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Hijab Butch Blues
Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir | Lamya H
'A masterful, must-read contribution to conversations on power, justice, healing, and devotion from a singular voice I now trust with my whole heart' GLENNON DOYLE, author of Untamed When Lamya is fourteen, she decides to disappear. It seems easier to ease herself out of sight than to grapple with the difficulty of taking shape in a world that doesn't fit. She is a queer teenager growing up in a Muslim household, a South Asian in a Middle Eastern country. But during her Quran class, she reads a passage about Maryam, and suddenly everything shifts: if Maryam was never touched by any man, could Maryam be... like Lamya? Written with deep intelligence and a fierce humour, Hijab Butch Blues follows Lamya as she travels to the United States, as she comes out, and as she navigates the complexities of the immigration system - and the queer dating scene. At each step, she turns to her faith to make sense of her life, weaving stories from the Quran together with her own experiences: Musa leading his people to freedom; Allah, who is neither male nor female; and Nuh, who built an ark, just as Lamya is finally able to become the architect of her own story. Raw and unflinching, Hijab Butch Blues heralds the arrival of a truly original voice, asking powerful questions about gender and sexuality, relationships, identity and faith, and what it means to build a life of one's own.
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review
JenniferP
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Mehso-so

While I appreciated the authors honest look at being a non-binary, Muslim immigrant, I didn‘t love this book. The timeline jumps around quite a bit, and I lost the trajectory of her growth and her understanding of who she is. I read this now because it came in at the library, but really looking forward to discussion with #campLitsy23

squirrelbrain Great review - looking forward to the discussion in July! 4d
BarbaraBB Looking forward to reading this 4d
34 likes2 comments
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ImperfectCJ
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Pickpick

I took a graduate course on the Qur'an several years ago and have been intrigued ever since, so although I have a complicated relationship with memoir as a genre, I enjoyed Lamya H's reflection on the lives of the prophets as they relate to and inform her own life experience. I feel like this is as much a story of maturing into one's 30s as it is a story about coming out and religion, and a few juvenile elements make sense to me through this lens.

bnp This looks fascinating! 4d
ImperfectCJ One specific example that bugs me: how she thought she had to come out to her doctor because the only explanation for how she knows she's not pregnant is that she's gay, when a better explanation is that she'd not had sex with anyone with sperm. I'm pretty sure it's not sexuality that determines whether you are pregnant or not. This interaction felt a little melodramatic to me. 4d
ImperfectCJ Talking to my family, I realized that I'm reading early the books for #camplitsy23 that I predicted I might not like much (the Ellis because of the violence in his other work, the Sittenfeld because I'm not a romance person, this one because I'm funny about memoir). I like getting those out of the way first, like eating my vegetables. 4d
49 likes3 comments
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BkClubCare
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Captivating and expansive to my worldview, I can‘t stop reading this. I‘m about 3/4 in and am humbly learning a lot. I admire so much of the author‘s sharing, dedication to faith, spin on old stories, and being vulnerable and brave. Great memoir. So glad #camplitsy23 put it on my reading list.

Pic of lupine flower in my garden. 🌺

Hooked_on_books I‘m glad this was picked for camp, too. I‘m looking forward to it. 2w
sarahbarnes Really looking forward to this one. 2w
46 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Megabooks
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Thank you to @JenReadsAlot for finding this US kindle deal on our July #CampLitsy23 pick! I hope this helps if your library doesn‘t have a copy.

