There is no doubt that the coronavirus pandemic has created various questions and challenges in the face of LGBTQ individuals and other marginalized groups in the society. As a result, this in its turn creates specific challenges for the groups and organizations that are active on gender and sexual diversity issues.

Therefore, as a way of acknowledging the complex situation, and recognizing our political and intellectual responsibility to share our experiences and expertise, we are delighted to invite you to a virtual meeting that deals with the political and professional challenges of the pandemic, and especially those that face the feminist and queer organizations and groups. The meeting will tackle many subjects such as the pandemic’s impact on LGBTQ people and other marginalized groups; the state’s intensified exploitation of the current crisis to regulate our bodies and sexuality; and the continuation of our work as queer and feminist organizations and groups, among others. 

Four feminist and queer Arab groups will participate in the meeting from different fields of work and backgrounds. The meeting will be held on Wednesday the 15th of April, at 2 o'clock in Palestine and Lebanon time, and at four in Tunisia time.

In the meeting we will tackle the following questions:

• How do the state bodies take advantage of the panic caused by the pandemic? And how will that affect our mental health and sexuality? [The A Project]

• How will the current situation, especially the health policies, affect transgender people, sex workers, and gays and lesbians more than others? [Mawjoudin]

• How do we reconcile, as producers of feminist and queer knowledge, between health-related knowledge and our strategic plans? How do we take care of ourselves and each other? [Jeem]

• As a grassroots organization, what are the challenges of working with the public and the grassroots level? And what are the options of communication with it? [alQaws].

You can join the meeting through Zoom and participate with questions and comments through the chat. We will share the link with you next week.

Please note that lately many digital security-related concerns have risen regarding the use of the Zoom app. We do the best we can to ensure the safety and security of our participants, but it is our responsibility to inform you.

About the participating groups:

• the A Project is an association working on gender, sexuality, and reproductive justice issues with different communities in Lebanon since 2015. It aims to reaffirm the ownership and agency of women, transgender people, and atypical people over their bodies, and their personal independence and their mental health.

• Jeem is a website which produces knowledge as well as critical and cultural content about gender, sex and sexuality that challenges and transcends the prevalent discourse of the mainstream media.

• Mawjoudin (We Exist) is a non-governmental and non-profit association, officially licensed to operate in Tunisia. It works to achieve justice and equality for all people, and works on human, physical and sexual rights, especially for the benefit of LGBTQ people and marginalized groups.

• alQaws for Sexual & Gender Diversity in Palestinian Society is a civil society organization founded in grassroots activism, is at the forefront of vibrant Palestinian cultural and social change, building LGBTQ communities and promoting new ideas about the role of gender and sexual diversity in political activism, civil society institutions, media, and everyday life.