SEATTLE — In a vibrant display of cultural pride, Noha Mahgoub, a lesbian originally from Egypt, attended a “Pride Match” in Seattle. Although she could have opted for attire reflecting her sexual orientation, the 43-year-old Democratic legislative aide, who holds a prominent position in Washington state government, chose to honor her ethnic roots. She arrived clad in a red Egyptian national team jersey, complemented by a black hat with the word “YALLA” and face paint in the colors of the Egyptian flag.
Standing on a concourse just before the national anthems resonated through Lumen Field, Mahgoub observed, “I’ve seen Pride shirts, I’ve seen Pride face paintings. It’s been really great, but I’m seeing a lot more Egypt and Iran and people cheering for their countries and singing their songs.”
Despite FIFA’s announcement allowing rainbow flags in the stadium, they were scarce as the match commenced. Instead, the stands were awash with the vibrant colors of Egypt and Iran, featuring numerous pre-revolutionary lion-and-sun flags that FIFA has sought to ban under its rules against political displays.
Mahgoub had only witnessed Egypt’s national team in person once before, as a child when they were vying for a spot in the 1990 World Cup. Her family later moved to Washington state, where she noted that the local Egyptian-American community has become more dynamic with new members joining the tech industry in Seattle.
“You know how it is, you start calling everybody your cousins — a lot of cousins that I wasn’t related to,” Mahgoub remarked. “Well, I think a lot of them are here.”
