The Syrian lesbian was actually an American straight man from Edinburgh

[chani]

The Internet gives us great opportunities to ponder the matter of identity. There are many fakes around but they work because they meet the expectations of many people...even journalists whose job should be to tell truth and lies apart. Basically we want to believe, we want to be fooled. It's something that magicians have always understand.

The affair of the false Gay Girl from Damascus provides a new instance of the magic of the world wide web...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jun/13/syrian-lesbian-blogger-tom-macmaster