Help Arab Lesbian Couple Escape Violence

Help Low-Income Arab Lesbian Couple Escape to Safety

Who are we?

We are Ray and Ledn, two Arab lesbian women trying to escape our violently oppressive country for a better, safer life where we get to be queer, in love, and unafraid to live loud and proud. We are using aliases in this fundraiser because we are currently experiencing harm and discrimination based on our sexuality and fear for our lives if this traces back to our true names.

Why do we need to escape?

Our families and communities do not accept us the way we are. After finding out about Ledn’s sexuality, her family physically and mentally abused her and continues to do so to this day, constantly threatening her with forced marriage, or worse, death. We are growing more and more scared for Ledn’s physical safety, and both our safeties as our relationship continue to flourish despite the fear, hardship, and pure violent homophobia we face. This unfortunately is all too common in our country, where honor crimes and violence against queer people, queer organizing, and queer gathering is normal and encouraged by the police and the government. We are not protected by any laws.

We are also low-income, both of our parents are living on unemployment, or have never been employed and receive no governmental assistance. We work part-time minimum wage jobs (8 dollars/day) and are unable to use the money we have to escape on our own. We are also unable to move to a different part of the country because it is a relatively small country, and most of the country adopts a conservative orthodox Islamic ideology. Our life is in danger everywhere in our country if we want to be happy as a lesbian couple.

Where are we planning to escape?

We are hoping to escape to Toronto, Canada and seek asylum there. We know there is an Arab queer community there that we have already connected with so are confident we will be supported in our move and in adjusting to our new life in Canada. We want to live life as a proud lesbian couple, without fear of someone in our family or some random stranger on the street or government agent threatening our very existence. We want to be free and love openly.

Where will your money go?

As of right now, we anticipate the funds covering the following items:

The above cost accounts for the first period of living. We hope that once we seek asylum, we will have access to resources offered to asylum agencies through the various asylum advocacy programs in Toronto and Canada at large.

Will you help us?

We need you. Our life is in danger every day, and yet we choose to continue loving each other every day. We are lesbian, we are queer, we deserve the safety queer people outside of our country get to experience. Please help us achieve that for ourselves by donating! Anything helps.

To Donate Through PAYPAL Click Here

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