New Video by Carl Russ-Mohl on Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) and Jimmy London at Pride in London 2018. In support of LGBT rights of those living in countries under Islamic rule and those from Muslim backgrounds here in the UK and west.
#LoveNotACrime
#عشق_جرم_نيست
#ভালবাসা_কোন_অপরাধ_নয়
#محبت_جرم_نہیں
#الحب_لیس_بجریمة
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain marched in Pride in London on 7 July for LGBT rights in countries under Islamic rule; in 15 states or territories, homosexuality is punishable by death.
The march was a victory against Islamist forces in Britain like Mend and East London Mosque that tried and failed to stop CEMB from marching with accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ aimed at imposing de facto blasphemy and apostasy laws.
Despite their efforts, CEMB marched for the right to apostasy and blasphemy, for asylum and refugee rights, against racism and the far-Right and for the right to love, live and think as one chooses.
CEMB marched in solidarity with all those who could not and will keep on marching until the day when Muslim and ex-Muslim LGBT can love who they want without fear. That day will also be the day women are not second-class citizens and apostates and blasphemers can think freely without punishment. Our lives and rights are interlinked as is our common humanity.
To see some photos and video footage of the march, see below.
The Bangladeshi group Boys Love World marched with CEMB at this Pride. If you would like to donate for our work at Pride, please make your donations to this fantastic group.
NOTES:
A poem by Jimmy Bangash: 15 states, they kill their gays produced by International Ex-Muslim Coalition
Pride is a Safe Place for LGBT people of Muslim Heritage – A response to Al-Kadhi In The Guardian by Jimmy Bangash (The Guardian did not bother responding to our request for a right to reply)
Provocative? Well yes! and Taking Pride Back by Sadia Hameed
Ex-Muslims: A Community in Protest by Maryam Namazie
For more information, please contact CEMB at hello@ex-muslim.org.uk.
This was published on sister-hood on 4 July 2018.
By Sadia Hameed
Although today Pride is a celebration of sexuality, in its infancy it was a political movement against the oppression of individuals based on their sexuality: a movement for equality and fair treatment. The first Pride came after the Stonewall Riots – a watershed moment for the LGBT movement. On the 28th June 1969, New York police raided the Stonewall Inn – a well-known gay bar in Manhattan, frequented by LGBT customers. On the night of the raid, the police arrested 13 people. That summer, the police had raided and even closed down several other LGBT establishments. A spontaneous protest begun, lasting a whole three days!
A year after the Stonewall Riots, the first Gay Pride marches took place in New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles. Although now, Gay Pride manifest as a party, early Pride marches were provocative and courageous. In Europe and America, things have changed over our lifetimes. Yet homophobia still exists in today’s world, and it exists within Islam and the countries that follow Sharia.
In 15 Islamic countries and territories, homosexuals are still put to death. This is state sanctioned homophobia: something that early Gay Pride movements absolutely understood and protested against. In such countries, both Muslim and ex-Muslim LGBT are persecuted.
Institutions like the East London Mosque (ELM) promote the Islamist narrative at the expense of LGBT rights amongst others. Over the last 10 years ELM have had ten openly homophobic speakers speak at the mosque, including Yasir Qadhi who defended the death penalty for homosexuality in Islam. While the ELM says it doesn’t allow homophobic speakers on their premises, this is just a PR exercise. They continue to invite homophobic preachers and have never condemned the death penalty for homosexuality in an Islamic state.
The Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain stands in solidarity with all LGBT people and opposes their persecution or marginalisation. Last year we marched at London Pride to combat hate and to highlight the 14 states under Islamic rule that kill gay men (15 if we were to include ISIS-held territories). We included placards about the East London mosque, to bring attention to the fact that there are mosques here in Britain that promote punishing homosexuality. This isn’t just something happening in a faraway land, to people that are not connected to us: the 2016 Orlando shootings were evidence of that. If you let religious homophobia slide, it will soon affect all of us. Things that affect some of us, eventually impact all of us!
