2.  Prior to colonialization
 Homosexual relationships between adolescent boys
and older men, akin to the Greek relationships, were
accepted. After colonization this practice was
repudiated and currently homosexuality is perceived
as a major sin. (Bereket & Adam, 2008)
 The intellectual classes in the Middle East did not
internalize Western attitudes towards homosexuality
until the early part of the 20th century.
(Tejirian, 2006)
 Currently
 According to Weeks (1992), there is 'no concept of
"the homosexual", except where it has been imported
from the West, no notion of exclusive
homosexuality, and no gay way of life' (p. x, as cited
in Halstead & Lewicka, 1998, p. 58).

3. In there study analyzing the culture and religion influence attitudes towards homosexuality Adamczyk and
Pitt (2009) found that:
 ―Despite harsher penalties for people found guilty of homosexuality in Muslim nations, residence in a
Muslim nation does not appear to encourage more disapproving attitudes than residence in
Buddhist, Protestant, or Orthodox nations.‖ (p. 349)
 ―By contrast, living in a Muslim-majority,
rather than a Catholic country, appears
to encourage disapproving attitudes
about homosexuality, even for people
who are not religious. Moreover,
the magnitude of the relationship
between attitudes about homosexuality
and living in a Catholic, rather than a
Muslim nation, was one of the largest
of all the predictors we examined.‖
(p. 349 )

4.  Liberal
 Indonesia,
 Lebanon,
 Turkey
(Bereket & Adam,2008)
 Conservative
 Yemen,
 Saudi Arabia,
 Iran,
 Mauritania,
 Northern Nigeria,
 Sudan
(ILGA, 2007)

5.  Iran: Executed young men for having sex with each other
Egypt: Tried a group of men on embellished charges of
homosexuality
United Arab Emirates: Banned screening of Brokeback
Mountain, ―because of
official sensibilities.‖ (Tejirian, 2006)

6.  Homosexuality
 The Oxford English-Arabic dictionary offers two terms for 'homosexuality':
1. Scientific:
 ishtiha' al-mumathil. (literally 'carnal desire to the same')
2. Casual:
 liwat (literally 'the doing of Lot's people')
*(Doniach, 1972, as cited in Halstead & Lewicka, 1998)
 Lesbian in Arabic
 Musahaqa (Halstead & Lewicka, 1998)
 Gay In Turkish
 Gey (Bereket & Adam, 2008)
 Top
 Aktif (the masculine figure) (Bereket & Adam, 2008)
 Bottom
 Pasif (the ―real‖ (feminine figure) homosexual) (Bereket & Adam, 2008)

7.  ―The acceptance of one's God-given sex is a
form of surrender to God. The unity and
harmony intended by God is constituted by
the union of a man and a woman in a lawful
sexual act (i.e. an act within marriage). Any
other way of realising sexual desires violates
the order of the world and is condemned as a
source of evil and anarchy. Thus zina'
(adultery, fornication) is condemned because
it seeks to realise the harmonious
complementarity of the sexes outside the
divinely ordained limits‖ (Halstead &
Lewicka, 1998)

8.  ―In Islam the sexual function is in itself a
sacred one, expressing the will and the
power of God‖ (Halstead & Lewicka, 1998, p.
58)
 According to Mohammed,
1. ‗The marital coitus leading to pleasure is
equivalent to alms . . . When spouses make
love, God looks at them, full of kindness‘
2. For Moslem jurists, sexual pleasure purifies the
hearts
3. Contrary to abstinence which hardens them.
(Dialmy, 2010)

9.  Both Genders
 It is forbidden for both genders to
have homosexual relationships
(Dialmy, 2010).
 Male on Male Sex
 Halstead and Lewicka (1998)
mention that they focused primarily
on male homosexuality because
lesbianism is a different issue with
minimal information.
 Female on Female Sex
 ―Islamic law categorises [lesbianism]
as sex outside marriage and
therefore it carries the same
penalties as adultery. But Schild
(1992,pp. 186-187) and Bouhdiba
(1995,p. 31) both claim that in
practice not much attention is paid
to lesbian behaviour, perhaps
because it does not involve
penetration.‖ Halstead &
Lewicka, 1998, p. 56).

