This Queer Arab Family
An Anthology by LGBTQ+ Arab Writers
Edited by Elias Jahshan
About the Book
Existence is a form of resistance.
The Arabic word hafla translates to “party,” but it also conveys the act of caring for others. It’s a fitting word for describing the complex and evolving dynamics of family in Arab culture, where communal bonds are revered, and personal desires are often subsumed in favor of family unity. Traditional roles—defined by age, gender, and duty—have long shaped these relationships, dictating who we are supposed to be to each other. But what happens when Queer Arabs challenge and reimagine these expectations? What if family can be more than blood?
This Queer Arab Family is a celebration of both inherited and chosen family—a testament to the resilience, creativity, and courage of those forging new paths. From raising children with “mum and mum” in a world that may not yet fully understand, to staying connected with far-flung siblings by cooking dishes that have traveled through generations, to finding kinship in shared spaces like gender-neutral bathrooms, these stories illuminate the ways Queer Arabs navigate, redefine, and strengthen their connections.
In a world that can be isolating for those at the intersections of queerness and Arab identity, This Queer Arab Family honors the beauty of chosen kin. It celebrates the everyday acts of care, survival, and joy that bind Queer Arabs to each other. Fierce, vibrant, and unapologetic, this book captures the spirit of those who, despite challenges, insist on building community and family on their own terms.
This Queer Arab Family is here to slay.
About the Contributors
Elias Jahshan (he/him) is a Palestinian-Lebanese journalist and writer. He is the editor of groundbreaking This Arab is Queer: An Anthology by LGBTQ+ Arab Writers (Saqi Books; 2022), which was a finalist in the 2023 Lambda Literary Awards in the USA, shortlisted for the 2023 Bread & Roses Award in the UK, and has been translated into Italian and French. His short memoirs ‘Coming Out Palestinian’ was anthologised in Arab, Australian, Other: Stories on Race and Identity (ed. Randa Abdel-Fattah & Sara Saleh; Picador, 2019), while 'Bittersweet Memories of a Palestinian Knight' was anthologised in Ask the Night for a Dream: Palestinian Writing From the Diaspora (ed. Susan Muaddi Darraj; Palestine Writes Press, 2024). Elias is also a former editor of Star Observer, Australia’s longest-running LGBTQ+ media outlet, and has been published in The Guardian, Gay Times, The New Arab, Raseef22, Shado Mag, My Kali, and more. Born and raised in Sydney, he now lives in London.
