#Azeenarh Mohammed

[qbdatabase]

This stirring and intimate collection brings together 25 first-hand accounts to paint a vivid portrait of what it means to be a queer Nigerian woman. These beautifully told stories of resistance and resilience reveal the realities of a community that will no longer be invisible. From the joy and excitement of first love, and from childhood games to addiction and suicide, She Called Me Woman shows us how Nigerian queer women, in all their multitudes, attempt to build a life together.

[thatchronicfeeling]

I love to read. In 2019, I was too ill to visit any public libraries in person, so I kept up with the housebound book delivery service that I’d started in 2018. It felt like a lifeline and gave me the opportunity to read books I couldn’t otherwise have accessed. Here are the ones I liked the best: Gaby Dunn, Bad with Money SJ Sindu, Marriage of a Thousand Lies Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan & Rafeeat Aliyu (eds), She Called Me Woman: Nigeria’s Queer Women Speak Tomi Adeyemi, Children of Blood and Bone Makhosazana Xaba & Karen Martin, Queer Africa Alison Bechdel, The Essential Dykes To Watch Out For Lisa Maas, Forward Meg-John Barker & Alex Iantaffi, Life Isn’t Binary: On Being Both, Beyond and In-Between Jane Austen, Emma Kate Charlesworth, Sensible Footwear William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing Clara Barley, The Moss House Anne Brontë, Agnes Grey Barbara Pym, Excellent Women Carly Usdin, Heavy Vinyl

[lgbtqreads]

Fave Five: Queer Nigerian MCs Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta She Called Me Woman ed. by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Aisha Salau When We Speak of Nothing by Olumide Popoola For Sizakele by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene

[yasniger]

Amina Allgrownupandborin Mohammed

http://yasniger.com/2015/01/22/amina-allgrownupandborin-mohammed/ Six years on & the hurt still feels fresh…. Rest in peace my dearest friend.Dear Almighty God,Take into your most gracious embrace my dear friend and sister. Keep her in your divine presence and rest her gentle soul in your most perfect peace, for all eternity.I miss her already, beyond words. My tears have dried out, my throat is…

[ginnyweaslays]

65 LGBT Books by Black Authors

In honor of Pride Month obviously, here’s my next list! Please continue to add authors and books to this list! 

The Color Purple by Alice Walker

Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin

Another Country by James Baldwin

Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone by James Baldwin

Invisible Life by E. Lynn Harris

Just as I am (Invisible Life #2) by E. Lynn Harris

I Say a Little Prayer by E. Lynn Harris

Hood Witch by Faylita Hicks

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery

A Dream so Dark by LL McKinney

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus

Build Yourself a Boat by Camonghne Felix

Little and Lion by Brandy Colbert

Skin Deep Magic by Craig Laurance Gidney

The Summer We Got Free by Mia McKenzie

Juniper Leaves by Jaz Joyner

Queer Africa - Selected Stories

The Yellow Brownstone by Lisa K. Stephenson

Freedom in This Village by E. Lynn Harris

Black Like Us: A Century of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual African American Fiction by Devon W. Carbado

In Case You Forgot by Frederick Smith and Chaz Lamar

Mogul by Terrance Dean

Potomac University Series by Rashid Darden

The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

Growing Up Girl: An Anthology of Voices from Marginalized Spaces by Michelle Sewell

Talking at the Gates: A Life of James Baldwin by James Campbell

Black Lesbian in White America by Anita Cornwell**

If We Have to Take Tomorrow by Frank Leon, White Roberts, and Marvin K.

Brother to Brother: New Writings by Black Gay Men edited by Essex Hemphill

In the Life: A Black Gay Anthology by Joseph Beam

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Real Life by Brandon Taylor

Here for It by R. Eric Thomas

Romance in Marseille by Claude McKay

A Brief History of Seven Killings by Marlon James

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Black Deutschland by Darryl Pinckney

A Visitation of Spirits by Randall Kenan

Crossfire: A Litany for Survival by Staceyann Chin

The Other Side of Paradise: A Memoir by Staceyann Chin

Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender

How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones

Zami: A New Spelling of My Name by Audre Lorde

Don’t Call Us Dead by Danez Smith

Lives of Great Men by Chike Frankie Edozien

Burnt Men by Oluwasegun Romeo Oriogun**

She Called Me Woman edited by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Rafeeat Aliyu

