The Queer Arabs

This week Ellie, Alia, and Nadia discuss some of the lesser-known dealings of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, such as his massive investment in the video game company SNK. Why does this matter? These “soft-power” moves ensure that international corporations will pressure their governments not to sanction Saudi Arabia – despite the state’s human rights violations and destruction in Yemen. We also discuss MBS’s serpentine rise to power and his history of associations with American celebrities. Listen for the political analysis – stay for some sleep-deprived tangents. Photo from The Verge, edited by Nadia 😉 https://t.co/TeyIHSmkG3?fbclid=IwAR3JE7M-rfwgTUZeGo8KxpdrkA8nuJBstBpma82Yh8uFlUhn2b-w4NmEZlg

This week we’re catching up with Angie Assal (who you might remember from previous episodes) Lebanese-American artist, dancer, aspiring musician, and creator of Sound of Mazzika, a line of jewelry and more inspired by Arabic music and culture.  Angie explains why she got started studying Arabic percussion, and how it also led her to practice the martial art Bagua.  She also talks about recovering from injuries and COVID hospitalization, and dream collaborations for her jewelry business (Haifa Wehbe, please listen). We also discuss how hypermobility is confusing, why we like showing up to parties when no one is there, and…

Zeyn Joukhadar, author of The Map of Salt and Stars and The Thirty Names of Night, joined us to talk about the process of guest editing the Mizna: Queer + Trans Voices collection!  Zeyn also talks about the writing of his novels, the importance of a space for queer folks in SWANA communities, and more. Nailah Taman, Program Director of Mizna, also joined us for this episode to talk about the process of making the Queer + Trans Voices issue come together.  They discuss the work that Mizna does, their role in the organization, and more! Follow Zeyn on IG:…

This episode features Ṭaüs Jafar, formerly Tamara, who was born in Troy, MI to an Iraqi-Muslim immigrant family.  Ṭaüs’ music and songwriting has played on the radio, been featured in pop songs, in the scores of feature films and TV shows, and been part of experiential design in museums and large-scale public installations. Jafar’s work and experimentation as an artist, musician, and activist eventually led them to a practice and pursuit of knowledge around healing, meditation, and dharmic studies. After two years of training to become a teacher of a non-dualist meditation practice, Jafar is called again to share their…

It was such a pleasure talking to Mike Mosallam, creator of the film ‘Breaking Fast’ (on Hulu).  The film follows a gay Muslim man looking for love during Ramadan (the film is best described as a Ramadan rom-com).  (See more here:  https://www.breakingfastfilm.com) We discussed the importance of media portrayal of the fun and sense of humor shared among Arabs, as this is not often the side of the community that gets focused on.  We talked about the ways Arab actors are often pigeonholed in media, and how Mike’s film serves to counteract that while still tackling meaningful topics. We also…

Photo by:  VampKitty/Nadine Barišić This week’s episode features Jillian York who, like Liz Henry (featured last week) played a vital role in 2011 in unveiling the hoax surrounding the blog ‘A Gay Girl In Damascus’ — the fictional character Amina Arraf had become a beloved figure by many around the world at the time.  To many, Amina represented a key shift in conversation surrounding the LGBT community; finally, there was an Arab lesbian voice reaching folks internationally. In this episode, we discuss the psychological damage that can can be caused by catfishing, particularly when marginalized identities are co-opted.  Jillian also…

Photo source:  https://bookmaniac.org/about/ We were joined by Liz Henry who played a vital role in 2011 in unveiling the hoax surrounding the blog ‘A Gay Girl In Damascus’ — the fictional character Amina Arraf had become a beloved figure by many around the world at the time.  When Liz helped discover that Amina did not actually exist (and a catfisher in the UK was behind the scheme), many people who had been invested in Amina’s story experienced various levels of grief.  To many, Amina represented a key shift in conversation surrounding the LGBT community; finally, there was an Arab lesbian…

Huge thank you to the UC Davis MENASA Resources Center (@ucdavismenasa) for having us as guest speakers! Following our presentation on the (brief) history our podcast, what we’ve learned along the way, and an overview of queer organizing in the SWANA region, we recorded a live Q&A with some awesome attendees.   Our discussion included pre- and post-9-11 racial perceptions of us as Arabs in the US, finding queer SWANA and Muslim community (in various locales and online), what brings us Queer Arab joy (from cooking to listener DMs to messy chosen families). View the full presentation here:  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/12xpDI01x3YU6KHZpedTu0TwzVy6sWf0orqVmVXGggnU/edit?usp=sharing

Denmo Ibrahim, a first-generation Egyptian-American actor, writer, and entrepreneur, joined for this week’s episode.  We focused on her upcoming work, Brilliant Mind, which is a participatory digital experience that will be presented through Marin Theater Company.  In this work, the two main characters (siblings Dina and Yusef) learn of their estranged father’s death, they return to their childhood home to bury a man they never knew.  The story explores the bond that forms between the two siblings in navigating the grief, and the ways in which they get to know their father after his death.  Alia and Denmo both relate…

Randa Jarrar is a Los Angeles-based Palestinian-Egyptian writer, actress, and more. She joined us to discuss her recent and upcoming work, plus virtual kink parties, tattoos, tatreez and tea! Randa is the author of the forthcoming memoir Love Is An Ex-Country, the novel A Map of Home, and the collection of stories Him, Me, Muhammad Ali. She is also a performer who has recently appeared in Hulu’s RAMY, as well as the short films GOT GAME and FINJAN. Her essays have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Salon, Bitch, Buzzfeed, and elsewhere. She is a recipient of a Creative…