It’s a typical Friday night in Beirut and, should you find yourself in Lebanon’s capital of two million people, your calendar might include partaking in a feminist reading group, eating a Sri Lankan dinner at a pay-what-you-want community restaurant, attending a queer benefit party for Syrian artisans, or getting limber in a body-positive yoga class.
In the past five years, Beirut has appeared on numerous “Best Cities” lists and has been the subject of many a New York Times and Travel & Leisure guide. Because of the city’s multicultural history and liberal atmosphere, Beirut has also been touted as the Middle East’s best destination for female travelers. While highlighting the recent entrepreneurial uptick and increasing inclusion in global circulations of arts and culture, these guides have failed to mention the local activists, organizations, and business owners who have helped to place Beirut on the traveler’s map. This guide outlines sites of culture, food, and heritage preservation led by female-identifying, queer, and gender non-conforming trailblazers dedicated to making Beirut a more inclusive city and preserving its unique history and traditions.
Thanks for the article Molly! I visited Beirut last fall and wish I had read this before going. Oh well, there’s always next time!
Dear Molly
I have been searching and searching where solo women travellers could arrive in Lebanon for the first time…. thank you for all the info. The city sounds really great and possible now for someone coming from the other side of the world to search some family history. So valuable.
Dear Molly
I am a Prof. of Social Anthropology in Thessaloniki and soon I will be in Beirut for short fieldwork and meetings. I wish I can meet you during my stay by the end of June 2019. Please contact me if possible
best Fotini