attendance was by invitation only, and reporters were not allowed to take photographs, use tape recorders or identify people.

Israel’s secular metropolis, Tel Aviv, is home to a thriving gay community. Jerusalem, with its large proportion of Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jews, is strongly anti-gay.

Homosexuality, which is strictly forbidden by Islam, is considered taboo among most of Israel’s Arab citizens, who make up 20 percent of the country’s population.

Poetry readings, music and Arab women rappers entertained the conference, called “Home and Exile in Queer Experience,” organized by Aswat, an organization for Arab lesbians with members in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

“We are here to say they (Arab lesbians) are not alone,” said Rawda Morcos, Aswat’s spokeswoman, one of a tiny minority of Arab women who are openly gay.

Out in an unaccepting community
Morcos said her car was vandalized repeatedly and she received threatening phone calls at her family home after her village in northern Israel found out she was a lesbian.

Even rapper Nahwa Abdul Aal, who performed for the gathering, didn’t support it.

“Being at this conference hasn’t changed my mind,” she said. “I still think it’s wrong.”

Samira, who has a dozen brothers and sisters, said she told a sibling she was gay two years ago. The news quickly spread among the family, and her 70-year-old mother fell into a depression, begging her daughter to change her ways.

But she eventually accepted her daughter’s homosexuality “in her own way,” by packing large boxes of food for Samira whenever she came to visit.

“My mother said, ‘take the food, for you and your girlfriend,’” Samira recalled, agreeing to be identified only by her first name for fear of reprisals.

Some of her family never came around. A pregnant sister told Samira she would “never touch her children.”

19 Comments »

Peace,
I know forgiveness is a must for the salvation of one’s own soul so it does no good to hate those whose sexual orientation is other than heterosexual. We in my arena do make a point not to multiply sins or the breaking of Divine Law so hating is out of the question.Live and let live is the modo I try to live by.On the other hand , I believe no one is born gay; it is a learned condition, and a chemically unbalanced state of mind with a hint of curiosity that has one gravitate to that type of behavior. Coming from one who has dealt and am dealing with the pains of being molested throughout my childhood , I offer this advice. Don’t Give Up The Fight!!!
Take control of your thought life because the gay epidemic just manifests the confusion that’s in the world and the dis-illusionment that plagues multitudes of people, partly because of their upbringing/homelife but mostly because of a sick sedistic world society that okays this behavior.
Man be a man and Woman be a woman and stop giving in to your feelings and emotions so easily and you might find out that those feelings and emotions were impressed upon you by some outside stimulus. Man and Woman ,make love and multiply for this is the only way you can guarantee yourself eternal life.My brothers and sisters ,please protect our childrens minds and have them know that love is also discipline. Straighten Up!!!

Comment by Duryeh — March 30, 2007
Okay, I tried not to comment but “don’t give up the fight?” No one “chose” to be gay. “The gay epidemic?” No one says “Hey, i think i’m gonna be gay tomorrow!”

Comment by Janice — March 30, 2007
I agree with Duryeh.

Comment by Jane — April 20, 2007
Where is the choice that “no one chose to be gay”. If that is the excuse, then it can be applied to anything. “No once chooses to be a child molester”. No one “chooses to be an adulterer.” Etc, ad nosium. It certaintly is a matter of choice. I can understand a person who embraces Islam and who is gay struggling with the very well known Islamic position (which is God’s position) on homosexuality, but the idea that is by divine decree is absolutely against the idea of how Allaah creates and Allaah did not and does not create that which He legislates is an abomination. Yes, He allows it to exist. That is, He allows one to “choose” yet, He also sent down the Criterion (The Quran) and His Final Messenger Muhammad (PBUH) to explain right vs. wrong; lawful vs. unlawful; etc. and the consequences for both. It certaintly is a deviation and a sin and the life is but a short period of time thus, all becomes known in short order. May Allaah guide those who deviate by choice and guide those who do not known the Truth.
abooismail

Comment by abooismail — May 4, 2007
correction: first line “where is the proof (not choice) that “no one chose to be gay”

