Unspeakable Love: Gay and Lesbian Life in the Middle East

Homosexuality is a taboo subject in the Arab world. While clerics denounce it as a heinous sin, newspapers write cryptically of 'shameful acts' and 'deviant behaviour'. Amid the calls for reform in the Middle East, homosexuality is one issue that almost everyone in the region would prefer to ignore. In this absorbing account, Guardian journalist Brian Whitaker calls attention to the voices of men and women who are struggling with gay identities in societies where they are marginalised and persecuted by the authorities. He paints a disturbing picture of people who live secretive, fearful lives and who are often jailed, beaten, and ostracised by their families, or sent to be 'cured' by psychiatrists. Deeply informed and engagingly written, Unspeakable Love reveals that - while deeply repressive prejudices and stereotypes still govern much thinking about homosexuality - there are pockets of change and tolerance. This updated edition includes new material covering developments since the book's first publication.

Review: 'This is an important, timely book, and lucid to boot - a must-read for anyone who believes in human rights.' Rabih Alameddine, author of 'Koolaids' and 'I, the Divine' 'Anyone interested in reform in the Arab world must read this book' Mai Yamani 'A fascinating insight' Ben Summerskill 'Never before has such a comprehensive study of gay civil rights been published - Whitaker organizes this book expertly' The Middle East Gay Journal; 'Wise and compassionate' The Guardian; 'An illuminating book on an important topic' Publisher's Weekly