I Hear Your Silence

A fanzine that recounts the resistance of queer activists in Lebanon, Jordan and Tunisia, through the images of photographer Daniela Sala (FadaCollective) and the words of activist and writer Hasan Kilani

In 2017, a group of activists painted a huge mural on a building in central Beirut, depicting two men hugging each other. ‘I can hear your silence,’ one says to the other. The message, aimed at queer people, is clear: we are here, you are not alone.

Today, that mural still stands despite Israeli bombs, while the fight for civil rights falters in the face of the political use of identity and increasing polarisation in the Middle East. When physical and symbolic boundaries build walls that prevent us from seeing each other, putting fluid, queer stories back at the centre is an act of resistance. Daniela Sala met, interviewed and photographed dozens of queer activists in Lebanon, Tunisia and Jordan, creating an intimate and collective portrait that crosses geographies on the margins of heteronormativity. 'I Hear Your Silence' was created to overturn a univocal narrative, giving space to the voices of those who do not give up. The project is not limited to documentation: it is an invitation to dialogue, to put aside prejudices and stereotypes, to be inspired by the strength and creativity of these communities.