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Podcast: The Queer Arabs

Episode 11 part 2: Rabi’a Keeble: The Other Side of the Story

We spoke to Mekhi Adams (he invites you to email him at [email protected] if you have questions/feedback).  Mekhi is one of the many individuals who has seen the impact and manipulation caused to many by Rabi’a.

Some points from this episode:

-Rab’ia is a supposed “ally leader” but abuses her position.
-She consistently misrepresents herself, her position and the positions of those around her using her respectability as a minority leader as a sword and shield.
-She turns questions of her credibility into arguments over race and religion. She creates situations where people are pitted against each other for their own interests.
-She poisons the reputation of others in order to get people to believe in who she says she is.-
We have heard from Bay Area (and even Oakland specifically) queer Muslims who feel a part of the vibrant social justice and progressive communities did not get reflected in Rabi’a’s interview.

EDIT/UPDATE May 29th, 2018: This track was also be added to the end of Rabi’a’s episode, however upon her request her interview has been removed.  Thanks for listening and we are very sorry to all who we did not listen to immediately.  We have learned a lot from this experience and we hope we never cause harm to people in the future again.

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Episode 13: A Very Desi Episode


On this episode, we speak to Aditi, whose parents traded India for Indiana.  Aditi talks about growing up in the Midwest & her experience growing up American while being consistently exposed to Indian culture.  We covered many topics during this conversation, such as cultural appropriation (please make sure to listen to the intro of the episode!), gradual growth in diversity in makeup, communal cultures and how wonderful and also overwhelming that can be, and much more.  Aditi also talks about the cool work she is doing or will be doing in the near future!  Take a listen!  Below are links provided by Aditi related to what she touched on, as well as some additional awesomeness from her.

www.theyatraproject.com  : (relaunching very soon)
A link of an article Aditi recently wrote for her friend Harps’s website here:
Aditi says, of the above article, “She did 21 days (starting March 21st which was World Down Syndrome Day) of a different article each day from someone like me writing about their life experience with a loved one with special needs. Harps is also Indian and trying to break down the stereotyping and misconceptions particularly within the South Asian/Indian community with regards to special needs and those with Downs. She also features people of non-South Asian/Indian descent of course. The above is my article on growing up with my awesome sister as my sister and the experience within our community.”
Also, here are two more links if anyone would like to read up more on both the trans community in India as a whole as well as India’s first openly gay prince which Aditi touched on in the episode.

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