Am I the only Muslim parent with a LGBTQI+ child?
“You and your family are not alone, there are many people who have had the strength and courage to come out to their parents as LGBT. Some statistics state that 1 in 10 people are LGBT, there are approximately 1 billion Muslims in the world. If 1 in 10 is LGBT that makes 100 million Muslim people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, like your child and approximately 200 million parents just like you.”
Source: Imaan, advice for parents
Imaan, the UK’s longest established LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender) Muslim organisation, have prepared the following questions for Muslim parents wanting to understand more about their LGBT children:
Common questions for parents
- Our religion says that homosexuality is a sin
- What will people in my community say?
- Is homosexuality brought about by poor parenting or a lack of religion?
- Homosexuality is a Western phenomena
- Is homosexuality an illness?
- Maybe I should take my child to the local Imam/Peer/Fakhir/Baba
- Is there a cure for homosexuality?
- Once my child is married s/he will be happy
- Allah sent AIDS to punish homosexuals
Answers
- For the answers to all of these questions, head over to the Imaan website