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The article shares real stories of several gay and lesbian Iraqis fleeing their home country due to intense social, familial, and militia-linked persecution because of their sexual orientation. It describes beatings, threats, torture by family members and Shia militias, attempts to escape via marriage ruses, and eventual flight to Lebanon to seek safety. These personal narratives illustrate how deeply dangerous and hostile life can be for LGBTQ people in Iraq, even before recent laws explicitly criminalising same-sex relations.
The article shares real stories of several gay and lesbian Iraqis fleeing their home country due to intense social, familial, and militia-linked persecution because of their sexual orientation. It describes beatings, threats, torture by family members and Shia militias, attempts to escape via marriage ruses, and eventual flight to Lebanon to seek safety. These personal narratives illustrate how deeply dangerous and hostile life can be for LGBTQ people in Iraq, even before recent laws explicitly criminalising same-sex relations.