Mohamed vs. the World Cup: One man’s lonely fight against queer oppression
Dr. Nas Mohamed poses for a portrait in San Francisco Calif., on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022. Mohamed has been critical of Qatar’s government and specifically the governments treatment of LGBTQ individuals. Qatar is also hosting the 2022 FIFI World Cup of Soccer. | Benjamin Fanjoy/ The Standard
Coming out as gay can be difficult. Being the only person from your country to do so is in another category altogether. Because repression in the World Cup-hosting Gulf State of Qatar is so pervasive, 35-year-old primary-care physician Nasser Mohamed is, officially, the country’s only LGBTQ+ citizen. And as that semi-parliamentary monarchy gears up to host the biggest soccer tournament on Earth later this month, Mohamed is on a quest to show the world just how intensely homophobic Qatar is.
