Samra Habib

Amanda Brugel wonCanada Reads2020 defendingWe Have Always Been Hereby Samra Habib.

Canada Reads2020 took place July 20-23.

• Meet theCanada Reads 2020contenders

About Samra Habib

Samra Habib is a journalist and photographer based in Toronto whose work has been featuredin publications like the New York Times, the Guardian, the Washington Post and Vanity Fair. Her first book,We Have Always Been Here,is a memoir about her childhood in Pakistan, arriving in Canada as a refugee and coming out as a proud queer Muslim woman. Habib is also the creator of the photo documentary project Just Me and Allah, in which she travelled the world to document the diverse stories of LGBTQIA Muslims.

CBC Books named Habib a writer to watch in 2019.

• Why Samra Habib wrote a memoir about growing up as a queer Muslim woman
• 19 Canadian writers to watch in 2019

Why Samra Habib wroteWe Have Always Been Here

"I saw a lot of benefit inbeing honest about my experience.I think there's a lack of queer Muslim narratives and one of the reasons could be that many fear persecution. It's not safe to be an openly queer Muslim person in a lot of different parts of the world, but I don't have to fear. I think I am relatively safe and I thought, 'OK, I can do this without risking a lot.'

It was while writing the book that I realized that, even when it came to embracing the fact that I'm queer, I was hiding for along time.- Samra Habib

"It was while writing the book that I realized that, even when it came to embracing the fact that I'm queer, I was hiding for along time.I was staying in these relationships with straight men or not sharing who I was with people who I was close to. I was still hiding, even though I didn't need to hide anymore. What I'm left withnow is the question: What are some of the other things in my lifeI'm still hiding?"

Read more in Samra Habib's interview with CBC Books.

Interviews with Samra Habib

Amanda Brugel on the importance of championing intersectional stories

4 years ago

Duration 3:14

In the Canada Reads 2020 finale, The Handmaids Tale star and her fellow panellists debate the necessity for the stories told in their contending books.

On the last day of Canada Reads 2020, the finalists make a case for why their book is the one Canada should read

4 years ago

Duration 1:06

The 2020 finale saw Amanda Brugel and Kaniehtiio Horn make their final arguments for books We Have Always Been Here and Son of a Trickster.

Amanda Brugel and Kaniehtiio Horn highlight similarities between their books in addressing the complexities of family dynamics

4 years ago

Duration 2:29

On Day Three of Canada Reads 2020, the two panellists drew parallels between the books they are defending.

Amanda Brugel & Samra Habib on Canada Reads 2020

5 years ago

Duration 5:03

Actor Amanda Brugel will be defending Samra Habib's memoir We Have Always Been Here on Canada Reads 2020. Ahead of the debates, the first-time author spoke about why she wrote this very personal book.

CBC Books5:34Samra Habib on her memoir We Have Always Been Here

Samra Habib talks to CBC Radio about her debut book We Have Always Been Here, which will be defended by Amanda Brugel on Canada Reads 2020.

Q13:14Photographer Samra Habib puts the spotlight on LGBT Muslims

Toronto photographer Samra Habib's Tumblr series Just Me and Allah: A Queer Muslim Photo Project explores the beauty, and the complications, of being being both LGBT and Muslim.

TheCanada Reads2020 contenders

• Alayna FenderdefendingSmall Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Clubby Megan Gail Coles
• Akil AugustinedefendingRadicalizedby Cory Doctorow
• Amanda Brugel defendingWe Have Always Been Hereby Samra Habib
• Kaniehtiio HorndefendingSon of a Tricksterby Eden Robinson
• George CanyondefendingFrom the Ashesby Jesse Thistle