Coptic Queer Stories

On this Nakba Day, goddesses of love and victory, favorite artworks by bread and puppet and Zeinab Ahmed, and spending time in the kitchen baking .kassis’ roasted tahini cheesecake

It would be so nice to be something that's like, you know, where I don’t have to think about these issues that are so personal to me all the time. But I don't know if that's really an option. Like, I feel like if I took everything q***r related off my resume, I would have very little. *laughter* Lee (27)

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Lee is the most kind and brilliant advocate for the q***r and trans agenda 🤝 they do indeed have a very q***r resume. Just a few examples: they started a GSA at their publicly-funded Catholic school at 16 before coming out, which helped change the Education Act in Ontario. They were the Co-Grand Marshal at Pride in Toronto, they are involved in the first-ever survey of trans people who work in K to 12 schools in Canada and the US, and they are currently in a PhD program researching ways to make trans people's working conditions in schools and public institutions better.

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Full interview in bio to get to know ***rnerdxo as we discuss their experiences with life in the public eye during high school, controversies around gender/sexuality/sex ed curriculum, intimidation and support, awards from gay churches, being mixed and visibly gender non-conforming as a Copt, the activism>academia continuum, understanding the terms of being invited back into the family WhatsApp group, the q***r Egyptian underground, and fresh beginnings.

What does a Coptic q***r community look like to you? What does it feel like? What does it smell like? /// C: So for me, it means physically holding you all. What I would give to give you all a hug - like a real cuddle - it would just mean, I can't tell you how emotional it makes me feel to know that there are people like me in the world. You know? I have felt so isolated for so long - and I just didn't know that there was anyone who was gay and Egyptian - let alone being gay and Coptic. Like I had no idea that people were even in existence. So for me, my dream would be to see you all in one place and sit with you and talk with you forever- well not forever because you probably need to sleep at some point. But you know, sit and talk and eat and share and connect and just like, almost have a retreat. Literally have a week for a retreat. You know, we're going to be in this random cabin somewhere and we’re all going to talk about being gay for like a whole week. And you can bring- what are those things you guys make? S’mores? We just have marshmallows but you guys do marshmallows and…crunchy thing. What is it? Chris Daniel (32) \\\

~~*~~Link in bio for full convo transcript with and , as they explore British humor, q***r community in diaspora, womanhood, transnational borders, survival in capitalism, softness and androgyny, le***an family dynamics, cow manure in the countryside, race, class, privilege, and so much more.

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