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04/03/2024 – “When I came out at 19 years old, my mom didn’t eat for days. It was the most tense few months of my life, but also months that helped me find an identity. These months turned into years as I found myself coming to my family muyltiple times. My relationship with my siblings crumbled, and my urged me to keep it a secret. I remember my dad trying to put chili powder in my mouth and denouncing his relationship to me at my place of work.
I kept pushing forward, because I had this cute guy in my life that made it all worth it. I hid him for four years of our relationship, but here we are almost 15 years later. We’re married now. I tried inviting them, hoping we could begin to reconcile. My mom broke down in tears, while my dad joked if it’s a girl. He explained that I should know we can’t this in the family.
I want other queer Druze to know that it can get better. We risk losing those we love the most by being ourselves, but it’ll be okay. You’ll find your chosen family.”
04/03/2022 – “Like many others, I come from a very strict family that isn’t in support of me being gay. I was given the choice to either leave or not get married at all. I was told I was in denial by my parents. My mother started having health issues when i came out to her. All in all, my story has been quite a mess and I’m just looking for support.”
13/11/2021 – “I never had a close relationship to my father ever since I called out the physical and mental abuse (against us and my mother, who left him) during my upbringing. When I came out, he called me “disgusting and sick”. He disowned me, and his family no longer speak to me. He’s even convinced my little brother, who I watched grow up to cut me out of his life. My mother, who was also ostracized from the Druze community after leaving him, is my biggest supporter and loves me and embraces my queer and agender identity. I am grateful for my chosen family, fellow gay and queer Druze. Together, love can win.”
24/06/2021 – “I’m a 22 year old Druze female. I struggle everyday with living a double life. As soon as I step out the door of my parents house, I’m the girl that I’ve always wanted to be. Free, open, expressive, queer, happy and bright. However, when I walk back in, I put on a face of someone I hate. Someone that’s simply just there to ‘please the community’. Someone that I find myself fighting with on a daily basis. Like many other Druze parents, mine aren’t any better and are beyond closed minded to see any of this.
I’ve come out to my parents twice (which to this day still doesn’t make sense as I thought I was only going to have to do once lol), both of which have not gone well.
Waiting for the right time to graduate and get on my feet to hopefully stand my ground and start living my life the way I’ve always imagined it. This may be a very condensed version of my story but hopefully it can resonate with people that are kind of in the same boat. You’re not alone.”
15/06/2021 – “I knew I was bisexual since I was a kid, and as many Arab families, mine is very traditional. Sitti wears the white veil, and even though Jidi wasn’t an ordained sheikh, he was respected and considered one in the community. I didn’t want to have anything to do with the religion, the culture, to the point of being an absolute hater.
However, now that I live away from my family in a different country, not only have I started practicing more Arabic but also learn as much as I can about the Drue faith. I do not believe in one male God because it feels limiting for me (why one? why male? why straight? how do we know for sure?) but I do believe in something Divine. If I was born queer in a Druze family, I don’t think it was or am a mistake. If I was born Druze and queer, it’s because that’s how it was supposed to be. So be it.”
12/06/2021 – “Things I have heard this pride month: My brother, “Why are you defending them?”; My mother’s response to me asking if she knows of LGBT ancestors in the family, “Oh dear God I hope not.”; an unprompted remark from my cousin, “If any one of those faggots step into my shop, I’ll fucking bash the shit out of them.” Feeling anything but proud right now.”