10.  Muslim populations predominantly hold
traditional views on sexual norms. Within Islamic
countries, Islamic legitimacy holds priority over
democratic legitimacy (Dialmy, 2010).
 Men‘s roles/expectations
 Men have more rights in their ability to express their
sexuality
 Women‘s roles/expectations
 It is forbidden for women to have extramarital sex

11.  ―It is the woman or ‗real‘ homosexual who
‗gives‘ (the pasif) and the ‗real‘ man who ‗puts‘
(the aktif). The male's active role of penetration
is opposed to those who offer themselves to be
penetrated in either vaginal or anal
intercourse.‖ (Bereket & Adam, 2008, p. 217)
 Masculinity can be threatened when men
become pasif partners (Bereket & Adam, 2008).
 ―The symbolic structure of male-female
interactions shapes the organization of Turkish
homosexualities insofar as sex role, rather than
the sex of a partner, operates as a primary
signifier of sexual status (Parker, 1999, p. 30, as
cited in Bereket & Adam, 2008, p. 217 ).‖

12.  Men who identify themselves as being exclusively aktif or
pasif, adhere more closely to the traditional constitution
of same-sex bonding, are also influenced by religious
teachings and experience great distress from not resisting
the homoerotic attractions and anticipate their
punishment after death. (Bereket & Adam, 2008)
 Gey-identified men, by contrast, appear to have more
liberal views concerning not only their sexuality but also
their general take on religiosity. Embracing a gey identity a
claim for personal freedom or civil liberty, unbound by the
strictures of Turkish society (Bereket & Adam, 2008)

13.  Tapinç (1992) states that gender ideology
among Islamic cultures is very dichotomous
with little room for alternative options for
identity (As cited in Bereket &
Adam, 2008)
 Which is why many gay men in Turkey
accept effeminacy through identifying
themselves with women and images of
womanhood once they realize they are gay.
 When gay men abandon culturally defined
manhood identifying with women is the
only safe harbor to seek refuge.
 Although penetrating a man is also
potentially stigmatizing, the aktif
homosexual can maintain his masculinity
by making it known that he "gives it like a
man― (Bereket & Adam, 2008, p. 217).

14.  Muslim and Gay- are the two mutually exclusive?
 For many gay Turkish men in the study (Bereket &
Adam, 2008), it was hard to resolve the tension
between sexuality and religious proscriptions. There
were about 4 pathways to reduce the dissonance.
 Of the – participants none remained celibate
 Give up religion
 1. Lose religious faith and immerse in gay culture.
 2. Lose faith in Islam and religion
 Live with guilt
 3. Nominally identify with Islam as a cultural connection or
identity and recognize the spiritual principles while dismiss the
rigid laws
 4. Maintain Islamic convictions and continue to engage in gay
activity, but await their punishment in the after life.

15.  3 Important Principles (Halstead & Lewicka, 1998)
1. Muslims think in terms of acts, not inclinations.
 Consequence: A person‘s actions define them not a innate identity
2. Because there is no belief in fixed inclinations, a person‘s
behavior can always change, perhaps through the commands of
God.
 Consequence: Gay people can change their behavior and identity if
they wish
3. The active and passive roles are clearly distinguished and there
is no concept of acting in both roles.
 Consequence: A man who is bottoms is not a man
As a result, Western concepts of homosexuality and heterosexuality
are not conceptualized in the current Muslim worldview. Every
action is a choice and that people who claim they are gay can easily
choose to be gay.

