“The Worst Enemy Is Fear”: Jordan’s LGBTQ+ community

Although homosexuality has been decriminalized in Jordan, the cultural stigma remains a considerable roadblock to many in the country’s LGBTQ+ community. (Cr: Anonymous)

By: Nathan Matsko

State College — Amman is a city that increasingly reflects the diversity of its region. For people within the LGBTQ+ community, this can present both an opportunity and a challenge.

Jordan decriminalized homosexuality in 1951, differentiating it from many of its neighbors, some of which punish homosexuality with death. However, the cultural stigma remains, as does the tribal culture in which family, and maintaining the honor and integrity of the family, is valued above all else.

This, understandably, can make it difficult for a cohesive lgbtq+ community to form, but nevertheless, it maintains a presence. While the challenges posed to the community are commonly chalked up to intolerance of the culture or religion, but the issue proves to be a much more nuanced one.

“Sexuality has always been fluid on this side of the world.” says Madian Al Jazerah, a community activist in Amman. “There are more and more stories of young men coming out, parents not being okay with it, and they end up getting into trouble.”

In a culture in which so much value is placed on maintaining the status of the family, a person hoping to come out to their family is likely to receive a bleak response. When faced with the threat of ostracization from the wider community, even the most accepting and tolerant families may go so far as to push their LGBTQ+ family member to remain closeted, as to not bring negative attention to the family.

“People may come out to their friends or tight-knit communities, but they are much more afraid to come out to their loved ones, who may not accept them. It’s not so much worries about attacks from strangers,” added Al Jazerah.

There are cases in which assaults on members of the community have occurred. A few such cases arose in 2014, after the pictures of several men using gay dating apps were leaked. The leaker, according to Madian, turned out to be a gay man, and the act was less an act of hatred and more of a personal vendetta.

“LGBT Jordanians are pretty bitter for many valid reasons. Many refugees have come here, and they have resources for gay, lesbian, trans refugees. Jordanians don’t have shelters or very many resources, and the countries Jordan borders are hardly safe havens they can run away to. That, and with all of the stigma, nobody trusts each other. It becomes a weapon, “well I’ll out you!”.”

Indeed, Jordan has taken in hundreds of thousands of refugees from Syria and Iraq alone, and continues to receive incoming economic migrants. While the country of ten million people is growing at an unprecedented rate, this fact has also proven as helpful for people of marginalized communities.

“Because there are so many refugees coming in, Amman has become a sort of melting pot.” says Madian, “People are getting used to differences, and homosexuality is just another difference.”

Madian is hopeful for the future, adding that things like introducing specific vocabulary relative to differing gender and sexual identities into the Arabic language have made communication much easier. Though new barriers are being overcome, it is still a challenging issue, and Madian stresses that it is still important to be careful.

“One LGBT person down is too many. We aren’t westerners, we can’t go out into the streets wearing short shorts and all that. Be who you are, as a Jordanian.”

While it is unlikely we will see a Jordanian pride parade anytime in the near future, activists are working endlessly to make sure LGBTQ+ Jordanians receive the help and support that they need.

Groups like Rainbow Street help to provide resources to those being discriminated against for their sexuality and gender identity. The community itself, despite the stigmas and potential dangers, is growing, as more and more Jordanians are reaching out. Above all else, Madian maintains the necessity of caution, but also that of bravery.

“Don’t forget where you are, who you are, and work your way through your sexuality. Test the grounds before you come out, and there are people there for you, people in the community who are trustworthy. Help is there. The worst enemy is fear.”