Beirut Lebanon First Gay Pride

Instead of the usual gay pride parades seen in the West, Beirut Pride will include an exhibition on gender fluidity in fashion as well as a storytelling get-together centered on coming-out stories and a gay-themed party in one of the Middle East’s biggest night clubs.

Several anti-homophobia events and demonstrations have taken place in Lebanon in recent years, but activists are hailing Beirut Pride as a “first”.

“This is definitely a big milestone. I’m very excited that this is happening,” said Diana Abou Abbas, a member of the queer community since its genesis more than 15 years ago and manager at Beirut sexual-health center Marsa. The event could break significant ground, just as a recent online and television advertisement did by featuring a lesbian couple. One of Lebanon’s oldest and largest restaurant chains, Crepaway, commissioned the ad — a first for Lebanese advertising — “to include people we see everywhere around us,” its head of communications Mario Thoumy told CNN.

Organizers say Beirut Pride is an event of the city’s own making — a culmination of years of grassroots mobilization that first emerged from secret meetings and online chat rooms.

Hadi Damien, initiator of Beirut Pride, told CNN that the first week-long pride campaign with more than a couple dozen events was the result of many meetings with nongovernmental organizations, artists and nightclubs. They came together to help improve the visibility of LGBT people across multiple venues and audiences.