What would you like to read from us?
You may remember earlier this year, ROMEO was on the hunt for a new Head of Communications. Well, I’m proud (and still a little in shock) to say I made it – out of 700 applicants!
Today, I want to introduce myself and give you a glimpse into my plans for ROMEO. Since everything you’ll be reading here from now on will have passed through my desk, it’s only fair that you know who’s behind the scenes—and more importantly, what you want to see from us! 😉
So…lets begin with: Hi, I am Abdallah and I’m here to stir the pot… just a little.
From the desert to the dancefloor
Big reveal: I’m half-Saudi, half-Palestinian, and 100% gay.
And while Jordan is beautiful, growing up queer in Amman wasn’t exactly rainbows and glitter. Raised in a Muslim household, in a small, sheltered city, where the slow dial-up internet of the ’90s became my only window to understanding myself, figuring out my identity without discussing it with anyone was confusing, isolating—and often terrifying. To put it in perspective: the first time I stumbled across gay porn online, I wasn’t just excited by the bad ’80s mustaches—I was relieved. For the first time, I realized I wasn’t alone. There were others like me out there that also desire the same sex.
Fast forward a few years: I knew I needed more. More freedom. More openness. More glitter. After finishing my bachelor’s degree, I used my career as my ticket out—landing in Dubai to work in PR and Corporate communications.
I lived there for 11 years, growing into independence, meeting my now ex-husband, and building a life. But freedom always came with limits: laws & culture were against us, leading us to live relatively discreetly there, lowering our voices in public, hiding parts of ourselves, denying who we are, and the list of rules can go on and on. Until one day, we were outed—leading to two nights in detention, months of a lawsuit accompanied with sleepless nights of fear, a lawyer’s bill worth thousands, until we won the lawsuit, were cleared and not charged with anything…but the learning from this horrible experience is: we had to leave the middle east.
So we moved to Toronto. But by then, the trauma had taken its toll—and after nine years together, our marriage ended
Freedom tasted good, but being there with a broken heart was difficult, especially that Canada was too cold (literally and figuratively). So I took a chance, leaned into my career again, and moved to Europe—first Brussels, and finally Amsterdam – the city that stole my heart (and matched my playful behavior, kink-friendly & sex-positive vibe).
Since 2019, Amsterdam has been my home—and today, so is ROMEO. 💙
Partying, laughing, being extra—and a reminder that we’re all here to have fun (and maybe flirt a little too 😉)
In my free time, you’ll find me at the gym or hitting the dance floor—if you happen to spot me this summer just come say hi. I don’t bite… unless you’re into that 😉 I happen to be a gaymer and a comics-geek (DC > Marvel, sorry not sorry), but my real kryptonite? Sweet-sour candy. Spill the tea and hand me a bag of Sour Patch, and you’ve got me hooked.
If my personal journey has taught me anything, it’s that you’re never alone, no matter how “different” your desires or beliefs seem. Put yourself out there, and you’ll find your people. I can tell from my first couple of days that I found my family here at ROMEO.
P.S. I am still getting used to all the xxx content laying around – they are encouraged and hard to mess
Why ROMEO?
Growing up in a place where expressing sexual desire could get you shamed (or worse) taught me just how precious and empowering freedom truly is. I’m also proud to raise awareness that, despite the tough conditions our rainbow family faces in the Arab world — and despite the unsafe image often attached to it — there are so many beautiful, resilient gay, bi, and trans people living their truth every day.
Being at ROMEO gives me the chance to represent them, celebrate their stories, and bring a perspective that’s often overlooked.
What can I do for you?
I’m just getting started here and working with the team to plan what we’ll be sharing with you this year. Before we dive in, I really want to hear from you first: what would you love to read on ROMEO? My goal is to bring you a fresh story every week on our startpage—something inspiring, juicy, or just downright fun.
The challenge?
ROMEO is a global platform, and I want to make sure what we share speaks to everyone, everywhere. 🌍
That’s why your ideas matter so much right now.
I also want to show you what truly makes ROMEO different from other apps—things that even many of our longtime users might not know.
Here’s my promise: I’ll always talk to you openly and honestly. No bullsh*t. No sugar-coating. Just real stories, real values, and a real rainbow family spirit—exactly the way it should be. 🌈