See All 23 Comments
squirrelbrain A great deal! 3w
JenReadsAlot Glad I was book shopping this morning! 3w
Soubhiville 😁 thanks! 3w
Eggbeater I listened to this book on audio a few months ago. I really liked it. 3w
Larkken Thanks! Grabbed it! 3w
Laughterhp Awesome! Thanks! 3w
Cinfhen Cool! Great find @JenReadsAlot 🥳 3w
Deblovestoread Tried to get this at B&N yesterday but they didn‘t have it! Thank you, thank you! @JenReadsAlot 3w
DebinHawaii Perfect! Thank you @JenReadsAlot ! 3w
TheKidUpstairs Ooh, $2.99 on Kobo in Canada as well! 3w
JenniferP Thanks! I bought it too! 3w
BarbaraBB Thanks Meg and @JenReadsAlot 💕💕 3w
Hooked_on_books Thanks! I‘ll wait for my library copy, though, as I don‘t like to support Amazon. 3w
Megabooks @Hooked_on_books understandable 💯, but I did just check Kobo as well after reading @TheKidUpstairs ‘ comment, and it is $2.99 there too! 3w
Bklover Thanks!!! 3w
Meshell1313 Ooh perfect! Thanks! 3w
RebelReader Glad I could snatch this deal up! Thanks @Megabooks and @JenReadsAlot 3w
79 likes23 comments
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JenReadsAlot
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MicheleinPhilly Excellent! Thanks for posting! 3w
AmyG Oh thanks!!!! 3w
Megabooks Thank you! I‘m going to tag our campers! 3w
squirrelbrain Thanks for posting Jen! 3w
BarbaraBB Thanks Jen 🩷 3w
31 likes5 comments
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squirrelbrain
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Today‘s book mail. Hijab is of course for #camplitsy23 - I just need to be patient and not read it until Meg tells me to!

A Trip to the Beach is a pre-loved copy for #titlesandtunes #islandvibes and also #readingtheamericas23 #anguilla.

TrishB Cool 👍🏻 3w
Cinfhen How fun!! I love #BookMail 3w
Megabooks Fantastic!! I can‘t wait to see what you think! 3w
See All 7 Comments
BarbaraBB I have my copy too and patiently wait for Meg‘s “go!” as well 😉 3w
Hooked_on_books I may have to steal your Anguilla book idea! I don‘t think I have one for there on my list and my library has a copy. Thanks for the tip! 3w
Librarybelle Hooray!! 3w
squirrelbrain You‘re welcome @Hooked_on_books - just started it now and it seems like it will be a good read. 3w
73 likes1 stack add7 comments
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LitsyEvents
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repost for @Megabooks:

Hello campers! I‘m your main discussion leader for July. We‘ll start the month with the overall top vote-getter, Yellowface, and finish it with our first nonfiction title, the memoir Hijab Butch Blues. Very excited! 😁🏕️ #CampLitsy23

Important housekeeping note‼️‼️ We will be taking the first weekend off (July 1-2). July has 5 weekends, and many Americans travel then for the national holiday later that week.

35 likes2 comments
review
Soubhiville
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Pickpick

I loved this insightful audiobook. Lamya H writes about gender, sexuality, racism, religion, and just navigating life. I really appreciated her comparisons of events in her life and the lasting impression they have had on her thoughts and actions to the Quran.

I think her Quran stories were my favorite part. I loved the way she brought each character to life and tried to really dig into their experiences and emotions.

So good. 5🤩

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KathyWheeler
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Pickpick

This is an excellent and interesting memoir by a gay, devout Muslim woman. I do find it to be a little over the top that she compares her struggles to those of Islamic religious figures and prophets. At one point, she refers to coming out as a process of inviting people in instead. I loved that. I highly recommend this book. After reading some of the anger directed toward Lamya H, I completely understand why she uses a pseudonym.

Megabooks This was quite good but definitely controversial. I found her feminist interpretations of the Quran really interesting! 2mo
KathyWheeler @Megabooks I did too. Especially the stories of Maryam and Hajar. 2mo
35 likes2 comments
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
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Pickpick

Wow wow wow what a great book. I was swept up in Lamya's story and their smart compassionate writing. Although this is a memoir, it's structured thematically by Isamic prophets not linearly. Lamya intertwines personal history with her interpretations of the Koran. Every chapter surprised and moved me by the unexpected ways in which the Koranic story was connected to the author's. A new classic of queer lit, just like its allusive title implies.

