International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission Partners with Noted Cartoonist and Author
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) on Wednesday released video trailers in Farsi and English to promote its upcoming publication of a graphic novel about the struggles in Iran of two fictional gay men, “Yousef and Farhad,” created in partnership with Khalil Bendib, the Algerian-American political cartoonist and Amir Soltani, the Iranian-American award-winning author of “Zahra's Paradise.”
“Yousef and Farhad,” a 20-page graphic novel, to be published online in July, tells the story of two Iranian gay men who struggle to find support and acceptance after their relationship is exposed and they are cast out and ostracised by some in their families and community. IGLHRC’s video trailer presents the core of the story.
“The graphic novel, to be published in English and in Farsi, is a new approach to engage in a deeply emotional and personal conversation with the families of LGBT Iranians,” said Jessica Stern, executive director of IGLHRC. “Through this highly engaging medium we hope to encourage greater acceptance by families struggling with the sexual orientation of their loved ones.”
Khalil Bendib, Political Cartoonist
Hossein Alizadeh, Middle East and North Africa program coordinator for IGLHRC, said: “We believe that ‘Yousef and Farhad’ will capture the public’s attention by exposing the injustice and suffering experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Iran as they struggle to assert their basic right to love.”
Amir Soltani, Author
The choice of the names Yousef and Farhad for the main characters was intentional, as both are timeless names from Persian literature. By bringing them together in a same-sex love story, the novel reminds readers that homosexuality has existed for centuries, in every society and culture.
“Zahra’s Paradise,” which was translated into 12 languages, drew international media attention and was later turned into a digital campaign, “Zahra for President” to raise awareness about human rights violations in Iran.
IGLHRC, headquartered in New York, is marking its 25th anniversary this year. The organisation promotes respect for the human rights of LGBT people worldwide, with offices on five continents.