Showing posts with label Islam and diversity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islam and diversity. Show all posts
14 May 2018
31 May 2016
Inclusive Mosque Initiative: We cannot wait for IMI in conversation with Jin Haritaworn - Launching Queer Lovers and Hateful Others. We'll talk about gentrification, islamophobia, queer communities of colour. Tickets are FREE! But make sure you register.
We cannot wait for IMI in conversation with Jin Haritaworn - Launching Queer Lovers and Hateful Others. We'll talk about gentrification, islamophobia, queer communities of colour. Tickets are FREE! But make sure you register.
Looking forward to hosting you Jin Haritaworn :) !
27 October 2015
Workshop: The Tree of Muslim Life via Inclusive Mosque Initiative - 31 Oct 2015 in London, England
Trees reach upwards and outwards. They look to the sky.
We have an event coming up this weekend. Here's a wee blurb about it:
The Tree of Muslim Life workshop is a creative and unique workshop that uses the metaphor of the tree to collectively explore our lives as Muslims. Through writing, drawing, and talking together the workshop will explore the roots or our Muslim identity; our cultural, familial, emotional, and theoretical roots. We'll look at what challenges we face together living our lives as Muslims and how we can support each other to face the attacks on Muslims in our current cultural contexts.
The tree of Muslim life focuses on our strengths and skills and how we keep growing strong in our identity as Muslims. This workshop is open to anyone who identifies as Muslim, religiously or culturally. We welcome, atheists, ex-Muslims, and religious Muslims to take part. Read more on the concept of the workshop and the workshop leader here:https://www.facebook.com/events/435421743313912/
09 June 2014
Tariq Ramadan : Female, Male (3)
Source: mass emailing
Article
Female, Male (3)
Equal and the Identical Not all ancient cosmologies give men and women the same status at the ontological level. Some interpretations of spiritual and religious traditions, both ancient and contemporary, come close to asserting that women's 'ontological' difference (in terms of their nature, rationality and/or purity) justifies the transhistorical and transcultural inferiority of their status. The comments of the philosophers …
Media Library
21 May 2014
Just me and Allah: Photographs of Queer Muslims
Source: http://queermuslimproject.tumblr.com/
Just Me and Allah: Photographs of Queer Muslims exhibition and video interviews by photographer Samra Habib to launch during World Pride
TORONTO, ON, MAY 21, 2014-This summer, Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA), Videofag Gallery and Parliament Street Library will hold exhibitions by Toronto photographer Samra Habib featuring queer Muslims. The shows are curated by Marcin Wisniewski.
“While there has been discussion around multilayered identities in academia, there is a need for accessible visual representation that will serve as historical evidence of the existence of queer Muslims,” says Habib.
“Mainstream Islam isn’t always welcoming of LGBTQ Muslims yet a lot of the Muslim traditions and rituals bring queer Muslims comfort and provide a sense of belonging.”
Whether it’s through celebrating Muslim traditions in queer spaces or incorporating aesthetic elements and symbolism in their everyday lives, the work explores the ideas of community and personal expression that are inspired by Islam but are the individuals’ personal re-interpretations. Video interviews reveal some of the subjects’ complicated relationship with Islam and how it’s shaped by historical and political events in the last decade.
"Samra’s work is not only aesthetically engaging but also culturally demanding,” says Karen Stanworth, head of curatorial committee at the CLGA. “The location of the show in the CLGA Reading Room will inspire dialogue around identity, politics and history.”
The exhibition will launch at Parliament Street Library on June 18th. On June 24th the CLGA will open a satellite show to coincide with the exhibitions running at Videofag Gallery and Parliament Street Library. On July 2nd, a discussion panel at the CLGA featuring prominent queer Muslims (including Salaam founder El-Farouk Khaki) will complement the exhibition. The panel will be moderated by journalist Elio Iannacci. A closing party at Videofag will follow.
About the photographer:
Samra is a Toronto-based writer and photographer who has written and spoken about her relationship with Islam for the New York Times, CBC Radio and Fashion magazine.
Exhibition dates:
Parliament Street Library: June 18-July 9, 2014
Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives: June 24-October 5, 2014
Videofag Gallery: July 10-July 14, 2014
Related events:
Opening reception: Wednesday, June 18th, 2014 @ 6:30 p.m. at Parliament Street Library (269 Gerrard Street)
Discussion panel: Wednesday, July 2, 2014 @ 6:30 p.m. at the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Archives (34 Isabella Street)
Closing party: Thursday, July 14, 2014 @ 7 p.m. at Videofag Gallery (187 Augusta Avenue)
Aside from posting information about exhibition-related events, I thought I’d use this blog to publish interviews with some of the subjects I’ve photographed. My hope is that it’ll become a resource for young queer Muslims who are looking for support and answers.
