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Sandra Melhem (Arabic: ساندرا ملحم) is a Lebanese entrepreneur and LGBT rights activist. She is the owner of Projekt / Ego Beirut club, a popular LGBT-friendly venue.[1][2][3][4] Melhem founded Queer Relief Fund, a humanitarian charity, in the aftermath of the 2020 Beirut explosion.[2][5][6] She received a special mention award for her humanitarian engagement at the International Prize for LGBT rights ceremony held in 2021 in Paris.[7]
Sandra Melhem | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Lebanese |
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Organization |
|
| Known for | LGBT rights 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.[8] 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.[3][8] The club quickly became one of the most popular LGBT party hotspots.[2][9][8]
Melhem advocates for LGBT equality and inclusion, particularly for transgender individuals.[10][8] She showcases gay artists at her venues and events to raise public awareness and break societal misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding LGBT individuals and culture.[3] 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 in 2015.[11][8][6] According to Melhem, supporting drag artists and organizing drag shows are a form of protest against societal norms,[11] 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.[8][2][12][13] 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.[14][15][16] Melhem is also active in initiatives that address disparities in access to healthcare resources and mental health management for LGBT residents of Lebanon.[17][18]
Sandra founded 'Queer Relief Fund',[19] a humanitarian charity offering financial assistance to marginalized queer individuals affected by the 2020 Beirut explosion.[5][2][6] 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.[13][20][5]
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In 2021, Melhem was given the Leader in LGBT Health Equity Award by the Lebanese Medical Association for Sexual Health (LebMASH).[17] On IDAHOT 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.[7]
Melhem is openly gay.[8] In a 2018 interview, Melhem spoke about her coming out experience, describing it as “well accepted”.[3]
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