http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2013/08/201386115346584582.htmlAuthor: Sarah Munir Source: Al-Jazeera [English]
"Pakistan's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community has launched a website in a hostile cyberspace in which the government blocks thousands of sites for displaying "objectionable and offensive" material. "Queer Pakistan", launched last month, aims to act as a virtual support group for an LGBT community on the fringes of mainstream society that has no other platform to interact with one another. The site already has an estimated 8,000 users. The website attempts to provide psychological support, counselling and networking while raising awareness about sexual health in a country where the topic is rarely discussed in schools or families."
In Pakistan, LGBT people can be sentenced to 2-10 years in prison, or even be put to death.
"While several closed virtual groups for the LGBT community already exist on social media platforms like Facebook alongside dating websites, Noman claims that these reflect the concerns of a limited class of people. "They discuss topics like marriage equality which are completely out of context in our reality," Noman said. "People often brush away homosexuality as a product of elitism or globalisation or Westernisation. And the saddest part is that there is no one from our community who can defend us." "
The makers hope that users can grow more confident and stand up for their rights.
