By Vic Gerami
Homophobia is tearing apart an already divided Armenian community. It damages individuals, fractures families, fuels violence, and drives away talented LGBTQ+ Armenians whose voices and skills our nation desperately needs.
Running an advocacy organization like the Truth and Accountability League (TAAL) is already a monumental challenge. But in addition to the usual hurdles of activism, limited resources, entrenched power structures, and community divisions, homophobia has been a persistent barrier to support for our work. It is one more factor tearing apart an already fragmented Armenian community, and its cost is devastating. We are losing gifted, passionate, and capable Armenians because we choose to disenfranchise our LGBTQ+ brothers and sisters.
Tradition as a Weapon
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The word ‘traditional’ has been weaponized to justify prejudice. Some Armenians claim to defend tradition while using it as a shield for intolerance. Similarly, many invoke the Bible to rationalize their homophobia, yet most have never read more than a paragraph or two. As someone who did not merely attend Sunday school for occasional Bible study, but who had Bible class every day in my private Armenian school, I have spent years reading and critically examining Scripture. When I ask homophobes to identify where the Bible condemns loving same-sex relationships, they are consistently unable to respond, exposing that they neither know nor understand the text they cite. They fail to understand that biblical references to homosexuality come only from the Old Testament and, in context, speak about infidelity, not loving, committed relationships. Jesus himself never condemned homosexuality. On the contrary, his message was simple and profound: love one another, be kind and generous, forgive, and care for your neighbors.
Personal and Painful Prejudice
Even within my own circles, people close to me sometimes report that others express admiration for TAAL’s work but quietly voice prejudice against my sexual orientation. Many of these same individuals are profoundly hypocritical. Were the hidden aspects of their own lives brought to light, we would find genuine moral failings far more serious than the prejudice they project onto others. Yet they keep their heads buried in the sand, clinging to a false sense of righteousness while condemning people whose only ‘offense’ is living authentically. I have also received emails and messages filled with homophobic slurs from Armenians who present themselves as morally superior. These experiences are not isolated incidents. They are symptoms of a deeper cultural problem.
Deep and Widespread Damage
Homophobia in the Armenian community inflicts wounds that go far beyond words. It damages mental and physical health, fractures families, fosters violence, and drives talented LGBTQ+ Armenians out of the country. The damage is sustained by political rhetoric, religious dogma, and the state’s failure to protect its citizens.
Mental health crisis: Hostility forces many LGBTQ+ Armenians to hide their identity from family and friends, creating profound psychological distress. Rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts are alarmingly high. The 2022 suicide of a young gay couple, met with online vitriol rather than compassion, was a tragic reminder of this reality.
Medical discrimination: LGBTQ+ Armenians often face biased treatment in healthcare settings or are denied care altogether. The outdated classification of homosexuality as a ‘mental disorder’ within parts of the Armenian medical community has worsened stigma and denied transgender individuals access to gender-affirming care.
Violence and impunity: Mob violence, such as the 2018 attacks in Shurnoukh, goes unpunished far too often. In some cases, victims have been driven into exile, as in the instance of a nightclub owner who was forced to seek asylum in Sweden after repeated attacks that authorities failed to prevent.
Families and Communities Fractured
Homophobia does not just harm individuals. It tears families apart. Many LGBTQ+ Armenians are met with abuse, threats, or expulsion from their homes when they come out. A 2012 study revealed that over half of Armenians would sever ties with a family member or friend who identified as gay. This rejection erodes trust, weakens family bonds, and diminishes the richness of our cultural life. Even in death, prejudice persists. After the suicide of the young couple, questions arose about whether they would have been allowed an Armenian funeral.
National and Global Consequences
The consequences of homophobia reverberate beyond individual suffering. Armenia’s future depends on the talent and dedication of its people, but a climate of fear and intolerance is pushing LGBTQ+ Armenians abroad, draining the nation of valuable skills and perspectives. Anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric, often dressed up as nationalism, suggests that queerness and Armenianness are mutually exclusive. This is a false and destructive narrative. It weakens national unity and tarnishes Armenia’s international reputation, undermining relationships with allies and potential partners.
Choosing Love Over Fear
The Armenian community is no stranger to hardship or division. But homophobia is a wound we inflict on ourselves. We cannot afford to alienate, endanger, or silence members of our own community. To live up to our values, true Christian values of love, kindness, forgiveness, and generosity, we must confront prejudice, not excuse it under the banner of ‘tradition.’
Homophobia is not tradition. It is not faith. It is fear, and it is costing us our future.
About TAAL
TAAL is a 501©3 non-profit advocacy organization founded in 2020 due to a significant increase in anti-Armenian racism, defamation, hate crimes, and Armenophobia. We monitor and confront bias, disinformation, propaganda, and slander of the Armenian people and culture at the media level, including social media, academics, intelligentsia, and public policy.
