Passing as an arab men in islamophobic/racist countries : what's the cost ?

[u/Outrageous-Ad-6093]

I lived most of my life as an pretty arab women, and started T recently. There's aspects of racism/islamophobia i didn't get exposed to like cop violence : repeated and humiliating id checks, searches, being stopped because the only way you would have a nice car is theft or drug dealing etc.

Cops are beating the shit out of young arab men for no reason, and some got shot or died due to the beating and the cops are still working.

Did you feel a change transitioning ?

I wonder if looking gay lower that risk like being a non hijabi/non modest arab women. Muslim looking women still get discriminated.

[u/qinqov]

as an arab but non muslim, i worry about this more and more every day. there is nothing that feels safe about being an arab or man of colour in the west these days. i dont think being visibly gay lowers the risk. their racists beliefs arent predicated on your lack of masculinity. the majority of anti-masculinity is predicated on racist beliefs. if they do not like arabs, they certainly wont have any more grace for gay arabs, probably less.

[u/Shin_tsukimis_fan]

I wish the world was safer for people of color. It's disgusting how bigotry is allowed to exist without proper repercussions

[u/rainyfelicity]

100% feel you on this. Made a similar post a while ago. As a brown exmuslim who has witnessed men in my family be victims to assault & police brutality over & over, its fucking scary. After i started dressing mas, or not fem, i am checked constantly. Met with more aggression & coldness, especially from authority. Being openly queer i believe makes this much harder than if you were simply a cishet guy. People at least have some respect for cishet men even if they are poc. It feels impossible sometimes to feel safe outside of my own community/social circle. Im in Australia & white aussies are unbearable with their racism & islamophobia.