Moral courage champion fights for gay Iranians
09. 24. 2009 – Janice Formichella
Arsham Parsi
Arsham Parsi is the founder of the Iranian Queer Railroad (IRQR), an organization that supports Iranians who have fled their country due to Iran’s harsh punishments against gays and lesbians. IRQR provides support ranging from safe houses and funds to education about rights. The organization operates out of Canada, where Arsham settled after escaping Iran out of fear for his own safety.
I chose to write about Arsham because of the impressive way he has taken a stand in his community, despite the backlash that caused him to flee his country of birth. Besides the retaliation he faced from Iran’s government, Arsham has also confronted hostility from some in the Iranian queer community itself.
He explains that many Iranians don’t understand the concept of volunteer work or activism in the way North Americans do. Many don’t believe that he would strive so hard out of sheer passion. So he’s often accused of trying to benefit himself.
After nine years of activism, Arsham still receives regular threats against his safety and reputation. However, he points out that while dealing with backlash is a constant part of his work, the negative messages “are nothing” compared to the supportive messages that he receives.
Arsham says that while negative attacks are personal, he tries to take them in stride: “It’s not all about me anymore; it’s about all of those who are looking forward to my activities in order to have a little bit more freedom. I can tolerate it when some people say something harmful against me. Because it is not just my rights, it is everybody’s rights.”
While IRQR operates without any paid staff, it boasts an impressive success rate. More than 70% of IRQR’s clients have gained refugee status or are in the middle of the resettlement process. IRQR is quite successful in assisting refugees with financial support from private donations.
IRQR recently gained official nonprofit status in Canada and is working to expand its visibility and impact. For example, the organization would like to boost its use of volunteers in the next
year to help with writing reports. And the more fundraisers that supporters can organized, the better!
If you’re interested in helping IRQR, email them here.
The idea of an “underground railroad” for queer Iranians is a brilliant update to the underground railroad used by American slaves in the 19th century. This analogy is just another way of understanding that human rights truly are universal. The strategies for securing those rights can cross borders, and centuries, too.
I asked Arsham what he would say to other young activists who, living in an era of instant gratification, are easily discouraged by the lack of immediate results. He replies eloquently: “Defeat, defeat, defame, but finally success — if we learn from our mistakes.”
97 responses to “Moral courage champion fights for gay Iranians”Write yours at the bottom of the page!
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September 25th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Hello Ms. Formichella,
I was quite moved when reading about Mr. Parsi’s plight against the Iranian regime and the work he is putting into aiding those who are also being oppressed by the government. Gay or not, I think every person can learn not only from his courage, but his perseverance. One of the characteristics I’ve discovered within those whose moral courage, and consciences has helped them shape society is their astounding perseverance. Like Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Harriet Jacobs, a person has to believe in what they stand for before perseverance can take place.
What I’m curious about is whether Mr. Parsi has expanded his organization for aiding non-gays as well. I mention this because Iran is in dire condition where it’s difficult, especially for men, to seek refuge from Iran. As a first generation Iranian-American I know this from the men in my family who still live in Iran. While I can understand that Mr. Parsi’s personal experiences as a gay man in Iran has helped shaped this organization to help other gays, I don’t think that oppression from the regime stops at harassing homosexuals. Any Iranian living there who is against that regime and plays an active role in working against them stands an equal chance of being oppressed and abused.
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Irshad Manji Reply:
September 25th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
@Shahrin, Hi Shahrin – Irshad Manji here. In suggesting that Arsham Parsi could be helping heterosexual Iranians too, you raise a question for me: What do you say to those who argue that “Western” Iranians like Arsham and you have no business aiding “authentic” Iranians? That’s an accusation hurled quite often. I’m curious how you respond to it.
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Shahrin Reply:
September 25th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
@Irshad Manji, Irshad I’m happy to hear from you. Though I’ve never had that question directed at me before (at least not about Iranians), I would think that as a citizen of the world everyone has a moral responsibility not only to their own community, but also to those outside of the community. When a regime threatens basic human rights, it is a threat to the entire global community, regardless of nationality, religion, etc. Therefore, it is not my business to ally with indifference, ignorance, or denial.
As Elie Weisel once stated, “Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil.” I would also like to encourage the opposition to observe Mr. Weisel’s example and the example of the Holocaust: a mass genocide that Churchill, Roosevelt, and Eisenhower were aware of, but did not take immediate action to stop it. But this isn’t the only atrocious account history offers to prove the dangers of indifference. Nor is it the first time history proves the risks we take when we do not fight injustices beyond our borders.
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Janice Formichella Reply:
September 25th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
@Shahrin,there are many practical reasons for an organization such as IRQR to focus on a specific demographic of oppressed people. One primary concern is visibility. There are many organizations that provide services to refugees but not very many provide support to gay Iranians. When people flee and are in crisis it is so valuable for them to be able to quickly figure out where they can go for help. For people as isolated and discriminated against as Iranian homosexuals, it is important for them to know that there is a place that has a history of providing services to people like them. As Arsham pointed out, trust even from gay Iranians is a constant problem.
There is a temptation to ask why strong people like Arsham don’t do more. However the point of these posts is to demonstrate the power that we each have to make a difference. My hope is that it will encourage readers to do more and to look and see how they themselves can do the things we look to others to do. I look forward to using this blog to tell each other how we live moral courage
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Shahrin Reply:
September 25th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
@Janice Formichella, I completely agree with you. I’m sure that his organization has more efficient ways to help gay Iranians out of the country. But are you indicating that some of these organizations aimed at helping refugees are discriminating against the ones that are gay? No doubt it’s possible, but this is also quite upsetting that even when a people are in dire consequences who need help, those that have the ability to help are bias towards who they want to help.