Comment by abooismail — May 4, 2007
THE SAD THING IS THAT THE”G-D OF ABRAHAM ,ISAAC AND JACOB;DESTROYED SODOM AND GOMORRAH FOR THIS REASON AND AGAIN THE NATION OF ISRAEL IS ADOPTIND THE WAYS AND SINS OF THE HEATHEN NATIONS . I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS WHO HAVE CHOSEN AT THIS TIME TO WALK IN A HOMOSEXUAL LIFE STYLE. I LOVE THEM VERY MUCH BUT BECAUSE G-D,S WORD AND G-D IS AGAINST IT SO AM I .LOVE WHAT G-D LOVES AND HATE WHAT G-D HATES.THERE IS ALSO FORGIVENESS OF ALL SIN WHEN YOU TRUST IN THE ATONING BLOOD OF YESHUA

Comment by PHYLLIS FALCO — May 4, 2007
Hi all!
You are The Best!!!
G’night

Comment by Terabanitoss — May 4, 2007
pls,know that no sinner will go unpunish repent now befor it is too late.Jesus is coming back soon.dont let the dead of our lord jesus christ to be in vain.He love you all

Comment by nana — May 7, 2007
Backward bigotry starts when someone like abooismail compares homosexuality to pedophilia like they are all the same.

Comment by Janice — May 18, 2007
My point of “No one chose to be gay” was to point out the fact that homosexuality is natural and cannot be changed. The founders of “ex-gay” organization Exodus International who claimed to be “cured of homosexuality” fell madly in love with each other thus becoming ex-ex-gay. Why is it so difficult to understand that some people are attracted to the members of the same sex? Because it’s like incest? Then I guess people can’t marry someone of the same race or religion.

Comment by Janice — May 18, 2007
OMG

Comment by fredrick — May 21, 2007
Umm.. I do believe it is NOT a choice but beyond that I think people need to live and let live on this issue. If you’re not gay, don’t be gay; if you are, great. It’s not a epidemic– that’s hillarious. There have been gays in all cultures in all times throughout history; the only thing new is that we’re dealing differently with it by not shaming people into marring heterosexual partners.

Comment by brian — July 19, 2007
Finally also the bible is FULL of verses which we decide are not valid to today’s world and disregard without question– such as that men should have long curls much like Orthodox Jews and that people should be punished by stoning; people need to stop hiding behind the bible because they are made to feel uncomfortable by the sight of someone who is different than they are. The Bible has been interpreted many times by many people and used to further good and bad things in history; we need to decide what we believe is the right outcome. I don’t believe people choose. You may believe they do, but so long as you don’t discriminate you can believe whatever you want and certainly, no one will make you gay– after all it’s not a choice so you also don’t have to worry about “becoming” gay.

Comment by brian — July 19, 2007
If a man is attracted to only males, why in that union does one of them have to take on the role of a female? Why impersonate a female? why shave your legs, eyebrows and wear lip gloss? Why not just be a man? It should be two men in the union; not one man and the other trying to be a femle. The same applies to the homosexual woman: why take on the personality of a man? It should be two women, not a woman and one trying to be a man. This is the hole; pardon the pun, in the same sex thing! One comment was that it is natural; if that is so, why cant his union by itself produce life?

Comment by roma — September 29, 2007
It just all depends on how you define “being a man,” isn’t it. Not all relationships end with “producing life.” (As if the world is not already overcrowded enough!) Let’s ban marriage for men and women who can’t reproduce then, huh?

Comment by Janice — October 1, 2007
blah
:)

Comment by Lily — November 24, 2007
I’m so glad to see that article!!!You know what? I think its really none of any body’s business if some one is or is not gay or lesbian…i mean come on….Do you people really think that by bringing those people down you will make it better? They probably already feel horrible just because their religion doesn’t approve…I’m Muslim and I’m a lesbian, and if what im doing is wrong…well then Allah will be the One to judge me….People put so much thought into hating others and what they do, that its just becoming worse and worse….Live your life…and let others live theirs….I know that what I choose might not be right according to Allah,But i still DO believe that HE is THE MOST FORGIVING,THE MOST LOVING GOD!!!! Insha’allah He will judge me when its my time…..

Comment by Rita — January 15, 2008
Well, my point of view about all that is the next : nobody has nothing to do with that but the lesbians and gays , and of course their own family. Why do I have to make of my own choices and believes everyone else’s ? Of course I dont want my children and beloved ones to become a gay but again because its my own belief and according to my religion (catholic) But still I will not open my mouth to say that these people are taken by the devil or that they shouldnt have the right to build their own family legally.
LIVE AND LET LIVE !!!

Comment by Danielle — February 9, 2008
[…] If you haven’t been following our other posts on similar issues, you can find them here, here, and here. Just a friendly reminder of how forward thinking Israel is. To put this in a bit of a global perspective see this Wikipedia article. […]

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