A Harrowing Journey to Freedom

Benjamin is a queer, Christian human rights activist from Afghanistan. Even before the
Taliban came to power in 2021, the LGBTQ+ and Christian communities faced
persecution and the daily threat of violence.

“After the Taliban seized control in August 2021, staying in Afghanistan was no longer
an option. I reached out to everyone I knew, desperate for help. After numerous failed
attempts to flee, my best friend and I found ourselves at one point trapped at the Kabul
airport amid gunfire in the oppressive heat, enduring three harrowing days without food
or water. The scene at the airport was overwhelmingly chaotic.

After the Americans left, the Taliban shut down the airport and closed the borders.
Fearful for our lives, we went into hiding, clinging to fragile hopes of escape.

A few weeks later, my friend and I both received a call at 2 a.m. instructing us to rush to
the airport. Hive’s co-founder had worked with other aid organizations to get us and a
large group of other LGBTQ+ Afghans seats on a secret flight out of Kabul. After
waiting all day and all night, we were finally evacuated to Abu Dhabi, capital city of the
United Arab Emirates.

However, this was not the freedom we had imagined. We were imprisoned in a refugee
camp for 10 long months, forbidden to go out, and afraid every day that we would be
attacked by other refugees who were homophobic. Hive’s co-founder worked tirelessly
the entire time to bring us all to safe haven in Canada. I wept from relief when I finally
arrived at Toronto airport in July 2022.

Today, I’m grateful to be alive and live freely, but I fear for countless LGBTQ+ Afghans
who still live in danger. This drives my commitment to helping LGBTQ+ people still
trapped there, working alongside Hive to ensure they have the opportunity to live safely
and proudly.”