B-Side and Other Misheard Lyrics by L.M. Bennett

For Sizakele by Yvonne “Fly” Onakeme Etaghene

Black Power Barbie Volume 1: Love Lives of Heroes by Shay Youngblood

Loving Her by Ann Allen Shockley

No Telephone to Heaven by Michelle Cliff

Something Better than Home by Leona Beasley

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

Yabo by Alexis De Veaux

Fragments that Remain by Steven Corbin

Vanishing Rooms by Melvin Dixon

Blackbird by Larry Duplechan

B-Boy Blues Series by James Earl Hardy

The Gilda Stories by Jewelle Gomez

**I could not find links to buy both of these books, so if anyone is able to please add them to the post!

[biandlesbianliterature]

New Releases: September 2018 @ LGBTQ Reads

[image description: the covers of Soft on Soft by Em Ali, She Called Me Woman: Nigeria’s Queer Women Speak edited by Chitra Nagarajan, Azeenarh Mohammed and Rafeeat Aliyu, If I Loved You Less by Tamsen Parker, Off Limits by Vanessa North, and For a Muse of Fire by Heidi Heilig]

[hoptism]

“One day in 2001, while I was in school, a guy walked up to me with an old newspaper. He said, “Read it. It is for you,” and walked away. This person had never spoken to me before. I picked up the newspaper and what did I see? A man had changed his sex to female. I looked at the date: 1984. And I was like, is what I have been wishing for real? I read through it with excitement, and there was even a picture. I was shocked! As of then, my quest for knowledge began. I went back to the guy who’d given me the paper and he said I should go do my research. I did, and I realised that anything is possible. No more wishful thinking followed by depression because you think it’s impossible. One day I saw a book called Middlesex on Oprah. It’s about a trans woman and I was like, Wow, so this is actually real. I continued googling.”

- She Called Me “Woman”, She Called me Woman: Nigeria’s Queer Women Speak, edited by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Rafeeat Aliyu

Gender and transness and names as a gift… I will always love you.

[showthisbooksomelove]

She Called Me Woman ~ Azeenarh Mohammed

She Called Me Woman ~ Azeenarh Mohammed

Rating:3.5/5

This book is a collection of personal narratives from queer Nigerian women. First of all, I want to say I am so impressed with the subject matter. Queer Nigerian women are sharing their stories in this book, and they are not shying away from difficult subject matter. They are sharing their rapes, forced marriages, assault, and more in these pages. These women are inspiring, because…

[jamesmurualiterary]

“Called Me Woman: Nigeria’s Queer Women Speak” out April 24

“Called Me Woman: Nigeria’s Queer Women Speak” out April 24

She Called Me Woman: Nigeria’s Queer Women Speak, a ground-breaking collection of 25 first-hand narratives from a cross section of queer Nigerian Women will be out on April 24, 2018. The book edited by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Rafeeat Aliyu is published by Cassava Press. The new book covers the experience of queer women from across Nigeria, with narrators coming from Maiduguri,…

[chiomachuka]

#31Days31Writers: My girl @Xeenarh says "To be able to say I love you is a gift"

#31Days31Writers: My girl @Xeenarh says “To be able to say I love you is a gift”

When did I even meet Azeenarh? I don’t remember to be honest. What do I remember about her though? Frank conversations, laughter, real talk, dinners at her place (babes remember the ‘after birthday party’ you threw for me this year with lots of cake)? @Xeenarh’s a real person; what you see is what you get. No airs, no high shoulders, nothing. One way we’re alike? She loves to travel! Dang! Like,…

[lgbtqreads]

This is an annual feature that runs a little differently from the rest on LGBTQReads, as the post builds on itself each year and new titles/sections are added with asterisks. These books are all queer titles by Black authors, the vast majority of which star Black main characters. (Obviously this isn’t remotely exhaustive.)

Sites

Sistahs on the Shelf – SotS is run by Rena, a Black lesbian who reviews Black lesbian books. You can also follow on Twitter at @SotS!

