Impact of Israeli Invasion of Lebanon on LGBT People; and Patients Before Politics: Protect Trans Lives Rally

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Out-FM show aired on May 26, 2026  

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Report from Lebanon on impact of Israeli Invasion of LGBTQ people and the general population.

Lebanese-American Journalist Afeef Nessouli

Lebanese-American Journalist Afeef Nessouli

On March 2nd of this year, Israel began bombing and a ground invasion of of Southern Lebanon. A cease-fire was declared April 8th, but the invasion and violence continues. Israel has occupied the south of Lebanon and forcibly displaced over 1.2 million and killed more than 3,000 Lebanese. The Israeli Defense Forces have even bombed Beirut, the capital. On this program, we'll be talking to Afeef Nessouli, a journalist and the host of the podcast "With Afeef Nessouli."

Naomi Brussel interviewed Afeef Nessouli about the current war. He says, "I was there from November to April, and the conflict broke out between the United States and Iran on February 28th when the United States assassinated the Supreme Leader (Ali Khamenei). A few days later, Hezbollah, which is in Lebanon, was mourning the Supreme Leader of Iran because they looked to him as their own supreme leader as well. Hezbollah is a political movement and it's also got some political presence in the Lebanese government, but it's also a resistance force and a military wing against Israel on the southern border. And on March 1, they invited journalists to a funeral for the Supreme Leader, a mourning, a public mourning (which Afeef covered). And that night, bombs started falling in the very place that I was."

Afeef has previously worked for Spotify, a digital musical service, and The Wall Street Journal's daily news podcast, The Journal;  he's also worked on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah. He teaches social media and communications at the Parsons School of Design. And he was a legal advisor to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture. His reporting focuses on politics and the Middle East and queer stories around the world. And he's lived through the 2006 Lebanon War between Israel and Lebanon. He went to prison in Beirut for covering Palestine in 2011. In spring of 2025, he spent 10 weeks in Gaza as the only journalist from the U.S. reporting from there. And we last spoke to him last summer after he returned from Gaza, where he was working as a humanitarian health worker and also as a journalist.

Afeef discusses LGBT life in Lebanon during the invasion and the impact of the invasion on the community. Contact Afeef on major platforms using key words "with Afeef Nessouli." On X.com search for @AfeefNess. On Bluesky: @afeefness.bsky.social

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Patients Before Politics: Protect Trans Lives Rally on May 16, 2026 

The rally was sponsored by PFLAG, Trans Formative Schools, New Pride Agenda, and Equality NY (audio and video provided by M.D. D'elia - many thanks!)

The US Attorney's Office of Northern Texas has launched a criminal investigation of NYU Langone (medical center) for providing Trans-affirmative care for adolescents. That office is headed by hard-right Trump appointee Ryan Raybould, who previously served rightwing Texas Senator John Cornyn as Chief Counsel. This fishing expedition is seeking records of youth under 18 receiving this care during the period of 2020-2026. Activists are demanding that NYU use the NY Shield Law to protect patient health records and their care providers.

​More information:

  • ​M.D. D'Elia's full 66-minute video of the 5/15/26 rally here.
  • Statement: NEW Pride Agenda Responds to NYU Langone’s Discontinuation of Transgender Youth Health Program Amid Federal Pressure, Feb​. 18, 2026

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About Out-FM

Out-FM is a weekly progressive, intersectional queer show by and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, non-binary, gender non-conforming, intersex, queer, and questioning communities. Our program originates from listener-sponsored, noncommercial WBAI/Pacifica Radio in New York, 99.5 FM and wbai.org. Our programs are archived at outfm.org. You can also follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

 

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