We Have Always Been Here

by

240 pages

English language

Published Dec. 3, 2019 by Penguin Random House.

ISBN:
978-0-7352-3500-7
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5 stars (1 review)

A memoir of hope, faith and love, Samra Habib's story starts with growing up as part of a threatened minority sect in Pakistan, and follows her arrival in Canada as a refugee, before escaping an arranged marriage at sixteen. When she realized she was queer, it was yet another way she felt like an outsider.

So begins a journey that takes her to the far reaches of the globe to uncover a truth that was within her all along. It shows how Muslims can embrace queer sexuality, and families can embrace change. A triumphant story of forgiveness and freedom, We Have Always Been Here is a rallying cry for anyone who has ever felt alone and a testament to the power of fearlessly inhabiting one's truest self.

3 editions

reviewed We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib

Readable, moving memoir

5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. The author recounts their experiences as an young Ahmadi in Lahore, fleeing Pakistan, escaping arranged marriage and discovering their queerness. I found it engaging, inspiring and deeply thought-provoking. There were several passages I read aloud to people around me because they seemed so important, or so well expressed. The book, particularly its final couple of chapters, also serves as an important reminder of the privilege that many of us white queers enjoy and take for granted.

Subjects

  • Muslims, canada
  • Gays
  • Canada, biography
  • Lesbians, biography