16. According to Halstead and Lewicka (1998):
 ―Muslims do not fear homosexuality, they
disapprove of it‖ (Sarwar, 1996, p. 23, as cited in
Halstead & Lewicka, 1998, p. 60).
 ―Their disapproval is not irrational, though the
presuppositions on which the rational beliefs are
based are not shared by everyone‖ (p. 60)
 ―Since tolerance is commonly defined as 'a
deliberate choice not to interfere with conduct
of which one disapproves' (Halstead, 1996b), the
question arises whether Muslims should tolerate
homosexual conduct‖ (p. 60)

17.  According to Schild (1992), within Islamic culture
sometimes a blind eye is turned on homosexual activity as
long as the behavior occurs in private (Halstead &
Lewicka, 1998)
 Despite the taboo against the behavior it is widely claimed
that homosexual activity does occur between ―men and
boys, older and younger boys, masters and
apprentices, teachers and pupils, in religious
brotherhoods, within the extended family, in public baths
and in bars and other meeting places (Schmitt &
Sofer, 1992, as cited in Halstead & Lewicka, 1998, p. 61).
 Halstead and Lewicka (1998) suggest that many Muslims
may not necessarily turn a blind eye but let God judge the
behavior and determine the consequence.
 ―It is clear that it is not the practice in Islam 'to seek out
those with homosexual desires with a view to persecuting
them‗‖ (Sarwar, 1996, p. 24, as cited in Halstead &
Lewicka, 1998, p. 61)

18.  While most Turks disapprove of homosexual
behavior, it is possible to engage in
homosexual acts as long as a gay person
minimizes any effeminate behavior and the
―deviant‖ sexual activity is not discussed or
mentioned. What matters most in Turkish
society is that men uphold the male gender
role, at least in public (Bereket &
Adams, 2008)

19.  Gay men and women are slowly emerging from the woodwork in
many Arabic countries
 In Kuwait, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia, young gay men and lesbians are becoming
bolder and more visible in expressing themselves and identifying openly as gay
(Meehan, 2007).
 Gey (gay) identified men in Turkey are becoming more evident in urban
centers(Bereket & Adam, 2006; as cited in Bereket & Adam, 2008)). These men
question the language of gender-inscribed sexuality as identity and as a vocabulary
of desire. This new model of same-sex desire is found widely among
urban, young, educated, and middle-class homosexuals.
 "They represent a new sexually conscious stratum of the homosexual population in
society, and have introduced the word 'gay' [gey] with which to identify themselves"
(Tapmç, 1992, p. 46, as cited in Bereket & Adams, 2008, p. 217).
o Through this behavior more Turkish
men are accessing the cultural
discourses of the West and molding
them to Turkish culture
(Adam, 2001 as cited in Bereket &
Adam, 2008).

20.  Meehan (2007) asserts that
Homosexuality is going to become
more visible in the coming years
and there is little that
governments and societal figures
can do to prevent queer
individuals from exerting their
presence in the community.
 Meehan (2007) also predicts that
the gay presence in society will
create tension by the perceived
challenge to family structure.
Other effects may include the
increased spread of STDs and a
decrease in population growth if
same-sex couples ―cannot
naturally bear children.‖

21. Goals of Al-Fatiha Organization:
 Provide a supportive and understanding
environment for LGBTQ Muslims who are trying to
reconcile their sexuality or gender identity with
Islam.
 Empower LGBTQ Muslims by creating safe spaces
to share individual experiences, advocating on
their behalf in national and international
forums, and providing information about
institutional resources.
 Foster spirituality among LGBTQ Muslims.
 Encourage dialogue with the larger Muslim
community around issues of sexuality and gender
(Thumma & Edward, 2005).

22.  In 2001, Al-Muhajiroun (international
organization seeking the establishment of
standardized Islamic caliphate) issued a ruling
declaring that all members of Al-Fatiha were
condemned to death. Because of the threat
coming from conservative societies, many
members of the foundation's site still prefer to
be anonymous to protect their
identity, continuing a tradition of secrecy
(Herbert, 2006).
 While Al-Fatiha works to combat homophobia
within Muslim communities, it faces the
challenge of not provoking an Islamophobic
reaction among non-Muslims (Kincheloe, 2010).

