Hello hexbear community, lurker here. I'm a gay middle eastern man, who lives in a very conservative country in middle east. I been believing in rights of women and discrimination of jews, but i feel hypocritical. I dont know women aside from family members, i don't know any jewish person. I can't talk to women locally nor find a jewish person, im not sure how i can initiate such friendship.

it sounds to me similar to rich kids talking about how easy it is to live and find but they never worked a day in their life.

  • spectre [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    Comrade, I can only imagine how challenging it would be to try and get some social experience with certain groups or cultures in a very conservative country. Do you happen to live in or around a large city? Are you connected with other gay people in your area at all?

    Social media is a good way to connect with groups that you aren't a part of as well. Unfortunately on Hexbear, most of us have a tendency to downplay our personal traits due to some of the attention we've received from chuds in the past. I know we have women and Jewish people among us, but I notice that stuff like that isn't usually expressed unless it's directly relevant to the topic being discussed.

    Another option (which is also impersonal) is to consume media that is created by women or Jewish people and includes those types of themes. I have a couple recommendations I would make but I would like to see if a woman or Jewish comrade would like to take a crack at it first, since the recommendations I have in mind aren't really that great.

    • GargoyleSoldier [he/him]
      hexagon
      ·
      2 years ago

      im struggling with making long term friendship with westerns in general. Its very hard, its everyone has their cliques and not interested in having online friendships, so i end up in same circles (gay furry arab server we made a while back).

      • President_Obama [they/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Trembling Before G-d is a 2001 American documentary film about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews trying to reconcile their sexuality with their faith.

        Recommended to me by a Jewish comrade. I'm yet to watch it, but it's about gay Jewish people who miss/long for a proper connection with their religious community without supressing/neglecting their identity.

      • spectre [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        Is there any future timeline where you'd be able to leave your country? is that something that you'd consider if you had the opportunity?

        • GargoyleSoldier [he/him]
          hexagon
          ·
          2 years ago

          I am conflicted, i learnt how to live in my country, how to stretch our currency in a market, how to talk to people here. But i would still like to meet with my family. My country doesn't allow applying for foriegn citizenship, only working in a different country is allowed. It feels like there is no country that will be my home espically as someone who wants to be a worker/expat, i have to be put against native workers there and i dont know if i can compete. I am pursuing Bachelors in computer science and planning on getting higher degree to make me more competitive.