By: Natalie Cooke, News Writer

Kamal Al-Solaylee shared his story, knowledge, and writing at the Homelands: Exile and Return event. Al-Solaylee is a director and professor in the School of Journalism, Writing, and Media at UBC. The event was led as a Q&A, moderated by SFU international studies lecturer Amyn Sajoo. Al-Solaylee shared with Sajoo what finding his “home” meant after he chose to leave his “homelands.” 

With roots in Yemen, and later migrating to Egypt, Al-Solaylee found his sexual orientation was unwelcomed. During the event, Al-Solaylee explained his decision to leave Egypt. “It was a choice to alienate myself from that culture.” An important part of this decision for Al-Solaylee was being able to “live in dignity.” His alternative of “going back to Yemen, would have literally been a death sentence.” 

The LGBTQIA2S+ community faces great challenges in Yemen due to the laws that are currently in place. Homosexuality is prohibited under the Penal Code 1994, and the maximum penalty is death by stoning. Discrimination and violence against the LGBTQIA2S+ community remains prevalent.  

Al-Solaylee explained that while some people in Egypt were accepting of his sexuality, it was a systemic issue. “The messages you get from books, movies, TV shows [ . . . ] all of that are still as negative today as they were 50 years ago.” 

A 2013 report from the Pew Research Center showed that 95% of Egyptians feel that homosexuality should not be accepted and welcomed by society. However, as Al-Solaylee emphasized, some citizens have certain beliefs based on how their cultural practices such as media, religion, and education systems reflect homosexuality. 

Al-Solaylee noted Western culture offered him much more freedom in life: “I was so drawn to Western culture. To me, it meant liberation.” 

Al-Solaylee has written multiple books about his experiences moving away from home, but also finding new homes and adopting new ways of life. His first book, Intolerable: A Memoir of Extremes, won the 2013 Toronto Book Award. Al-Solaylee read excerpts of his novel which showcased his journey from “homeland” to “home.”

Event moderator Amyn Sajoo noted “homeland” is in reference to the territorial or ancestral lands one comes from. Whereas Al-Solaylee said “home” is where you find comfort. 

“Where am I safe? Where am I welcomed? Where am I whole?” Al-Solaylee said, “I felt more complete and whole in a Western context.” 

He was drawn to English and American literature, music, television, and film. He said, “It was an intellectual homeland — a homeland of ideas — as opposed to an ancestral homeland of the land, the space, the family ties, the blood ties.” 

Al-Solaylee describes his journey in greater detail in his three books, which can be found on Harper Collins’ website.