I got a call today that I would rather not have received. M called and told me that his partner was dead. The Sadr militia caught him, super-glued his anus shut and then beat him to death. M is ready to leave but feels paralyzed. He has spent his entire life in Baghdad, has a government job, a nice apartment, a car, the love of his family, and a full life. He is in demand as a wedding singer. In the midst of war, people continue living and loving each other, and against the background of violence and fear, life goes on. Even in the dark times there is singing. There has been plenty of singing and laughter in M’s life; he is in all senses of the word, gay.
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