A young gay man bravely came out last year, but when his family could not accept him, the 20 year old had no choice but to leave Saudi Arabia, a deeply conservative country, to find freedom and safety.
Turki (name changed for security reasons) recalls the harsh treatment he faced from his family after coming out as gay in Saudi Arabia. He was confined to a room, barred from attending his university classes and subjected to physical abuse from his father and brothers. Turki said…
“When my mother learned of my sexual orientation, she said to me, ‘You are not my son.’”
Despite the introduction of several social reforms under the rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, such as the marginalisation of the Religious Police, and the introduction of cinemas and all-night desert raves, LGBTQIA2S+ rights are still taboo in the Islamic kingdom.
Turki’s only option was to leave…