If this was a factor that influenced Arsham into creating this organization, then we’re no longer viewing the Iranian regime as sole opponents, but also ourselves– our own communities. For me, this brings up a great question: If someone sought my help, help that could possibly save their life, would I refuse because I find their lifestyle, culture, etc. offending to my beliefs and views? This might sound like an easy question, but it’s surprising to see just how people act when they’re put into a situation like that, which brings me back to my previous discussion about moral responsibility within a global community.
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September 25th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Firstly, great post Janice. Its is very encouraging to see a movement such as this develop in such a harsh political climate as exists Iran.
Secondly, I just wanted to add that I think just because the Iranian regime is generally oppressive to its people does not necessarily put all of those people on the same level playing field of oppression. I’m sure Ahmadenijad admits that even men of the opposition party exist in his country, while to him gays simply do not. I would imagine the regime would treat a class of people whose existence it does not even acknowledge at least a little worse than the rest of the population it does recognize. However, very fortunately I’ve had no first hand experience with the Iranian regime so please correct me if I’m wrong.
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Shahrin Reply:
September 25th, 2009 at 5:11 pm
@Anthony NYC, Anthony, I think you bring a wonderful point to my argument. Although these days, it’s really hard to pinpoint the exact levels of oppression from one group to another. Currently, I think it’s young-generation Iranians in organized rallies that are the most oppressed and abused. I have heard some daunting stories about the amount of torture these young people go through once they’re caught by authorities. An instance I’ve heard (which, I warn you, is very graphic) has stayed with me since the June elections. A young man part of the June election protests was raped countless times by police and was finally released. However, because of his experiences, he is mentally unstable. Additionally, he had many digestive problems following the rapes and after several examinations, his doctor concluded that because the young man’s colon was completely ruptured, he would have to suffer with his condition for the rest of his life.
As an Iranian-American, it is painful for me to hear these stories and so, it is only obvious that the situation in Iran has escalated to such extremities that everyone opposed to the regime is being watched and attempts to control these rallies are only getting stronger. However, this is just the surface of their problems. What upsets me is that some of us, those blessed with the same rights other are dying for, start to draw lines between those they will help and those they won’t because of their race, beliefs, lifestyle, etc- and I go into this with my response to Janice Formichella.
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September 25th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Upon Irshad’s prompting on her facebook page, I’ve read this and wholeheartedly agree with Shahrin. We cannot succumb to indifference. Even to the straight white heterosexual middle class male I believe, who holds many problems himself from oppression of emotions to cultural violence bred from childbirth. One of my worse gripes, which is related to Irshad’s question on authentic/Western Iranians but not directly, is the issue of gay rights. Straight men and women can be labelled homosexual and suffer the same prejudice, violence, shame, stigmatisation, despite the fact that they don’t identify as such. Yet when people talk about gay rights, everyone forgets this. In laymen’s terms, gay rights are everyone’s rights – the right to love, desire and self-identify without prejudice. It doesn’t matter what kind of person you identify as (which is more important than being told who you are – right to self-determination – if someone considers himself Iranian, it is the duty of all to respect that decision without stigma, shame or violence), we are all interlinked, as is the violence taken against all of us. When a gay man suffers, the ability to love freely suffers – When an Iranian told he is not authentic, the freedom to self-determine oneself, regardless of nationality, suffers.
I like to think I can live up to Shahrin’s demands. Everything does interlink. Women’s rights affect men’s rights affects disabled rights affects LGBT rights affect immigrants rights affects animals rights affects all the other rights that sum up every living thing on this planet. I was shocked to hear someone connect disability with environmental affairs even (50% of children suffering malnutrition go blind)! The more we learn how interlinked everything is, how we are not just a label given to us but a person with desires and needs, then may we find an end to prejudice.
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September 25th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
(having read Janice’s comments, I must eat a bit of humble pie – though I stand by my statements, I completely agree with hers as well – we only can do so much without burning out or stretching too thin).
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September 25th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I think we can all agree that anyone who suffers under the repression of the IRI regime deserves complete solidarity, support, and advocacy, but an important distinction I think was missing from Shahrin’s initial analysis is that some groups are targeted not for what they *do* but for *who they are.*
Shahrin wrote:
“Any Iranian living there who is against that regime and plays an active role in working against them stands an equal chance of being oppressed and abused.”
Yes. This is very true. But if you are gay or Baha’i or Sufi in Iran, you do not have to *do* anything to be a target, you are a target simply because of who you are.
Shahrin’s comments do raise an important point that there are many commonalities between the experiences of oppressed groups in Iran. This is a very important time for all of us to reach across traditional barriers and find new ways to support each other.
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Shahrin Reply:
September 25th, 2009 at 5:27 pm
@Amanda, Amanda, that is a great addition to the discussion here. I’m sure that, in one form or another, most people have experienced this type of discrimination that had absolutely nothing to do with one’s activism. However, in Arsham’s case, he was discovered by his activism for gay rights in Iran, which caused him to flee the country. This was my reason for emphasizing more on action and less on identity. Nevertheless, you made a great point that I did not mention in my post
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