http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/haneen_maikey/2008/03/rainbow_over_palestine.htmlRainbow over Palestine
Despite daunting problems, a new organisation is working for sexual and gender diversity in Palestinian society
Haneen Maikey
March 10, 2008 7:00 AM
Palestinians who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) face a unique, complex, and often dire set of struggles on multiple fronts.
Palestinian society is in many ways deeply conservative and traditional, so those who identify as LGBTQ often face harsh reactions from their families and communities, ranging from social ostracism to physical violence. At the same time, LGBTQ Palestinians in Israel and the occupied territories regularly face discrimination, denials of civil and human rights, and other forms of violence and inequality as a result of their Palestinian identity.