Yes but technically, the Gulf is also Iran and Iraq. And ain't nobody rushing to Saudi for the standard of living either. So mainly it's just the U.A.E., Qatar, Bahrain, maybe Kuwait and Oman (which has a very small part in the Gulf but is not really a Gulf country). I'm looking at the U.A.E., specifically. Which is in the Gulf, and the Middle east also. ;)

So your global warming strategy is just to take it straight to the dome to take the edge off?

This surprises me. I mean, it's your decision, obviously, but you're happy to put a good standard of living above your acceptance as a gay man? You're okay to go to countries that may persecute, or at best barely tolerate you, as long as you can live in a fancy apartment and eat caviar pizza? You don't think it would be worth accepting a small/large drop in living standards in return for being treated as a human being?

I'll be the repressed self hating homophobe blah blah blah to point out... Why does this gay guy wanna live in all the places that are the worst places to be gay? Moving from Singapore to the middle east... Why not something more chill?? Unless you are some sorta masochist that likes being persecuted. In which case you should take a look at Uganda. If singapore is like popping an oxy in terms of homophobic persecution, Uganda is like black tar injected right in the main vein.

When was the last time you've been to Abu Dhabi? The UAE are desperate to establish themselves as some kind of liberal haven. Going there for a few year stint is by this point a cliché among Canadian yoga instructors, the single gayest demographic group anywhere in the world.

Not the entire ME is Saudi Arabia and ISIS. A close friend of mine, an extremely gay guy, taught French literature at the American University of Beirut for a few years and he was just fine. Had a great sex life by the sound of it.

Obviously fundamentalist Islam goes with horrific homophobia, but also the world is a bit more diverse than the picture of it you get by sitting in Texas and watching TV.

**** dubai lol
https://youtu.be/tJuqe6sre2I



Can't embed cause the creator won't allow it but this video is a good watch

Title: Dubai is a parody of the 21st century.

Yeah it's hard not to despise the idea of this place. But personally I'm in the world's most fragile glasshouse when it comes to accepting jobs in places I despise, so can't judge anyone else on this account.

Well, the reality of it is that the only adjustment I'm making in the Middle east (and Malaysia) is to be "discreet" and not touch or kiss my partner in public, which we don't do in Croatia either. Maybe you'll be surprised to know but a great deal of gay people still have to be careful even in Europe. I can get my head bashed in Croatia or Spain or Ireland for holding by boyfriend's hand so it's nothing strange, unfortunately. We'd still have to behave in a similar way in Europe, only we'd be poor. :/

So yeah, it's not ideal but life's a bitch and I'm definitely not the type to starve for my principles. I'll take their homophobic money thanks.

Most of these countries have a kind of don't ask don't tell policy. There are are plenty of local gay people (Lebanon especially has a thriving gay scene, although they are probably one of the most liberal arabic countries). Same in Malaysia, there is even a kind of gay club in the middle of KL. As long as you don't participate in any rowdy orgies, you are ok. Gay people exist and meet other gay people and have sex in Iran and Saudi also. People adjust to all kinds of circumstances and not everyone can simply move to the "liberal west".

where is that and what's the job?

It’s an academic job in a country famous for using its one LGBT-friendly metropolis to shield itself from criticism over being a literal apartheid state.

One thing I realized during the pandemic is that in the long term I’d much rather teach high school and live in Montreal than have something resembling an “academic career” and live in a place where I feel like ****.