A review in Ianyan

By Nora Kayserian

The importance of the content and publication of this book is multi-layered. It brings to light a variety of issues that are considered taboo in our communities, even in so-called “progressive” ones. The mere fact that a book is even published about queer Armenians is rare in Armenia, where homosexuality, punished throughout and after the collapse of the Soviet Union, was decriminilaized in the South Caucasus country in 2003, though the stigma remained. In Armenia, LGBT folks live in a hateful and intolerant environment where they experience harassment regularly and are seen as a threat to the nuclear family.

Although in some Armenian diasporan communities the discrimination is not as explicit, the voice of LGBT Armenians are often ignored and overshadowed by “more pressing issues.”

Read the rest of the review here.