Nazih Raychouni

I am a Lebanese registered nurse, researcher, and gender advocate committed to advancing comprehensive sex education and LGBTQ+ visibility, particularly within Lebanon.

I am the creator of Mish Aayb (Arabic for No Shame), a curriculum-based online series presented in spoken Arabic with English subtitles. The project promotes inclusive, research-informed conversations around sexuality, challenging stigma and breaking the culture of silence that often surrounds the topic in Arabic-speaking communities.

I hold a master’s degree: an MA in Interdisciplinary Gender Studies from the Lebanese American University (transferred), where I was a MEPI Scholar, and an MA in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Georgia State University, where I was a Fulbright Foreign Student Scholar. My research investigates how sexuality and gender are regulated, focusing on how the absence of comprehensive sex education perpetuates stigma and reinforces societal silencing.

Currently, I am pursuing a PhD in Sociology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as an Illinois Distinguished Fellow, with a Graduate Minor in Gender Relations in International Development (GRID). My doctoral research examines the intersections of sexuality, gender, education, and cultural change in Lebanon, drawing on queer theory, political sociology, and life course theory.

Through my work as a researcher, educator, and advocate, I aim to influence policy, expand access to inclusive sex education, and contribute to broader social and cultural transformation.