Palestinian Queer Activists Talk Politics – National Tour Comes To Bay Area

Abeer Mansour is a feminist Palestinian queer activist who is dedicated to promoting the inclusion of Palestinian queer women in Palestinian society. Abeer joined Aswat’s staff in 2008 as a resource development and networking coordinator. She represents Aswat in local and global events to explain about the multiple forms of oppression Palestinian queer women face: as a national indigenous minority living inside Israel, struggling for equal human and civil rights; as women battling for equality with men in conservative and patriarchal Palestinian society; and finally as queer women living in a heteronormative culture which is often extremely homophobic, fighting discriminization and marginalization. Abeer networks with partner feminist and human rights organizations to promote the inclusion of the queer agenda in their activism.

The mission of the ASWAT initiative is to serve as a Palestinian gay women’s group where we may express ourselves, discuss gender and sexuality, define our feminism, and address the conflict experienced by us between our national and gendered identities. The ASWAT group provides a safe space for any Palestinian woman who identifies as lesbian, bi-sexual, transsexual, transgender or inter-sexual, where we can break our individual silence through dialogue, self-education, healing and activism. In addition, we strive to generate social change in order to meet the needs of one of the most silenced and oppressed communities in Israel. We work to reach out to Palestinian and Jewish communities in Israel, and also to collaborate with other like minded institutes, groups and individuals in order to combat the multilayered discrimination we face and to promote women rights. 
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Sami Shamali is a 23 year old Palestinian queer activist with Al-Qaws working who lives in the West Bank. Sami joined Al-Qaws four years ago as part of Al-Qaws virtual Arabic discussion forums staff members. Currently, he is a member of the leadership group of Al-Qaws, and one of the main activists who are leading “West Bank house for activists” and the growing social change activism in the West Bank.

Al-Qaws for Sexual and Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society seeks to promote the development and growth of the Palestinian Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQ) community in Israel and the Palestinian occupied territories. This process is inextricably linked with the larger mission of building an equal, diverse and open Palestinian society. Within this context, Al-Qaws is an enthusiastic partner in the development of a Palestinian civil society that respects and adheres to human and civil rights and allows individuals to live openly and equally, regardless of their sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity.

Al-Qaws aims to achieve its mission through challenging attitudes, breaking social and religious taboos and norms, empowering, educating, developing leadership skills, and promoting social change and social transformation. Our mission is to create a safe and mature space to fertilize open and responsible dialogue at the societal level, promote diversity, meet the vast and differentiated needs of Palestinian LGBTQ persons and promote their well-being and capacity to engage in and contribute to the larger society.
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