Meem

This book was a refreshing collection of stories from lesbian and queer women in Lebanon. The pieces are well written and thoughtful, and they express a wide range of views and experiences. The stories are everything from inspiring to depressing, from light-hearted to serious. The book challenges stereotypes and generalizations about Lebanon, lesbians, and religion by providing a broad spectrum of stories and giving a solid introduction to Lebanon and the production of the book at the beginning. The book is based in what I would consider to be third-wave feminism, and it rejects U.S./Western European dominance in feminist and queer theory by providing Lebanese feminist perspectives. It also calls out racism and xenophobia in queer spaces in Europe and the United States, showing how queer Lebanese women face intersectional oppression and that running away to a Western "oasis" is not the solution many expect it be.

Unfortunately, the book is not widely available (I was only able to find it at a university library, where I had to read it in one sitting), but I recommend it highly to anyone who’s interested in the subject matter. It’s an important work, and I’m looking forward to finding more that are like it.… (more)