Emigration is particularly high in the lesbian community, according to Meem, as women seek life in more tolerant societies especially as they approach their thirties.
Steven Seidman, a sociology professor at State University of New York at Albany, said non-heterosexual Lebanese face a difficult choice: marry, leave their country or live a double life.
“Marriage is the central event for women,” said Seidman, who is
researching non-heterosexual
communities in Beirut. “Gender respectability is linked to a ‘good marriage.’”
“Most of the women telling their stories are very young, below 30,” he said. “The question is: what will happen when they hit 30?”
Shant agrees, but says Lebanon has nonetheless witnessed the rise of a “remarkable lesbian community” over the past three years.
“It has brought a powerful new meaning to queer solidarity, understanding, and grassroots activism,” she said. “It became clear to us that our stories needed to be heard. In a way, the journey of these stories is similar to the stories themselves. They have come out of the closet.”
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