She Wasn't Afraid to Tackle the Tough Subjects

Throwback Tales: Celebrating Our Past Love and Literature Writers

Meet Nada Chehade, a Palestinian-Canadian writer who's shattering the chains of patriarchal norms, one story at a time. When Nada joined our community back in August 2021, her first story, "The Great Escape," caused a stir in the comments section - we're talking full-blown fireworks!

We were hooked!

Nada took us on a wild ride from Dubai to the UK to North America and back again. Her wit and fearlessness had us cheering her on throughout her series, "Fear of Flying," as she shared her daring escape from a suffocating marriage and the grips of patriarchy.

Nada's mission is clear - to use the power of storytelling to help women like her break free from oppressive norms. Love and Literature was just the beginning. Although she had the idea for her book, Gaslight Avenue, for two years, it wasn't until she started sharing her stories on social media and platforms like Medium and Love and Literature that she realized she was a true writer. With the encouragement of other women on a similar journey, Nada found the confidence to embrace her calling and pursue a creative writing degree and build her audience online.

This is what Nada had to say about writing for Love and Literature:

“Girl, let me tell you how I ran away from my husband!” will always be my favourite memory from sharing my story on L&L. I was not alone on my quest to escape patriarchy,  there are tons of women trying to do the same thing, they were cheering me on too, and that feels so validating.

I had so much shame before writing my story. Perhaps it’s a cultural thing where it was a sin to point out the hypocrisy and misogyny plaguing my community. But then I did it. And it feels so good. 

Ridding myself of the shame and fears associated with speaking the truth liberated my ovaries. I went from being shunned/ outcasted to becoming contagious! 

Through her writing, Nada has reclaimed the misogynistic labels that were once used to keep women in their place and has made them her own.

If you're looking for a fearless writer who isn't afraid to tackle the tough subjects, Nada Chehade is the one to watch. Her book, Gaslight Avenue, is a compelling read that challenges religious toxicity, misogyny, and conformity. Nada's latest project, Haram AF on Substack, is a testament to her unapologetic spirit and love for blasphemy.