Shadi Amin is grateful to the coordinators of the Six Colors Organization (the network of Iranian lesbians and transgender people) and also to the managers of the Justice Organization for Iran. She has been openly working on the subject of homosexuality for over 17 years and has made efforts through collective activities, speeches, writing articles, and translations to prevent future generations from experiencing the bitter and difficult experiences of homosexuals that she has witnessed in her own generation.

Shadi Amin believes that until we learn to respect human rights beyond their sexual orientation or national and religious affiliations, we will not have democracy in Iranian society.

Exclusive conversation of the monthly magazine “Peace Line” about the issues of homosexuals and their solutions is coming up.

Mrs. Amin, as the first question, what do you think are the main problems faced by the LGBT community in Iran today?

In the first stage, naturally, the death penalty is allowed. Although many say that because proving homosexuality is difficult, this punishment is not carried out, but essentially the shadow of fear of execution has always existed over a social group. In fact, the issue of decriminalizing homosexuality is one of our main concerns and we are striving for it. Another issue is access to information and awareness in this area. We believe that lack of access to information and awareness leaves many homosexuals alone. The problem that arises for them when they discover their sexual orientation is whether they have a problem or are sick and need treatment, and they are always worried that they are committing a sin. Unfortunately, there is no awareness about this issue; despite widespread access to the internet, due to filtering, many do not have access to the free internet to be able to obtain information about the issue of homosexuality. The third point I want to make is the lack of protective laws or organizations, both outside and inside Iran, that can

Why is homosexuality a natural phenomenon; what are the reasons for this issue?

I think this question should be reversed: What reason do we have to consider heterosexuality as the only natural inclination?

If homosexuality is considered a natural part of human nature, then yes, it is just as natural as heterosexuality. However, if you want to define natural as being in line with societal norms and expectations, then there is a problem and homosexuality is labeled as unnatural because it does not fit into those norms. This is incorrect. We pose the question, is there any other reason for the dominance of heteronormative relationships besides the issue of reproduction? While the criteria for sexual and emotional relationships between humans is not reproduction. Modern humans have moved away from the limitations of instinctual relationships and choose conscious and voluntary relationships for themselves. Furthermore, homosexuality has existed since the beginning of humanity and there are many documents that attest to this fact. We believe that as long as sexual and emotional relationships between humans do not harm each other and are conscious and voluntary, others are obligated to accept and respect these choices.

The next question is: Despite the fact that we are witnessing a crisis in the institution of family, a crisis in same-sex relationships, and widespread violence within these relationships, including daily murder and assault, how can we insist that only this one form of relationship (i.e. between a man and a woman) is legitimate? And why do backward religious institutions such as the church, synagogue, and mosque emphasize the illegality of same-sex relationships? Our insistence is that human sexual orientation should not be seen as a privilege or value. Just as the anti-racism movement has strived to ensure that race and skin color are not the basis for discrimination and oppression, and has made progress in many parts of the world, we are not advocating for same-sex individuals to be treated as more valuable humans, nor do we believe that individuals of different sexual orientations should be subject to discrimination and oppression because of their sexual orientation. On the contrary, we believe that accepting all sexual orientations and embracing human differences should

Do you think the problems faced by lesbian women are more than those faced by gay men, or do they have similar problems?

See, on the other hand, when we talk about male dominance and masculine values in society that oppress women, these dynamics are also reproduced in same-sex relationships; meaning that in these relationships, gay men also have the upper hand and more power. And of course, this is not only limited to the Iranian homosexual community, but we also face this issue in non-Iranian homosexual societies. On the other hand, they also have many common and similar problems. For example, when we talk about homophobia or discrimination against homosexuals, or when we talk about Islamic penal code and the execution or punishment of homosexuals, it applies to both men and women; although for women, the punishment of stoning or whipping is only considered for the first three offenses, and the fourth offense will result in execution. These are the common pains that we all suffer from, and in Iranian society, due to backwardness and religious domination, these issues are intensified.

On the other hand, I believe that lesbian and transgender women should have their own independent organization because they face unique issues, such as mandatory hijab and dress codes. Lesbian and transgender women are forced to conform to society’s expectations and wear the hijab, which is not a problem that gay men face. Another important issue is forced marriages, which is a serious problem for many lesbian women and has ruined many lives. Unfortunately, we often come face to face with this issue as well.

Another point is that, in addition to girls’ greater dependence on family and the pressure to follow established rules, sexual relationships for girls are defined differently and come with more restrictions. In many women, the suppression of their sexual and emotional needs is considered normal and everyday. These are differences that need to be seen.

