Before the Beirut Port blast last August that killed hundreds and destroyed entire neighborhoods, Lebanon’s economy was already under enormous pressure due to long-standing political challenges and the Covid pandemic. Amid all of this, Lebanon’s LGBTQ+ community has been particularly hard hit. Social entrepreneurs like Tarek Zeidan are building a better economic future for Lebanon that elevates queer voices.
We are publishing this story on March 31, in honor of the International Transgender Day of Visibility.
Tarek Zeidan, CEO of Helem, says “We have to convince people that changing their attitudes towards … [+]
Helem
Zeynep Meydanoglu: You head-up Helem, the first LGBTQ+ organization in the Arab World. Tell us about it.
Tarek Zeidan: We provide services and protection to the LGBT community in Lebanon and the region. Whether it…