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Shine a Light Episode 2 - Nisréen

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ImmigrationLGBT+SocietyShine a Light

The life of Nisréen, changed when she moved to Sweden. In this country, she felt like she could embrace her true identity as a trans-Muslim woman. In the second episode of our new series Shine A Light, dedicated to LGBTQ immigrants settled in Scandinavia, Nisréen shares her story.

"I am trans, I am muslim, I am a refugee," says Nisréen from Syria. As a youngster in Syria, she always felt like something was wrong with her and that she would disappoint her family. because of who she was. "They always felt I behaved like a female and that was not acceptable to them." But her life changed when she left Syria.

-"In my teens, a war started in Syria and in 2014 me and my family began our journey to flee Syria," says Nisréen. She arrived in Sweden in 2014 and felt like this was the country where she could embrace her true identity. "I remember the first time I saw the Pride flag. Because for me, the flag was a sign that I have my rights as a trans girl. Most people would never expect to see this flag in the middle east. But I believe that one day in the future, it will fly there with pride."

Nisréen hopes that the future will be better for her in Sweden so that she can express herself freely.

Story by

Laura Forsén

Student in Journalism in Turku University of Applied Sciences, Student in Philosophy in Turku University