Allah Made Me Queer

Faith, identity, acceptance. We are queer because that is how Allah planned it. It is not a choice, and our identities are not up for discussion.

[tawseet-al-sharq-deactivated202]

Najma Kousri Labidi launched a social media campaign at the end of 2015 to fight the law in Tunis that criminalizes same sex acts. These photos of same sex couples kissing in public spaces in Tunis went viral and for a good reason cause these pictures are beautiful.

Everything is more beautiful with a bit more queer

[sapphicglimmer]

LGBTQI Muslims on Tumblr

I made this post because of [this] lovely anon. I had a lot of fun talking to you all and thank you to everyone who replied to my msgs and thank you for agreeing to be on this list! I hope you know how amazing and helpful that is for LGBTAI Muslims who think they are alone. Special thanks to leighcuen & allahmademequeer for sharing the Queer Muslims Masterpost with me xx

LGBTQI Muslims:

afghanalgorithm

forever-untill-theend

middleeasternlesbian

swagyoulater

biculturalist  

malumelon

40secondstovenus  

reasonsaresimple

a-view-so-cruel

gayjasmine

 darkmixedpale

i-dare-to-dream

2am-hurricanes

yasmine69soliman

myheartisstrongerthanever

hoshizorah

croissanted

allahmademequeer

academiqueer (recently converted to Islam)

theunbreakablexvx

princessmiakitten

life-is-my-playstation

immortal-euphoria

polysymorous 

zahhaked

postrhythmicarabesque

humjinsiyat

medicalstudent1

erythrophyll 

hippiehijabi

mohammad-hegazy

tagyo

ishtar-siduri

xrgxsmic

priorincantatems

r-radishspirit

oshondavalwa

yourunlikelyhero

photoloverex

howgayami

theunapologeticsoul

aesorybur

qalbee

chirikli

schakira

allhalethespark

kickingsigns

themindislimitless

whatamievensaying

bows-n-beanies

saddned

xochilpilli

whimslcott

takemetoheaven77

courtney-lamonte

maskrosprins (Transgender)

oualidali

jank-homme

tradeyouforchaai

queerhijabi

arosemorose (converted to Islam)

hordanian

thatalainlesbo

angelslustdevils

vanillasweets

for-cryingg-out-loud

elleandsaphina (blog run by an adorable couple. One is Muslim)

haramdaddy

twelvewhispersandbooks

samwinchestrash

unconventionalmuslim

not-your-average-lesbian

voguedemigod

angrymeninist

pierre-anthon 

dragonsandmisandry

frostd-snow

eats-basics-for-breakfast

@racistpikachu

@novennber

negelirelden

if4rted

croatsandbosniansandserbsohmy

flowerofstone

dis-clarity 

justimagine-4 

@tapeddreams

@h-o-t-and-bothered (trans revert)

@muslimlesbians

@absentzindagi

rosestem

deadconscious

@emmaizwaf

@whxt-a-life

@couplesandsadness

couragemurieleustace

thegamesthatplayedus

whowantsbongripsandcoffee

@livelifesimple9188

@redsurvivor

@queerlypalestinian

@glxxmyplvme

ausernameisuseless

@psychicghostninja

@otsuchigumo

@rainbowsonmyway

@chatta77

and of course there’s me, arabiandyke. if you are an LGBTQIA Muslim/ah and would like to be added to this list please msg me xx

Blogs for LGBTQI Muslims:

queerabs (Run by two Muslim Lesbians)

trans-muslims

youknow-youreaqueermuslim-when

queermuslims

@tawseet-al-sharq (Supports & promotes LGBTQI/Arab Artist, send your art to him!)

arablgbtq (Support all arab lgbts from all faiths)

saudilgbt 

queersoflevant 

@lgbtqafghans

Posts you can refer to:

Queer Muslim Masterpost

NOTE: This post was created on April 24, 2015. Last update was in July 12, 2016

[sapphicglimmer]

Can you believe there are more than 100 LGBTQIA Muslims on this list!! 

