FQD Reading Group: Let’s Talk About Shame, Baby.
“As an emotional and political response to homophobia, pride was, and in some contexts continues to be, a courageous and creative intervention into homophobia. And shame was the affect that rendered it possible. This was Sedgwick’s point in her extraordinary treatment of shame. For Sedgwick, shame holds the promise of cultural production; in shame, what’s possible is near because the gaze of the other evokes an intense vulnerability that cannot be easily disavowed.” (Georgis 2013:242)
The FQD Reading Group is back! This month is centred around the affect of “shame” and will be guest facilitated by Dr. Sabiha Allouche. Reading through Dina Georgis’ article “Thinking Past Pride: Queer Arab Shame in BAREED MISTA3JIL,” we’d like to collectively think through the power and effect/affects of shame, especially as it relates to queer of colour communities.
Sabiha Allouche is a Senior Teaching Fellow with the Centre for Gender Studies of SOAS, University of London, from where she obtained her PhD in Gender Studies. She convenes the modules on gender and sexuality in the Middle East. Sabiha is interested in the deployment of sexuality in relation to politics. She is a member of the advisory board of Kohl: a Journal for Body and Gender Research.
You can find the Dina Georgis text and the texts she references in this folder: https://bit.ly/2JAvOJZ
The event is open to all. Reading the text in advance is not compulsory and anyone can join to listen and/or participate in the discussion. The building and room are wheelchair accessible. There are wheelchair accessible toilets throughout the building. There are gender neutral toilets in the lower level of the building.
Sabiha has provided links to cultural and knowledge productions from the MENA region that explore or relate to (queer) shame. Participants are encouraged to bring their own links or examples to share with the group.
Momosexuel [Web comics on Maghrebi Queer Men living in the Banlieue, in French] http://momosexuel.blogspot.com/
I Luv U But… [an Australian-Lebanese Web Series] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xej9NZldZ4I
Through the eyes of a queer Arab man: a review of ‘Guapa’ https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/5050/through-eyes-of-queer-arab-man-review-of-guapa/
The website/podcast QueerArabs.com
Episode 66 in English: Dancing Queer!
https://thequeerarabs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Dancing-Queer-episode-FINAL.mp3
Episode 43 in English: Gaysians Unite!
https://thequeerarabs.com/podcast/episode-43-in-english-gaysians-unite/
Queer Arab Comics
http://queercomicsdatabase.com/other_rep/queer-middle-eastern-north-african-character/?s=middle+eastern
CHASE Feminist Network 