07/05/2020 | Writer: Kaos GL
An interview with Donna: We also need to become a community and enjoy solidarity. We need to feel that we are not alone in society…
What is it like to be an LGBTI and married with children? Would you like to tell us about it?
I cherish my marriage of a trans lesbian and a cis lesbian couple, but it is hard to say that society feels the same. Society does not accept such a marriage. It is great for my spouse and me, we do not have a problem. My children are ok with the notion of LGBTI, they love us as parents. They do not feel any different from other children about this.
I would recommend LGBTI couples to get married and have children, because we also need to become a community and enjoy solidarity. We need to feel that we are not alone in society, and we certainly need to be a part of society. We need a purpose, something to hold on to in life. One cannot live without purpose.
What kind of life do you imagine for LGBTIs?
We can be socially accepted if we become more visible in society. Having said that, this is very difficult for us who are living in the Middle Eastern societies.
What would you like to say about LGBTI individuals and LGBTI movement in Iraq?
Anyone who comes out of the closet as an LGBTI person cannot survive more than 3 months in Iraq. LGBTI people get killed immediately if society finds out about their sexuality. They are not accepted. They cannot socialize outside the confines of their homes; they have to stay inside all the time. LGBTI people have to stay closeted. All the same, they have started socializing online over the internet in the last 2-3 months even though this is quite limited.
*This article was first published in "Rainbow Knows No Borders", the special issue of Kaos GL Magazine prepared with the contributions of LGBTI+ refugees living in Turkey.
Tags: human rights, life
