Muslims tend to enjoy writing articles telling other Muslims that we should treat the LGBT identifying people with respect and kindness, and that they’re no different than us (shocking).

They’re applauded for their groundbreaking articles, but what they generally avoid writing about is ‘Okay. So what next for gay and lesbian Muslims? How are we planning to address their place in our community? Are we ever planning to recognize that LGBT identifying people are not outside our circles, but part of our masjids and community centers?’

No matter how many articles stating the obvious respect and kindness they deserve as citizens and brothers and sisters in humanity we can’t ignore the real issues facing LGBT Muslims. 

I can’t stand it when Muslims are asked about violence or the oppression of women done in the name of Islam, the first thing they do is start bashing other religions.

“Yeah? Well, if you read the Bible, you’d see its way more violent….”

“Read up on the roles of Jewish women.”

How about you stop being a hater and go read up on your own religion so you could actually provide people with accurate information that pertains to your religion. 

nothing angers me as much as when arabs/muslims use a story about some european or christian who saw the beauty of the Arab culture or of Islam and all of a sudden the story is supposed to make a girl love the hijab or an Arab love their culture more.

its as if a white persons opinion validates experience, struggle, or culture.

no.
If I get one more email titled ‘Look what a European had to say about Hijab! Must Read’- I will block your ass.

Hi there,

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned this before, but I am a Muslim Arab. I want to acknowledge my privilege as a light skinned Muslim in the Muslim community. Hell, even with the hijab on, I still have light skinned privilege in an American society.

I want to acknowledge my privilege in the Muslim community as an Arab.

I want to also acknowledge the racism that takes place towards non Arabs or darker skinned Muslims in the Muslim community.

This has been a PSA.

Salams

One of the main reasons why I’m not a fan of some Muslim speakers is because when they speak about Muslim women, they talk about them in the limited roles of being mothers and wives. Muslim women have contributed so much to Islamic history and there is rarely any light shed on the important roles they played outside the private sphere. 

Until you start talking about us as active members of the public sphere, I won’t be running to lectures titled, “How to raise good Muslim children in today’s world” or “How to please your husband”.

I want to make something clear to my followers:

I am aware of the misogyny, oppression, patriarchy, violence, and sometimes hateful speech that takes place in some Muslim communities.

What my blog covers is the beautiful, the inspirational, the strong, the beautifully flawed, the vibrancy, the richness, and the depth of Islam and Muslims. I do so because this is what I know my religion and my people to be. 

If you want to see the downside of the Muslim or Arab society, simply turn on your TV and you’ll get to see it in all its hateful and over exaggerated glory.

Meanwhile, I will celebrate the religion and culture that I have come to love, and which has taught me more about love and life than your TV screens have shown you of hate and death.

One of the main reasons why I’m not a fan of some Islamic speakers, is because when they speak about Muslim women, they talk about them in the limited roles of being mothers and wives. Muslim women contributed a lot to Islamic history and there is rarely any light shed on the important roles they played outside the private sphere. 

Until you start talking about us as active members of the public sphere, I won’t be running to lectures titled, “How to raise good Muslim children in today’s world” or “How to please your husband”.