The Ayatollah's Gaze

'A powerfully eye-opening memoir that forces us to confront the freedoms we often take for granted, Majid Parsa’s story of secret parties, survival, and self-acceptance reminds us how privilege and safety are not universal – and why the fight for LGBTQ+ rights is never over' Attitude Magazine 'Defiant, fabulous and filled with the nuanced challenges so many young queer people struggle to make sense of: family, faith, tradition, affection and belonging. I loved this intimate, heartbreaking coming-of-age story. In some ways it’s both sweeping and grand and intimate and personal, in a way that feels very factually stated and not overwrought, which is a real skill' Henry Fry, author of First Time for Everything 'This book proves there is an underground culture and community of queers, from camp queens to dangerous divas, from closeted machismo in uniforms to straight acting gays, leading dual lives and trying to navigate between what is haram and what is a better level of self acceptance. The Protagonist, Majid, epitomises the duality of identity. He struggles with his Islamic faith and his burgeoning sexual awakening as a gay man. He finally emerges as a proud peacock but there is a cost to his freedom. The Ayatollah’s Gaze may be in the mind's eye, but it's what the heart feels that matters' Khakan Qureshi, LGBTQ+ activist and founder of Finding a Voice 'When I wasn’t laughing with the cast of larger-than-life characters, I was crying and shaking my head in sadness and disbelief . . . The Ayatollah’s Gaze is an important story for our times, and a testament to how we can find joy in even the bleakest of circumstances. There is courage and beauty in Majid’s words - and defiance. A brave, difficult but ultimately heartwarming and hopeful book' Iqbal Hussain, author of Northern Boy 'Compelling and terrifying at the same time, Majid Parsa paints a story so effective that I can feel The Ayatollah's Gaze myself. Parsa traces his coming of age – and out – in a society which he tries to reconcile with his nature. And yet, despite the gravity of all of that, his story is so exotic it’s hard not to romanticise that you can almost smell the dates, the rose water, and the desert' José Daniel Alvior, author of Seven Days in Tokyo 'The Ayatollah’s Gaze is an exceptional, unflinching debut by Majid Parsa. Offering a rare, intimate and honest depiction of life as a gay man in Iran, Parsa challenges stereotypes about his home country and at the same time empowers the queer Iranian community through his refusal to make concessions about his lived experience and that of his friends. This is a memoir that everyone needs to read' Elias Jahshan, editor of the The Arab is Queer