Asifa Lahore, Britain’s first Muslim drag queen, says there have been “countless” same-sex Muslim weddings.
She also revealed that there is a “thriving” LGBT community among Muslims in the UK.
In an interview with The Times, Asifa said “in the last three years I’ve been to dozens of gay Muslim, same-sex marriages.
“I attended one last Thursday, of two gay British Bangladeshi guys.”
Her comments come after a gay Muslim man married his partner earlier this month, and many outlets reported it as “the first Muslim wedding.”
The couple faced awful abuse online from Muslims when their wedding went viral, including threats of acid attacks.
Lahore said that although she was glad the men felt free to be open about their relationship, but that “there have been others before him and will be many more.”
Ms Lahore was brought up in a devout Muslim Pakistani family in West London.
She appeared on Channel 4’s Muslim Drag Queens in 2015, and was called “Britain’s first Muslim drag performer.” She began the process of gender transition to become a woman this year.
Prior to her transition, when living as a gay man, Lahore had her own Muslim gay wedding.
She married her partner in 2014 just months after same-sex marriage was legalised, in a small ceremony.
The two are currently going through an “amicable” divorce after Lahore began her transition.
Talking about her youth, Lahore said her family sent her to a GP and an imam to try and address her sexuality. She was told she could marry a muslim woman and have gay relations on the side. She reused.
Lahore said marriage is an important institution in the Muslim community, and this is still very much true for LGBT+ people.
“Marriage plays a big part in your upbringing and your psyche and I think LGBT Muslims in Britain are taking real advantage of equal marriage,” she said.
Lahore says in her estimation there are thousands of LGBT+ Muslims in Britain, some of whom feel unable to come out.
“We live in a country where we now have access to equal rights and they should be exercised. It would break my heart if there were LGBT Muslims out there who didn’t feel they were able to marry.”
“Never feel like you’re on your own or that you’re the only one. There’s many more people in the exact same boat as you. Britain is a thriving country for the LGBT Muslim community.”
by Katharine Swindells
Source – PinkNews
