For LGBTQ+ people in Egypt, the internet is both a lifeline and a trap
Source: Global Voices
Years before Jan (preferred pronoun “he”), a 33-year-old non-binary Egyptian, came out or even knew about the LGBTQ+ community, he would search online for people like him. He often found himself deceived by strangers on social media — people pretending to be LGBTQ+, or men posing as women.
Like many queer Egyptians, he was searching for connection in a digital landscape designed to expose him.
A few years ago, Jan adopted a new name for safety, deleted all his old social media accounts and rebuilt his online presence from scratch. The fear of being tracked by security forces, anti-LGBTQ+ groups, or far-right actors shaped every decision he made online. On an earlier account, he met members of the community who guided him through basic digital protection practices. For the first time, he felt a degree of safety.
Homosexuality in Egypt: A dangerous secret
According to a report by Transat, a trans rights organization in Egypt, transgender and gender non-binary people in Egypt live under a repressive system that perpetuates violence, discrimination, and stigma in various areas of life. This includes the private sphere, where domestic violence and deprivation of family support are prevalent, as well as the public sphere, where discrimination in education and the labor market persists. It also includes systematic legal and societal harassment that exposes LGBTQ+ individuals to direct targeting through the state’s repressive laws and practices.
Years before Jan (preferred pronoun “he”), a 33-year-old non-binary Egyptian, came out or even knew about the LGBTQ+ community, he would search online for people like him. He often found himself deceived by strangers on social media — people pretending to be LGBTQ+, or men posing as women.
Like many queer Egyptians, he was searching for connection in a digital landscape designed to expose him.
A few years ago, Jan adopted a new name for safety, deleted all his old social media accounts and rebuilt his online presence from scratch. The fear of being tracked by security forces, anti-LGBTQ+ groups, or far-right actors shaped every decision he made online. On an earlier account, he met members of the community who guided him through basic digital protection practices. For the first time, he felt a degree of safety.
Homosexuality in Egypt: A dangerous secret
According to a report by Transat, a trans rights organization in Egypt, transgender and gender non-binary people in Egypt live under a repressive system that perpetuates violence, discrimination, and stigma in various areas of life. This includes the private sphere, where domestic violence and deprivation of family support are prevalent, as well as the public sphere, where discrimination in education and the labor market persists. It also includes systematic legal and societal harassment that exposes LGBTQ+ individuals to direct targeting through the state’s repressive laws and practices.