Partying despite risks -- life for gays in Tehran

From Reuters

Partying despite risks -- life for gays in Tehran
Tue Oct 2, 2007 6:16am EDT

By Fredrik Dahl

TEHRAN (Reuters) - As a young gay male living in Tehran, Babak is a direct challenge to remarks by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York last week that there are no homosexuals in the Islamic Republic.

From a relatively well-off background in affluent northern Tehran and sporting an earring and trendy clothes, Babak (not his real name) talked to Reuters about the president's statement and life as a homosexual in Iran.

Homosexual acts are a crime punishable by death under Iran's Islamic sharia law, and the 29-year-old spoke on condition of anonymity and that his work not be mentioned. Instead, a common Iranian first name has been used for this article.

Q: How did you react to Ahmadinejad's statement at Columbia University on September 24?

A: It was too ridiculous for me to get angry or upset about. This kind of thing just makes people laugh. I talked to friends about it. Nobody is angry. They expect that from him. We don't exist for him. At least he attracted international interest about homosexuality in Iran. Now if they do something about homosexuals, people in the world will be more sensitive about it.

Q: What message would you like to give him if you had the chance?

A: I would just want to tell him that he is representing a country. When he says something he must be aware of what is happening in the country ... How is it possible (that there are no homosexuals in a nation with 70 million people) with this huge population?

Q: How is the situation for homosexuals in Iran?

A: It can be good if you have the chance to go out of the country (for holidays), if you have lots of friends. There are lots of private parties. I go to many parties. (But) these days ... the restrictions are more serious. People don't dare to have big parties. The parties are smaller.

Q: So when was the last time you went to a gay party in Tehran?

A: Last Thursday.

Q: Are there many homosexuals here?

A: The gay community is very big in Tehran ... it is getting bigger and bigger. I know about 300-400 people at least. People are more interested to come out and meet each other than before. Fifteen years ago it was so private, just a few friends. A new generation, younger than me, have more courage. They are everywhere, they organize parties, they are not at all conservative. You can see them everywhere. They don't care if they are obvious. They just want to live their life free.

Q: You are not afraid?

A: Not really ... I don't go to places where I don't feel safe. I'm very social and supported by my family. I've had no problems ... except legally we have no rights. I live freely but that is not possible for other people.

Q: Are people arrested because they are homosexuals? Are they sentenced to lashes or death?

A: It happens from time to time. They (the authorities) use some other reason, like rape or sodomy.

Q: Your parents know that you are homosexual. What did they say?

A: Of course they were very worried because of this country.

Q: When did you realize you were gay?

A: When I was 13.

Q: When did you have your first boyfriend?

A: At 15.

Q: Do you have a boyfriend now?

A: No ... I'm just enjoying life.

Q: Have you ever thought about leaving Iran?

A: I can go out of Iran anytime I like.