Who: Samira
In one word, how would you describe your relationship with Islam?
Tumultuous
Why did you decide to participate in this photography project?
I had made a conscious decision about a decade ago to live my life out loud. By that I mean, to not shy away from any of my identifications; be they sexual, political, cultural and/or religious. Naturally, I felt it necessary to do so because I had met so many youth who were quite conflicted and closeted and in fear of living their lives. This is a small token or gesture on my part to let them know that they should not underestimate their families or their communities.
What advice would you give to young queer Muslims who are looking for support and a community that accepts them for who they are?
It may be a tad long winded of an answer but it has guided me through a lot and has become my mantra when I have been asked to speak on behalf of an entire religion, gender or sexuality. It’s a quote by James Joyce:
"I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it calls itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use — silence, exile, and cunning."
Also, the only acceptance you should seek is your own. Once you can come to terms and accept who you are, with all your idiosyncrasies and hyphenated identities, everything else will fall into place and those who can’t or don’t accept you for who you are and how you choose to love…in the words of Rabindranath Tagore, “they have a corpse in their mouth.”
Just me and Allah: Photographs of Queer Muslims
Just Me and Allah: Photographs of Queer Muslims exhibition and video interviews by photographer Samra Habib to launch during World Pride
TORONTO, ON, MAY 21, 2014-This summer, Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (CLGA), Videofag Gallery and Parliament Street Library will hold exhibitions by Toronto photographer Samra Habib featuring queer Muslims. The shows are curated by Marcin Wisniewski.
“While there has been discussion around multilayered identities in academia, there is a need for accessible visual representation that will serve as historical evidence of the existence of queer Muslims,” says Habib.
“Mainstream Islam isn’t always welcoming of LGBTQ Muslims yet a lot of the Muslim traditions and rituals bring queer Muslims comfort and provide a sense of belonging.”
Whether it’s through celebrating Muslim traditions in queer spaces or incorporating aesthetic elements and symbolism in their everyday lives, the work explores the ideas of community and personal expression that are inspired by Islam but are the individuals’ personal re-interpretations. Video interviews reveal some of the subjects’ complicated relationship with Islam and how it’s shaped by historical and political events in the last decade.
"Samra’s work is not only aesthetically engaging but also culturally demanding,” says Karen Stanworth, head of curatorial committee at the CLGA. “The location of the show in the CLGA Reading Room will inspire dialogue around identity, politics and history.”
The exhibition will launch at Parliament Street Library on June 18th. On June 24th the CLGA will open a satellite show to coincide with the exhibitions running at Videofag Gallery and Parliament Street Library. On July 2nd, a discussion panel at the CLGA featuring prominent queer Muslims (including Salaam founder El-Farouk Khaki) will complement the exhibition. The panel will be moderated by journalist Elio Iannacci. A closing party at Videofag will follow.
About the photographer:
Samra is a Toronto-based writer and photographer who has written and spoken about her relationship with Islam for the New York Times, CBC Radio and Fashion magazine.
Exhibition dates:
Parliament Street Library: June 18-July 9, 2014
Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives: June 24-October 5, 2014
Videofag Gallery: July 10-July 14, 2014
Related events:
Opening reception: Wednesday, June 18th, 2014 @ 6:30 p.m. at Parliament Street Library (269 Gerrard Street)
Discussion panel: Wednesday, July 2, 2014 @ 6:30 p.m. at the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Archives (34 Isabella Street)
Closing party: Thursday, July 14, 2014 @ 7 p.m. at Videofag Gallery (187 Augusta Avenue)
Aside from posting information about exhibition-related events, I thought I’d use this blog to publish interviews with some of the subjects I’ve photographed. My hope is that it’ll become a resource for young queer Muslims who are looking for support and answers.
Who: Samira
In one word, how would you describe your relationship with Islam?
Tumultuous
Why did you decide to participate in this photography project?
I had made a conscious decision about a decade ago to live my life out loud. By that I mean, to not shy away from any of my identifications; be they sexual, political, cultural and/or religious. Naturally, I felt it necessary to do so because I had met so many youth who were quite conflicted and closeted and in fear of living their lives. This is a small token or gesture on my part to let them know that they should not underestimate their families or their communities.
What advice would you give to young queer Muslims who are looking for support and a community that accepts them for who they are?
