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AIBU?

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Original poster

Homophobia within the Muslim community

430 replies

thankssomuchforthat · 27/03/2019 09:07

Please can we keep this thread calm and good natured as this is a genuine question.
I was genuinely shocked at a spokesperson for the Muslim community on GMB condemning gay people as sinful. Saying being gay is fundamentally wrong. Saying most Muslim people vehemently believe this. Is this true? Or are gay Muslims tolerated within the community? What would happen if a Muslim teenager was gay. Would the family disown them?
Genuine question. I suppose I mix in circles that are tolerant of homosexuality.
Please keep comments nice and friendly.

OP posts:
Bookworm01 · 27/03/2019 09:31

I left religion in part because I thought an all loving God couldn't discriminate otherwise he cannot be all loving, and thereafter because, on looking for evidence of this all-knowing, omnipresent God, became disappointed. I'm an atheist now.

In the Twitter circles I move in I am alerted to the fact that some religious people still want privilege over everyone else, and that some politicians, either for votes, for being seen as PC, or tolerant, are willing to give it to them. If this isn't resisted, we might as well allow Section 28-style laws being re-introduced. I am vehemently against this.

I am in favour of evidence-based age appropriate SRE for all children, regardless of their heritage or religion. I don't want any kid from a religious home growing up thinking s/he is full of "sin" because s/he isn't straight. You are born the way you are born, religion is imposed on you.

crabfish · 27/03/2019 09:31

Im Muslim. Yes homosexually is not permitted in Islam. However, where people get confused is that we wouldn't treat someone like shit if they were. The pp above who said their friend who stopped talking to their gay friend is just horrific and is not what Islam teaches.

Muslims aren't homophobic. I have friends who are gay and I couldn't give a shit what their sexual orientation was.

If someone was to come out as gay in the Muslim community, they probably would be shunned/ disowned etc but that would be due to cultural beliefs which can be upheld more strongly than even religious ones. Islam would expect you to support the person and not brandish them as sinners or whatever or try to "revert" them back.

NCforthis2019 · 27/03/2019 09:33

Yeah it’s true. Most Muslims I know loathe gay people. Quite reuse and disgusting about them. I actually have a gay Muslim friend, he’s the loveliest guy you will ever meet - he’s not ‘out’ but has a partner, who is not Muslim and who’s family have accepted him. My friend has ‘dated’ girls before when out at family events, I was ‘one’ of his many girlfriends. Poor chap. He knows he will will be disowned if his parents ever found out. His brother did and disowned him.

Original poster
thankssomuchforthat · 27/03/2019 09:34

LimeKiwi: It was just specifically Muslim views as the guy on GMB was discussing that Muslim communities in Birmingham dont want homosexuality discussed in schools.

OP posts:
LagunaBubbles · 27/03/2019 09:36

bemused on the fixating in the media of Muslims as a lot of religions don't "agree" with homosexuality. Christians being one

Guy was on TV as part of a story about Muslim parents protesting against LGBT lessons in schools.

DoneLikeAKipper · 27/03/2019 09:36

I'm surprised that you are surprised, OP. I saw a program last year about Moslem boys who had been completely rejected and cast out by their peers. Acceptance of homosexuality is fairly recent generally in English society so it may well take a long time for such entrenched views to change.

Same as calling Muslims ‘Moslems’ I’m sure.

Unfortunately, since it’s so set in religious doctrine, homophobia will always be rife in religion, and sadly religion isn’t going away. It’s always going to be a problem, but we can only hope people will become better over time. As long as our laws reflect the rights of gay people, we can hopefully move forward against homophobia.

Original poster
thankssomuchforthat · 27/03/2019 09:36

crabfish: thanks, thats the sort of thing I was curious about. What real people within the UK Muslim community think about peo0le being gay.

OP posts:
LimeKiwi · 27/03/2019 09:37

Fair enough, but it just (the media in general, not you) seems that "look what Muslims think" etc and you'll get eejits latching onto it.

Langrish · 27/03/2019 09:39

A lady protesting outside a Birmingham school explained that being homosexual isn’t a sin, but participating in homosexual acts is. So as she put it, a celebate homosexual isn’t shunned or discriminated against.

