The Queer Arab Glossary edited by Marwan Kaabour & illustrated by Haitham Haddad

A groundbreaking survey of the language used around queerness in the Arab world, with contributions by leading Arab queer writers, thinkers and activists, The Queer Arab Glossary is a first-of-its-kind survey of the linguistic landscape surrounding queerness in the Arab world.

It brings together more than 300 words and terms used to refer to queer people across the spoken Arabic dialects, ranging from the humorous to the harrowing, serious to tongue-in-cheek, pejorative to endearing.

Featuring anecdotes and fascinating historical facts, the bilingual glossary paints a linguistic picture of how queer bodies are perceived within the Arab region.

It includes insightful essays by eight leading Arab queer artists, academics, activists and writers, which situate the glossary in a modern social and political context.

With beautiful, witty illustrations by Haitham Haddad, The Queer Arab Glossary is a powerful response to myths about queer people in the Arab world. It is proof that the LGBTQI+ Arab community is alive and thriving.

About the Editor

Marwan Kaabour is a multidisciplinary graphic designer and artist, and founder of Takweer - a platform that archives queer narratives in Arab popular culture. Kaabour set up his own design practice in 2020 and has worked with some of the world's most exciting cultural institutions, artists and publishers including the V&A Museum, Art Basel, The National Gallery,Serpentine Galleries, Hayward Gallery, Somerset House and Banksy. His work and words have featured in the Gay Times, Evening Standard and L'Orient-LeJour, among others. 

About the Illustrator

Haitham Haddad is a visual artist from Palestine whose work centers on historical and contemporary manifestations of myth and folklore, as well as political tensions between the individual and the collective. He works at the intersection between printmaking, illustration, video and tattooing. Haddad is the founder and creative director of Studio Mnjnk, a multidisciplinary graphic design studio with a focus on experimental typography and Arab visual culture. His work has been exhibited and featured in numerous museums and cultural institutions, such as the AM Qattan Foundation (Palestine), Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam (Netherlands), The Mosaic Rooms (UK), Vier Nul Vier (Belgium), ICD Brookfield Place (UAE), Qalandiya International (Palestine), Bard College (New York) and the Royal College of Art (UK). He currently lives and works in New York.