Bed Works: World Editions

This collection of stories tells the fate of nine Arab men, from Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Western Sahara, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel, many living in exile. What follows are the stories of nine Arab men, from Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Lebanon, Western Sahara, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel, many living in exile. Including letters, chat logs and interviews, Bed Works explores themes of internalized homophobia, the consequences of concealing one’s real self, and how ends can justify means in the pursuit of safety. These men tell of sham marriages, sexual abuse, police brutality and killings in their home countries, but also of their struggle to forge a new identity in exile. Readers are thrust into the harsh realities faced by LGBTQ+ communities in countries that criminalize homosexuality, dominated by traditional patriarchal cultures and lacking sexual education. In these contexts, relationships often end abruptly, communication is sparse and secrecy prevails. LGBTQ+ individuals whisper about their identities in public spaces, alter their personas—sometimes to the extent of collaborating with the authorities—and may suddenly disappear. The epilogue is a heartfelt personal letter from the author Khaled Alesmael, himself a journalist and writer who fled from Syria to the UK.