The quest for intimate/sexual citizenship: lived experiences of lesbian and bisexual Muslim women

Abstract

In recent years, the concept of ‘citizenship’ has increasingly been subjected to critique for its ‘heterosexist’ underpinnings. Indeed, in the case of non-heterosexual Muslims in Europe—particularly women—their quest for legal and cultural citizenship is inextricably linked to that for intimate/sexual citizenship. This paper draws upon a qualitative research project exploring the lived experiences of British lesbian and bisexual Muslim women, as well as the work of support groups such as the Safra Project and Imaan. It argues that, in the mainstream society—where their cultural and religious minority statuses are paramount—lesbian and bisexual Muslim women, like their heterosexual counterparts, have to manage prominent issues such as Islamophobia, racism, and assimilationist government policies that significantly inform their bodily performances and social identities. However, within their own religious and cultural communities, their sexual orientation often undermines their sense of belonging and compels them to ‘queer’ Islam. Their ‘minority within minority’ status underlines their quest for the right to: accurate representation, maintenance of identity/lifestyle, freedom from discrimination based on sexual orientation, practice of religious faith in harmony with sexuality, participation in religious/community life; and be different. They achieve this through the ‘queering’ of religious texts and traditions, and grassroots support network. Indeed, their quest for legal and cultural citizenship unites them with fellow Muslims, but their quest for intimate/sexual citizenship, puts them on a collusion course with the majority of Muslims. Their experiences further demonstrate the problematics of multiple belongings in Europe.