Blog contents A Gay Girl In Damascus

1 blog contents

1.1 fictionalized biography
1.2 homosexuality
1.3 syrian uprising
1.4 fictitious account of threats , hiding
1.5 fictitious abduction

blog contents
fictionalized biography

the character of amina abdallah arraf dual syrian , american citizen, american mother , syrian father. lede blog (of new york times) noted amina s draft of biography indicated deep american roots. wrote born in staunton, virginia, in october 1975 abdallah ismail arraf , caroline mcclure arraf. mcclures had emigrated virginia ulster in 1742. 4 decades later, ms. arraf added, mother’s family fought in american revolution @ yorktown, “earning me right in dar [a daughter of american revolution].”

her family moved syria when 6 months old , grew between 2 countries. spent long period in after 1982, when islamist uprising in syria being violently put down. realized gay when 15 , terrified her. after planning attend agnes scott college in atlanta, georgia, decided not attend because troubled number of open lesbians on campus. came out @ 26 , returned syria enjoy calm life. there taught english until uprising closed classes.

amina experienced prejudice both in , syria, said saw no conflict in being both gay , muslim , described experience finding other gay women in syria.

amina s position dual citizen informed political , cultural perspective, being lesbian.

homosexuality

homosexual activity illegal in syria, , punishable @ least 3 years in prison, , uncommon gay arabs open sexuality. although syria s human rights record among worst in world, according human rights watch, character of amina wrote openly sexual orientation, experiences, , aspirations.

in email interview cnn, macmaster wrote amina believed political change improve gay rights.

syrian uprising

the character of amina working on book of writings when disappeared. had gained popularity after blogging syrian opposition movement in face of government s crackdown on protests. media in western countries first paid attention blog around may 2011.

her family well-connected relatives in government , muslim brotherhood, , being politically active natural thing . however, described, unfortunately, of life being aware of syrian politics means observing , commenting privately.

amina had been increasingly critical of government in months of syrian uprising. in april, arraf told how father confronted 2 security agents came arrest her, threatened rape her, , accused of being involved in salafist plot. when unrest broke out, character described protests if there.

fictitious account of threats , hiding

one of amina s close online friends, real person named sandra bagaria (who later admitted had never met amina in person or virtually) explained on 7 june arraf had been hiding in “four or 5 different apartments in 4 or 5 different cities” across syria since 2 young men appeared @ home in damascus several weeks before. “amina woke in middle of night , saw father outside talking 2 young guys in 20s. think there following orders, didn’t know doing bagaria said. 2 men left without arresting arraf al omari, but, “since day, agreed might come her. matter of time.

in april, before fictionally going hiding wrote, syria hoped there, sleeping, has woken up...i have believe that, sooner or later, prevail.

in may 2011 arraf wrote had gone hiding after father reported men had come looking her. 2 weeks later, blogged had been sent fake message posing partner, inviting meeting @ hotel. suspected email accounts had been hacked.

in weeks before reported abduction, amina had described traveling around syria, in disguise , once riding inside box on truck, bagaria said. @ 1 point, amina wore islamic head scarf , posed father’s wife slip more through government checkpoints. “when traveling father, grabbed soldier said, ‘what lovely young girl doing old man him?’” bagaria recalled being told. although purportedly in hiding , under threats of arrest, character of amina continued write blog.

arraf s character wrote not flee syria, , activists had fight more open , free country. explained approach nonviolence.

fictitious abduction

the character of amina arraf reportedly kidnapped 3 armed men when on way friend meeting in damascus meet protest organizers around 6:00 pm on 6 june 2011. described walking in area of abbasid bus station near fares al khouri street, on way meet person involved local coordinating committee, real opposition planning group.

on blog, macmaster posted rania ismail , amina s fictional cousin, reporting event: amina seized 3 men in 20s. according witness (who not want identity known), men armed...amina hit 1 of them , told friend go find father. 1 of men put hand on amina s mouth , hustled red dacia logan window sticker of basel assad. basel brother of president bashar al-assad.