[myheartisstrongerthanever]

@desert-lesbian

[queer-and-muslim-blog]

@queer-and-muslim

[menschenmeer-deactivated2017091]

oh being queer and muslim is so fun

the lgbtqia community doesn’t think you exist because all Muslims must be queerphobic and therefore very straight and very cis and the mainstream muslim community doesn’t think you exist because not being cishet is a “sin” and only “happens” to nonbelievers

[mahdialynn]

Masjid al-Rabia is a new organization in Chicago bringing women centered, LGBTQIA+ affirming, sect-diverse Jummah prayers to the city. Built on a framework of accessibility, inclusivity, and pluralism; we believe that no person should be denied a faith community or a place to pray. We believe in creating a safe and affirming ground floor on which we can build community and resist oppression together.

Over the course of 2016, a core group of organizers in Chicago have been laying the groundwork for this project, building interfaith connections and establishing themselves as a dynamic piece of Chicago’s LGBTQ- and Faith- communities. In just two short weeks, we open our doors to the public for weekly inclusive, Jummah prayers. We are located on the near north side, a short walk from multiple el lines & very close to several bus stops. We are handicap accessible and family/kid friendly. Any questions? Contact Masjid al-Rabia at our facebook page.  

[aroacepositivityplace]

Okay, here’s a list of blogs that are safe for a-specs. As far as I know, they post little or no dis/////course and don’t exclude a-specs from lgbtqiap+ spaces. There may be a lot of overlap here with my first list, but I want this one to be much more comprehensive. If you’re an a-spec positivity blog or inclusive lgbtqiap+ blog that meets the above criteria, please reblog this and add your url!

-aggressivelyaromantic

-aceminor

-fuckyeahasexual

-aspecmoodboards

-a-spec-unity

-aro-aceplace

-asexual-society

-goodpositivitylgbt

-queerheadcanonoftheday

-ace-safe-space

-aspecsafespace

-acelighthouse

-theacearmy

-lgbtqaesthetic

-romance-repulsed-aros

-justanaroacegirl

-lgbt-aesthetics

-acesinspace

-aromanticthings

-ace-nb

-being-demisexual

-queeringstarwars

-aroaceinyourface

-space–dudes (two hyphens)

-aspecpplarebeautiful

-lgbt-moodboards

-splend-aros

-queerlobby

-lgbtqedits

-lgbtdisneyheadcanons

-00queer

-young-aroaces-society

-affirm-ace-ions

-aroace-nestingplace

-positivelyaroace

-demi-aro-ace

[goodpositivitylgbt]

-letters-to-lgbt-kids

-positivelylgbtq

[outofficial]

For Queer Muslims, Islamic Poetry Represents Solace and Acceptance

[gaywrites]

To combat the impulses behind anti-trans bills and build commitment to and momentum for trans survival, our work moving forward must center at least these important truths: 1) The existence of trans people does not threaten the privacy of anyone else. We exist, and you may be uncomfortable with us, but discomfort with difference is not the same as infringement of privacy. 2) Trans women and girls are women and girls. Full stop. They are not “biological males” or “men pretending to be women” or some other hateful qualification. The same is true for trans men and boys being men and boys. 3) Extending legal protections to transgender people, including when it comes to using restrooms and locker rooms, does not threaten the safety of anyone else. This has been proven time and time again, despite the ongoing rhetoric to the contrary. 4) Policing of gender or genitals in restrooms is bad for everyone. There is no way to enforce anti-trans bathroom laws except by exposing us all to intrusive questioning about our bodies, our gender, and our government documents. 5) Anti-trans laws are not about restrooms, locker rooms, safety, or privacy, but about expelling trans people from public life. Those most affected by these laws have been and will always be trans people who are already subject to the most policing and violence—particularly trans women of color.

How We Can Combat the Legislation Taking Aim at Transgender People Around the Country | Chase Strangio for Rewire  (via gaywrites)

[micdotcom]

Introducing Unerased: Counting Transgender Lives

The number of transgender murders in America is on the rise — and likely far larger than we know. Our team of reporters have built a comprehensive database honoring the lives and tragic deaths of these individuals, as part of an ongoing initiative. This year more than ever — we cannot forget.

