19/04/2021 | Writer: Kaos GL

‘How was your day?’ we asked the refugee LGBTI+’s. They answered, we translated from Arabic and Farsi and now sharing them with you. Here is the first story: The Red Circle

Refugee LGBTI+s talk about their days: The Red Circle Kaos GL - News Portal for LGBTI+

Kaos GL Refugee Rights Program aims to facilitate LGBTI+ refugees' access to basic rights, official bodies and social networks in the cities where they reside, the program provides legal and social advice through lawyers and social workers working within the program. In addition to all this, the Refugee Rights Program organizes developmental and social events on various topics.

Throughout 2020, the program has met with LGBTI+ refugees who speak Farsi and Arabic. Some of these events were online drama workshops. Kaos GL Refugee Rights Program organized 'Storytelling', a sub-branch of drama, workshops with refugee LGBTI+'s on November 23, 25 and 27 led by theatre and performance artist Gökçe Yiğitel. Refugee LGBTI+'s from seven cities participated in the workshops and told their stories.

As of today, we share those stories with KaosGL.org readers by saying "Every day of us is valuable and worth telling". We are here with the second story…

***

Hi,

I write my words to you from home...

Every morning I wake up hoping to get out of this red circle (the society that rejects homosexuality).

I go into the kitchen, have a cup of coffee and play some soothing music that can reshape my past evening and ease my crowded thoughts and fears that are with me for a long-time.

Everyone goes to work at 8:00 in the morning... As for me, I sit on the balcony of the house and look at passersby because I am unemployed... I pick up my phone with a cup of coffee in my hand and I look at it all the time. I'm looking at it in the hope that my dreams will come true and that someone will call me and tell me this disturbing nightmare is over. "You will have a better life and you will live in an environment that loves you and a society that accepts you. You're going to have a valentine, you're going to have new friends. You'll be legally protected, you'll be safe."  What I mean is to be resettled in a third country... My coffee gets cold while waiting for that call…

Waiting. Living your life waiting for something is like dying while you're alive.

I'm a lone LGBT refugee living in a society that rejects the idea that I'm homosexual. This is my daily wish and hope. I really need that phone call right now. This is the news I expect every day as someone registered in the UNHCR... Every night I tell myself I'll be called tomorrow. Then the tomorrow comes... But nothing changes except the date.

There are activities I do. For example, I tidy my room up, organize the kitchen, prepare breakfast...

I don't have time for sports. I think I do sports while doing housework and moving around the house...

My hands and eyes are tired of looking at my phone for news from the UNHCR resettlement authorities.

I took out my notebook and pen at 3 o'clock. I tried to write something, but I couldn't because when I read the pages I wrote, I couldn't find anything new in my life to add to my notebook... Thoughts piled up in my head, confused... A lot...

So, I closed the notebook saying that  I would write in my notebook when something good happens ...

Wait for me

Everyday I

I use my electric coffee maker and cup every morning

My right hand embraces my cup...

I sit in one of the seats by the window of the house and take in the fresh air.

I have a cleaning tool, (cleaning cloth)

The spray bottle squirts water, I use my left and right hands together to clean the windows.


Tags: human rights, arts and culture
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