Acclaimed Egyptian actor reveals he has a trans son with a defiant message to bigots: ‘It’s God’s will’
Hesham Selim (Gareth Cattermole/Getty)
Egyptian actor Hesham Selim is being praised for a powerful interview in which he spoke about loving and supporting his trans son.
In an interview which aired on May 3 with film director Enas al-Deghaidy, Selim spoke about embracing his son’s gender identity.
“My daughter Nora became my son Nour. It’s God’s will,” said Selim.
He continued: “I am not surprised that [he] transitioned, because ever since [he] was born I felt that [his] body was a boy’s body. I’ve always suspected.”
Egyptian actor Hesham Selim has been praised for his comments about his trans son.
Selim’s son Nour came out as trans at 18-years-old. The actor said: “One day [he] told me: ‘I am living in a body other than my own.’ [He] was 18 years old at the time. Now [he] is 26.”
The actor said he and his son initially clashed when he kept using the wrong pronouns – but he explained that he has since come to understand the importance of using the correct terms.
As a father, no matter how much I try, I will not be able to know what my son is going through.
Selim praised his son for going through gender confirmation surgery despite harsh anti-trans attitudes in Egypt, and said their family has been fully supportive.
Selim added: “May God help any boy or girl going through this, and may God help their families. As a father, no matter how much I try, I will not be able to know what my son is going through.”
The actor has been widely praised on Twitter for speaking openly about his trans son’s experience.
https://twitter.com/3alooza/status/1257083842361516032
I wish all men are as courageous as hesham selim and his son 😊
— 🐙 (@CHEROUKHATEM) May 4, 2020
hesham selim u parenting legend— roaa (@roaaring20s) May 3, 2020
https://twitter.com/jjjjoyyy/status/1257260351336439808
I know I’m always joking, but all the respect to Hesham Selim for using his voice to shed light on such an issue in a society that still limps and almost always blames the victims, rather than the wrongdoers. He did it wholesomely, and most importantly, unpretentiously.— 🐳 (@farfar_w_awlado) May 4, 2020
LGBT+ rights in Egypt continue to lag behind.
Progress on LGBT+ rights has been slow in Egypt. Just two months ago, the country was told to end discrimination and arbitrary arrests based on sexual orientation and gender identity by the United Nations Human Rights Council.
However, instead of taking the recommendation on board, officials instead claimed that they did not understand what was meant by sexual orientation and gender identity.
Since 2013, the government in Egypt has been waging a war against LGBT+ people, with hundreds of people arrested for their perceived or actual gender or sexual identity.
