About Bareed Mista3jil

"Bareed Mista3jil" is a brave new book published by Meem in Beirut, Lebanon. The book, available in both English and Arabic versions, is a collection of 41 true (and personal) stories from lesbians, bisexuals, queer and questioning women, and transgender persons from all over Lebanon. The introduction to the book is a 30-page analysis of the general themes presented in the stories.

What sort of diversities exist in human sexuality? How do bisexuals ‘come out’? What kinds of discrimination do lesbians face? How does it affect their self-esteem and their sense of community? What are their relationships with their families, friends, and each other like? How do people of different sexualities deal with religion and faith? Is it a struggle to identify as non-heterosexual? Or do people ‘just know’? Are there gender identities other than ‘man’ and ‘woman’? How has life for lesbians in Lebanon changed over the past 10 years? Is emigration their only choice?

This long-awaited publication comes to dispel the myths surrounding these questions and to reveal a glimpse of the lives existing invisibly and silently in different Lebanese communities. The stories are about love, pain, identity, suffering, overcoming, and the intricate complexities of the human heart. And above all, these stories are about hope.

Bareed Mista3jil is now available for sale in English at all Virgin Megastores in Lebanon and at the Feminist House. It is also available for sale online. The Arabic version will be available as of July 1st.