SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Formally dressed in a traditional Qatari bisht, Dr. Nasser Mohamed strolled past a crowd of several hundred people outside Chase Center as the England-Croatia World Cup match was shown high above on the big screen. His gold-and-black robe featured a flourish: rainbow piping down each sleeve and the words “love†and “freedom†written in Arabic.
“That’s why the World Cup is really powerful, because people don’t need to hear about who I am — I can just walk, be seen, and that’s it,†he said. “We don’t have to say a word.â€
Four years ago, when the World Cup was and Mohamed was already living across the world in San Francisco, he came out and became an exceptionally rare openly gay man from Qatar, where gay sex is prohibited and he can't dress how he'd like.
Mohamed is speaking up again for those without a voice. The 39-year-old now feels secure enough to walk around with confidence, and without fear of harm, while wearing chunky heeled boots, mascara and 2-inch dangly earrings. He still gets regular backlash and hate, but he has also found support and kindness from around the globe that helps drown out the death threats and divisiveness.
“I am so loved in San Francisco, really, truly,†Mohamed said of the city he moved to more than a decade ago. “I have not worn this since I was a kid in Qatar, and San Francisco put it back on my shoulders, with rainbows.â€
For him, donning the bisht for everyone to see is important: “The emir of Qatar put it on (Lionel) Messi at the last World Cup to celebrate Messi. We should be celebrated too.â€
Mohamed campaigns for love at the World Cup
An LGBTQ+ activist and family doctor who treats HIV, “Dr. Nas†— as he is known — launched his “Love is the Goal†campaign ahead of the World Cup and Pride Month, hoping to humanize all people taking part. For a video, he combined soccer lingo with references to love, such as him reading “love is kickoff, the very first touch,†and someone else offering “love is the assist, finding you exactly where you are.â€
“Saving a life like mine is very expensive, and I know that, and this is the hard truth,†Mohamed said. “So that’s why I had to pave my own path and get out. I lost everything. I’m disowned completely. I had to build myself from scratch, the ground up, all of it.â€
On Wednesday, Qatar plays its final group-stage match, against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Seattle. Mohamed won't be there, but he was at the team's first game, on June 13 in Santa Clara, California. He had clear and visible security, and was escorted by California state Sen. Scott Wiener to A photo from the day has more than 12 million views on social media.
“As I was passing, everybody was taking pictures of me with the senator,†he recalled. “It was so dramatic.â€
And emotional.
“In the stadium I couldn’t speak because if I started talking I’m not going to stop crying, because when am I going to see Qatar again in my life?†Mohamed said through tears. “When is it ever going to happen again? I don’t know. When am I going to see home? I can’t see Mom and Dad, even when they were getting hit by missiles.â€
Even in exile, Mohamed still cheers for Qatar
After the game, he hosted a dance party at the San Francisco Mint highlighted by a performance written by close friend Simon Tam and sung by Debby Holiday.
“Nas’ journey moves me because it is rooted in extraordinary courage and an enormous heart,†Tam said. “He’s taken his own truth and turned it into a way to help others feel seen, worthy, and less alone.â€
Tam believes Mohamed can change the world — and that's the doctor's hope, too.
“The first step to heal is to witness things the way they are,†Mohamed said. “My endgame is for every child to belong with their own family and their own society.â€
Still, it breaks his heart knowing he can't go back to Qatar. Mohamed has been ostracized by his own family because of his sexuality and for standing up to power to help others. For those in need, including a transgender woman who had been imprisoned and tortured, he has aided their moves out of Qatar and secured resources so they could rebuild their lives elsewhere.
Mohamed is thankful for this new existence, embracing the obstacles that come with his work, even as he believes his safety could be at stake.
“We all fled persecution and took political asylum in the U.S., and now we invited all of them to come here to play soccer,†he said. “I didn’t feel safe leaving my apartment.â€
Still, after everything, he roots for Qatar — and the Americans. He plans to watch the U.S. during the round of 32 next week in Santa Clara.
“I am cheering for both the United States and for Qatar with love,†he said. “They both had homes for me and, when I challenge either of them, it is out of love, and I mean it.â€
