Omar Sharif Jr. outs himself as gay, half-Jewish

In a new piece published in The Advocate, actor Omar Sharif's grandson, Omar Sharif Jr., writes that he fears returning to Egypt after coming out as gay and half-Jewish.

"I write this article in fear. Fear for my country, fear for my family, and fear for myself. My parents will be shocked to read it, surely preferring I stay in the shadows and keep silent, at least for the time being. But I can't," writes Sharif.

He goes on to describe the failure of 2011's Egyptian uprising that, he says, has not resulted in a more tolerant society but has instead beeen "hijacked" by those who look to deny basic human rights, not grant them.

"I anticipate that I will be chastised, scorned, and most certainly threatened," he writes. "From the vaunted class of Egyptian actor and personality, I might just become an Egyptian public enemy."