Tavaana’s pilot e-course on LGBT Rights Advocacy was a tremendous success; our improved and expanded e-course will be offered to a new cohort of LGBT rights advocates, including allies. Taught by leading Iranian LGBT advocate Arsham Parsi, the e-course addresses challenges facing LGBT Iranians and examines growing initiatives and measures to counter them. This course engages participants in discussion of the most effective ways to protect their safety and identity and to help other LGBT individuals. Course discussions will center first on social goals of the LGBT community, including overcoming homophobia, coming out to family members, creating support networks, and crafting safe spaces within the wider society and online. Students will learn and discuss means by which they can help change societal attitudes at large while directly and discreetly engaging families of LGBT Iranians. Students will identify avenues for legal support and protection from violence, discrimination, and arbitrary detention, particularly in collaboration with international efforts. The course gives special attention to the vital topics of the asylum process and living with STDs such as HIV.
To find out what is LGBT community? where we are now? What have been done? What we need to do? and how to help people while we do not jeopardize anyone’s safety