It may be a tad long winded of an answer but it has guided me through a lot and has become my mantra when I have been asked to speak on behalf of an entire religion, gender or sexuality. It’s a quote by James Joyce:
"I will tell you what I will do and what I will not do. I will not serve that in which I no longer believe, whether it calls itself my home, my fatherland, or my church: and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can and as wholly as I can, using for my defense the only arms I allow myself to use — silence, exile, and cunning."
Also, the only acceptance you should seek is your own. Once you can come to terms and accept who you are, with all your idiosyncrasies and hyphenated identities, everything else will fall into place and those who can’t or don’t accept you for who you are and how you choose to love…in the words of Rabindranath Tagore, “they have a corpse in their mouth.”
Who: Dali
Why did you decide to participate in this photography project?
When I first brought up the topic of queerness back home, I remember I was in class. My philosophy professor said that being homosexual is a “western” phenomenon, and that, in the Arab world, such “debauched people” do not exist. My participation is mainly to encourage queer visibility in the Muslim community. Through art, at least, we’re saying that yes, we’re here, and we do exist.
What advice would you give to young queer Muslims who are looking for support and a community that accepts them for who they are?
We have always been here, it’s just that the world wasn’t ready for us yet. Today, with all the political upheavals in the Muslim World, some of us, those who are not daily threatened with death or rejection, have to speak for the others. They have to tell stories of a community that is either denied or scorned. Together, through facing distinct realities, we should be united—united in the desire to be, in the desire to enjoy be-ing free, safe, and happy. It is not going to be easy and one may never reach a reconciliation with oneself (or with religion) but, at least, we should care for each other. In face of the challenges, our sense of community and our shared aspirations for a better world should make us stronger.
Why did you decide to participate in this photography project?
When I first brought up the topic of queerness back home, I remember I was in class. My philosophy professor said that being homosexual is a “western” phenomenon, and that, in the Arab world, such “debauched people” do not exist. My participation is mainly to encourage queer visibility in the Muslim community. Through art, at least, we’re saying that yes, we’re here, and we do exist.
What advice would you give to young queer Muslims who are looking for support and a community that accepts them for who they are?
We have always been here, it’s just that the world wasn’t ready for us yet. Today, with all the political upheavals in the Muslim World, some of us, those who are not daily threatened with death or rejection, have to speak for the others. They have to tell stories of a community that is either denied or scorned. Together, through facing distinct realities, we should be united—united in the desire to be, in the desire to enjoy be-ing free, safe, and happy. It is not going to be easy and one may never reach a reconciliation with oneself (or with religion) but, at least, we should care for each other. In face of the challenges, our sense of community and our shared aspirations for a better world should make us stronger.
19 February 2014
The GlobeandMail: The mosque must evolve
Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/the-mosque-must-evolve/article16930019/
Sheema Khan
The mosque must evolve
Our family emigrated from India to Montreal in 1965. Soon thereafter, my mother entered a mosque for the first time in her adult life. Where she grew up in India, women were forbidden from participating in worship at mosques. It’s a cultural practice that unfortunately remains prevalent in many parts of South Asia.
Here in Canada, women are not banned from mosques, although they are welcomed somewhat grudgingly. For years, “the dungeon” was an inside joke, referring to the typically cramped, dingy prayer area where women followed prayers or lectures by way of a rickety sound system. And while the physical premises may be better today, there is still the issue of that “wall” that physically prevents women from seeing an imam or participating fully in community events.
Mosques often have gender-segregated entrances. Since these institutions are usually run by men, the women’s entrance is given little thought. For years, women were prevented from using one downtown Ottawa mosque’s main entrance, which was reserved for men. Instead, they had to walk next to a garish sex shop in order to use “their” entrance. I once tried to use the main door and was shooed away. So, I trudged past Venus Envy to complete my afternoon prayers, then trudged back out. I found it demeaning and I hated it, and I wasn’t alone. But our concerns were met with indifference.
The physical barriers faced by Muslim women are part and parcel of institutional barriers that prevent their full participation in community affairs. Far too many mosques (and other Muslim institutions) are run primarily by men. To make matters worse, this exclusionary structure is unwittingly sanctioned by governments.
Consider the B.C. Muslim Association, founded in 1966 by immigrants from South Asia and Fiji. The organization lists an impressive network of mosques and Islamic schools throughout the Lower Mainland. It has provided charitable services, participated in interfaith initiatives and tended to the religious needs of the province’s growing Muslim population. Impressive feats, by any standard.