[loveethic]

I don’t have the words to describe how I felt when I saw this magazine cover today

[biglawbear]

You know what, looking back on it, my friends and I survived the Bush Presidency

We would have survived a McCain Presidency

We would have survived a Romney Presidency

I honestly worry that there are some people who would not survive a Trump Presidency

I don’t care how much you love Gary Johnson, or Jill Stein. On November 8, 2016, one of two things will be true: either Hillary Clinton will be elected President, or Donald Trump will be elected President.

Which one, HONESTLY, would be worse?

This isn’t the year to “vote your conscience.”

There’s a fucking dangerous man one election away from being President.

This is the year to vote to survive.

Any other year, this would be an exaggeration. We survived Bush, we could have survived McCain or Romney. This year, Trump’s danger is no exaggeration.

Don’t vote your conscience, vote to survive.

[heyitscdubs]

We will not, not, NOT SURVIVE Trump.

[notsafef0rtwerk]

The LGBT community will not survive.

The communities of middle eastern descent will not survive.

Women, especially women who want a right to choose, will not survive.

The black community will not survive.

The latino community will not survive.

The disabled community will not survive.

I guarantee that there are more groups.

We as a country will not survive a Trump-Pence Presidency

[thegendercontender-deactivated2]

As a queer and gender-questioning female-bodied person, I would rather vote for someone I hate than vote for Trump. I would rather die than let Trump win and that is NOT an exaggeration. Please. Vote to live. Vote to survive.

[theroguefeminist]

To those going on about Trump being a threat to US democracy for saying the election is rigged, that no one has ever refused to accept defeat in an election before and doing so is a threat to our democracy, I have three words for you:

Bush v. Gore.

How soon we forget even recent history. To say that a candidate has never refused the outcome of an election is purely false. Gore did refuse. A recount was administered in Florida, which was within his legal right since the vote came down to a mere 327 vote lead for Bush. After the Secretary of State refused to accept the recounts in various counties in Florida that had voting malfunctioning because the recounts were taking too long, Gore took the issue to court. Then, when Gore sued in Florida courts and Bush appealed the decision, bringing the case to the Supreme Court, conservative leaning court justices at the Supreme Court declared the recounts “unconstitutional” because they were “treating the votes unequally.” In a stinging statement of dissent, Justice Paul Stevens stated that the real loser in this election was the integrity of American democracy.

And now, ironically, many of the same liberal media commentators who declared that election rigged, claim Trump is the first to ever question an election’s results, and that doing so is “unAmerican” and a “threat to our democracy.” 

It’s not only hypocritical to act this way in reaction to make these statements, but it’s in and of itself dangerous. One of the worst outcomes of this election is that, in the face of an admittedly terrible candidate who doesn’t fit the traditional framework of a US politician, so many left-leaning progressives are falling in defense of politics as usual. In some ways, I get it. What Trump represents is so disgusting and so against the pale of the basest decency expected in even today’s political climate, that it makes sense that people might try to save any perceived integrity in our politics by defending the status quo.

But that’s not the answer. Because a major reason Trump got this far is due to the corruption in our political system, the massive divide between politicians and everyday Americans. Many of Trump’s supporters feel alienated from the Republican Machine, and rightfully so. Their anger is dangerously misplaced, but it stems from something legitimate and real. 

Do I think the election is rigged against Trump? No. If anything, the failings in our political system and those of the funding and media coverage around it are what gave him a chance in the first place. But if you ask me whether or not I worry that Trump is tarnishing the US’s reputation as a beacon of democratic freedom, with our voter ID laws and gerrymandering, with our PAC dollars and convenient voting malfunctions, I ask you to remember the “hanging chads” of 2000, the shock and dismay throughout the country as the election results were postponed and postponed. I ask you to recall how Americans watched on as the results of our election came down to a court decision–and the incredible damage done to our country and the world during the Bush Administration in the wake of that. 

The very same liberals decrying that system back then are, in fifteen years’ time, not only defending its virtues but acting as if the very criticism of that system is in and of itself undemocratic and dangerous. As journalist Matt Taibbi states, “the only thing that could get in the way of real change – if not now, then surely very soon – [is] a rebellion so maladroit, ill-conceived and irresponsible that even the severest critics of the system would become zealots for the status quo.” And I fear that is what is happening in the wake of Trump.

