# Gay expats experience in Cairo/Egypt



## traveller2013

Hi,

I wanted to find out a bit more about experience of LGBT expats (or locals) in Cairo and Egypt. My girlfriend and I considering moving to Cairo and but we are not sure how easy this would be. We have not really been able to find much information about other people's experience in this domain.

So I just wanted to find out things like whether in your experience neighbours, etc. are likely to get suspicious of our living situation and create trouble... (e.g. would people find it suspicious if 2 foreign working women were living together without husbands/boyfriends?). Also, how accepting are "liberal" Egyptians of homosexuality? The internet makes it sound rather dismal, but not sure if this is accurate.

Any advice (or contacts who might be able to give some advice) would be immensely appreciated!

Thanks so much!


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## mamasue

Any Egyptian will tell you "There is no gays in Egypt".....they're a narrow-minded lot!
But.... nobody will bat an eyelid at 2 female "flatmates".
As long as you don't display too much affection in public, you should be fine.
Having said that, Egyptian women friends often walk arm-in-arm.


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## MaidenScotland

Only today I remarked how you very rarely see the men walking hand in hand now.. I put it down to the internet and tv showing gay men holding hands...and they don't want to have that association..


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## MaidenScotland

traveller2013 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I wanted to find out a bit more about experience of LGBT expats (or locals) in Cairo and Egypt. My girlfriend and I considering moving to Cairo and but we are not sure how easy this would be. We have not really been able to find much information about other people's experience in this domain.
> 
> So I just wanted to find out things like whether in your experience neighbours, etc. are likely to get suspicious of our living situation and create trouble... (e.g. would people find it suspicious if 2 foreign working women were living together without husbands/boyfriends?). Also, how accepting are "liberal" Egyptians of homosexuality? The internet makes it sound rather dismal, but not sure if this is accurate.
> 
> Any advice (or contacts who might be able to give some advice) would be immensely appreciated!
> 
> Thanks so much!




Hi and welcome

No one will bothe,r just no display of affection in public and that would also go for a straight couple. I know there are gay men hang outs but not sure about one for the ladies (if thats your scene). 

My gay friend openly lives with his Egyptian husband and has done for 17 years..


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## Biffy

Yes - maybe.

Bu nsurely you should also point out - to be honest - that to be homosexual in this country is illegal and there are severe penalities if caught.
There ahve been a number of raids on the homes of gay residents.

And as the situation becomes more conservative - which is the bent we are seeing right now - then the situation will go downhill.
Maybe what has been tolerated up to now - will not be tolerated any longer - who can really say.

But I think that it does need to be said - it is illegal, there are severe penalties and the average believing MUSLIM - not just Egyptian - do believe that homosexuality is forbidden and haram - and that people choose to be homosexual, not that it is the way you are born. 

It is not my view - but the view of the majority - and to be honest why would you want to put yourself in that position - to hide (seriously hide) who you are.


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## Biffy

Yes - maybe.

Bu nsurely you should also point out - to be honest - that to be homosexual in this country is illegal and there are severe penalities if caught.
There ahve been a number of raids on the homes of gay residents.

And as the situation becomes more conservative - which is the bent we are seeing right now - then the situation will go downhill.
Maybe what has been tolerated up to now - will not be tolerated any longer - who can really say.

But I think that it does need to be said - it is illegal, there are severe penalties and the average believing MUSLIM - not just Egyptian - do believe that homosexuality is forbidden and haram - and that people choose to be homosexual, not that it is the way you are born. 

It is not my view - but the view of the majority - and to be honest why would you want to put yourself in that position - to hide (seriously hide) who you are.

Yes you can be secretive and not 'let on' you are gay - it is nobodys business.
But when you are coming from a cullture when freedom has been hard won hen I don't get it.


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## aykalam

Egyptian Hashtag Takes on Homophobia! · Global Voices


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## traveller2013

Thanks so much for this information!

If you have any other suggestions on safest areas to live given our situation, other advice, gay groups in the cairo etc, that would also be great to know!


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## MaidenScotland

traveller2013 said:


> Thanks so much for this information!
> 
> If you have any other suggestions on safest areas to live given our situation, other advice, gay groups in the cairo etc, that would also be great to know!




Zamalek for the area, and as for gay groups even if we know we could not post them.. they do not advertise the fact they are gay.


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