On 24 September 2007, the former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed during a discussion at Columbia University in New York: “There are no homosexuals in Iran like in your country.”…

On 24 September 2007, the former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed during a discussion at Columbia University in New York: “There are no homosexuals in Iran like in your country.” moreUnlike in some Western countries, where same-sex couples can be married, homosexuality in Iran is still punishable by death. Homosexuals are not allowed to live out their sexuality. So they have only two options: Transsexuality, which is classified as pathological but legally tolerated, or flight. In the small Turkish town of Denizli, hundreds of homosexual Iranians remain in a transit zone. They put their lives on hold and hope one day to find refuge in a host country where they can live out their inclinations freely. In this context of uncertainty with anonymity as the best protection, Laurence Rasti's photographic work questions the sensitive notions of identity and gender.