In my early twenties, I was living a secret life. By day, I was a rising radio host on a commercial radio station in Jordan. By night, I was sneaking around with my girlfriend, afraid someone might catch us holding hands.

In this episode, I go into what it means to build a public persona while hiding who you are. I talk about living in fear of being outed, getting pulled over by police with my closeted girlfriend, and the surreal experience of getting "cancelled" for defending jamīd (yes, the fermented yoghurt).

Trigger Warning: Mentions of homophobia, police harassment, and emotional distress.

Thank you to: Jana, Floyd, Lara, Lee, Costy, mum, Lana, Sara, Mike williams, Jen Goggin and my wife Kristina

Follow me on Instagram: ⁠@lemzakharia⁠ (https://bit.ly/4mz3Ei3)

Follow me on TikTok: ⁠@twicedisplaced⁠ (https://bit.ly/46UKuPf)