Sharjah is often overshadowed by its larger, world-famous neighbor Dubai – but art enthusiast and columnist Sultan Al-Qassemi is helping change that.
The founder of Barjeel Art Foundation, which recently got Arab artwork featured in Google's " tabs for art " project, launched a Twitter tag #ArchitectureOfSharjah at the beginning of August – and we can see why.
Check out some of our favorites, and if you're in Sharjah, join in and show off the city's jewels!
"After being detained and held at the Dubai airport for over 5 hours, this was the moment my baby came to rescue me. Yesterday was one of the scariest moments of my entire life and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. How you can be denied entry somewhere just because of who you are is seriously disgusting and also very scary. This further proves the need for CHANGE. I am now on my way to somewhere much more accepting. Safe and sound and happy. I love you guys," the model posted on Instagram.
Airport police said that the issue was with the model's passport, which they claim identifies her as a male and shows her as a male. However, Gorgeous told TMZ that this is not true and that her passport was updated since her transition with her legal name, Gigi Loren.
Although there is a growing international consensus that gender dysmorphia – a mismatch between an individual's biological sex and gender identity – is a medical condition that individuals should be able to treat by transitioning to the gender they identify with, the Arab world has lagged behind in recognizing transgender rights.
In 2013, Egypt legalized sex reassignment surgery and allowed transgender individuals to change their identification documents, joining Iran and Pakistan among Muslim states that recognize transgender rights.