Transsexual is also available in Arab countries – but your identity can’t you live out there in the open. Even in Germany, you have to worry about hostile, writes the journalist Rasha Hilwi.
A few days ago I met in Berlin two transsexual Arab women. The term “transsexual women” I’m going to use from now on, because he describes these women according to their own Perception. Interesting for me as a living in Germany Before the slight shift in meaning, the German and the Arabic, in the description of the phenomenon to recognize is this: While the term “Trans” refers to the opinions of the German debate, a space beyond the traditional Gender, implies that the Arab in a very direct way, the idea of “Transforming” or “changing”.
The Berlin-based non-governmental organization, GLADT – she describes herself as a “self-organisation of Black and of Color, lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans*and queer people” – takes care of the needs of transsexual people. You defined “transsexualism” as a sexual identity that differs from that received by a Person by reason of their birth. The transsexual gender is the one that a Person wants to establish their identity. The German law protects Gays, lesbians and transsexuals, and outlaws any discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or identity.
Aggressive compatriots in Berlin
Both of my conversation partners have been living for about two years in Berlin. They have fled from various Arab towns, places that have been destroyed for years. Our conversation revolved around the question of personal freedom and security, as well as the question of how you bring your transsexual identity in Berlin in comparison to the opportunities in their respective home countries.
DW-columnist Rasha Hilwi
At the beginning you told me of a small incident that is last in Berlin. “We were waiting for a Bus. And of course we stopped both of us in Arabic. Suddenly, a group of young people came and asked us, also in Arabic, what we would do here. One shouted at us in an aggressive way: ‘What are you doing here? You are Arabs! Why do you act like women?!'”
The two TRANS-sexual women draw from such experiences the consequences: “We only go to places where we are accepted, where they understand us. So we avoid that people are whispering about us. Always, if we want to leave the house, we are waiting for the first of the month. Then we have the money and can drive a cab, instead of having to use public transport. Then we have no fear.”
A life in fear
The word “fear” appears in the conversation again and again. One of the two tells me the feeling is deeply rooted in them. Fear, they have not only once in a month, once a week or once a day – anxiety always accompanies you in every Moment. As soon as you go out of the house and in the public space are, they are afraid. You do not come out of his skin.
People leave their homeland either forced or voluntary, depending on the circumstances of life. The two TRANS-sexual women with whom I spoke, have fled, because they were looking for peace and safety. These they hoped to find in Berlin. There, they took, they could live out their identity as people.
“I would not have expected that I would live in Berlin with the same fear as in my home,” says one of them. “I had expected that I could go to Berlin in women’s clothing out of the house, with high heels and makeup. Instead, I must let you insult me. Near here there is an Arabic Restaurant. But I visit it not because I have in front of the people there are afraid. That is why I always do a big circle around this place,” she says.
Global Demonstration for the rights of homosexual and TRANS-sexual. Here is a protest March in Istanbul, 2016
Male Paternalism? No, thank you!
I’ve written a lot lately about personal freedom, rights and public space. I feel for these topics. I think it’s important that each person is free to choose his own life style, to do and not to do what he wants. All of this is an expression of human freedom. At the same time, I know that freedom is also dependent on legal and social protection. This is especially true for the Arab societies.
The worse it is, if some Arabs feel that these freedoms, apparently, in their existence and in their manhood threatened and, therefore, think they have the right to comment on other people’s lives unasked. So you are convinced about, you have the right to look around for clothing issues in the lives of the women to interfere to dictate to you what to wear and what not.
Such men, transsexual women, injured solely by your appearance and your presence, the Arab customs and traditions – in the sense, as these men understand it. As you would honestly believe that the never-ending tragedies that were caused by Arabs, by life, by a handful of people, the life you want to live, by people, the dare, her identity to live out.
Not a safe place for transsexual
“There are in the entire world, no safe place for transsexuals,” says a Berlin-based friend, the homosexual and transsexual supported socially and politically against discrimination. “For me, there’s no other city that gives me such a sense of security, such as Berlin. And in an economically and politically stable environment, discrimination is not quite as strong as elsewhere. But the discrimination never disappears.”
Transsexual life in isolation, but in social contexts, especially in their families. There, in the family, learn often for the first Time, that their sexual identity is rejected. So, you learn very early on what it means to be a transsexual. This is especially true for Arab transsexual. They come from a Region whose public and private space is dominated by an aggressive masculinity that dominates the streets as well as the laws. Even if you have to flee from home, is of use to you.
In search of safety
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Freed from the “wrong” body
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Miss Trans-Israel: Freed from the “wrong” body
That’s why transsexual women are looking for from the Arab region-protection in places where they feel safe and that your personal identity can live. Many opt for far-away cities or countries, such as Germany. The constitutions of such countries all the people under the protection of the persecuted on the basis of Homo – or TRANS-sexuality in their homeland, politically or threatened.
“I go where I feel safe,” says one of the two Arab TRANS-sexual. “Safety and long-lasting wandering in my life the closest.” It hurts to imagine what can be, in particular, to Arab Transexual. It hurts to hear from people who are suppressed, because they live out their individual freedom and their personal decisions to follow. That’s exactly why I think the freedom of gay or TRANS people is a fundamental pillar of the Dignity, freedom and human rights.
There are companies that are set off in the direction of this Ideal, and there is hope that the Arab societies one day will recognize the personal freedoms and protect, wherever. The TRANS-sexual Arab women I have met here in Berlin want nothing more than to let you alone. That lets you be who you are.