Press Release: IS NOW A PRIME OPPORTUNITY TO RESOLVE THE LGBTQI – MUSLIM DIVIDE?

 

 

16th July 2017

For Immediate Release

 

IS NOW A PRIME OPPORTUNITY TO RESOLVE THE LGBTQI – MUSLIM DIVIDE?
 


– Europe’s largest charity for LGBTQI Muslims raises questions about ex-Muslim march at Pride in London -


Europe’s biggest charity supporting LGBTQI Muslims, Imaan, today said that it was concerned about photographs that have emerged of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) bearing Islamophobic slogans at the Pride in London parade last weekend.

The pictures, which were published in the London Evening Standard and which are circulating on social media, bear messages that Imaan says hurt all Muslims – LGBTQI or otherwise.

Chairperson of Imaan’s Board of Trustees said:

“While we understand the frustrations of the CEMB with regard to the perceived stance of mainstream Muslims on homosexuality, Imaan feels that the banners that the group marched with serve only to deepen divisions between communities.

As a charity it is our aim to support LGBTQI Muslims who want to find their place in the Ummah (wider Muslim community) and we extend a welcome to all parties who wish to resolve the LGBTQI-Muslim divide”.

Imaan noted that the east London Mosque which was singled out by the CEMB in its protest had reacted with positive comments against homophobia – asserting that Islam does not promote hatred or homophobia and that the mosque had mounted campaigns to to condemn ‘gay-hate’ stickers in Tower Hamlets.
Imaan’s Chair continued:

“We’d like to formally invite east London mosque to a meeting to discuss ways in which together we can combat the scourge of gay-phobia, lesbian-phobia, bi-phobia and transphobia – perhaps at a joint event for Eid al Adha at east London Mosque.

We’d also like to welcome the CEMB to our future events to show that LGBTQI Muslims and Imaan are a well established community who continue to grow”.

Imaan won Pride in London’s Walking Group Award this year.

– ENDS –

Note to Editors

Imaan is a charity that supports LGBTQI Muslims. Founded in London in 1999, we campaign to ensure that no LGBTQI Muslim person in Britain feels excluded from their family, their faith or their communities. Imaan is a small, volunteer-led charity, led by and working for LGBTQI Muslims; we aim to represent the breadth of the Islamic faith and the range of identities and narratives of the LGBTQ community and our allies.

For further information please email: info@imaan.org.uk website: http://www.imaan.org.uk
 Social media: Twitter @ImaanLGBTQ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/imaanlgbtq/