In some areas of the world, just being a woman is enough to put you in near-constant danger of rape, assault, domestic abuse and even murder. If you're an openly gay woman in these conservative parts of the globe, you're a target for all kinds of scum - and if you needed something to drive that point home, consider the case of Syrian blogger Amina Arraf.

Arraf, who wrote fearlessly of her country's political turmoil on the blog A Gay Girl in Damascus under the pseudonym Amina Abdallah, has been abducted by three armed men while on her way to a meeting. Arraf is an American citizen as well as a Syrian one, which may explain why she was so bold in her journalism. Still, the idea of a woman who isn't afraid to speak out - especially one who's gay - is enough to incite the rage of sexist pigs the world over.

Arraf's cousin, Rania Ismail, wrote on the blog that she believes Arraf is still alive - and hopes that she will be released soon.

For her part, Arraf was always an optimist, in spite of the conservative attitude of many of her countrymen and women.

"The Syria I always hoped was there, but was sleeping, has woken up. I have to believe that, sooner or later, we will prevail," she told The Guardian in an interview before her kidnapping. 

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A brave Syrian blogger, an open lesbian in a Muslim country, was said to have been kidnapped by government authorities and the storyline became something of a news item. As it turns out, Amina Abdullah Arraf was not a real person, but a development of an American learner studying abroad in Scotland. The American could need installment loans to pay for the damages of his hoax.

Angelona , June 15, 2011

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