Sandra Melhem () is a Lebanese entrepreneur and

LGBT rights activist A list of notable LGBT rights activists who have worked to advance LGBT rights by political change, legal action or publication. Ordered by country, alphabetically. Argentina * Claudia Castrosín Verdú, she and her partner were the first lesb ...

. She is the owner of Projekt / Ego Beirut club, a popular LGBT-friendly venue. Melhem founded Queer Relief Fund, a humanitarian charity, in the aftermath of the

2020 Beirut explosion On 4 August 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the Port of Beirut in the capital city of Lebanon exploded, causing at least 218 deaths, 7,000 injuries, and United States dollar, US$15 billion in property damage, as well as lea ...

. She received a special mention award for her humanitarian engagement at the International Prize for

LGBT rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , 33 ...

ceremony held in 2021 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

Work and activism

In 2015, Melhem founded Projekt / Ego Beirut club north of the Lebanese capital with four LGBT friends. Neither Melhem nor any of the other founding members had any experience in club management. She was encouraged however by increased openness towards LGBT people in Lebanon, and the need for a safe meeting space for the local and regional LGBT community. The club quickly became one of the most popular LGBT party hotspots. Melhem advocates for LGBT equality and inclusion, particularly for

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...

individuals. She showcases gay artists at her venues and events to raise public awareness and break societal misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding LGBT individuals and culture. Melhem was an early supporter of the Lebanese drag community. She arranged —with Lebanon's pioneering drag queens Evita Kedavra and Anya Kneez— and hosted Beirut's first

drag show A drag show is a form of entertainment performed by drag artists impersonating men or women. Typically, a drag show involves performers singing or lip-synching to songs while performing a pre-planned pantomime or dancing. There might also be so ...

in 2015. According to Melhem, supporting drag artists and organizing drag shows are a form of protest against societal norms, and an invitation to the public to explore queer art and entertainment. Melhem is credited with contributing to the growth of the drag movement in Beirut; she hosts the Beirut Grand Ball, the biggest annual drag event in Lebanon. Melhem's Projekt/ EGO Beirut club, considered the foremost among Beirut's gay safe spaces, paved the way for the local drag scene to grow, and for a wider appreciation of queer art. Melhem is also active in initiatives that address disparities in access to healthcare resources and mental health management for LGBT residents of Lebanon. Sandra founded 'Queer Relief Fund', a humanitarian charity offering financial assistance to marginalized queer individuals affected by the

. The blast was particularly damaging to the gay-friendly neighborhood of Mar Mikhael, where beneficiaries were assisted with medical fees, home repair and relocation costs, and AIDS medical management.

Recognition

In 2021, Melhem was given the Leader in LGBT Health Equity Award by the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health (LebMASH). On

IDAHOT International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Lesbophobia and Transphobia is observed on May 17 and aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBT rights violations and stimulate interest in LGBT rights work worldwide. B ...

2021, Melhem received a special mention award for her humanitarian engagement at the International Prize for LGBT rights ceremony held by the City of Paris.

Personal life

Melhem is openly gay. In a 2018 interview, Melhem spoke about her

coming out Coming out of the closet, often shortened to coming out, is a metaphor used to describe LGBT people's self-disclosure of their sexual orientation, romantic orientation, or gender identity. Framed and debated as a privacy issue, coming out of ...

experience, describing it as “well accepted”.

References

Citations

General and cited sources

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