Time and again, CEMB has been accused of being ‘Islamophobic,’ citing our placards that had statements such as, ‘Fuck Islamic homophobia,’ but we are unsure as to what the problem is with this. There is no issue in saying ‘Fuck Christian homophobia’…unless of course you are a fan of the homophobic movements. Overall, all of the organisations which took issue with our positions, statements and placards were invited to attend an open discussion to debate their positions and allow us to explain ours. Not one of them responded!
The fight for LGBT rights in countries under Islamic rule is a key battle for the LGBT movement today. We are marching again on 7 July 2018 and encourage Muslims and ex-Muslims in particular to join us. We are stronger together. We will only succeed together.
Published in sister-hood on 2 July 2018.
When the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (CEMB) started 11 years ago, in June 2007, we were hard pressed to find 25 people who would come out publicly to break the apostasy taboo. Today, we are witnessing an international ex-Muslim ‘community’ – a tsunami of atheism.
But for me, this has never been about building a community as it is understood within identity politics, which implies people being boxed into homogenised, segregated communities with culturally-relative rights managed by ‘community leaders.’ Rather, I see ex-Muslims as a community in protest: insisting on freedom from religion, and freedom of conscience. For the right to apostasy and blasphemy, without fear.
Like the LGBT, anti-slavery, anti-colonialist, anti-apartheid, suffragette or civil rights movements, it’s a movement which insists upon our common humanity and equality – not upon difference or superiority. It’s a movement of people who refuse to live in fear and in the shadows, and who are speaking out for social change in unprecedented ways.
This movement matters because thirteen states punish atheism with the death penalty and all of them Islamic. Because a series of laws in Saudi Arabia define atheism as terrorism, where Ahmad Al-Shamri has been sentenced to death for atheism. Because Sina Dehghan has been sentenced to death in Iran for ‘insulting Islam.’ Because a Pakistani High Court Judge has said that blasphemers are terrorists and Ayaz Nizami and Rana Noman face the death penalty there. Because even in countries without the death penalty, such as Bangladesh, Islamists kill atheists whilst the government turns a blind eye. Because in Bangladesh, the atheist poet and publisher Shahzahan Bachchu was dragged out of a shop and shot dead mid-June this year. Because the Egyptian government is producing a national plan to ‘confront and eliminate’ atheism. Because in Egypt, the atheist blogger Sherif Gaber has not been seen in public since his arrest at Cairo airport on 2 May. Because a Malaysian government minister has said that atheists should be ‘hunted down’ and ‘re-educated.’ Because even in secular societies, ex-Muslims can be shunned, ostracised, and face ‘honour’-related violence.
This movement matters because you can be killed for leaving or criticising Islam. Full stop. Reason enough.
The Saudi UN Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi says that advocating for atheism is a terrorist offence; that it leads to chaos. Absurdly, the Guardian’s David Shariatmadari agrees that ‘criticism of religion, Islam especially, can be antisocial, even dangerous.’ These accusations are not new. The Suffragettes, for example, were considered dangerous, subversive, as destroying the natural order of things. They were labelled anti-male and traitors for demanding the right to vote. Similarly, ex-Muslims are often labelled traitors or ‘native informants.’ After all, when one homogenises a ‘community,’ anyone who steps outside of their assigned place may be deemed dangerous, subversive; as destroying the natural order of things.
Like other social and political movements which fight for equality, the ex-Muslim movement is considered ‘dangerous’ because it subverts the status quo, not because of some paternalistic concern for minorities. After all, don’t minorities also have the right to dissent, to equality, to civil rights and freedoms? And why is blasphemy or apostasy considered ‘Muslim-bashing?’ Is promoting LGBT rights ‘straight-bashing’, or promoting women’s right to vote ‘male-bashing’?
Yet when CEMB took to the streets of London Pride last year, the East London Mosque filed a complaint against our ‘Islamophobic’ placards. It took Pride London eight long months to meet with CEMB and to allow us to return this year. (Imagine if the Westboro Baptist Church had filed a complaint with Pride against a group that was critical of Christianity and the Christian Right. Would it have taken eight months for them to decide whose side they were on?)
