Pouria's Speech on LGBT emotional issues

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Pouria, one of our trustees, spoke regarding the emotional issues faced by the LGBT members of society in Sheffield, UK.

The speech took place in Sheffield Showroom venue on the 8th of September 2011. It was an sponsored event by Sheffield City Council and Asylum Seekers Support Initiative - Short Time (ASSIST).

The following is the transcription of the speech.

Click here to watch the speech on YouTube via the following.

Written by: Ali Doosti

Translated from Persian by: Pouria

No one knows me. __ I heard the whispers of the night _ who was saying that, _ the sun had asked the spirit of wisdom: __Who is it? __ Replied the spirit of wisdom; __ after a short silence: __ A light greater than light! __ The one who enlightened the sun _ by coming over, __ a light that didn’t leave out the moon, _ too. __ Extended the meaning of paradise on earth, _ in a way that symbolised the beauty __ of the paradise of heavens, __ the one known by the angels.

I __ am a homosexual man!

Freedom, _ is the backbone _ of the bond we are passing to our next generations. __ The bond of the route _ we have passed through, __ a route _ that was worth it.

I seek for freedom.

I admire freedom; __ because it is being admired _ by those who weren’t wanted by anyone themselves, _ while claiming freedom for everyone! __ Those who existed without having someone to back them up. __ Those who were looking for cures for their scars, _ without having a balm that had been provided to them by others. __ Those who were composing their love _ without having words that were of meanings to the others, __ those who were… __ suffering!  __ Those who are suffering _ without having others noticing  _ that they are trying to set free a world _ that does not include them. __ I admire freedom.

Freedom creates the future, __ and the futures will include the queers. __ The future always includes the knowledgeable. __ Those who look into themselves _ to find out an answer to the question “Why have I become like this? ”. __ The futures belongs to those _ who look in the past to find out __ who has been like them? __ and look into present to find out __ who is like them now, __ and look into future, __ that we want to be a part of the future, _ too. We,  _ the homosexuals, are always standing on a bridge. __ A bridge that’s entitled “Self-Inquiry”. __ A question that those great names like Rumi __ have reached for its answers: “Where have I come from, _ what for? Where am I going to?_ would you reveal me a land?”

Now, _ standing upon our feet, _ we are willing to construct a river to connect us to ourselves. ___ In a boisterous, _ tall future, __ the one who knows _ where has he been standing throughout the history, __ the one who knows that he doesn’t exists, _ but he must, _ the one who knows _ that he must build the future with his own hands, _ and for that he must build himself, _ first; __ the one who not only knows, _ but pushes himself forward! _ how could one say that in the future, he shan’t be standing tall?

The one who asks _ from deep himself, __ with all his being: “Who _ on _ earth _ am I?”. __ If he does not deserve _ to hold the flag of victory, _ then what does he deserve? __ Those whose identities are tied _ with their proofs of existence, __ and their existence is fastened _ to the love they claim for everyone!

And the others, __ the spirit of wisdom pictured as such: _ those who praise their idiocy, __ in a way that the knowledgeable praise their knowledge. __ Those who demand _ for a dreadful suffering-house _ that has been painted _ by the shining blood of those hung from gallows _ and seek for freedom _ by calumniating the homosexuals.

This is by far _ more difficult than witchery. __ Witchery _ can be beaten _ by the lynx eyes of science. __ Though, calumniation _ has not even been beaten __ by the peacemakers _ of the history. __ And how many are there _ that have been subject to these calumniations throughout their lives? __ Though, from the craze of reaching for freedom, _ they never polluted their hearts with hatred. __ They are now looking for YOUR headlines, __ ladies and gentlemen. __ Oh, by the way, what’s up about “freedom”?

Do you know _ of the scars __ that getting rid of them is a never-ending hope for us?

Oh __ , by the way, have you any idea __ of the sour, intense look of a mother who humiliates her child __ for not being like other children, __ for being __ a “homosexual”?

Do you know of someone _ who, __ neither in the streets and lanes of a city, __ nor in the maze of the foliated books, __ nor in the long trend of history, _ can he find a single song _ of what _ is shouting deep _ inside him?

Do you know of the pain _ of the “I love you” phrases _ that exist, _ but not noticed? __ When you cannot describe them  __ because they don’t know __ and they don’t understand, __ because they don’t see!

Do you have any idea that __ when the verification _ and endorsement _ of a teenager’s parents about his emotional identity __ is not alongside him, _ how much _ his humanity is killed _ within the moments of his youth?

Did you know _ the tears of the children _ who’ve come from beyond the lines of history, __ but they have no idea who they actually are? __ and there is no one to tell them that, __ hey, you are not limited _ to your sexuality!

Did you know, __ that even YOU don’t know!

Because you have never seen, __ you have never suffered __ from all those pains, __ and you expect to hear _ and accept that: __ indeed, those who see the gallows _ tied with their existence and destiny, __ actually do suffer.

Are you aware __ of the life _ that’s been spent _ in loneliness and silence, __ without any confabulation _ and sympathy of the coevals? __ Aware of the years _ spent within praying-circles _ hoping for a cure? __ The frequently asked question of __ “Why has god created me like this?”. __ A life that was worth the same as the life that “YOU” have spent, _ and will be spending, _ throughout which _ you’ve never doubted upon that most basic joy of humanity, __ love!

Have you ever been informed of _ the “religious beliefs”, _ those that probably make no difference in your very lives, _ are the most sensitive _ and innermost beliefs _ of the people _ whose cultures are tied with religions. __ The beliefs through which they marry, __ they give birth, __ they name their children, __ and they spend their entire lives with! __  These are the beliefs __ that also exist deep within the homosexuals _ rising from those cultures. __ Outside, _ he is considered as a damned inferno; __ and inside, _ is where he cannot believe that __ “Yes, I also have the right to live…”.

One of the most important issues _ that I have been dealing with as an activist,__ has been getting people to talk! __ Some of who are not willing to discus their feelings and issues __ not only with me, _ as a person who understands them thoroughly, as their support worker, __ but even with the officers dealing with them, _ and their asylum claims. __ And yet their asylum claims are rejected _ because it is not “well-founded”. __ It is to be realised that _ these people need help, __ not only within the society as a member, _ but also to cure their traumatic experiences. __ People speak of the rights of animals, _ nature, _ our planet, _ but they seem to have forgotten the human being. __ Just like always, _ to prevent falling from this side of the roof, __ we have fallen from the other side!

I am talking about _ getting rid of a pain that you, __ ladies and gentlemen, __ never realise or perceive. __ The pain of  not being noticed, __ neither at the extensive trend of humanity _ as a human being, __ nor at the mirror of the society _ as a member, __ nor at the eyes of a pair of lovely parents,  __ as sons and daughters, _ who deserve to be loved as they are.

We seek freedom __ within the mirror of time, _ in getting and get involved in creating better days, __ within which we share __ the same wish as you do!

Support us, __ hence if the homosexuals _ are unable to reveal _ the value of their state of humanity, __ if they are being shredded and neglected within the taboos _ tied with their sexuality; __ they become able to breathe the air of freedom, __ and within their remaining breaths, __ reveal themselves within the values of humanity, __ throughout which they leave their heritage __ for the future generations, __ perhaps its rainbow __ brings in __ “an identity” __ for those sharing the same pain.