conference planned by Aswat (queer Palestinian women)
Aswat - Palestinian Gay Women are Happy to Invite You to:
"Home and Exile in Queer Identity"
Conference
On the 28th of March 2007
Aswat (which means 'voices') is also publishing the first Arabic book about being lesbian - الوطن والمنفى في تجربة المتحررات جنسيا al-Watan wa-al-manfa fi tajribat al-mutaharrirat jinsiyan. The English version of this title on their website is "Home and Exile in Queer Identity." Literally, the Arabic reads 'Home and exile in the experience of those (women) who liberate themselves sexually'. The word used to translate 'queer' is in the feminine plural, indicating queer women specifically. The Arabic word watan can be translated either 'home' or 'nation', and forms the basis for wataniyah 'nationalism'. To be Palestinian means being unable to think of home or identity without the question of nationalism, and Aswat is known for their politics extending beyond queer liberation to Palestinian nationalism as well. Their use of the word watan in the conference title cannot be separated from its political overtones, given the context. And as if that wasn't complexed enough, the word jinsiyah means both 'nationality' and 'sexuality'.
I really like how they chose the name Aswat for their group, since as marginalized peoples go, Arab women had no voice at all for many centuries, let alone queer Arab women, so to come out now and name themselves Voices speaks volumes. In Israel their status as queer women is freer than in any Arab country, although being Palestinian is used systemically to deny legitimacy to their voices, making them a voice of resistance just for speaking out at all. I hear their voices cutting right through the complex layers of identities overlaid on them from different directions to muffle them.
Notice that the conference announcement has no mention of the location. That was a deliberate omission for security purposes. I went to the 2005 gathering of al-Fatiha, and likewise the location was not given to me until after I'd registered. Nonetheless, one of the hotel employees was an Islamic fundamentalist who burst in and verbally assaulted al-Fatiha members, which was a traumatic experience for one of my close friends, since our security had been breached. The homophobic employee was fired and a cop was posted there for the remainder of the conference.
So one of the Islamist fundies in the Israeli Knesset has been attacking Aswat for putting on their conference. The May/hem blog has reported on not only this controversy but the articles in support of Aswat as well. I loved this comment--"but as one Palestinian member of the communist party responded, who feels sorry for the fall of empires?" Thanks to the blogger, whoever she is ("a 22-year-old Palestinian-Canadian woman"), for relaying the information to North America, where all I can do is give Aswat a shout out from afar in the form of a lusty zagharît.
"Home and Exile in Queer Identity"
Conference
On the 28th of March 2007
Aswat (which means 'voices') is also publishing the first Arabic book about being lesbian - الوطن والمنفى في تجربة المتحررات جنسيا al-Watan wa-al-manfa fi tajribat al-mutaharrirat jinsiyan. The English version of this title on their website is "Home and Exile in Queer Identity." Literally, the Arabic reads 'Home and exile in the experience of those (women) who liberate themselves sexually'. The word used to translate 'queer' is in the feminine plural, indicating queer women specifically. The Arabic word watan can be translated either 'home' or 'nation', and forms the basis for wataniyah 'nationalism'. To be Palestinian means being unable to think of home or identity without the question of nationalism, and Aswat is known for their politics extending beyond queer liberation to Palestinian nationalism as well. Their use of the word watan in the conference title cannot be separated from its political overtones, given the context. And as if that wasn't complexed enough, the word jinsiyah means both 'nationality' and 'sexuality'.
I really like how they chose the name Aswat for their group, since as marginalized peoples go, Arab women had no voice at all for many centuries, let alone queer Arab women, so to come out now and name themselves Voices speaks volumes. In Israel their status as queer women is freer than in any Arab country, although being Palestinian is used systemically to deny legitimacy to their voices, making them a voice of resistance just for speaking out at all. I hear their voices cutting right through the complex layers of identities overlaid on them from different directions to muffle them.
Notice that the conference announcement has no mention of the location. That was a deliberate omission for security purposes. I went to the 2005 gathering of al-Fatiha, and likewise the location was not given to me until after I'd registered. Nonetheless, one of the hotel employees was an Islamic fundamentalist who burst in and verbally assaulted al-Fatiha members, which was a traumatic experience for one of my close friends, since our security had been breached. The homophobic employee was fired and a cop was posted there for the remainder of the conference.
So one of the Islamist fundies in the Israeli Knesset has been attacking Aswat for putting on their conference. The May/hem blog has reported on not only this controversy but the articles in support of Aswat as well. I loved this comment--"but as one Palestinian member of the communist party responded, who feels sorry for the fall of empires?" Thanks to the blogger, whoever she is ("a 22-year-old Palestinian-Canadian woman"), for relaying the information to North America, where all I can do is give Aswat a shout out from afar in the form of a lusty zagharît.