However, for decades, the BCMA’s constitution stipulated that its executive must be all male, and can only be elected by male members. The women had their own “wing,” which is subordinate to the executive. While the constitution was recently amended to remove the overtly discriminatory language, it still refers to “male” and “female” elections, with the male pronoun used exclusively to describe the president of the association. The Council of Women’s Affairs must still report to the executive. Practically speaking, it is understood that only men run and vote for the executive. Despite these constraints, the women of the BCMA have done terrific community work. Yet they are barred from running or voting for the organization’s executive body. Surely this must be a human-rights violation.
Despite its discriminatory constitution, the BCMA has received charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency since 1967. In both 2011 and 2012, it received in excess of $1.5-million of government funding. This should be suspended until the organization allows women equal opportunity in governance.
The BCMA is but one of many organizations across Canada that operate on cultural practices imported from abroad, escaping accountability. Many receive charitable status and government grants while their governance structures exclude women. This must change. Government agencies should be more circumspect when handing out grants and charitable tax status. More importantly, Muslims must push for change from within.
The emerging “unmosqued” movement in the United States seems to have captured the frustration of second- and third-generation Muslims with the way their mosques are run. The movement seeks to engender honest debate, discussion and reform of the Muslim community’s most important institution. Issues include transparency of governance, full participation of women and youths and the hiring of imams who understand the North American context. This is a natural step in the evolution of a vibrant, diverse community.
Here in Canada, women are not banned from mosques, although they are welcomed somewhat grudgingly. For years, “the dungeon” was an inside joke, referring to the typically cramped, dingy prayer area where women followed prayers or lectures by way of a rickety sound system. And while the physical premises may be better today, there is still the issue of that “wall” that physically prevents women from seeing an imam or participating fully in community events.
Mosques often have gender-segregated entrances. Since these institutions are usually run by men, the women’s entrance is given little thought. For years, women were prevented from using one downtown Ottawa mosque’s main entrance, which was reserved for men. Instead, they had to walk next to a garish sex shop in order to use “their” entrance. I once tried to use the main door and was shooed away. So, I trudged past Venus Envy to complete my afternoon prayers, then trudged back out. I found it demeaning and I hated it, and I wasn’t alone. But our concerns were met with indifference.
The physical barriers faced by Muslim women are part and parcel of institutional barriers that prevent their full participation in community affairs. Far too many mosques (and other Muslim institutions) are run primarily by men. To make matters worse, this exclusionary structure is unwittingly sanctioned by governments.
Consider the B.C. Muslim Association, founded in 1966 by immigrants from South Asia and Fiji. The organization lists an impressive network of mosques and Islamic schools throughout the Lower Mainland. It has provided charitable services, participated in interfaith initiatives and tended to the religious needs of the province’s growing Muslim population. Impressive feats, by any standard.
However, for decades, the BCMA’s constitution stipulated that its executive must be all male, and can only be elected by male members. The women had their own “wing,” which is subordinate to the executive. While the constitution was recently amended to remove the overtly discriminatory language, it still refers to “male” and “female” elections, with the male pronoun used exclusively to describe the president of the association. The Council of Women’s Affairs must still report to the executive. Practically speaking, it is understood that only men run and vote for the executive. Despite these constraints, the women of the BCMA have done terrific community work. Yet they are barred from running or voting for the organization’s executive body. Surely this must be a human-rights violation.
Despite its discriminatory constitution, the BCMA has received charitable status from the Canada Revenue Agency since 1967. In both 2011 and 2012, it received in excess of $1.5-million of government funding. This should be suspended until the organization allows women equal opportunity in governance.
The BCMA is but one of many organizations across Canada that operate on cultural practices imported from abroad, escaping accountability. Many receive charitable status and government grants while their governance structures exclude women. This must change. Government agencies should be more circumspect when handing out grants and charitable tax status. More importantly, Muslims must push for change from within.
The emerging “unmosqued” movement in the United States seems to have captured the frustration of second- and third-generation Muslims with the way their mosques are run. The movement seeks to engender honest debate, discussion and reform of the Muslim community’s most important institution. Issues include transparency of governance, full participation of women and youths and the hiring of imams who understand the North American context. This is a natural step in the evolution of a vibrant, diverse community.
01 February 2014
Salaam Canada: Queer Muslim Community of Canada
Source: http://salaamcanada.org/
Welcome to the website of Salaam: Queer Muslim Community of Canada. Salaam is an organization dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual/ transgender and or intersex, as well as those questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity, their families and friends.
Welcome to the website of Salaam: Queer Muslim Community of Canada. Salaam is an organization dedicated to Muslims who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual/ transgender and or intersex, as well as those questioning their sexual orientation or gender identity, their families and friends.
16 January 2014
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