Muslim Drag Queen Amrou Al-Kadhi

Queers, Queens, and Superheroes

Muslim Drag Queen Amrou Al-Kadhi

BY KASSIDY TARALA | PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMROU AL-KADHI

Drag performer and writer Amrou Al-Kadhi discusses their upbringing as a queer Muslim and their recent memoir “Life as a Unicorn.”

“Queer and trans people show the world what it is to be free,” says Amrou Al-Kadhi, the British-Iraqi drag queen, writer, and fi lmmaker.

Al-Kadhi, who recently published their fi rst book Life as a Unicorn: A Journey from Shame to Pride and Everything in Between, grew up feeling like the only queer kid in the entire Middle East.

“I was a kid before the internet or social media was a thing, so I really had no access to queer representation,” they say. “I was taught to be very godfearing and that gender or sexual transgression was an unforgivable sin, so I suppose I was brought up with this deep, ingrained fear that my existence was an complete monstrosity, and I had no one to talk to about it or anyway in which to express myself. This deeply held fear that I am wrong in my absolute core has never really left, and I have to fi ght everyday to counteract it.”

Al-Kadhi was outed at school by a bully, but it wasn’t until they were fi fteen and their parents discovered gay porn under their bed that they came out to their family. “I was bullied mercilessly at school, and my parents just refused to accept my sexuality. They accused me of being into Satan, and just told me that there was no possibility in which I would ever become a gay adult, and just left it at that,” AlKadhi says.

“It’s been like seventeen years since then, and my parents still refuse to ever accept or talk about it,” they add.

Raised between Bahrain and Dubai, Al-Kadhi moved to London when they were eleven, and then attended Cambridge University at nineteen. Once their parents moved back to the Middle East, Al-Kadhi started doing drag and, after graduating, became a drag queen in London.

“Now I make my living as a jobbing drag performer, a screenwriter, and an author, and I recently just moved to Los Angeles,” they say.

“To be honest, I just wanted to write a book that could relay the complexity of my experiences outside of a culture war political setting,” they say. “Islam, gender identity, and queerness are so politicized these days, that I wanted

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to just be able to write about my experiences without anybody shouting back at me on the news.”

Al-Kadhi says they wrote Life as a Unicorn because they wanted to write a book that could “hold the complexity and contradictions of the queer Muslim experience without having to tie it into a neat narrative.”

“I guess in the end, my hope was that anybody could read this book and empathize with these experiences on a human level, outside of how politicized the issues might be,” they add.

Building empathy and community between people is something that Al-Kadhi strives for as

a storyteller, “especially during this time of such pronounced polarization and division,” they say. “I wanted the book to feel like a friend was talking to you about their experiences, so no matter who you were, you could feel like you had access to the story. I also wanted to write the book I wish I had while growing up.”

“Queer and trans people show the world what it is to be free, and people who have dedicated their lives to shackling constructs that have been unquestioned feel completely threatened by this—it is our freedom that makes people hate us, and so they lash out,” Al-Kadhi says of the current anti-LGBTQ+ legislation being passed throughout the United States.

“I am so sick of our identities being used as some pawn for political gain, but queer and trans people have always been resilient, and no matter what, we will survive and thrive. And I think the curve of history is on our side—there’s nothing politicians can do to stop the new generation being more queer and more queer accepting, and no amount of legislating will change that.”

Al-Kadhi says it’s more important now than ever to fight back.

“Look how rightwing groups are trying to erase our history! The more of us who tell our stories, the more of us it will galvanize, and it is our collective strength and resilience that is going to win in the end,” they say.

Despite the ongoing setbacks and violence against the LGBTQ+ community, Al-Kadhi says they will be celebrating and honoring Pride Month this year with their friends.

“All my queer friends—they are my superheroes!”

Order a copy of Life as a Unicorn at www.harpercollins.com. 

Summer Is Here

Summer is here! The following wine offerings are perfect for your next patio, backyard, or rooftop get together that we all have been waiting for! Wines from the Rhone Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Oregon, Washington state and California make for a perfect pairing for any upcoming event, no matter how large or small. Enjoy! 2021 Greetings Rosé from the Willamette Valley in Oregon is flawlessly layered with soft berries, hints of watermelon, and the finish is dry but clean. Serve chilled, with a perfect spring salad. $17

A Haskell’s long time staple, Vouvray Voltaire 2020 is a perfect pairing for any summer get together. 100% Chenin Blanc, a crisp, refreshing white that pairs well with almost everything. While recommended for Thanksgiving turkey, this gem applies to almost anything summer related. Pair with salads, cheeses, and grilled chicken and serve chilled. $16

Angels Landing Napa Sauvignon Blanc 2020 has vibrant aromas and flavors of grapefruit, green fig, lemongrass and papaya. This wine is pleasing, clean, and crisp with balanced acidity on the smooth, lingering finish. Serve chilled. Enjoy with any shellfish, fish or soft cheeses. $19 2019 Jean-Claude Poisson Pouilly-Fuisse is produced exclusively from 100% Chardonnay grapes from hillside vineyards in the Southern Burgundy region. A medium bodied un-oaked white with a soft golden color. Dry and balanced acidity leads to a finish of great finesse. $25 2017 Skyfall Merlot from Washington State, is a true expression of this somewhat forgotten grape. The movie, Sideways, derailed Merlot for a spell, however, a comeback is in the making! There is a lot of wine here for the money. Enjoy the teasing hints of plum and vanilla that lead to rich flavors of cherry and cocoa in this gem. $19 2018 Chateau des Graves is produced from the famous Bordeaux region known as Graves. Here, we have a value almost never seen. Produced of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet, this beauty leads to a balanced, soft yet approachable red that simply will delight. Serve with meats, cheeses or as an aperitif. $19

In the previous article we offered a Rosé from Chateau D’Aigueville. The blockbuster wine from this house is the reserve red Cotes du Rhone known as Massif d’ Uchaux. The wine consists of mostly Grenache, with a touch of Syrah added for good measure. Aromas of black fruits and European spices lend to a well structured finish. Balanced, soft and elegant. $15

Founders Ranch is revived. This fallow Napa property was resurrected by Jean Charles Boisset, whose family is the largest land owner in Burgundy, France. Boisset has made quite the name for the family in California, and his marriage to Gina Gallo will cement a legacy in California wine history. For now, this red from Napa is worth an investigation. The big, bright red fruits gush with flavors that lead to a complex finish that guides your palate to a place of wanting more. Enjoy! $50

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