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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Eiynah, a Pakistani-Canadian writer and illustrator who published under a pseudonym, wrote and illustrated My Chacha Is Gay, a children’s story about Ahmed and his gay uncle, Chacha. Set in a Pakistani cultural context, the book uses a family story to open a conversation about homophobia, acceptance and diversity.
Who is Eiynah?
Eiynah wrote about sexuality in South Asia and created My Chacha Is Gay under the name Eiynah. In a 2022 retrospective published by Flux Community, she used the byline Eiynah Mohammed Smith and recalled starting her Nice Mangos blog after returning to Canada from Pakistan.
Looking back on the book, she wrote that it “used simple illustrations to address the subject of homophobia in a specifically Pakistani context.”
What is My Chacha Is Gay about?
The story follows Ahmed, a young boy whose uncle, Chacha, is gay. Contemporary accounts describe the book as placing Ahmed’s family within Pakistani and Muslim society. An early 2014 report says Ahmed lives with his family in Karachi and that Chacha’s boyfriend, Faheem, is part of their visits; those details come from the report’s description of the story.
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Eiynah described it as a children’s story book, not a comic. She said the picture-book format made it possible to simplify a discussion of homophobia and suggested that the story could speak to adults as well as children.
Why did Eiynah write the book?
In a 2014 interview, Eiynah said she had long wanted to write children’s books, particularly books for Pakistani children. She felt there were few resources that reflected Pakistani children without a religious framing, and saw a children’s book as a way to introduce social acceptance and tolerance at a young age.
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That makes the book both a work of representation and a proposed conversation starter about diversity and acceptance. The accounts record the author’s aims and experiences with readings; they do not establish measured educational outcomes.
How was the book published?
Eiynah first posted the illustrated story online in February 2014. In an update to the post, she said its crowdfunding campaign had succeeded and directed readers to an order page. BuzzFeed reported in 2014 that the book had been released in print. These records establish historical print publication, but do not confirm current stock, editions or retailer availability.
Contemporary coverage also reported translations into Italian, Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, Hebrew, Pashto and Russian. Those are historical reports, not confirmation that every translation was completed or remains available.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How was the book received?
In a 2014 interview, Eiynah described the book being read at a Toronto-area school and said a school board had picked it up for readings around Day of Pink. She also recounted backlash from some Pakistani and Muslim parents and hostile messages. A 2015 interview with Scroll discussed both support and detractors. These accounts document particular experiences and should not be treated as representative of whole communities.
Early coverage reported different measures of online attention: The Indian Express reported 10,000 hits within 48 hours, while BuzzFeed reported more than 10,000 shares in two days. Hits and shares are distinct measures, and neither figure describes present-day readership.
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