It took Salma Rehman (name changed), a 27-year old lesbian, a couple of years to accept her sexuality and 7 years to gather the courage to tell her father. She is still not comfortable talking about it to most in her extended family.
“Not everyone wants to know and is ready to know,” she said. “There isn’t much room in the Muslim culture to identify oneself as homosexual.”
Being Muslim is difficult in a post 9/11 world and if you are a homosexual, it is a double whammy. You are in a constant battle of fighting off Islamophobia with other communities and homophobia with your own. There is no recognition by any Muslim group so far of gay legitimacy as a community, as pointed out by Farzana, Chair of Imaan Group, a social group for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Muslims, their families, friends and supporters.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the umbrella organization representing British Muslims in the UK, is taking a hard-line approach towards gay Muslims; either dismissing them as criminals or denying the existence of homosexuals in their religion. Shenaz Yusuf, MCB press officer, reiterated the organization stance towards homosexuality saying the practice is sinful in Islam.
MCB was established in 1997 to “work for the eradication of disadvantages and forms of discrimination faced by Muslims,” and to promote “unity,” according to their website.
For Rehman, the journey to accept her sexuality was much easier than some others. She went to the US, away from home, when she was 18 and became more open about her sexuality. Due to the conservative nature of Islam, many don’t have that privilege –they fear being excluded and stigmatized from their own society, she said.
It is their own straight people attacking their gay Muslims brother and sisters, making them feel isolated and vulnerable, according to Peter Tatchell, campaigner of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender human rights group OutRage!
“It is shocking in this climate of Islamophobia that a part of Muslim community is compounding anti-Muslim prejudice with homophobia,” said Tatchell. “Muslims shouldn’t be in a position where need to choose between faith and sexuality.”
Islam, which only allows sex between husband and wife, condemns sexual activities between partners of the same sex. Even though some liberal Muslims say that the holy book Quran doesn’t explicitly denounce same-sex-relationships, some Muslims, such as Zaid Ahmed, think otherwise.
“I believe that it (being homosexual) is beyond any natural explanation,” said Ahmed, a freelance writer, who believes that people aren’t born as gay. “Gay Muslims have made up a choice of being gays, and by doing that, they have abandoned their faith, as faith and homosexuality doesn't go together.” Ahmed strongly believes when people go against mother-nature, they deserve to be cut off from the society.
MCB, which represents 3 percent of UK`s total population, has denounced talks with OutRage! for the past two years. They have also said openly that gay Muslims aren’t welcomed in the organization, according to Tatchell.
Some say that radical Muslims use religion to attack the sexual preferences of gay people, whereas it is more of a cultural issue. “Religion is there to guide us not to make us conform,” said Rehman. “It is an emotional anchor, a connection to someone above, and just a way to stay in touch with your roots and be honest to God, not to make u regret your own preferences.”
Ahmed disagrees. “We Muslims believe that God (Allah) has created Adam and Eve and not Adam and Steve,” he said.
Homosexual acts are a capital crime in several Muslim countries such as Iran. In accordance with Islamic law, or shariah law, homosexuality is a crime and calls for execution. An Imaan in Manchester last year said that execution of gay men is justified.
While the argument can go on, there is still a need to ensure that there isn’t a selective approach to human rights. In a society where Islamophobia is prevalent, gay Muslims are subjected twice to prejudice and discrimination – once for being gay and then for being Muslim.
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