The LLM Writing Workshop presents a talk by<br>
<br>
Sami Zeidan<br>
<br>
LLM Candidate '06<br>
<br>
on<br>
<br>
THE GAY INTERNATIONAL JOURNEYS EASTWARD: AN ITINERARY OF HUMAN RIGHTS<br>
ADVOCACY IN LEBANON<br>
<br>
"Pro-gay" human rights advocates who have written about sexuality in the<br>
Arab/Muslim world have not successfully shown how (and what it means) to do<br>
"pro-gay" advocacy in the Middle East. Joseph Massad even denies altogether<br>
the existence of any homosexual identities in the Arab world. Although<br>
theoretically fascinating, the issue often becomes one of labeling versus<br>
not labeling, but little serious attention is given to how to move forward<br>
in a region fraught with very real discrimination and oppression of persons<br>
with same-sex desire or "practitioners of same-sex contact".<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
The unique space created by the combination of 1- de facto pluralism and 2-<br>
the fact that it is a state that does not really represent its people<br>
(homophobic for the most part) makes Lebanon a readily available substrate<br>
for examining what it means to do human rights advocacy - especially "gay"<br>
rights advocacy - and do it well. Above and beyond sexual orientation, the<br>
"Lebanon" space allows us to ask questions around identitarian politics in<br>
general, such as: What does it mean to seek to maintain a Lebanese identity<br>
as opposed to importing the western model to Lebanon?<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
This paper asks: Can we disaggregate 1- the need to avoid importing Western<br>
models of sexual identity in Lebanon, from 2- the absence of public space<br>
for deliberation over what it means to have same-sex intimacy in Islam and<br>
the Arab world? In other words, how true is it that allowing a public debate<br>
over legalization of same-sex intimacy inevitably leads to an invasion of<br>
local culture by Western norms? This study represents a small but important<br>
first step in filling this gap. It argues for the necessity of a public<br>
space for sexual minorities in Lebanon to (at least have the chance to) work<br>
out a grassroots self-definition.<br>
<br>
<br>
Sami's supervisor is Professor David Kennedy<br>
<br>
<br>
Thursday, May 4th 4:30-5:30 ILS 211 (International Legal Studies, Harvard Law<br>
School, Graduate Program Lounge)<br>
<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.law.harvard.edu/ils/" target="_blank">http://www.law.harvard.edu/ils/</a><br>
<br>
<br>
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