Hi John, this is Nilofar reminding you again why LGBTQIA+ issues are our community's issues.
The Iranian-American community's biases against our own queer community impact the daily life of every Iranian American. On one side, we see an acceptance of marginalized communities as Iranian Americans. On the other, we see discrimination and hate toward queer folks in our spaces.
There will always be queer Iranian Americans. It’s on all of us to make sure they are supported, loved, and accepted.
If we continue allowing hate in our community, it prevents folks from being authentically who they are. We must stop this cycle of hate and discrimination for Iranian Americans, young and old, who are too scared to be who they are and love who they love.
NIAC has multiple opportunities for you to share your experience of being LGBTQIA+ and Iranian. Join us on June 16th for a Pride-themed open mic night. This is a space for you to share what queerness and allyship means to you.
RSVP → [[link removed]]
You can also share your pride or allyship on social media with the hashtag #IAPride. When we share our stories, we increase the visibility of folks like us in your community. Use the buttons below to share what #IAPride means to you.
SHARE YOUR #IAPRIDE ON TWITTER [[link removed]]
SHARE YOUR #IAPRIDE ON FACEBOOK [[link removed]]
And, continue reading the stories of other LGBTQIA+ Iranian Americans on our website iapride.com [[link removed]] . I'm grateful to work at an organization that genuinely values each of my identities through a strong commitment to civil rights for all.
The celebration of #IAPride includes every one of us, John.
Happy Pride!
Nilofar Ganjaie
Deputy Executive Director, NIAC