Gay Life After Saddam
July 13th, 2009 by James BridleThis is a story that's been bubbling under the mainstream news media for quite some time, but a recent report in the New York Times went some way to breaking the silence, and now we have an hour-long report on Five Live, which is good to see if not the most pleasant listening. And I should emphasise that: it's not for the faint-hearted.
Before the 2003 invasion of Iraq, gay, lesbian and transgendered people lived largely closeted but, in the major cities at least, mostly without interference - certainly freer than in most Middle Eastern countries. But in the chaos that's followed, a mainly religious-inspired and incredibly violent backlash - supported by local government forces and unacknowledged by the country's leaders or the occupation administration - has decimated the gay population, killing many and driving others into hiding or out of the country entirely, where they face further humiliation and fear at the hands of immigration authorities. [MP3]
This is a brave and thoughtful programme, looking at the issue from many angles, and talking to people on all sides. I didn't know Radio Five did stuff like this, and I'll be looking out for more of this kind of in-depth reporting. You can find out more at the website of Iraqi LGBT, the British-based organisation that's one of the main sources for the programme.
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