Mrs. Amin, what different responses did the homosexuals give to their problems in Iran?

See, I emphasize this point that the LGBTQ+ community is just like any other community, a diverse one. We have LGBTQ+ travelers, LGBTQ+ artists, LGBTQ+ filmmakers, LGBTQ+ politicians, LGBTQ+ analysts, LGBTQ+ writers, and so on. In fact, it’s wrong to try and categorize the LGBTQ+ community as a single entity. In fact, the heterosexual community tends to impose a specific set of morals, behaviors, and stereotypes on this social group and judge them accordingly. For example, if they see an LGBTQ+ person with short hair and wearing clothes typically worn by men, they immediately label them as “butch” or “femme”. On the contrary, I strongly believe that the LGBTQ+ community is a diverse one, with individuals and different beliefs, political views, class affiliations, and different behavioral models, including different sexual behaviors. Non-LGBTQ+ individuals also have different sexual behaviors and preferences. The ways they interact with their sexual and life partners

But your question was how do they overcome these problems? The answer is that some are forced to leave the country and live abroad due to family pressures, government pressures, job loss, expulsion from university, etc. Others, due to lack of access to information and awareness about their gender identity, suppress their feelings. This group suffers from severe mental and emotional turmoil. Another group, due to the existing homophobia and dominant discourse surrounding sexuality and gender change in Iran, seek psychiatric help and believe they have a gender identity disorder. In many cases, during their first visit, psychologists or psychiatrists immediately tell them that they are trans and need to undergo surgery. Some of them believe that homosexuals are trapped in the wrong body; a feminine soul in a masculine body or vice versa, and they must undergo gender reassignment surgery and go through a painful process. Well, you know that gender reassignment surgery is legal in Iran and after Thailand, Iran is one of the countries with the highest number of gender re

Similarly, a large number of people have their own friendly gatherings and social and cyber networks, which unfortunately are increasingly threatened every day and are infiltrated by elements trying to identify activists in this field. This is a serious danger and considering that social networks are the only way for organizing and publicly expressing themselves, they should not be ignored and we must always warn that in terms of security issues, especially for friends living in Iran, they should be more careful. At the same time, we witness the resistance of young people in both private areas such as education and improving their knowledge and social status, and in social areas. The network of six colors and the coming together of lesbians and transgender people, who have shared fate and are trying to change these circumstances, is one of the successful examples of such collective resistance.

What is your advice to families with children who have homosexual tendencies? How should they deal with such cases?

See, we have an online counseling service where we try to provide counseling to those in need regarding mental and emotional issues or legal matters. An interesting point we have encountered is that more and more families are accepting this issue every day; accepting their children for who they are and not suppressing them out of fear of what the neighbors or relatives might say. Families should first think about what their child is saying and what they want, and take their wishes seriously. In fact, in my opinion, foreign Persian media plays a very important role in raising awareness and promoting this issue. Although unfortunately, many families have rejected their children and the question arises, what has happened to that kindness and the culture that Iranian parents have for themselves? Some families, when they find out that their children have a different sexual orientation, resort to extreme violence and we have cases where someone has slept in cemeteries and tombs for five years. In addition, we have witnessed much more serious violence, such as the murder of

Finally, how do you think we can remove the taboo of homosexuality from Iranian society?

As I mentioned before, one role of media is to create discussions and conversations on social networks. However, I believe the most effective way is for LGBTQ+ individuals to be visibly present in society; to come out and tell people around them that they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. People need to see that these individuals, who they have known and interacted with, are just like them and there is no difference. In fact, society should learn to get closer to and touch “other” social groups and embrace them.

My recommendation to all lesbian and gay children is to show their social presence with strength. We have very capable individuals in the LGBTQ community and we must show that we are not only in need of mercy, but also that this community is capable of making significant contributions to the growth of a democratic society as a whole.

Unfortunately, in Iranian society, there are many backward and demeaning perceptions towards “others” and naturally, any issue related to sexual and gender issues is scrutinized more closely. People must learn that when they hear the term “homosexual,” they should imagine a human being in front of them, not immediately try to understand their sexual relationship. Our curiosity about such matters does not lead us forward. It is also the responsibility of non-homosexual society to learn and educate themselves. They should strive to increase their knowledge in this area and, like any unknown subject, get to know it before expressing their opinions. Most importantly, they should learn to respect the dignity of all human beings. This is the minimum that someone who claims to understand freedom, equality, and justice should adhere to. There is no justification for ignoring this matter.

Thank you for the time you have given to the monthly magazine of the Peace Line.