The Harm We Do Ourselves

Sami is summoned for an interrogation over the murder of someone he met once years earlier. The victim is yet another gay man found dead at home, as occurs frequently in Lebanon. This one though had a prominent father, which ensured detectives investigating his death would leave no stone unturned.

As Beirut buzzes with the scandal, Sami finds himself talking about nothing else all week – getting engaged in conversations he’d rather not have with friends and relatives who are concerned he would meet the same fate. He grudgingly revisits all that it means to be homosexual in today’s world, especially for gay people living in countries where their legal rights to even exist have not yet been acknowledged. Where they remain largely invisible and have been written out of history.

Where traditions, religions, laws, and general social environments force them to cope by pretending their lives away …While hopeful for a healthier future for gay people everywhere, Sami emphasizes the crucial need for homosexuals to reflect on how their prevailing lifestyles promote self-destruction. He also rallies against Western “LGBTQ+” politics, highlighting their nefarious impact on how homosexuals have come to be perceived around the world.

“The Harm We Do Ourselves represents an important addition to the literature on gay experiences, particularly those outside the Western world. By challenging prevailing narratives and encouraging introspection, Akouri has created a work that promises to spark meaningful discussions about identity, society, and personal responsibility.” This Is Beirut