L’Orient Le Jour today wrote about the suffering and anguish of trans persons, particularly females, in Lebanon, after a video went viral on social media last week which showed a man beating a transwoman on the street in broad daylight. On this subject, activist Tarek Zeydan, from Helem Association, explained that what the video displayed, regardless of the dispute between the two, uncovers the extent of violence practiced against this category of trans persons, who are still marginalized in society. Norma, a trans woman, said the comments supporting the violence in the video are not unexpected. They reflect the mindset of Lebanese society which refuses anything that is different because of its ignorance of transgender persons, Norma added, noting that these people are constantly battered, demeaned and pigeon-holed as sex workers. She revealed that the majority of these women cannot open a bank account, rent a house or file a grievance in public departments, stating that only civil society organizations welcome them aboard for work. Helem association seeks to protect them from society by helping them find proper jobs, Norma said. Naya, another transwoman, mentioned daily arrests on security checkpoints and bad treatment inside prisons where they are exposed to moral and sexual harassment as well as rape. (L’Orient Le Jour, August 7, 2018)