Hidden Conflict

Many women in Palestinian society are living with their identities and sexual orientations secret. When women dare to identify themselves outsides the borders of prescriptive traditional gender roles and identities, they face violent exclusion, or even worse, violence against their own bodies and property. Furthermore, as Palestinian women living inside the borders of Israel or in the Occupied Territories, there is the double discrimination of belonging to an internally displaced population without equal status. The competition between different, sometimes clashing needs and identities, puts people in a position where they are expected to prioritize one struggle over the other or to choose ideological "loyalty" in a multi-layered reality. ASWAT (or "Voices" in English) offers a unique perspective on social change in light of the conflict between identities and political struggles.ASWAT is the first Palestinian lesbian organization, located in Haifa, Israel, which organizes support groups in rotation in Haifa, Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv, provides assistance to those in crisis situations, conducts media outreach, and coordinates educational activities. ASWAT and Ms. Morcos have earned national and international recognition for their outstanding accomplishments in education and raising awareness on LGBT issues. Ms. Morcos is currently in the US to accept the A Celebration of Courage award, from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC). IGLHRC speaks out for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights in the international arena. Through her work convening and educating social workers, healthcare providers, and teachers, she has managed to put LGBT issues on the Palestinian social agenda. Ms. Morcos has also presented through media and press, and academic lectures, on the local, national, regional and international levels.

Please send your RSVP to cepopenforum@sorosny.org. Please make sure to include your full name and affiliation. Lunch will be served.

Rauda Morcos is the Co-founder and General Coordinator of ASWAT.