23.  Organized in a city with the largest concentration of
Arabs in the United States (Dearborn, MI).
 ―Was founded September 2004, after a group of Gay
Middle-Eastern friends watched ―I Exist‖. The
documentary inspired them to start an organization
to support and provide a safer place for other
Middle-Eastern Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgender ―GLBT‖ people to either come out to
themselves or the community. They began Al-GAMEA
(the gathering) and started advocating in the
community and continued to brand themselves.‖
(Ramazzotti, 2011)
 This organization is very active in the community
and sponsors many social gatherings and projects
(ex: bowling, parties, conferences, studies, links to
health care) (Ramazzotti, 2011)

24. Al-Babhttp://www.al-
bab.com/arab/background/gay.htm.
 Has a ―Diversity‖ section that links to a Gay
and Lesbian Arab webpage.
Glashttp://glas.org/ahbab/
 Serves the Gay and Lesbian Arab
Community, provides articles and resources
(In Arabic)

25.  Qualitative study (6 interviews and
participant observation) explores identity
experience of progressive gay Muslim men in
a North American context attending an
international conference for
lesbian, gay, bisexual,transgendered, and
questioning (LGBTQ) Muslims.
 Muslim identity for them appeared three-
dimensional (religious, ethno-cultural, and
color) when integrated with a gay identity.
(Minwalla, Rosser, Feldman, & Varga, 2005)

26.  As a religious identity: Gay Muslim‘s relationship to
Allah (God) and a reinterpretation of the Qur‘an and
traditional condemnation of homosexuality was found
to be extremely important and necessary.
 As a cultural identity: East–West differences impacting
and gay identity and construction
socialization, marriage and the impact of coming out
on the Eastern family and siblings were found to be
critical issues.
 As a color identity: Internalized racism, dating
relationships and social dynamics within gay
subculture as Muslims of color in a white dominant
context were found to be main challenges.
 Limited sample but a great start. Educates
public/academia on the existence of Gay Muslims.

28.  A Jihad for Love (2007) is the world's first documentary
film on the coexistence of Islam and homosexuality. The
film is directed by Parvez Sharma.
 The films title (Jihad): The film seeks to reclaim this
concept of personal struggle..its real meaning.. as it is used
in the media almost exclusively to mean "holy war" and to
refer to violent acts perpetrated by extremist Muslims.
 Sharma refuses to associate homosexuality with shame, but
recognizes the need to protect the safety and privacy of his
sources, by filming them in silhouette or with their faces
blurred. In one case, the family of an Afghan woman he
interviewed "would undoubtedly kill her" if they found out
she was lesbian. In another example, one of the associate
producers, an Egyptian gay man, chose not to be listed in
the credits for fear of possible consequences (Hays, 2004).

29. Irshad is founder and director of the Moral
Courage Project at New York University‘s school
of public service. This leadership program
equips students to challenge political
correctness, intellectual conformity and self-
censorship -- within their families, communities
and organizations.
As a reformist Muslim, she strives to put moral
courage into practice. Her latest
book, Allah, Liberty and Love, is a guide to
reconciling faith and freedom in a world raging
with repressive dogmas. Irshad‘s previous book
is the international bestseller, The Trouble with
Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her
Faith (Manji, 2011).

30. Muslims for Progressive Values, which
Zonneveld co-founded in 2007 with Pamela
Taylor, a feminist American Muslim, is based on
10 principles. They include a commitment to
equality of genders and for LGBTQ (or lesbian,
gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning)
people, repudiation of militarism and violence
and the need for ―critical engagement with
Islamic scripture.
Leads prayers — a task normally reserved for
men —outspoken advocate for gay, bisexual and
transgender Muslims. Later this year, she plans
to officiate at the Islamic wedding of a lesbian
couple, which is perfectly acceptable by her
reading of the Quran (Huus, 2011).

31. Imam Dayiee Abdullah: has spent over the last
10 years trying to bridge a gap between Islam
and homosexuality. He has experienced trouble
from both conservative Islamic groups and anti-
gay groups. His interpretation of Quranic verses
has aided in bridging this gap.
―To be gay and Muslim, at times, people will
say that it is an oxymoron. But in actuality, it‘s a
formulation that shows the diversity within
Islam; that people can be a variety of
backgrounds. The Quran says to look to the
nature of the world. And from that, you can see
the diversity and understand that Allah‘s
understanding of the world and the universe in
which he created is full of diversity; but you find
the oneness, the tauheed unification of
all, through those various diverse aspects‖
(Pennington, 2010).