[livebloggingmydescentintomadness]

I don’t care if Hillary Clinton is corrupt. I don’t care if she lies, if she cheats, if she eats bowls of newborn chipmunks for breakfast.

She is literally the only thing standing in the way of a fascist dictator becoming President of the United States with a Republican majority congress that guarantees he can do anything he wants and nothing will be able to stop him.

I was and still am a Bernie supporter, and I hate a lot of things about Clinton, but none of that matters anymore. If Trump is elected, people are going to die. Women are going to die when Roe v Wade is overturned and Planned Parenthood is defunded. LGBTQ people are going to die when conversion therapy is further legalized and more bathroom bills are passed. POC are going to die as Trump rounds up Mexican immigrants, gives more power to the police, and fuels the fires of Islamaphobia. Poor people are going to die as Obamacare gets overturned and further cuts are made to welfare programs. And that’s just in this country. That’s not even taking account the all-too-likely outcomes of Trump starting new wars in the Middle East and having control of nuclear bombs that he’s said he ‘would not rule out’ using.

This is no longer even about ‘the lesser of two evils’. This is not ‘scare tactics’. This is literally life and death. Don’t fuck around and tell me you’re voting third-party or not voting at all, because you don’t have that luxury. 

[livebloggingmydescentintomadness]

I am delighted that this post has gotten as many notes as it has, but as Election Day grows closer I would like to flush it out with some additional information and facts, particularly for those people who are still considering voting third party and those who still consider Clinton “just as bad” as Trump.

Why you shouldn’t vote for Jill Stein

Why you shouldn’t vote for Gary Johnson

Why you shouldn’t vote third party AT ALL: x, x, x, x (hint, it’s because the electoral college presently makes it impossible for third party to win)

Worried about Clinton’s scandals? John Oliver breaks it down.

Concerned that Hillary Clinton defended a child rapist? She tried to get out of it, but she had no choice.

Comparison of Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders’ views. They voted the same 93% of the time. 

A comprehensive review of Donald Trump’s corruption

Donald Trump is being sued for raping a 13 year old girl in 1994, and there is merit to the case.

Oxford Economics predicts that Trump’s policies would remove $1 trillion from the US economy, while the Peterson Institute projects that a Trump presidency could cost nearly 5 million US jobs.

Donald Trump repeatedly asked why the US couldn’t use nuclear weapons

Donald Trump’s cruel streak

37 of the most offensive things Trump ever said

Donald Trump unveils plan to make abortion illegal again

Feds investigating Trump advisor’s meeting with Russian officials seeking to influence U.S. election (Trump called Putin a better leader than Obama.)

Trump’s campaign paid his businesses $8.2 million

Trump flies in a plane with gold-plated bathroom fixtures and pays for it with tax dollars

Trump’s financial plan would increase the debt by $5.3 trillion above current levels, Clinton’s by $200 billion 

Trump wants to eliminate food safety regulations

Trump was sued by the Justice Department for housing discrimination against black people

Trump has reaped at least $885 million in tax breaks, grants and other subsidies for luxury apartments, hotels and office buildings in New York

Trump’s slimy, shameless approach to philanthropy

Trump paid an IRS penalty for making a $25k donation to the campaign of the woman in charge of investigating his Trump University fraud case, an investigation she dropped after the donation

The official Republican platform includes banning abortion, overturning marriage equality, no background checks for purchasing guns, declaring coal “clean energy”, religion used as a guide for legislation, a border wall, and pornography declared a “public menace”.

Politifact says that Hillary has made ‘false’ statements 11% of the time and ‘pants on fire’ statements 2%, compared to Trump’s 37% and 17%.

Bernie supporter? Bernie says that now is not the time for a protest vote. Bernie tells you why you should vote for Hillary Clinton. Bernie says that Trump must not become president.

Please do not waste your vote. You can complain about Hillary Clinton as much as you want, but complain about her while you vote for her.

