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Varin, a light-skinned Iraqi non-binary person in an interview with the BBC. They are sitting indoors in a low-lit room, speaking. They have dark, brown eyes and short, blond hair. They have several piercings in their ears. They are wearing a collared white shirt.

Fear and Survival: Being LGBTQ in Iraq

Interview
2022
Iraq
Varin, a 22-year-old non-binary Iraqi, talks about their experiences of discrimination and harassment, and their hope for the future.

Watch.


Available Summary:

For Iraq’s LGBTQ+ community, life is difficult and dangerous. In a society that sees itself as modest, traditional, and deeply religious, many refuse to believe in anything other than heterosexuality. Being gay or non-binary doesn’t break any laws, but people in these groups still live in fear.

Every day the community faces physical violence, or even the fear of being murdered if their secret is uncovered. Sexual assaults are also common, and the toll on their mental health is severe.

BBC journalist Anna Foster meets three young LGBTQ+ people in Iraqi Kurdistan and hears about the abuse they’ve experienced and their hopes for the future. In a place where many people believe society is changing and modernising, that’s far from the reality for them.

-YouTube.

Entry last updated:

28 Mar 2026

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