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"A queer Muslim searches for the language to express her truest self, making peace with her sexuality, her family, and Islam. Growing up in Pakistan, Samra Habib lacks a blueprint for the life she wants. She has a mother who gave up everything to be a pious, dutiful wife and an overprotective father who seems to conspire against a life of any adventure. Plus, she has to hide the fact that she's Ahmadi to avoid persecution from religious extremists. As the threats against her family increase, they seek refuge in Canada, where new financial and cultural obstacles await them. When Samra discovers that her mother has arranged her marriage, she must again hide a part of herself--the fun-loving, feminist teenager that has begun to bloom--until she simply can't any longer. So begins a journey of self-discovery that takes her to Tokyo, where she comes to terms with her sexuality, and to a queer-friendly mosque in Toronto, where she returns to her faith in the same neighbourhood where she attended her first drag show. Along the way, she learns that the facets of her identity aren't as incompatible as she was led to believe, and that her people had always been there--the world just wasn't ready for them yet."--… (more)
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It took many years until she accepted the fact she was gay and much of the volume is the trials she went through until she came to that point. Her relationship with her family who were very devout Muslims takes up important portions of the book.
Based on her descriptions of life in Pakistan, I cannot say I have any urge to go there. A reading of this volume does give the read a chance at understanding some of the power of Islam. Despite the negative treatment she experienced because of her religion, she still loved it as it provided her with comfort and support.
This was the winner of the 2020 Canada Reads.
by Samra Habib
due 6-4-2019
Viking
5.0 / 5.0
Samra Habibś journey of self-discovery, while remaining loyal to her deep religious beliefs, is stunning and emotional and revealing. It made me re-consider my thoughts on Islam, organized religion and
Samra shares her childhood in Pakistan, growing up in a climate of fear, feeling like an outsider because of her families belief and following of the Ahmadi Movement. It was legal to torture and kill Ahmadi followers by the Sunniś. Her belief in Muhammad has been important to her throughout her life. In 1991, She immigrated to Canada, moving into an apt complex that had other Ahmadi families, but few were Pakistani and she felt very alone.
Samra married twice before realizing she may be queer, Once was an arranged marriage to a first cousin. Until she met other gay people, the possibility of being gay never occurred to her. She realized her sexual identity when it became visible to her. Visibility is so important and essential.
Samra Habibś novel reminds how important allowing all people visibility, all people equal opportunity and all people with respect and dignity. Habib reminds us how human we all are. Itś how humane we treat each other that truly separates us. Highly recommended novel.
Thanks to Random House/Canada, Samra Habib and net galley for this e-book ARC for a fair and honest review.
#netgalley #WeHaveAlwaysBeenHere
That said, I found the book a little dull. The author is a trained journalist and I think she has written about her life more as an observer than as the main character in her own story. I don't feel I know her even after learning about her struggles with faith and sexuality. It wasn't a bad book....just not nearly as interesting as I'd expected.
Habib was raised
Samra Habib was still a girl when her entire family came to Canada from Pakistan. They were a part of a minority group of Muslims who were discriminated against in their own country. As she grew up, she knew she didn’t see things the same as her parents and she did not want to marry her
This was good. It did move quickly and it felt like it skipped forward fast in some cases. It was interesting to read about, though.
Arriving in Canada, her family forces her into an arranged marriage at a very early age.
She manages to divorce this first husband. She attends college, meets and marries her second husband. While this marriage is her choice, she doesn't feel true to herself. As she begins to explore her true feelings and identity, she realizes she queer (her word) and attracted more to women. She finds the courage to leave husband two and live a more authentic life.
Over the course of her 20's she works hard to gain acceptance and embrace her full identity as gay AND Muslim AND brown AND immigrant.
She describes difficult times but the whole story is told with so much warmth and grace. There were a few parts that really stood out for me. When she discovered a mosque that would accept her as both gay and Muslim. And when she eventually reconciles with her parents.
I really, REALLY loved this. as a queer Muslim memoir, yes, it contains the conflict and displacement and
An amazing book.