When the hashtag #ExMuslimBecause became viral overnight, with over 120,000 Tweets from 65 countries, many people realised they were not alone in their rejection of Islam – maybe for the first time in their lives. Yet BBC Trending described it as an excuse for ‘Muslim-bashing’ and ‘Islamophobia.’ Or when we showed our solidarity with those persecuted in Saudi Arabia for eating during Ramadan, armed police came to the Saudi Embassy’s rescue, telling us our eat-in and fast-defying solidarity action was offending those in the embassy.
In my opinion, accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ are less about opposing bigotry and more about defending religious privilege but you cannot stop racism by outlawing blasphemy and apostasy. These accusations are used to scaremonger ex-Muslims into silence and to impose de facto apostasy and blasphemy laws where none exist. Where these laws do exist, we are accused of these ‘crimes’ and persecuted without any niceties.
The charge of ‘Islamophobia’ protects religion and the religious Right, not believers. There is a clear difference between the term xenophobia, for example, which describes how migrants are targeted by bigotry, or homophobia, where people are targeted for their sexuality, versus Islamophobia, which describes the criticism of an idea. Religion is an idea; Islamism and the religious-Right are political movements. They must be open to criticism. Conflating criticism of Islam and Islamism with ‘Muslim-bashing’ misrepresents dissent as bigotry.
That doesn’t mean that bigotry against Muslims, migrants and minorities doesn’t exist. Of course it does! We live in class-based societies which profit from racism. Ex-Muslims and their families (many of whom are still Muslim) understand this better than most; we also face closed borders, travel bans, hate, violence and discrimination. And, yes of course, there are ex-Muslims who are bigoted against Muslims, just as there are Muslims who are bigoted against ex-Muslims; just as there are women who are misogynists and men who are feminists and so forth. But individuals – not a ‘community’ – must be held accountable for their choices. We are not extensions of our communities to be defended or condemned depending upon which ‘tribe’ we belong to.
Victim blaming is the natural outcome of an unconditional defence of the ‘community’ – if only we had not been so offensive; if only we had minded our manners, well, then there would be no need to threaten, kill or silence us. Ironically, collective blame is a natural outcome of identity politics, which moreover legitimises white identity politics. The argument that cultures are homogenous and need protection has aided the rise of xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiment. Trump uses this narrative all the time, as do far-Right groups like Pegida, the Five Star Movement, For Britain and the English Defence League.
Letting migrants drown in waters and separating toddlers from their parents at borders is the height of defending one’s ‘culture’ – as is murdering apostates. Whilst touted as progressive, identity politics is a politics of difference and superiority. These are two edges of the same sword. The politics of difference has always been a fundamental principle of a supremacist agenda – whether it is Nazism, the biological theory of racial superiority or expressions of difference couched in cultural and religious terms. Identity politics is the corruption of the fight for social justice. It degrades it to a mere defence of culture and the homogenous ‘community.’
This is why, when Goldsmiths Islamic Society tried to cancel and disrupt my talk, the LGBTQ+ and Feminist Societies sided with the ISOC against my apparent ‘Islamophobia’ – even after the ISOC President’s homophobic tweets came to light and he was forced to resign. This is why the Muslim LGBTQ charity Imaan has asserted our presence at Pride last year served only to “deepen divisions between communities” and why a Guardian piece by a gay Muslim accuses us of “Islamophobia” whilst defending the East London Mosque which is itself a centre for homophobia. From the point of view of identity politics, it is better to defend the East London Mosque with its preachers, who call for the death penalty for LGBT and apostates, than to be seen to side with ‘those ex-Muslims’ who defend the rights of Muslim and ex-Muslim LGBT. Identity politics fails to see allies and enemies within and outside the ‘community.’ It fails to mobilise real solidarity and see how our lives and rights are interlinked across ‘communities,’ borders and boundaries.
In an age of regressive identity politics and cultural relativism, an ex-Muslim community in protest matters, because it reaffirms universal values, anti-racism, secularism, the fight for equality, social justice and our common humanity. A movement that is about equality not privilege. Rights without permission. No apologies.
The above is a shortened version of a speech at Muslimish Conference in NYC in June 2018.
Maryam Namazie is Spokesperson for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.
Our rights and lives are interlinked
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain will be marching at Pride London on Saturday 7 July 2018 for the rights of LGBT in countries under Islamic rule; in 15 countries or territories, homosexuality is punishable by the death penalty. Many of the same states punish apostasy and blasphemy with death. Clearly, the lives and rights of apostates and LGBT are intertwined.
