A look at Sepideh Jodeiri’s literary activities in recent years reveals the fact that she is accustomed to going against the norm. From founding the Feminist Women’s Poetry Prize (Khorsheed) to translating a lesbian story, she strives to challenge the male-dominated literary space. Jodeiri has become a pioneer in the Iranian and Persian-speaking LGBTQ+ community, […]...

The concept of sexual orientation can be considered as a scientific concept rather than a historical one, created by modern discourse. The discussion of homosexuality, considering its cultural, psychological, social, and biological implications, is still a topic of discussion in the field of psychology, sociology, and essentially cognitive sciences. Apart from the discussion of the […]...

When Mahmoud Ahmadinejad denied the existence of homosexuality in Iran, similar to the West, during his Q&A at Columbia University, no one in the audience was there to ask him if what Mohammad Hashem Mosavai Hosseini has narrated in his book about Iranian society is true. The society that is presented to the reader in […]...

The film “Facing Mirrors” directed by Ms. Negar Azarbayjani and produced by Ms. Farshad Ta’irpour was made in Iran in 2009. In this film, Adineh, a transgender Iranian girl (someone who physically appears to have a different gender than their gender identity, and therefore feels the need to undergo a physical gender change), comes from […]...

One of the major criticisms traditionally directed at activists for the rights of sexual minorities is that, given the numerous problems in Iranian society such as continuous violations of citizens’ rights by the government, as well as violations of the rights of women, Baha’is, Christians, Dervishes, Sunnis, and other issues, should we really be focusing […]...

According to a report published by Gallup Institute in 2013, between 1.7% to 10% of the population in different states of America identify as homosexual, bisexual, or transgender. (1) The conclusion drawn is that on average, around 3.5% of the American population is homosexual. However, active researchers in this field express that the percentage of […]...

The equality and non-discrimination of sexual minorities (including gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals) is based on two important principles of international human rights law: equality and non-discrimination. In the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted in 1948, it is stated that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. However, LGBTQ+ […]...

Sexual orientation is a term used to describe the sexual and emotional behavior of individuals. The intensity, frequency, and preference for a specific gender determine a person’s sexual orientation. Sexual orientation is not something that is transmitted from one person to another through social interactions or relationships with family, culture, or individuals. It develops with […]...

The book “Understanding Iranian Homosexuality” is a collection of articles written by “Nima Shahed” since 1385. Nima Shahed is a pseudonym under which the author has published these articles. During this time, he worked as a collaborator with the Iranian Queer Organization (IRQO) in Iran and was actively involved in activities related to the rights […]...