ALBAWABA - Egyptian actor Khaled Abol Naga caused a stir on social media by wearing a rainbow tie, a symbol of the LGBT community, and a Palestinian keffiyeh at the annual Enigma magazine party in Beverly Hills, California.
Abol Naga's images have gone viral, sparking controversy and homophobic remarks. The Egyptian media chose not to publish his photos since he is an actor who opposes the Sisi dictatorship. The party took place on July 28, but the uproar and racist comments have only recently come to light.
Viewed by some as "bold" and "free in his sexual orientation and beliefs," Abol Naga was also viewed by others as a "blatant provocation of the values and traditions that many were raised on in his home country (Egypt)." On the other hand, some "allowed" him to be himself and only held him accountable for coming out as gay.
In this setting, some people thought it was weird that he was wearing both the Palestinian keffiyeh and the "rainbow"; this led to inquiries like, "How can someone claim to be for a just cause like the Palestinian cause and also support an agenda that is divisive in the Arab world?" Others answered by saying, "The Palestinian cause and the homosexuality cause are similar in terms of injustice, and most homosexual movements worldwide support the Palestinian cause."
In this time of genocide in Gaza, Abu Al-Naja has no chance to voice his solidarity with the LGBT community and the Palestinian people. On many occasions, his criticism of the Sisi government has led the Egyptian press to attempt to misrepresent him.
A prime example is the 2019 issue of Hurriyati, an Egyptian state-run magazine. The cover featured a Photoshopped image of Egyptian opposition actor Amr Waked and Abu al-Naja embracing, with the headline "Agents and Other Things." This was in response to their testimony before the US Congress regarding Egypt's freedoms, in which they hinted at a possible same-sex relationship.
