Book Review: The Arab Is Queer
Ariel Collier takes us through embracing personal narratives in This Arab is Queer.
A review of The Arab is Queer an anthology of LGBTQ+ Arab writers by Elias Jahshan, an Australian journalist of Palestinian and Lebanese descent living in London.
By Ariel Collier
The anthology, edited by Elias Jahsan, is about the experiences of the queer Arabic diaspora. While drawing valid parallels between Arabic and African diasporic communities, the realised impact of “This Arab is Queer" on black identity transcends mere explanation. With that in mind. I will focus this review on fostering solidarity while giving significant consideration to iterations of identity. We will delve into dialogues held at Queercircle and explore connections between the book and Audre Lorde's timeless essay "Uses of the Erotic: Erotic as Power '' to illustrate the importance of sharing narratives from marginalised voices rather than comparing them. Settle in for the ride.
Summing up the entirety of 18 beautifully written essays is challenging; nevertheless, here are the common themes explored within "This Arab is Queer": identity, activism, feminism, anti-racism, anti-homophobia, bi-phobia, and transphobia; coming-out stories and their aftermath; staying private and their consequences; the pursuit of liberation; exploration of pleasure, worship, migration, body positivity, and hopes for the future.
Contributors such as Amina Alli and Ahmed Umar touch on anti-racism within the community, particularly against brown people. Mona Eltahawy introduces feminist concepts of body positivity and agency. All contributors display the queer community's possession of erotic power, which challenges the cultural, spiritual, and political authority that Lorde touches on in tandem. Through their stories, each writer wields their erotic power, inviting readers to explore their own experiences of pleasure, deep feeling, and intuitive knowledge through the act of sharing their own stories.
Lorde states: "the erotic is a measure between the beginnings of our sense of self and the chaos of our strongest feelings. It is an internal sense of satisfaction to which, once we have experienced it, we know we can aspire. Having experienced the fullness of this depth of feeling and recognising its power, in honour and self-respect, we can require no less of ourselves."
Although in her essay, Lorde associates the power of the erotic with femininity and women, through reading "This Arab is Queer," it became apparent to me that all queer people have a fundamental relationship with the erotic. If we consider the erotic to be a resource of feeling—a subconscious, intuitive, and non-rational information system surging with spiritual, political, and cultural power—the LGBTQIA+ community is its guardian. Innately, every queer person must face the fundamental question concerning their strong feelings that diverge from the cis-heteronormative and how the erotic might shift their reality. In a perfect world, sexuality would not carry such weighty significance, but reality intertwines with the intersections of Arabic identities. "This Arab is Queer" is a showcase of erotic power in full force.
“In a perfect world, sexuality would not carry such weighty significance, but reality intertwines with the intersections of Arabic identities.”
The anthology sheds light on the important lived experiences of queer Arabic people in many diasporic countries, where same-sex activity remains illegal and carries severe penalties, yet they subvert authority in pursuit of life's satisfaction. Unfortunately, this rarely comes without a cost and isn't the case for every queer person within the Arab diaspora.
During Queercircle's one-year celebration, Elias shares that several authors in the book sought asylum in countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK to live out their truths. He spoke on displacement and the clear need for books like this, stating that a large part of his motivation to put this book together came after the aftermath of the media's poor portrayal of queer Arabic lives and needs in response to the death of socialist lesbian activist Sarah Hegazi. Sarah Hegazi, who sought asylum in Canada after being arrested, tortured, and imprisoned in Egypt for months after raising a rainbow flag at a Mashrou' Leila concert in 2017, later took her own life in 2020.
In the same year, further fuelling the flames of tension, the EU, UK, and Canadian embassies in Baghdad raised the rainbow flag in Baghdad on the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Bi-phobia without proper engagement with the (queer) community. This exemplified the white saviour complex, denied queer Arabic folk the ability to decide for themselves what they needed during that time, and led to extreme backlash against queer people online and in the streets. The book emerged as a platform for the Arab queer community to express their grief and joy and explore nuance, countering the erasure and stigma perpetuated by both Western and Eastern media and policymakers.
“The book boldly combines the colonial label Arab' with the reimagined word 'queer’…”
By June 2022, "This Arab is Queer" was out, with the support of Saqi Publishers. The book boldly combines the colonial label ‘Arab' with the reimagined word 'queer,' emphasising the empowerment of these identities. This anthology is not for those obsessed with the clashes between Islam and queerness or those imposing their ideas on the Arab world. Instead, it creates a space free from compartmentalization, encouraging unity and shared understanding.
However, the book's few shortcomings, notably the exclusion of other marginalised voices within the Arab diaspora, such as Kurdish and Amazigh people.Elias acknowledged that if there were to be a second volume, there would have to be a different editor for it to ensure a more inclusive and diverse perspective, as a cis gay man. Nevertheless, "This Arab is Queer" serves as a beacon of hope and visibility for queer people of colour, breaking down stereotypes and fostering understanding among diverse diasporas.
In conclusion, "This Arab is Queer" is a significant and timely anthology that empowers marginalised communities to embrace and honour their unique narratives. It embodies Audre Lorde's vision of embracing the erotic and calls us to unite against cis-heteronormative patriarchy. Through this collection, Elias Jahshan redefines the notion of Arab identity, promoting diversity and intersectionality. It serves as a call for collective empowerment and an invitation to share our voices, reshaping the narrative of queer experiences in the Arab world.