Marwan Kaabour’s groundbreaking debut, The Queer Arab Glossary, published by Saqi, is now available
The Queer Arab Glossary is the first of its kind to explore queerness and the Arabic language across the entire Arabic-speaking world. It meticulously captures the diverse language of the queer Arab community, with its quirks, differences, and eloquence. More than a book, it stands as a powerful testament of empowerment and validation, a collective effort of the queer Arab community to reclaim their rightful space and language.
Featuring beautiful and witty illustrations, the glossary invites readers to embark on a journey into queerness across the Arab world.
Queer people and their slang have existed as long as the Arabic language has. Queer Arab slang is poetic, hilarious, and imaginative.
Marwan Kaabour
The book includes over three hundred terms in both Arabic and English, encompassing intriguing facts and stories. The terms range from serious to lighthearted, from pejorative to endearing, and from the humorous to the downright harrowing. The glossary is complemented by insightful essays written by leading queer Arab creatives, activists, and academics, placing the glossary in a contemporary social and political context.
“A little masterpiece.”
Owen Jones
The Queer Arab Glossary provides a platform for the queer Arab community to come together and share their collective histories.
Edited by Marwan Kaanour, The Queer Arab Glossary is available now direct from Saqi.
Marwan Kaabour is a celebrated Lebanese designer and artist, and founder of @takweer, which archives Arab queer narratives. Marwan has worked with a phenomenal array of contributors, which include leading Arab queer writers and activists such as Rabih Alameddine, Abdellah Taia and Hamed Sinno.
“Takweer, the platform which I founded in 2019, aims to explore, archive, and celebrate queer narratives in Arab history and pop culture. The platform is followed by a broad and diverse audience from all across the Arabic-speaking region and beyond. During my many conversations with the platform’s followers I would come across queer Arabic slang which I wouldn’t be familiar with, so I wanted to learn more.”
