Masoud El Amaratly

Masoud El Amaratly

June 30, 2026 · 1h 9m · Episode 192

About this episode

This episode explores the life and cultural significance of Iraqi singer Masoud El Amaratly and the traditional transmasculine identity in his culture.

Today's episode is on the Iraqi singer, Masoud El Amaratly. Join us as we visit the unique marshlands of southern Iraq, hear what may be the oldest known recording of a trans person, and learn about mustarjil, the traditional transmasculine identity in Masoud's Ahwari culture. Check out our website, where you can find our sources, as well as everything there is to know about Queer as Fact. If you enjoy our content, consider supporting us on Patreon, checking out our merch, and following us on Instagram, Tumblr and Bluesky. [Image: Pencil sketch of Masoud, an Arab man wearing a yashmagh (headscarf) with agal (cord). Source]

People in this episode

Guest: Masoud El Amaratly

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: mustarjil

Places: Iraq, marshlands of southern Iraq

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