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NAS Mohamed is the first queer Qatari to publicly come out—and he bravely did so in an exclusive interview with the BBC two years ago.

Ever since, he’s been advocating for Qatar’s LGBT+ community and is sharing his story to inspire LGBT+ folks all around the world via the Alwan Foundation which ran a petition (now closed) when Qatar was chosen to host the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup. More than 106,000 people signed the petition that said:

Instead of celebrating the beauty of the all the citizens of Qatar, the Qatari LGBT+ community is being forced, along with LGBT+ football fans, to refrain from being their authentic selves. Meanwhile, the World Cup is reinforcing the fact that LGBT+ Qataris are forced to live in the shadows, hiding their true identities, and living in fear for their safety and freedom. This is not what the World Cup should be known for.

Today (Wednesday) I was contacted by Mohammed.

In an emain he wrote that since launching the petition he has been granted asylum in the U.S.

I have found safety. Many others in the Gulf Region are not so fortunate.That’s why I started The Alwan Foundation. Our grassroots organization works tirelessly to provide hope and safety to those who face unimaginable persecution simply for being who they are.

He also drew my attention to the fact that the foundation is running a “Love is not a crime” fundraiser, and asked me to draw readers’ attention to the fact that funds are urgently needed to advance LGBT rights in the Middle East with a focus on the Gulf region.

I hope can you can help with this vital work.

If you would like to support the Pink Triangle Trust’s mission to promote humanism, fight bigotry and fund LGBT groups, you can make a donation below. If you wish to report any typos or errors, please email freethinkered@aol.com