Is There a Space to Fight Back? Exclusionary Queer and Islamic Spaces and Resistance from Queer Muslims

Abstract

The gulf between legal and social attitudes is apparent in a range of fields, which are of relevance to the LGBT community. To queer Muslims in the UK, however, a particular danger of marginalisation exists in spite of legal protections against discrimination: on the one hand, there is the risk of alienation from the mainstream Muslim community, where certain sexual practices are denied and Islam is frequently regarded as a monolithic faith structure; on the other hand, there is the danger of rejection by the predominantly white LGBT community which regards ‘authentic coming out’ discourses as a result of Western modernist practices and Islam as problematic to this. Islam thus tends to be seen in opposition to Western style ‘gay spaces’ and to be ‘othered’ in terms of ideology, sexuality and ethnicity. The problematic nature of queer Muslims being unable to find a ‘safe’ space in which to be an ‘authentic’ self, to reconcile Islam and sexuality and thereby to not face forms of ‘space hate’ are dramatically reduced. This chapter focuses on specific intersectional themes, such as ‘race’, sexuality, Islamic identity and transgender identity. It highlights the unique challenges they face but also critically examines the preconditions for ‘safe spaces’ for queer Muslims in either their traditional communities or the ‘gay’ scene.