Between the Head and the Hands

The candid story of a young man abandoned by his family and religion and left searching for identity in an unfamiliar world

When Michael Dawouk is disowned by his Muslim family for being gay, he turns his back on the religion and culture he grew up with. He is forced out onto the street, only to be taken in by a former high school teacher who offers him room and board in exchange for sex.

Michael is soon left with nothing to believe in, until he meets Wyatt, a successful Texan businessman who takes him under his wing. But what Michael can’t see is that his mentor is just as lost as he is. Searching for the connection and belonging he lost when he left home, Michael immerses himself in temporary pleasures — nights of danger, intrigue, and meaningless sex — until he begins to crave a kinder form of love.

James Chaarani’s work has appeared in Condé Nast’s Them, The Advocate, Slate, and Vice. The Toronto, Ontario, resident was selected for Lambda Literary’s Writers Retreat for Emerging LGBTQ Voices in Los Angeles.