Treat Me Like Your Mother: Trans* Histories From Beirut's Forgotten Past

Cold Cuts is the photo journal queer culture and the South West Asian and North African region. The special edition issue by Mohamad Abdouni, co- edited by Joy Stacey and Rayan Abdel Khalek, is a public archive that compiles studio shoots, interviews, personal photographs and archival imagery to record the untold stories of ten trans* women living in Beirut. Trans* is used in recognition of transgender, transsexual, trans- feminine, trans-masculine and trans-non-binary identifying people.

It pays tribute to trans* women and femme men who have been largely erased from Beirut’s history. The women we spoke to are aged between their late thirties and late fifties, drawing visibility to an extraordinary community that has long been pushed to the shadows.

The women tell the story of a city that is now lost, of war, survival, love, balls, parties, families, beaches, abuse, and jail. The book shows an unprecedented history of queer communities in Beirut, and aims at affording our elders overdue respect, visibility, love and kindness.

This project was made possible with support from LGBTQI+ NGO Helem, the Arab Image Foundation, Mophradat, Studio Safar, The Norwegian Embassy and Station.

Published by Cold Cuts
Softcover
285 pages
240 x 310 mm