latimesblogs.latimes.com – Alexandra Sandels in Beirut
The threatening letters and phone calls at night trickled in at a steady pace. They had become a part of everyday life for Randa, an Algerian transsexual and one of the pioneers in the Arab world’s gay and transsexual activist movement.
One letter dropped in Randa’s mailbox said, “We will kill you.” Another one read, “You are a threat to all Muslims in Algeria.” In mosques around the country, Randa’s name was being circulated. Still, she refused to be intimidated and shrugged off the threats.