I just returned from Zoom Egypt with a small group and the question on everyone’s mind is whether we/I felt safe.  

I would say without any hesitation that we were safe in many ways. From a security perspective, given recent history the government has taken extra measures to secure all points of travel as well as tourist sites and areas.  As an American we were made to feel welcome.  We were often asked “where are you from?” as a way to start conversation, and invariably they would say “welcome!”.  

Despite the rhetoric about traveling in the Middle East as a gay person, I also felt very welcome and safe.  It was a non issue.  In fact, on our first day in Cairo I spend the day visiting at the beautiful home of an Egyptian couple I first met in Mykonos about 20 years ago.  They have been together for 37 years and explained that gay life in Egypt is alive and well, although it’s practiced differently than in the US.