Helem Opens the Region’s First Queer Library in Beirut

Helem, the region’s first LGBTQIA+ rights organization established in 2000, just announced the opening of the first-ever queer library in Beirut.

Located inside the Helem Community Center, the newly opened library is the first of its kind in the Arab world. It’s a space fully dedicated to literature on gender, sexuality, and queer identity.

What To Expect

With a growing collection of over 400 books in Arabic, English, and French, the library offers access to a wide range of material, including fiction, memoirs, academic texts, religious studies, political theory, and mythology.

More than just a room of books, this space fills a major gap in accessible queer knowledge and history. In a region where such topics are often excluded from mainstream education, the library becomes a site of learning, resistance, and affirmation. Visitors can explore stories and scholarship that reflect diverse lived experiences, often erased or silenced in traditional institutions.

Helem’s new library welcomes everyone looking to read, research, or simply spend time in a safe, affirming space. It’s a place where queerness is not only acknowledged but centered.

The Community Is Growing!

Just last month, Helem celebrated the opening of their new community center in Beirut. The space is open to anyone looking for a place to read, study, work, or connect with others. It’s designed to be inclusive and welcoming, especially for people who may feel excluded elsewhere. The center encourages open conversations around topics like politics, gender, and human rights, and also supports community-led initiatives.

It’s open on weekdays from 11 AM to 5 PM, excluding official holidays. After 5 PM, the center hosts events, workshops, and gatherings open to the public.

If you’d like to learn more about Helem and what they do, click here to visit their website. You can also reach out to them on ‎+961 81 478 451.

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