The Ayatollah's Gaze
A Memoir of Being Forbidden and Fabulous in the Islamic Republic
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The Ayatollah's Gaze
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Narrated by:
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Arian Nik
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By:
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Majid Parsa
Summary
An unflinching memoir about growing up in Iran where homosexuality is punishable by death, and yet underground, hidden from Sharia law, is a vibrant gay scene threatening to burst open.
The dawn prayer calls echo through the streets. As many make their way to mosques, for some it signals the end of another illegal gay party. Under the cover of darkness, smiles on lips and sweat on foreheads, the gays of Tehran blend back into daily life. Hidden in plain sight, they plan when and where they will meet again.
In an unparalleled true story, Majid Parsa recounts how a childhood of war, prayer and obedience was upended by a teenage sexual awakening and, ultimately, pride. He lifts the heavy veil of persecution to reveal the fabulous and flamboyant gay scene right at the heart of the Islamic Republic of Iran, flourishing under the ever-present shadow of the grand Ayatollah and morality police.
Eye-opening and at times laugh-out-loud funny, The Ayatollah's Gaze is a story of self-discovery in a country where Sharia is the law.
©2026 Wilton Square Books (P)2026 Wilton Square BooksCritic reviews
"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." - Henry Fry, author of First Time for Everything
"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." - 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 . . . an important story for our times, and a testament to how we can find joy in even the bleakest of circumstances." - Iqbal Hussain, author of Northern Boy