Religion and Homosexuality (III) - Islam

Islamic scholars and council of Ulama consider homosexuality as a sin. I have doubts they even use the word "homosexuality" but instead most of those boards will speak about "sodomy". The religious base to maintain this view is fundamented in both Koran and Tradition. Since this post is intended to be brief, I'll just point you to where details on these positions are further explained and developed. Thus, for an official view of Islam on homosexuality this link can be useful. Homosexuality is a sin which will be punished by Allah and by the Islamic law. Period.

Dissident Voices.

On April 30th 2007, The Muslim Council of Britain issued a brief statement in regards to their position on the Sexual Orientation Regulations: "We affirm our belief that the practice and promotion of homosexuality is forbidden according to the teachings of Islam. However the Sexual Orientation Regulations are not about religious belief but about prohibiting discrimination in the provision of goods and services on grounds of sexual orientation. The MCB stands opposed to discrimination in all its forms." it was a non-compromising statement towards SOR, also known as the 2007 Equality Act. Maybe this is the start of a change in Islamic positions? Not at all. But there are dissident voices among muslims, the most known example of which is Sheik Muhsin Kendricks in South Africa, whose position you can read in this article on Behind the Mask. An even more permissive position is that of Abdennur Prado, whom is being discussed in this entry from Islam Online (the article containst several pieces of misinformation though).

Muslim LGBT groups.

Perhaps the most renowned of all Muslim LGBT groups is Al Fatiha, "a US-based organization dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, intersex, questioning (LGBTIQ) & their allies", but also Queer Jihad, and the Gay and Lesbian Arabic Society. For a more extensive view and links to LGBT resources, please check Al-Bab page on Gay and Lesbian Arabs.

It remains curious, in my humble opinion, that an Internet domain such as gaymuslims.org points to Eye on Gay Muslims, a blog which appears to be an offspring of the StraightWay Foundation, an organization which apparently tries to introduce the Evangelical concept of ex-gay into the muslim community.

In any case, LGBT people in the muslim and arab world is gaining visibility and starting to claim for rights, and not only in Turkey or Lebanon, but also in Kuwait, for instance.

Technorati tags: Islam and Homosexuality, LGBT Muslims, Gay rights, Religion and Homosexuality

USA gay "debate" (again)

Today would have been probably a great day, were it not for this. But you know, I'm done with all those self-called Christians bashing everything and everyone not conformant to their really high standards (which, by the way, themselves are not even able to meet). In their own terminology, they're just pharisees, whitened tombs. Period.

For a detailed discussion and comparison on that thing, go to Towleroad if you're interested. I'll only say that the guy has a narrow vision of the world. Very narrow. "Despite all of their efforts to convert us", he writes. Convert y'all to what, to homosexuality? D'ya think homosexuality is a religion, with own Sacred Books and rituals? No babe, it's y'all who are trying to "convert us": convert us to Evangelical narrow pharisaic views, convert us into being ex-gay heterosexuals, uncomfortable with sexuality "oppossed to life"***, into soldiers of a vengative and hateful Jesus, and into cannon fodders in your world wars and crusades. I'm done with you, and won't ever take a look at your worthless hateful speech. Unlike you, I don't hate you, don't try to change you, and don't pay much attention to you, from now on.

[***] - Maybe they would have to try in vitro fecundation and fetal growth, to make sure not any spermatozoid and ovulus be spared in the process of "life".

Technorati tags: Homophobia, USA, Religion and Homosexuality

Down Low, Closet, Whatever...

Continuiing for a while with the thread started by fellow Islander yesterday about guys on the Down Low, Downlow or DL, I've gathered some information for readers of this blog who are not much aware of such mostly US/Black terminology, while at the same time presenting some curious and interesting issues.

 Back in 2002, writer Benoit Denizet-Lewis wrote an article for the New York Times Sunday Magazine called Double Lives On The Down Low. (link to PDF version) JL King went further, writing a book, "In the Down Low" which became a big seller. The term, according to Wikipedia, is a common urban usage word in the United States, meaning "keeping in secret", much as the word closet gained its significance among homosexual people when and where there's the need to not disclose one's own sexual orientation. Wikipedia goes further to describe the sexual usage of the term:

One popular usage of the Down-low is to describe discreet sexual behaviour, particularly that of people in relationships that are involved with others outside that relationship without the consent of their partner.

In recent years, in the gay community the down-low often refers to married men, or men professing to be heterosexual having sex with other men, but who identify themselves as neither homosexual nor bisexual. Many homosexual men use the term down-low to refer to their choice not to broadcast their sexual preference.

Among some sectors of male sub-culture (called "men on the DL" or "down-low"), same-sex sexual behavior is sometimes viewed as solely for physical pleasure. Men on the "down-low" may engage in regular, secret sex acts with other men while continuing sexual and romantic relationships with women. Some have argued that being openly gay may lead to considerable stigma in communities where traditional family behaviour is greatly valued, thus leading men to engage in male-to-male sex in secret while publicly maintaining heterosexual relationships.

 Serve all the above to clarify the term, which usage corresponds mostly but not also to the "closet" more usual word, for most european readers  but let's go further into the exploration of the Down Low world by pointing you to an article published last year in Slate by Denizet-Lewis himself, about the next generation of Down Low people, or how the white culture appropriates the Black (at least in the USA): Get Out of My Closet.

But there are diverse voices, of course. Keith Boykin argued against the relation of Down Low to Black men.

From my own point of view, being on the Down Low doesn't difer much from what our friend Gamal is living right now, or what some of us had to live when being in the closet, nor from some of the lives that arab men live in their countries. As long as you're perceived  masculine, you're relatively safe. Advice: don't believe you're safe, be actively safe.

