Dana Chivvis

It was the middle of the night, and these two young, muscly guys in leather jackets rang the doorbell of her family's home. They've come for Amina. They know about her blog, know that she's a lesbian. They threaten to rape her. But Amina's father argues with them, chides them. He knows them, knows their families. He says to them, quote, Do you know what is our family name? You do?

It was the middle of the night, and these two young, muscly guys in leather jackets rang the doorbell of her family's home. They've come for Amina. They know about her blog, know that she's a lesbian. They threaten to rape her. But Amina's father argues with them, chides them. He knows them, knows their families. He says to them, quote, Do you know what is our family name? You do?

Then you know where we stood when Mohammed, peace be upon him, went to Medina. You know who it was who liberated Al-Quds. You know too, maybe, that my father fought to save this country from the foreigners." He tells them to leave, and they do. Amina's post goes viral. Back in D.C., Liz decides to write about it.

Then you know where we stood when Mohammed, peace be upon him, went to Medina. You know who it was who liberated Al-Quds. You know too, maybe, that my father fought to save this country from the foreigners." He tells them to leave, and they do. Amina's post goes viral. Back in D.C., Liz decides to write about it.

Amina emails her back. And the next day, Liz publishes a post. Serial blogger says she faced arrest but remains defiant. In the article, Amina tells Liz, quote, Six weeks later, Liz goes into the office.

Amina emails her back. And the next day, Liz publishes a post. Serial blogger says she faced arrest but remains defiant. In the article, Amina tells Liz, quote, Six weeks later, Liz goes into the office.

The post says Amina was abducted by three government agents.

The post says Amina was abducted by three government agents.

Liz was shocked and upset by this news.

Liz was shocked and upset by this news.

Homosexuality was, and still is, illegal in Syria. Liz writes a post about Amina's disappearance. So does The Washington Post's Syria correspondent, and The New York Times, and The Guardian, and others. Liz calls the State Department. They tell her they're looking into it. A Twitter campaign gets going, hashtag Free Amina, and multiple Facebook groups, which get over 10,000 followers overnight.

Homosexuality was, and still is, illegal in Syria. Liz writes a post about Amina's disappearance. So does The Washington Post's Syria correspondent, and The New York Times, and The Guardian, and others. Liz calls the State Department. They tell her they're looking into it. A Twitter campaign gets going, hashtag Free Amina, and multiple Facebook groups, which get over 10,000 followers overnight.

It's a big deal. And then?

It's a big deal. And then?

Has anyone actually met Amina in person? Not just on the internet? It's a good question. In fact, when Liz emailed Amina asking for an interview, Amina had responded that for her own safety, she couldn't talk on the phone. So Liz had sent her questions by email. Do you remember the oh fuck moment that you had when you realized people were doubting her identity? Yeah.

Has anyone actually met Amina in person? Not just on the internet? It's a good question. In fact, when Liz emailed Amina asking for an interview, Amina had responded that for her own safety, she couldn't talk on the phone. So Liz had sent her questions by email. Do you remember the oh fuck moment that you had when you realized people were doubting her identity? Yeah.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the photo of Amina on a gay girl in Damascus was actually a photo of a woman named Jelena Lecic, who is of Croatian descent and was living in London at the time. So Liz and her editor, Melissa Bell, start trying to figure out who Amina actually is. They look up the IP address of the gay girl blog. It leads back to Scotland, to the University of Edinburgh.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the photo of Amina on a gay girl in Damascus was actually a photo of a woman named Jelena Lecic, who is of Croatian descent and was living in London at the time. So Liz and her editor, Melissa Bell, start trying to figure out who Amina actually is. They look up the IP address of the gay girl blog. It leads back to Scotland, to the University of Edinburgh.

And they get a mailing address for Amina from one of her online friends. It's a house in Georgia, the state, not the country, owned by an American couple who are studying in Scotland. They narrow in on the wife, a woman named Britta.

And they get a mailing address for Amina from one of her online friends. It's a house in Georgia, the state, not the country, owned by an American couple who are studying in Scotland. They narrow in on the wife, a woman named Britta.