The Limits of Queer Anti-Colonialism

The Limits of Queer Anti-Colonialism

In May 1974, the queer Italian filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini traveled to Beirut, Lebanon to screen three of his films. At the time, the country was in the midst of anti-colonial and anti-capitalist ferment, and like many young activists today, Pasolini saw a direct correlation between gay liberation and the liberation of occupied territories from colonial oppression—especially in the Middle East. Pasolini and his work faced hostility in some Ara…