WoC in Romance – this is a site highlighting all Romance written by WoC, but there’s a page just for LGBTQ Romances. It’s run by Rebekah Weatherspoon, whose name you may recognize as being a prolific author of LGBTQ lit herself! You can follow on Twitter at @WOCInRomance, and make sure you check out their Patreon; link is in the pinned tweet!

Black Lesbian Literary Collective – To nab from their site, “The Black Lesbian Literary Collective creates a nurturing and sustainable environment for Black lesbian and queer women of color writers.” Looking for more reviews of Black lesbian fic? Ta da! The site is new, so it’s not packed with posts just yet, but there is already an active radio show linked to it. Find them on Twitter at @LezWriters.

The Brown Bookshelf – this is a site dedicated to Black kidlit; here are the posts that come up if you search LGBT.

Books

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*=new additions this year

Middle-Grade

Hurricane Child by Kacen Callender (Stonewall Award Winner)

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender

The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Young Adult

The Wicker King by K. Ancrum*

The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum

The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta* (Stonewall Award winner)

This is What it Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow

Cinderella is Dead by Kalynn Bayron*

A Phoenix First Must Burn ed. by Patrice Caldwell

This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender

Felix Ever After by Kacen Callender*

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (Stonewall Award winner)

Until You Came Back by Jay Coles

Jake in the Box by Ryan Douglass

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (National Book Award finalist)

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland

Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackson*

You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson*

Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson*

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

If it Makes You Happy by Claire Kann

37 Things I Love (in No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon

A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Escaping Mr. Rochester by L.L. McKinney*

Home and Away by Candice Montgomery (Bi LI)

By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus (CSK Nominee)

Odd One Out by Nic Stone

Running with Lions by Julian Winters

How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters

The Summer of Everything by Julian Winters*

The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

Black Enough ed. by Ibi Zoboi

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NA/Adult Contemporary

The Way Back List by Lily Anderson*

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole

A Prince on Paper by Alyssa Cole*

Hamilton’s Battalion by Alyssa Cole, Courtney Milan, and Rose Lerner

A Hundred Thousand Words by Nyrae Dawn*

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn

For Sizakele by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo*

Work For It by Talia Hibbert*

Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala

The Spies Who Loved Her series by Katrina Jackson

The Welcome to Seaport series by Katrina Jackson

Neighborly by Katrina Jackson*

The Summer We Got Free by Mia McKenzie*

She Called Me Woman ed. by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Aisha Salau

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

When We Speak of Nothing by Olumide Popoola

You Make Me Wanna by Nikki Rashan*

Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers*

Real Life by Brandon Taylor*

F*ths by G.L. Thomas

Sugar and Ice by Brooklyn Wallace

Tailor-Made by Yolanda Wallace

Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon

So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Xeni by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Bliss by Fiona Zedde*

NA/Adult (Speculative)

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James*

To Terminator, With Love by Wes Kennedy

Shatterproof by Xen Sanders

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

The Deep by Rivers Solomon*

The Root by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun

Better off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde

Comics/Graphic Novels*

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

Memoirs*

All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (YA)

How We Fight for Our Lives by Saeed Jones

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me by Janet Mock

Poetry*

The Tradition by Jericho Brown

When the Only Light is Fire by Saeed Jones

Black Queer Hoe by Britteney Black Rose Kapri

Reacquainted With Life by KOKUMỌ

The Black Unicorn by Audre Lord

[insert] boy by Danez Smith

Homie by Danez Smith

Featured Authors

Katrina Jackson

Candice Montgomery

Julian Winters

Kayla Ancrum

Rebecca Barrow

Kacen Callender

Brandon L.G. Taylor

Rebekah Weatherspoon

Discussion Posts

Where is the Queer Black Male Voice in YA Lit?

Have more to share? Add them in the comments!

Black History Month 2020 This is an annual feature that runs a little differently from the rest on LGBTQReads, as the post builds on itself each year and new titles/sections are added with asterisks.

[lgbtqreads]

Last year, I posted this on the last day of Black History Month as part of the Around the Blogosqueer feature. This year, I thought it’d be nice to start a tradition of just adding to it every year as a BHM staple, keeping the old stuff but continuously providing new content, and posting it in th middle of February. Living history FTW.