32. Important Values
Trust and respect {Model this to
Earn It}
Confidentiality {Explain and Assure}
Spirituality {Offer spiritual solutions
to them, what is their idea of
spirituality?} (Al Krenawi &
Graham, 2000)

33.  The counselor should involve the
clients, their parents and their families
if it is possible.
 Collectivist culture: importance of the
family respect and honor.
 for parents, and a strong emphasis on
duty to
 the family. An individual‘s responsibility
and duty is to family before the self (Al
Krenawi & Graham, 2000).

34.  How long have they been in
US, where they born here?
 Reasons & conditions for emigration
(refugees?)
 Level of social and family support
 Degree of religious affiliation
 Stigma towards mental health (Al
Krenawi & Graham, 2000).

35. Affective disorders often
somatized.
Emotions described through
physical symptoms
 Fear (Heart falling)
 Depression (I think too
much)
Anxiety (My nerves) (Al Krenawi &
Graham, 2000).

36. Respect client‘s culture and/or
religion: Arabs and Muslims who
experience Islamophbia need to
know that counselors are open and
understanding of their perspective
and will not try to change it.
Learn about clients religion and
culture: don‘t internalize biases of
society--be knowledgeable about
the religious and cultural
practices (Al Krenawi & Graham, 2000).

37.  Adamczyk, A., Pitt, C. (2009) Shaping attitudes about
homosexuality: The role of religion and cultural context.
Social Science Research, 38, 338-351.
 Al Krenawi, A., & Graham, J.R. (2000). Culturally
Competent Social Work Practice with Arab Clients in Mental
Health Settings. Health and Social Work, 9-22.
 Bereket, T., Adam, B. D. (2008). Navigating Islam and same-
sex laisons among men in Turkey. Journal of Homosexuality,
55(2), 204-222
 Dialmy, A. (2010). Sexuality and Islam. The European
Journal of Contraception and Reproductive Health Care, 15,
160–168
 Hays, Matthew (2004, November 2) Act of Faith: A Film on
Gays and Islam. The New York Times. p. 19
 Halstead, J. M., Lewicka, K. (1998). Should homosexuality
be taught as an acceptable alternative lifestyle? A Muslim
perspective. Cambridge Journal of Education, 28(1), 49-64.
 Huus, K. (2011, October 24). Battling for gay rights, in
Allah's name . msnbc, p. 1.
 ILGA. World day against death penalty. (2007, October 10).
Retrieved from http://ilga.org/ilga/en/article/1111

38.  Kincheloe, Joe L. (2010). Teaching against Islamophobia. Peter Lang.
p. 192.
 Manji, I. (2011, November 29). About irshad manji. Retrieved from
https://www.irshadmanji.com/about-irshad
 Meehan, S. (2007). Homosexuality in the middle east. The Muslim
Observer, Retrieved from
http://muslimmedianetwork.com/mmn/?p=1478
 Minwalla, O., Rosser, S., Feldman, J., & Varga, C. (2005). Identity
experience among progressive gay Muslims in North America: A
qualitative study within Al-Fatiha. Culture, Health &
Sexuality,, 7(2), 113-
 Pennington, R. (2010, February 8). Daayiee abdullah:being out and being
muslim. Muslim Voices, p. 1.
 Ramazzotti, C. (2011, November 20). Al gamea. Retrieved from
http://www.algamea.org
 Tejirian, E. J. (2006). Book Review: Male-to-Male love in the premodern
Islamic World. PsycCRITIQUES, 51(30).
 Thumma, Scott; Gray, Edward R. (2005). Gay religion. Rowman Altamira.
p. 379.
 http://thecollegevoice.org/2011/04/19/lgbt-muslims/
 Tim Herbert, (2006, October, 7) Queer chronicles. Weekend
Australian, Qld Review Edition.