Today is the UN designated International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. We would like to share a few works of beauty and power created by Palestinians in Gaza and abroad.

Reminder: Tonight at Queen's University there is a vigil for Palestine, spearheaded by the local group Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (IG: @sphrqueens). You will need to sign up to discover the location, and the event starts at 7pm.


POETRY

 
"Some people place their whole bodies
inside a dream A woman steps out of a dream with fresh almonds wrapped in a towel holding them out to any open mouth.
For Palestine"
 
~ Naomi Shihab Nye
 

Naomi Shihab Nye is a poet of Palestinian decent. For additional context, note that Leslie Feinberg included this poem in her speech to ASWAT Palestinian Gay Women at a 2007 conference in Haifa, Palestine. “Aswat” is Arabic for “voices”, which is a reference to the voices of lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersexual Palestinians.


MUSIC

In addition to this track, we have a playlist created for a recent event at Queen's, created by a graduate student in our department for an evening of community sharing and connection in support for the people of Palestine.


LITERATURE

Thank you to the curators @queerafictionado for compiling a list of several works of fiction by queer Palestinian writers.

Queer Palestinian novels

Please follow @queerafictionado for excellent queer anthologies

You Exist Too Much, by Zaina Arafat


A Map of Home, by Randa Jarrar


The Skin and Its Girl, by Sarah Cypher


The Ordeal of Being Known, by Malia Rose


Guapa, by Saleem Haddad


The Philistine, by Leila Marshy

 

Belladonna, by Anbara Salam

Please consider ordering these from a local, independent bookstore.

 

 

 

 

 


VISUAL ART

The featured image for this page is a cropped view of a painting by Palestinian artist Malak Mattar, whose work can be followed (and prints purchased) via Instagram at @malakmattarart

Malak Mattar Painting
"To those I dedicate my art to, to women everywhere who work hard, struggle, go through pain and still build and succeed especially under occupation. To my mother, sisters, and friends!" ~ Malak Mattar