A lesbian Saudi woman who fled an arranged marriage to a 40-year-old cousin has been granted asylum in the UK, saying she 'couldn't be happier' and wants other queer Saudi women to know 'there is hope out there'. Al Hussain, now 31, was told by her mother at age 16 that she had been 'reserved' for marriage to an older male relative, a prospect she described as 'absolutely terrifying' as a closeted LGBTQ+ person.
Same-sex relations are illegal in Saudi Arabia, with punishments under Sharia law that can include the death sentence, according to Human Rights Watch. Al recalled early discussions with friends and family who stressed that being LGBTQ+ was 'haram', with one relative saying they would 'kill someone' if they discovered they were gay.
Unable to go through with the wedding, Al fled in the dead of night without telling anyone. She had grown up in a strict Muslim household, unable to leave without a male guardian and with CCTV monitoring her movements. She said she 'never felt like I was living my life' and was 'controlled by my family'. At university, she secretly hoped the marriage might be delayed, but after her older sisters had their arranged marriages, she knew she was next.
Al went to her future husband's sister and said she found him unattractive, which was not allowed. Word got back to her family, and the cousin called off the engagement. But Al knew another arrangement would follow. She devised an escape plan, securing a passport at age 27 and taking a covert customer service job to fund a flight. In 2022, she discovered the UK had launched an electronic visa scheme, applied and received approval within weeks.
One morning, she packed a suitcase, locked her bedroom door, and booked an Uber to the airport. She now lives in the UK and has found love with a woman. 'I couldn't be happier,' she said, adding that she wants queer Saudi women to know 'there is hope out there'.