[queermuslims]

All Muslims deserve an environment in which they can practice their faith without fear of exclusion or violence. We don’t believe it is asking too much to be uncompromisingly ourselves - as women, as queer and trans people, as “minority Muslims” - and still have a faith community we can come home to. We seek to create a space that is radically equal, pluralist, safe, and affirming. Informed by our community’s legacy of non-hierarchical organizing, inspired by progressive feminist Islamic spaces across the globe, and driven by an understanding of radical Tawhid; we seek a place to pray free from discrimination based on gender, sexuality, race, age, status, dis/ability, class or sect. It seems a little utopian. That won’t stop us from striving towards it.

~~~

This November, the Chicago Tawhid Jummah Circle is opening its doors to host weekly women centered, LGBTQIA+ affirming, sect-diverse Jummah prayers in the city. Over the course of 2016, a core group of organizers in the city has been laying the groundwork for this project, building interfaith connections and establishing ourselves as a dynamic piece of Chicago’s LGBTQ- and Faith- communities. This summer, we found a home for the CTJC and began hashing out the logistics to make the dream a reality. After over a year of dedicated work and effective organizing, we intend to host our first public Jummah service Friday, November 4th. In order to make that a reality, we need your help.

~~~

We are raising $900 to cover material start-up cost. A breakdown of the budget looks like this:

$500 for Artwork, Advertising and Printing:

Commissioning artwork for a logo and other printed materials through For the People Artist Collective ($400); printing weatherproof poster for a two-sided sandwich board ($65) and flyers for strategic placement and outreach, pamphlets, etc ($35).

$200 for Prayer Rugs: Starting with rugs to accommodate 20 people (purchased from a local vendor), supplemented by donations from local interfaith community.

$75 for a Start-Up Qur'an Library: Making available copies of the Qur'an, including translations in English and Spanish.

$50 for Amenities including tea, halal sugar, a handful of towels (for wudu clean-up), a handful of lotas (lol).

Anything above the $825 material cost will go towards

1) Rent (our hosts are willing to let us open rent-free, with the understanding that eventually we will be able to support operating cost and maintenance of the space), and

2) an ongoing fund for the CTJC to expand the library and cover future expenses.

~~~

With your help, we can build a new home for inclusive, feminist, pluralist prayers in Chicago. For more information, media inquiry, or how you can get involved in the creation of this space, feel free to e-mail us at chicagotawhid[at]gmail[dot]com or look us up at our Facebook page.

[the-7-percent-solution]

If you needed open-heart surgery and had to pick between a doctor with a malpractice suit filed against them or the manager of a Wendy’s, which person would you choose to perform that surgery?

This is the American election in a nutshell.

[saresearcher-blog]

Hey there, fill out this survey to help further South Asian research :) 

http://mathesis.limequery.com/899974?lang=en

[saresearcher-blog]

@lgbtq-asians-united please share :) 

[jpuckett-transhealth]

Trans Health Study

Trans Health Study | Piktochart Infographic Editor

Click the link above for more information on our paid research study (http://bit.ly/transgenderhealth)! Please pass along as well if interested. 

[jpuckett-transhealth]

We are still looking for study participants - please see post for more info! 

[gaywrites]

Get our flag out of your hands, you monster. 

Context: Donald Trump took a (upside-down?) rainbow flag that reads “LGBT for Trump” from an audience member at a rally in Colorado and paraded it around onstage so everyone could see it. 

Here’s a reminder of why Donald Trump is a godawful excuse for a person, let alone a presidential candidate – and these are only the LGBT-related reasons, not even addressing his unending racism, xenophobia, misogyny and the other bigotries upon which he’s built his entire campaign:

Trump has made an effort to pander to the LGBTQ community throughout the course of his presidential campaign. He claimed during his convention speech that he “will do everything in my power to protect our LGBTQ citizens from the violence and oppression of a hateful foreign ideology.”

Yet the 2016 Republican party platform has been criticized as the “most anti-LGBT” in the party’s history, and Trump is in no way a friend to queer people. He has said that he would “strongly consider” appointing judges to overturn SCOTUS’ same-sex marriage ruling, and also stated that he opposes same-sex marriage as an institution. He’s also flip-flopped on rights and protections when it comes to transgender people.

And let’s not forget that Trump’s running mate Mike Pence has a rich history of LGBTQ intolerance, including opposing foreign governments’ efforts to decriminalize homosexuality, opposing repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and leading a crusade against LGBT rights as governor of Indiana.

I hate him I hate him I hate him and I hate how much energy and space I am using to hate him. November 9 cannot come soon enough.