Edited by Elias Jahshan
Saqi Books
10/18/2022, paperback
SKU: 9780863564789
This ground-breaking anthology features the compelling and courageous memoirs of eighteen queer Arab writers - some internationally bestselling, others using pseudonyms. Here, we find heart-warming connections and moments of celebration alongside essays exploring the challenges of being LGBTQ+ and Arab.
From a military base in the Gulf to loving whispers caught between the bedsheets; and from touring overseas as a drag queen to a concert in Cairo where the rainbow flag was raised to a crowd of thousands, this collection celebrates the true colours of a vibrant Arab queer experience.
Reviews:
"I'm not sure if there's ever been an anthology like this before -- and it's about time. [These essays] paint a wonderfully complicated portrait of the diversity of LGBTQ+ Arab experiences." -- Book Riot
"A vital addition to what it means to be Arab. This collection dispels assumptions and overturns stereotypes by showcasing the wonderful diversity and richness of Arab identity. With the innumerable crises our region remains mired in, we can sometimes lose sight of the fact that what we want are spaces of freedom and tolerance, dignity and prosperity, equality, safety, and, above all, of love. Let this anthology serve as a beautiful reminder of that." -- Layla Al Ammar
About the Editor:
Elias Jahshan (he/him) is a Palestinian-Lebanese-Australian journalist and writer. He is a former editor of Star Observer, Australia's longest-running LGBTQ+ media outlet, and a former board member of the Arab Council Australia. His short memoir 'Coming Out Palestinian' was anthologised in Arab Australian Other: Stories on Race and Identity, and he has written freelance for outlets including The Guardian , SBS Voices, My Kali and The New Arab. Born and raised in western Sydney, he now lives in London.