Interview updates
1- already published in Finland (electronic version still not available)
2- the staff of the mag. asked me for an Arabic statement: just for the Arabic language's visual effect, they said it will look much better and authentic with Arabic in there... I passed the statement... they typed it (FROM FREAKIN LEFT TO RIGHT!) so everything went backwards... Lucky us, I translated my statement in English and they used it as well.. this is how it reads:
"In the same time when Egypt passes through a crucial period in its history, in the same time when Egyptians go out day after day in mass protests calling for liberty, democracy, social justice and human dignity: The need for a minority-rights advocating movement appears more than any time before as Egypt flounders today between choices that would determine its future. We, gays and lesbians, participated in the 25th of January revolution hoping that it will open wide the door for a new system that includes all Egyptians. A homeland that doesn't discriminate between white and black, between a Muslim and a Christian nor between a homosexual and a heterosexual. And now, two years after our glorious revolution, we still have hope in a better future that would grant us the most basic of our rights; to be recognized as an inseparable part of this country, in chaste love that harms no one and in sharing our lives with those whom our hearts choose as soul mates and live-long companions. We were never criminals, atheists nor religion despising, only God's creation wished us different, not to sow hatred, but to sow love and peace. God is the lord of diversity and differences: It made us from a male and a female to become different peoples and tribes in different colors and wonderfully diverse languages and several sexual and emotional orientations to lead us to happiness and welfare. All we, homosexuals, call for is but what God wanted for us, his worshipers - and sons - namely, peace and respect for each other.
from here we emerge and from here we start, by God's grace, our journey to a dignified life, not forgetting even for a moment that we are an inseparable part of this beloved homeland; to get happy by its success and get saddened by its fails.. We call, right now, ever conscientious patriot to recognize our right of existence and help us achieve equality and justice so that we can be one of this great nation's development factors for a better future"
3- After a struggle between the mag's preference in using an Alias and my insistence on using my own name, the mag finally agreed to use my FIRST NAME and to add the usual disclaimer in the end of the article "some names were changed... etc"
4- the mag seems interested in future projects about the middle east... we'll see.
5- will post the electronic version once I get it.
2- the staff of the mag. asked me for an Arabic statement: just for the Arabic language's visual effect, they said it will look much better and authentic with Arabic in there... I passed the statement... they typed it (FROM FREAKIN LEFT TO RIGHT!) so everything went backwards... Lucky us, I translated my statement in English and they used it as well.. this is how it reads:
"In the same time when Egypt passes through a crucial period in its history, in the same time when Egyptians go out day after day in mass protests calling for liberty, democracy, social justice and human dignity: The need for a minority-rights advocating movement appears more than any time before as Egypt flounders today between choices that would determine its future. We, gays and lesbians, participated in the 25th of January revolution hoping that it will open wide the door for a new system that includes all Egyptians. A homeland that doesn't discriminate between white and black, between a Muslim and a Christian nor between a homosexual and a heterosexual. And now, two years after our glorious revolution, we still have hope in a better future that would grant us the most basic of our rights; to be recognized as an inseparable part of this country, in chaste love that harms no one and in sharing our lives with those whom our hearts choose as soul mates and live-long companions. We were never criminals, atheists nor religion despising, only God's creation wished us different, not to sow hatred, but to sow love and peace. God is the lord of diversity and differences: It made us from a male and a female to become different peoples and tribes in different colors and wonderfully diverse languages and several sexual and emotional orientations to lead us to happiness and welfare. All we, homosexuals, call for is but what God wanted for us, his worshipers - and sons - namely, peace and respect for each other.
from here we emerge and from here we start, by God's grace, our journey to a dignified life, not forgetting even for a moment that we are an inseparable part of this beloved homeland; to get happy by its success and get saddened by its fails.. We call, right now, ever conscientious patriot to recognize our right of existence and help us achieve equality and justice so that we can be one of this great nation's development factors for a better future"
3- After a struggle between the mag's preference in using an Alias and my insistence on using my own name, the mag finally agreed to use my FIRST NAME and to add the usual disclaimer in the end of the article "some names were changed... etc"
4- the mag seems interested in future projects about the middle east... we'll see.
5- will post the electronic version once I get it.