Technorati tags: Downlow, DL, USA, Gay closet, Gay behavior

Comment on Post "A Story in First Person: Gamal Speaks from Egypt"

Hello 'Gamal'.

Abit about me : Gay Arab 22y born and living in an Arab Country (and yes with parents and no they dont entirely know about me).

Before I start I would like to thank you for having the courage to write about this. But what I am going to write to you might be harsh. But do not take it the wrong way, I am here to help.

Yes, when the time you first get the feeling of getting attracted toward another man, you just feel that you are the only person on earth having this strange feelings. And it is true that it is not in our hands to be which sexuality. It is not a choice; it just comes in birth 'bulit in' (genetics that I believe in).

You will hear so many people say, a person is gay, because he was raped or abused by a man especially when young, or because father is a bad guy just hitting him, or even that because you have gay friends, etc etc.. And it is all bull, none is true. If you were abused or raped in chilhood, that will actually make you hate men not sexually arouse you. But for some it is like a trigger that hey i like it with a man, like the trigger for some might be looking at their male teachers, drivers, friends, each person's trigger is different.

Now talking about your parents, it is so typical for arab families to threaten; because we are week towards them. But i tell you what, you are not obliged to accept what they say, your only duty is give them respect but NOT respecting their wishes or fullfilling their needs, wants and wishes.

Ya Gamal, those who love you will try to understand you, they dont need to accept it, but they can understand. Parents, family members, friends, who threaten you for money, for house, for friendship for what so ever, do not really love you. You need to start depending on your self and make them feel that you can live without their help. Do not make yourself helpless in front of them, even toward your relative that you adore more, if he damn loved you one bit, he/she would never react that way.

Say to yourself and to others, that you are not going to torture yourself in going into this money making therapies and degrading immoral inhuman therapies. Yes I know life can be tough in Egypt, but dude you are a graduate and you need to try harder to depend on yourself.

Now about listening to your parents needs and wishes. I simply call it just blackmails of parenting. Mothers will start saying I wanna see you married before I die, and once you are married her story flips into I want to see my grand children before I die. This is so typical manipulation. And please do not get offended, I am not trying to disrespect your parents, I am just telling you the plain truth. Even if you were Straight, it is your choice who and when to marry, and it is your choice to get and when to get kids or not.

Now if you stick upon your parents wishes, here is a glimpse of what and how you will like like:

1. You will get married to a women you do not love.
2. You will not be able to make love correctly with her because your emotions and thoughts are somewhere else, thus not being fair to her too.
3. Your mind will be imagining guys that you like while she is next to you.
4. You even might have problems getting it up while in bed with her, and you might start using tools to please you to get it up and of course your thoughts are on the guys.
5. You will be frustrated and will start cheating your wife to go out with guys, which causes more lies more deceits etc etc.
6. If you do get a child or children, you want be able to give full concentration to them. And what if your child would be gay, how would you deal it with your wife.
7. Depression for not having what you want.
8. Two lifes one for public, and one for yourself.
9. Regreting the things you have done.
.... And the list goes on ...

So habibi, you got to choose what you want, nobody else. Dramas, manipulations, threatnings, if you let those things control you, you will suffer.

Lastly, you are not a shame for anybody. Its just a shame that parents do not converse with their kids but rather threaten them. Again, you do not need to be ashamed of yourself for anything. Plus, keep God close to you, and doesn't matter what people think. And I hope somebody sometime stop those cruel so called doctors from what they are doing.

Thanks and please take nothing personally. I am not attacking or trying to hurt anyone.

Gay – Acceptance of your sexual orientation (Haiti)

Definition (Sexual orientation)
More than often, people can hear the expression “sexual orientation” but takes it for granted as if they really understood the true meaning. Wikipedia offers the following explanation that is clear and concise:

Sexual orientation refers to the direction of an individual's sexuality, usually conceived of as classifiable according to the sex or gender of the persons that the individual finds sexually attractive. The most commonly used categories of sexual orientation are heterosexuality (being sexually attracted to members of the opposite sex), homosexuality (being sexually attracted to members of the same sex) and bisexuality (being sexually attracted to members of either sex). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_orientation)

From such explanation, we, the readers of the present article, have the possibility to classify ourselves as homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual. Here again, there is a concept that proves that life is not black and white, but there is shade between the poles. Even further, homosexual people define another type of categorization which includes active, passive, or versatile individuals. This type of categorization reveals the position of the partner during sex intercourse. However, other people take it to a psychological level, also believing that it depends on which person has more influence in the relationship.

Connotations
Using the term “sexual orientation” although it sounds neutral can bring other connotations. In Haiti, it is common that people get offended if you ask them about their sexual orientation. For these people, it flows very natural and logic that men and women are heterosexual. Hence, they believe that the requestor is implying some kind of accusation that they are homosexual. For you, the open-minded reader, such behavior may sound very funny and stupid at the same time. However, such attitude reveals that many people do not accept their sexual orientation when it is not “heterosexual.” Do you accept yours?

Homosexual behavior variations
In Haiti, like in many other countries, on a general basis, men are supposed to display a virile style. Most of the time, such thinking leads the beholder to even demonstrate a certain level of machismo, degrading women which they “use.” As a matter of fact, many of those men, who are homosexual, try their best to display their machismo too. In public, there is no one more virile than they are and they would even curse another man who would try to approach them or even to display good manners toward them. Are you one of those men?
In minority, other men display a feminized style. Many share the common definition of the category of those men as the “queen style.” A grand majority of these individuals seem to better assume their sexual orientation; their feminized style is stronger than their will, so there is no need to struggle with the inside. Are you one of those men?