Standing in Solidarity with our LGBTQ+ Muslim Community

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 15:19:25 -0500
belonging, community, culture, diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, lgbtq, religion

We recently learned about disconcerting content shared by members of the UMBC community that uses difference to invalidate the life and experiences of LGBTQ+ and Muslim people. We know that our backgrounds, cultural heritages, race, religion, and other social identity group memberships shape and influence our worldview. We also know that while UMBC community members are free to articulate their viewpoints from any number of backgrounds or at the intersections of them, expressing those viewpoints are not without consequence - both for the person expressing those views and those who may be harmed by them.

Today and every day, we affirm our commitment to making sure that our students and their communities are seen, heard, and supported at the intersections of their lived experiences. With all that is going on already, we know that circumstances like this can cause additional trauma, stress, and frustration. i3b professional staff are prepared and ready to provide one-one-one and group support in the coming weeks as needed. You can contact us here via DM or email (i3b@umbc.edu) to get support. Additionally, we encourage our community members to check out the list below for links to resources and articles.

We offer James Baldwin’s quote as a source of reflection: “We can disagree and still love each other unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist."

Check out the resources below to learn more:

Being a queer Muslim today feels like...

What’s it like to be queer and Muslim

How a Pilgrimage to Mecca Helped Me Embrace My Queer Muslim Identity

How I embrace contradiction as a queer Muslim drag queen

“It’s between me and Allah!”: Queer Muslims explain how they reconcile faith with love

As a queer Muslim woman, falling in love is a political act

Queer Muslims Are Still Rare on TV

We Have Always Been Here by Samra Habib