Masculinity, FLOODLINES & Beirut: Saleem Haddad

We’re joined by Saleem Haddad, novelist and writer, for a deeply personal conversation about identity, masculinity, love and what it means to belong.In this episode, Saleem shares his journey growing up across the Middle East, navigating queerness in conservative environments and the complicated relationship he had with masculinity. From being drawn to traditional ideas of masculinity to later challenging them, he reflects on how identity, culture and sexuality shaped his experiences.He also opens up about being forced back into the closet while working in Yemen, discovering queer spaces in Beirut, and how those environments offered both freedom and contradiction. We also dive into his new novel Floodlines, a multi-generational story exploring art, family legacy and identity. Inspired by Iraqi history, mythology and real artworks, Saleem shares how writing the novel became a way of understanding his heritage, exile and the complexities of belonging. He also reveals how unexpected influences, including The Real Housewives, shaped the dynamic between the characters.Follow us on Social Media:TikTok: @AMAABFInstagram: @AMAABF