Human/equal rights don’t seem to be a consideration.

Just don’t understand it myself, whichever religion is involved. Why is what other people do in the private confines of a loving relationship any of my/any third party’s business?

Mammajay · 27/03/2019 09:39

Unfinished..I am surprised that you say some parts of the country.. Surely most of the country. It is why I love Brighton.. Gay or straight people can hold hands and show affection openly and it is the norm. I never see it anywhere else. Are there areas of similar freedom elsewhere in the UK?

evaperonspoodle · 27/03/2019 09:40

YABVU to be surprised. All monotheist religions forbid homosexuality and the punishments are prescribed in the Bible, Quran and Torah. No idea about Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism etc as a religion but I have an Indian friend who happens to be Hindu who said it is very unacceptable to 'come out' within their community. Obviously you will have sections within those communities were people are more liberal and find it natural/normal. I remember seeing a news report about about a mosque in New York where it openly welcomed gay members of the congregation.

Unfinishedkitchen · 27/03/2019 09:41

I don’t know of any major religion that isn’t homophobic or isn’t against any sexual behaviour that’s not solely aimed at procreation which is one of the reasons I don’t follow a religion.

Original poster
thankssomuchforthat · 27/03/2019 09:41

LimeKiwi: yes, its difficult to have a good discussion without it descending into aggression sometimes.

OP posts:
Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 27/03/2019 09:42

re there areas of similar freedom elsewhere in the UK

I would imagine so though it may well be a time and place thing rather than area as such

IndigoSpritz · 27/03/2019 09:42

I used to work with a staunchly-Muslim chap a few years ago. I don't remember how the subject arose but I asked him how his family would be likely to react if a family member came out as homosexual. I do remember his answer: "I think we would try to cure them". Hopefully the Dark Ages came calling and reclaimed their long lost brother.

KathyS901 · 27/03/2019 09:43

Nobody should be allowed to spout hatred about another group of people. Nobody religious should be allowed to say such awful things about homosexuals, just as I wouldn't expect any other group to be hateful or intolerant to people of different religions. Saying things like this should be dealt with as a hate crime, because frankly, it is encouraging fear, hatred and intolerance and it's unacceptable and disgusting.

Rufusthebewilderedreindeer · 27/03/2019 09:43

lady protesting outside a Birmingham school explained that being homosexual isn’t a sin, but participating in homosexual acts is. So as she put it, a celebate homosexual isn’t shunned or discriminated against

Thats what my JW friend said

I said my piece and then we had to agree to disagree...it was that or the t room would have been carnage (joke)

IhateBoswell · 27/03/2019 09:44

I know a Muslim man who is gay who hasn’t been disowned by his family (it was evident when he was a child really). He lives alone.

I also know quite a few white English men who are gay and their brother/dad hasn’t spoken to them since they came out.

BlackPrism · 27/03/2019 09:45

My Muslim friends are fine with homosexuality but they are shit Muslims tbh as they eat bacon and drink shit tonnes

Jsmith99 · 27/03/2019 09:45

Homophobia is not a ‘Muslim’ thing. It is a ‘religion’ thing. Many different religions are homophobic to a greater or lesser degree, including many branches of Christianity.

Original poster
thankssomuchforthat · 27/03/2019 09:45

For example is the Rana storyline on Corrie accurate?

OP posts:
crabfish · 27/03/2019 09:46

thankssomuchforthat basically the Muslim community is pretty intolerant to Muslims being gay. Stories on this thread from posters doesn't surprise me.

If you're not Muslim and gay then they wouldn't care less tbh. Alot needs to change to educate and help support people who are gay. Alot of Muslim communities have their cultural roots in Asian / middle Eastern countries where homophobia is pretty rife so these cultural attitudes are still very ingrained. I think with the younger UK generations things should hopefully improve.

LimeKiwi · 27/03/2019 09:48

@IHateBoswell I know someone like that - white, English, brother is gay and he wants nothing to do with him Sad
Utterly unfathomable to me, still the same person you knew before finding out, surely?

crabfish · 27/03/2019 09:50

I meant educate the communities not the people who are gay, in case that was read the wrong way!

IhateBoswell · 27/03/2019 09:50

Exactly LimeKiwi. I just don’t understand it.