Sites

Sistahs on the Shelf – SotS is run by Rena, a Black lesbian who reviews Black lesbian books. You can also follow on Twitter at @SotS!

WoC in Romance – this is a site highlighting all Romance written by WoC, but there’s a page just for LGBTQ Romances. It’s run by Rebekah Weatherspoon, whose name you may recognize as being a prolific author of LGBTQ lit herself! You can follow on Twitter at @WOCInRomance, and make sure you check out their Patreon; link is in the pinned tweet!

Black Lesbian Literary Collective – To nab from their site, “The Black Lesbian Literary Collective creates a nurturing and sustainable environment for Black lesbian and queer women of color writers.” Looking for more reviews of Black lesbian fic? Ta da! The site is new, so it’s not packed with posts just yet, but there is already an active radio show linked to it. Find them on Twitter at @LezWriters.

The Brown Bookshelf – this is a site dedicated to Black kidlit; here are the posts that come up if you search LGBT.

Books

*=new additions this year

Middle-Grade

Hurricane Child by Kheryn Callender (Stonewall Award Winner)

The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson

Young Adult

The Weight of the Stars by K. Ancrum*

This is What it Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow

A Phoenix First Must Burn ed. by Patrice Caldwell*

This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kheryn Callender

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (Stonewall Award winner)

Until You Came Back by Jay Coles*

Jake in the Box by Ryan Douglass*

Pet by Akwaeke Emezi*

The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons*

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett*

The Secrets of Eden by Brandon Goode

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland*

A Place for Wolves by Kosoko Jackson

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

If it Makes You Happy by Claire Kann*

37 Things I Love (in No Particular Order) by Kekla Magoon*

A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney*

Home and Away by Candice Montgomery (Bi LI)

By Any Means Necessary by Candice Montgomery*

The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus*

Odd One Out by Nic Stone*

Running with Lions by Julian Winters

How to Be Remy Cameron by Julian Winters*

The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk*

Black Enough ed. by Ibi Zoboi*

NA/Adult Contemporary

Once Ghosted, Twice Shy by Alyssa Cole*

Hamilton’s Battalion by Alyssa Cole, Courtney Milan, and Rose Lerner

Here Comes the Sun by Nicole Dennis-Benn

Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn*

For Sizakele by Yvonne Fly Onakeme Etaghene*

Speak No Evil by Uzodinma Iweala*

The Spies Who Loved Her series by Katrina Jackson*

The Welcome to Seaport series by Katrina Jackson*

She Called Me Woman ed. by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Aisha Salau*

Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta

When We Speak of Nothing by Olumide Popoola*

F*ths by G.L. Thomas

Sugar and Ice by Brooklyn Wallace*

Tailor-Made by Yolanda Wallace

Treasure by Rebekah Weatherspoon*

So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon

NA/Adult (Speculative)

To Terminator, With Love by Wes Kennedy*

Shatterproof by Xen Sanders

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon*

The Root by Na’amen Gobert Tilahun*

Better off Red by Rebekah Weatherspoon*

Every Dark Desire by Fiona Zedde

Comics

Bingo Love by Tee Franklin*

Featured Authors

Rebecca Barrow

Kheryn Callender

Brandon L.G. Taylor

Rebekah Weatherspoon

Posts and Featured Authors

Where is the Queer Black Male Voice in YA Lit?

Have more to share? Add them in the comments!

  Black History Month 2019 Last year, I posted this on the last day of Black History Month as part of the Around the Blogosqueer feature.

[yasniger]

REMEMBER!!! All Nigerians Are Corrupt: Substituting Subsidy

REMEMBER!!! All Nigerians Are Corrupt: Substituting Subsidy

(Flash back to Occupy Nigeria Protests in January 2012 when this article was first posted: 8th January 2012)

Don’t mind the title; I had to grab your busy attention from the onset. But really, are we sure we are not all Corrupt in the true sense of the word? Corruption, corruption! All this talk of not trusting our leaders, even when they make policies that are sensible is rubbish. Okay we are…