Throughout history, queer oppression has been driven by destructive doctrines from orthodox and fundamentalist religious communities. These groups have long used “religion” to justify the marginalization, harassment, denial of rights, and even the murder of individuals based on their identity. People have applied their texts and legal statutes—either together or selectively—to establish hierarchies of power and privilege, targeting marginalized groups. This has been seen throughout the Christian world, from the Roman Emperors to the Spanish Inquisition and even Nazi Germany. Tyrants in some Islamic countries also justify LGBTQ oppression under Sharia Law. In a horrifying example, ISIS combatants have been throwing suspected gay men from rooftops as others pelt them with rocks. Amid ongoing Middle Eastern tensions, Iran remains a focal point, not just for its foreign policies but also for its domestic repressions. Since Iran’s revolution, the orthodox regime has launched a war on its own people, including queer citizens, under strict Sharia law. Iranian law criminalizes consensual same-sex relationships, with punishments ranging from flogging to death. Women face similar punishments for engaging in same-sex acts, and after four offenses, both men and women can be executed. Since the 1980s, an estimated 7,000 homosexuals have been executed. High-profile public executions, like the hanging of two gay teenagers in 2005, highlight the severity of Iran’s approach. Though the government reclassified transgender people in 1986, permitting gender confirmation surgery, trans people in Iran still face frequent harassment and persecution. Despite Iran becoming a leader in these surgeries, second only to Thailand, the LGBTQ community continues to suffer. It is time for the global community to speak out against these atrocities and fight repression in all its forms. #Queer Up Social Justice