Nalbuque Roxane Gay is discussing this one in her book club and I sooo wanna read it!! 2mo
KathyWheeler I‘m reading this read now and like it so far. (edited) 2mo
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian @Nalbuque it is very worth your while! 2mo
CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian @KathyWheeler hope you continue to like it. It only gets better imho! 2mo
39 likes3 stack adds5 comments
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KathyWheeler
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I was going to continue with The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, but I noticed this book on my nightstand. Since it was loaned to me by a friend, I figure I should read it for awhile instead.

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ErikasMindfulShelf
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Pickpick

Beautiful memoir. Highly recommend the audio.

29 likes1 stack add
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Lindy
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Pickpick

This is a stunning memoir by a queer South Asian woman who is also a devout Muslim. I listened to the audiobook read by Ashraf Shirazi.

KathyWheeler A friend of mine is reading this right now and I‘d lending it to me when she‘s through. I can‘t wait. 3mo
Lindy @KathyWheeler I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 3mo
39 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Lindy
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I‘ve learned to reframe telling people as “inviting in” instead of “coming out.” 🏳️‍🌈

kspenmoll Oh I really like that! 3mo
Lindy @kspenmoll Me too. And Lamya noticed that there was a barrier between herself and the people she had not invited into her queerness. She realized that it was hard to share intimacies and feelings without also revealing the queer aspect of herself. 3mo
37 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Lindy
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God is neither man nor woman, nor masculine nor feminine. This god who teaches us that we can be both & neither & all & beyond & capable of multiplicities & expansiveness. Nonbinary. Genderqueer. They. This god that is THE god. My god. My Allah, who created the world & created language & created the first person, Adam. This first person who was man & woman & neither & both & not a mistake. Never a mistake. Like me.

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Lindy
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Another episode where I talk about what I‘ve been reading this past week:
Friday Reads March 10: the Centre for Literatures in Canada; nonfiction; queer muslim memoir; last slave ship; natural dyes
https://youtu.be/8CeyDSZD6Hg

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Cortg
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Pickpick

Finished on today‘s Volksmarch. This is a private-like memoir by Lamya who identifies as gay and Muslim as well as a foreigner from several countries. She‘s a feminist and activist and ties stories of the Quran into her own life and experiences as she learns to accept herself.
#ReadHarder23 ~nonfiction @ intersectual feminism #booked2023 ~new in 2023 @alisiakae @Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage #pop23 ~book w/ a queer lead

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

Oh this was just spectacular! Lamya is a queer Muslim woman, who is very much grounded in her faith. In this memoir, she takes people from stories in the Quran (Maryam, Asia, Yusuf, etc.) and relates them to aspects of her journey. Her feminist interpretations of these stories were thought-provoking and her personal story of growing up as an immigrant in a gulf country and then studying and working in the US was equally fascinating. 5⭐️

TrishB Seen this a lot this week, you w probably put on my list now 👍🏻 4mo
Chelsea.Poole 🏃‍♀️—> me running to put this audiobook on hold. Thank you 😊 4mo
squirrelbrain Stacked! 4mo
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Cinfhen This came across my feed as recommended for you!! Guess you just confirmed I need to pick it up 4mo
Megabooks @TrishB I hope you like it. It really blew me away! 4mo
Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole very curious if you‘ll love it as much as I did. It was a truly superb memoir imo! 4mo
Megabooks @Cinfhen I think you‘ll enjoy it, and like me, you‘ll probably recognize many of the religious figures from Judaism. She has Noah, Moses, and Jonah. A lot of the stories were familiar to me, and I loved her interpretations. I hope you try it! (edited) 4mo
TrishB It‘s still v expensive here so I‘ll sit and wait a bit! 4mo
Megabooks @TrishB I was really lucky my library got it. I 💯 understand waiting for price changes! That‘s me right now with this. I think I‘ll wait until the UK paperback in August, which is so hard. 4mo
97 likes10 stack adds10 comments