'Gay Girl in Damascus' blog a hoax, turns out to be a married American man
Sun. June 12, 2011 11:43 PM by GoPride.com News Staff
Damascus, Syria -
The writer who's been posting as a "gay girl in Damascus" for the past four months now says his blog is a hoax.
Tom MacMaster, who lives in Istanbul, pretended for months to be "Amina Abdulla," a lesbian woman with dual American-Syrian citizenship living in Syria.
His blog was popular, but it started to get a dramatic amount of attention a week ago when "Amina's cousin" reported that "Amina" had been kidnapped.
Naturally, as is the case these days, a passionate outcry on her behalf unfolded on the internet, with the requisite "Free Amina" Facebook page.
On Sunday, MacMaster, who is apparently a married 40-year-old writer, posted this note on the blog:
"I never expected this level of attention. While the narrative voice may have been fictional, the facts on this blog are true and not misleading as to the situation on the ground. I do not believe that I have harmed anyone -- I feel that I have created an important voice for issues that I feel strongly about.
"This experience has sadly only confirmed my feelings regarding the often superficial coverage of the Middle East and the pervasiveness of new forms of liberal Orientalism.
"However, I have been deeply touched by the reactions of readers."
I only hope that people pay as much attention to the people of the Middle East and their struggles in this year of revolutions. The events there are being shaped by the people living them on a daily basis. I have only tried to illuminate them for a western audience.
Tom MacMaster, who lives in Istanbul, pretended for months to be "Amina Abdulla," a lesbian woman with dual American-Syrian citizenship living in Syria.
His blog was popular, but it started to get a dramatic amount of attention a week ago when "Amina's cousin" reported that "Amina" had been kidnapped.
Naturally, as is the case these days, a passionate outcry on her behalf unfolded on the internet, with the requisite "Free Amina" Facebook page.
On Sunday, MacMaster, who is apparently a married 40-year-old writer, posted this note on the blog:
"I never expected this level of attention. While the narrative voice may have been fictional, the facts on this blog are true and not misleading as to the situation on the ground. I do not believe that I have harmed anyone -- I feel that I have created an important voice for issues that I feel strongly about.
"This experience has sadly only confirmed my feelings regarding the often superficial coverage of the Middle East and the pervasiveness of new forms of liberal Orientalism.
"However, I have been deeply touched by the reactions of readers."
I only hope that people pay as much attention to the people of the Middle East and their struggles in this year of revolutions. The events there are being shaped by the people living them on a daily basis. I have only tried to illuminate them for a western audience.