Elias Jahshan is a Palestinian-Lebanese writer and journalist. He writes nonfiction, specialising in queer Arab narratives. He is best known for editing the anthology This Arab is Queer (2022), which was a finalist in the 2023 Lambda Literary Awards and shortlisted for the 2023 Bread & Roses Award. His other notable work includes the forthcoming This Queer Arab Family (2025).
Born and raised in Sydney, Elias Jahshan studied journalism and international studies at the University of Technology, Sydney. He completed a double degree with a focus on the French language and culture. Jahshan began his career in Australia’s media landscape, where he developed skills in reporting, editorial work and digital publishing.
From November 2013 to May 2016, Jahshan served as editor of Star Observer, Australia’s longest-running LGBTQ+ media outlet. He led the publication’s transition from a weekly newspaper to a monthly magazine during this time. The publication returned to profit in the 2014–15 financial year, after seven years of losses. Additionally, he expanded his digital reach and appeared on the radio as an LGBTQ+ commentator.
After relocating to the UK, Jahshan became editor of Retail Gazette, a digital news outlet focused on the retail industry. Under his leadership, the site grew from 60,000 to 500,000 monthly readers. He introduced a complete website relaunch and new editorial segments, and made television appearances as a retail commentator.
Since late 2024, he has worked as the social media and audience editor at The New Arab, where he also contributes features. In his first six months, he helped grow the outlet’s reach on multiple platforms, re-launched its Instagram strategy, launched its TikTok presence and added multimedia content. He also manages the daily newsletter and SEO monitoring.
Jahshan's creative writing appears in several anthologies. His memoir Coming Out Palestinian was published in Arab, Australian, Other (2019). His essay Bittersweet Memories of a Palestinian Knight features in Ask the Night for a Dream (2024). He said of his writing, “I want to make space for our stories, not only in grief but in joy too.”
His anthology This Arab is Queer (2022) brought together eighteen LGBTQ+ Arab writers and has been translated into French and Italian. His next project, This Queer Arab Family (2025), explores how queer Arabs redefine family beyond traditional expectations.
Elias Jahshan now lives in London.
Photo credit: saqibooks.com
Born and raised in Sydney, Elias Jahshan studied journalism and international studies at the University of Technology, Sydney. He completed a double degree with a focus on the French language and culture. Jahshan began his career in Australia’s media landscape, where he developed skills in reporting, editorial work and digital publishing.
From November 2013 to May 2016, Jahshan served as editor of Star Observer, Australia’s longest-running LGBTQ+ media outlet. He led the publication’s transition from a weekly newspaper to a monthly magazine during this time. The publication returned to profit in the 2014–15 financial year, after seven years of losses. Additionally, he expanded his digital reach and appeared on the radio as an LGBTQ+ commentator.
After relocating to the UK, Jahshan became editor of Retail Gazette, a digital news outlet focused on the retail industry. Under his leadership, the site grew from 60,000 to 500,000 monthly readers. He introduced a complete website relaunch and new editorial segments, and made television appearances as a retail commentator.
Since late 2024, he has worked as the social media and audience editor at The New Arab, where he also contributes features. In his first six months, he helped grow the outlet’s reach on multiple platforms, re-launched its Instagram strategy, launched its TikTok presence and added multimedia content. He also manages the daily newsletter and SEO monitoring.
Jahshan's creative writing appears in several anthologies. His memoir Coming Out Palestinian was published in Arab, Australian, Other (2019). His essay Bittersweet Memories of a Palestinian Knight features in Ask the Night for a Dream (2024). He said of his writing, “I want to make space for our stories, not only in grief but in joy too.”
His anthology This Arab is Queer (2022) brought together eighteen LGBTQ+ Arab writers and has been translated into French and Italian. His next project, This Queer Arab Family (2025), explores how queer Arabs redefine family beyond traditional expectations.
Elias Jahshan now lives in London.
Photo credit: saqibooks.com
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