Arab Initiative is a newly founded organization that focuses on LGBT people with roots in the Middle East or Northern Africa. The organization opened Pride House on Monday afternoon, together with Gunilla Edemo.
What is Arab Initiative?
The organization was founded in May this year, and the purpose is to create a platform for LGBT people with roots in the Middle East, Northern Africa or any other Arabic speaking country to pursue the rights of this group, both in Sweden and internationally.
Counteracting stereotypical perceptions
In the opening speech, Arab Initiative's representative expressed a hope that Sweden would play a bigger role in LGBT-related questions in the Middle East, but also emphasized the importance of questioning the common perception of LGBT people of foreign origin merely as victims.
- The fact that there are prejudices and difficulties among immigrant families to accept their child's sexual orientation does not automatically mean that this should be interpreted as honour crime related.
Create change
Arab Initiative insists that change is created by considering violence and oppression of LGBT-persons, not as culturally specific, but rather something that occurs in all cultures. Prejudices can be countered, and the immigrants who have prejudice and be influenced, by emphasizing LGBT people of foreign origin who are not oppressed of victims of crime, and by pointing out all the immigrants who have nothing against LGBT people.
Norms and perspectives
There is no doubt that Pride House is the political edge of Stockholm Pride, and Arab Initiative adds an important perspective to this year's festival and completes the theme, [Theme: HETERO]. The heteronorm is not the only norm that limits people and sets up rules for our way of thinking about different matters or groups of people. By becoming organized and making itself known in the LGBT community, Arab Initiative will no doubt enrich not only this year's Stockholm Pride, but the LGBT movement in Sweden as well.
Arab Initiative at Pride
Tuesday 28 at 13.00: International cooperation with the arab world
Thursday 30 at 14.00: Islamophobia and the LGBT community
Both lectures are given in English.
On Friday 31 of July there will be an Oriental party at RFSL's premises at Sveavägen. Klick on the links for further information on the events. For further information on Arab Initiative, please visit their website at http://www.arabinitiative.eu.