We Talked to the Organizer Behind Beirut Pride

(From May 17, 2017) Lebanon is hosting an LGBTIQ+ Pride week, in what organizers are calling a "first". Many other activities have taken place around the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT) for several years.

The weeklong event, which launched on Sunday and coincides with IDAHOT on Wednesday, is positioning itself as a "collaborative platform that takes a stance against hate and discrimination." In Lebanon, LGBTIQ+ individuals face societal discrimination as well as the threat of prosecution under Article 534, which says sexual acts that "contradict the laws of nature" can be punished by up to one year in prison.

Although recent court rulings have set a precedent against using the law to target the LGBTIQ+ community, and many civil society movements have greatly advanced awareness about the community in recent years, social stigma and misconceptionsremain a pervasive problem throughout Lebanon. This is what the organizers behind Beirut Pride want to challenge.

We talked to Hadi Damien, the man spearheading the platform, about how the Pride event came together, what it means for the LGBTIQ+ community and his hope for the future. (READ MORE at StepFeed)