Absurdly, and until recently, we were unsure if we would be permitted to march after accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ by the homophobic East London Mosque against CEMB. After 8 months, Pride finally met with us and gave us the go ahead to march.
And march we will.
In a piece published in sister-hood today, CEMB Spokesperson Maryam Namazie explains why accusations of ‘Islamophobia’ are used to defend religious privilege and impose de facto blasphemy laws where none exist. She says:
“The charge of ‘Islamophobia’ protects religion and the religious Right, not believers. There is a clear difference between the term xenophobia, for example, which describes how migrants are targeted by bigotry, or homophobia, where people are targeted for their sexuality, versus Islamophobia, which describes the criticism of an idea. Religion is an idea; Islamism and the religious-Right are political movements. They must be open to criticism.”
Pragna Patel, Director of Southall Black Sisters says:
“SBS fully supports the right of CEMB to be at the Pride march. In the face of rising intolerance and hatred promoted by the self-styled and Islamist linked East London Mosque and its cohorts, it is vital that Pride remains a safe and progressive space for those who are the first targets of hatred and violence. The presence of CEMB in such demonstrations is vital in exposing the agendas of those like the East London Mosque that claim to support LBGT rights whilst silencing and going after those deemed to be apostates, blasphemers and dissenters from within. Solidarity in the face of violence, intimidation and censorship is the only weapon we have to defeat these forces of darkness.“
Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell says:
“I welcome CEMB to the London LGBT+ Pride parade. They are doing important, fearless work exposing Islamist countries that have the death penalty not only for LGBT+ people, but also for Muslims who leave the faith, women who have sex outside of marriage and those who dissent from Islamic orthodoxy. CEMB is a much valued ally of the LGBT+ community and of all progressive people everywhere.”
Gita Sahgal, Director of Centre for Secular Space says:
“I am proud to march with CEMB at Pride for the second time. Our presence on the parade is a victory against Islamist attempts to silence us. The right to apostasy and the right to sexual freedom are closely connected. As we celebrate at Pride in London, we march in solidarity with all those threatened with death for their beliefs and their loves. Fundamentalist mosques like East London Mosque and organisations like MEND have failed to condemn laws criminalising apostasy and same sex relationships. They are silent on the killing of homosexuals and apostates in the name of Islam; and instead create a climate of fear and threat for campaigners. Why else do so many gay Muslims live in hiding? We urge all who support these twin freedoms, and who stand with migrants and refugees fleeing for their lives, to stand with us.”
We especially welcome Muslims and ex-Muslims to join us at Pride to highlight the persecution of LGBT and apostates and defend the right to love, think and live as one chooses. We stand and fight together for our common humanity and universal human rights.
For more information on our ‘controversial’ placards, the East London Mosque, charges of ‘Islamophobia,’ and why CEMB must march for LGBT rights, see a Bread and Roses TV interview with our new Spokesperson Jimmy Bangash.
Also see a video of a panel discussion on LGBT rights, Apostasy and Blasphemy at Pride Festival, chaired by Gita Sahgal of Centre for Secular Space. Panellists were Jimmy Bangash; Matthew Mahmood-Ogston, Founder & Trustee of Naz and Matt Foundation; Sadia Hameed, CEMB Spokesperson and Syed Isteak Hossain Shawon, LGBT activist from Bangladesh and Editor of Boys Love World.
If you are interested in joining us at pride, please email Daniel Fitzgerald at hello@ex-muslim.org.uk to register your interest. Space is limited so please get in touch as soon as possible.
On 7 July, also join us on social media using hashtag:
#LoveNotACrime
#محبت_جرم_نہیں
#الحب_لیس_بجریمة
#عشق_جرم_نيست
#ভালবাসা_কোন_অপরাধ_নয়
“I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen
I make no apologies,
This is me.”
– From The Greatest Showman
In solidarity
Maryam and Sadia
Maryam Namazie and Sadia Hameed
Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain
BM Box 1919
London, WC1N 3XX
United Kingdom
www.ex-muslim.org.uk
© 2017 - All rights reserved.