A Non-‘Sextarian’ Lebanon

Abstract

Sectarianism has long been the main form of identity in Lebanon, with allegiance to the sect more prominent than allegiance to the state. However, in recent years, Lebanon has been witnessing the emergence of alternative identities contesting the dominant sectarian identity, namely by LGBTQ and feminist groups. In addition to their work as part of civil society advocating for women’s and gay rights, the October 2019 revolution was an opportunity for LGBTQ and feminist activists to move themselves and their voices from the margins to center stage. This thesis aims to highlight the emergence and mobilization of these groups to identify which strategies work best to mobilize and politicize alternative identities at the expense of the dominant sectarian ones. An analysis of interviews with LGBTQ and feminist activists alongside the existing literature explains how anti- or cross-sectarian minority groups were able to emerge in spite of the sectarian system’s complex ensemble of discursive, institutional and political economic practices obviating the emergence of such alternative identities. The thesis also compares the utility of different strategies deployed by examining the activism of groups advocating for LGBTQ and feminist rights in Lebanon before and during the outbreak of the October 2019 revolution.