Azhar Al-Rubaie’s new book: ‘A document of oppression and a celebration of the quiet rebellions that keep hope alive.’
'In the Shadow, in the Light: Interviews with the Iraqi LGBTQ+ Community' by Azhar Al-Rubaie examines the lived experiences of LGBTQI+ individuals in Iraq and explores what it means to have a sexuality or gender identity that does not confirm to conservative societal and religious norms. The book was published in May 2025 by Dracopis Press.
The book opens with a contextual overview of the challenges- and occasional progress- in the fight for LGBTQI+ rights in Iraq. The first book of its kind, In the Shadow, in the Light is a testament to strength and resilience, published at a time of escalating repression. In 2024, the Iraqi government passed an anti-LGBTQI+ bill criminalising same-sex relationships and transgender identity expression.
Al-Rubaie outlines the entrenched discrimination, violence, and lack of rights faced by LGBQTI+ people, shaped by social and religious conservatism.The book also acknowledges moments of resistance and change, such as the 2019 anti-government protests, while emphasising that progress is never guaranteed and can easily be reversed. In the Shadow, in the Light, traces the recent history of LGBQTI+experience in Iraq- before and after the US invasion, under ISIS occupation, and in the years that followed.
Analysis and facts are powerfully interwoven with deeply personal stories and reflections from LGBTQI+ Iraqis from across the entire country- Baghdad, Babylon, Najaf, Basra, and Iraqi Kurdistan- as well as members of the community now living in exile in Germany and the UK. The individuals featured in the book represent the diversity of the LGBTQI+ community- gay men, lesbian women, and non-binary people from a wide range of social, cultural, and religious backgrounds.
The interviewees discuss both universal LGBTQI+ issues, as well as those specific to the Iraqi context. Recurring themes include the conflict between gender/sexual identity and conservative religious values, gender norms, the complexities of coming out, experiences of self-doubt and self-advocacy, and the role of art, literature, and music as sanctuary. They also share stories of first loves, heartbreak, employment discrimination, the search for community, and navigating stereotypes, stigma, family, friendships, dating, and hopes for the future.
In the Shadow, in the Light is not only an important exploration of the LGBTQI+ experience in Iraq—it is also a work of hope. Through the voices of its participants, the book shines a light on the quiet, persistent resistance of individuals asserting their identities despite danger, enforced silence, and exile.
You can find the book here.
About the author
Azhar Al-Rubaie is a journalist, researcher, and writer from Basra, Iraq. He has contributed to pan-Arab and international media outlets including the BBC, Deutsche Welle, The Telegraph, Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye, VICE, TheArab Weekly, The New Arab, and Raseef22.
Between 2023 and 2024, Al-Rubaie was the ICORN resident in Malmö, Sweden. You can read more about his work here.
