TO THE EDITOR:
On Nov. 20, the UNC Muslim Student Association held an event on “Taboo Topics,” and among the topics was homosexuality. They invited one speaker, a local religious figure, to host a discussion on the topic, which ended up being a Q&A session. The speaker’s view was one-sided and limited the discourse to the view that homosexuality has no place in Islam. Other alternative views of homosexuality in Islam were not represented.
As a UNC Muslim student and a UNC MSA executive board alumna, I felt this event left no voice for gay Muslim UNC students. And this needs to be said — there are gay Muslims. And there are likely gay Muslims at UNC. And with the only Muslim student organization on campus diminishing their voice and even existence, where else do gay Muslims have to turn for spiritual and religious solidarity? Where can they feel free to openly identify themselves as LGBTQI?
Gay Muslims can turn to the LGBTQ Center at UNC, where they feel solidarity for their sexual orientation and gender identity; however, they cannot receive religious identity support from the center. In fact, gay Muslims often face Islamophobia and racism from mainstream LGBTQI organizations. Their religious identity is diminished and looked down upon from every direction.
Hopefully, this is a first in a series of events that will open the door to discussing homosexuality and Islam. But future events need to do better. Future events need to include viewpoints that openly address homosexuality in Islam.
Maryam Al-Zoubi ’16
UNC School of Law
