The following article responds to Tariq Ramadan’s article, entitled “Islam & Homosexuality”, and published in July, 2009 by the Middle East Online

The way homosexuality and Islam are being positioned against each other creates a false dichotomy and does no favors for GLBT folks or for Muslims. One of the more interesting facets of this issue is how many people who have been outspoken anti-gay “defenders of tradition” have suddenly decided to include gays in their defense of Western Culture. “Friends” like this nobody needs.

Brother Tariq here takes on quite a few issues, rather confusing the point. But one of the beautiful things about Islam is that it recognizes that we all bring our own backgrounds, biases, and information gaps to any argument and should listen to diverse opinions with respect.

The word “homosexuality” and the understandings of that word have a peculiar history. The term was itself coined in 1868 for political purpose and quickly found a medical niche. We know that there has been same-sex love through history, that it exists in all human cultures and that there is same-sex activity in hundreds of animal species. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that same-sex attraction is innate, that it has a largely genetic component. Like left- or righthandedness, one’s eye color or height, it is part of a range of normal variations. However the way sexuality is understood varies greatly from one culture to another.

Brother Tariq makes a very firm declaration about the universality of religious rejection of homosexuality, but there are in fact a growing number of religions that accept same-sex love. Unitarians, Quakers, and an ever-expanding range of protestant denominations accept GLBT members and offer same-sex marriage to loving couples. In the largest denominations – the Lutherans, Anglicans, and Presbyterians – the issue has been controversial exactly because same-sex love has been gaining so much acceptance. What “a majority of rabbis” accept I can’t say, but the Reform and Conservative branches of Judaism are accepting of homosexuality. Gay and lesbian rabbis are common and serve on rabbinical boards. A small, but growing number of Muslim groups are even becoming more accepting.

In Islam condemnations of homosexuality rest on the story of Lot (Sodom and Gomorrah) which is about men raping men. This is common in prisons, and we see it mostly in situations where men who identify as heterosexual attack men they perceive as gay. I’ve personally known men who were savagely attacked and gangraped by groups of men this way. There are also stories of such abuse by Egyptian and Iranian police. This has nothing at all to do with men loving men or women loving women.

Brother Tariq’s assertion that “Muslims are now being called upon to condemn the Qur’an, and to accept and promote homosexuality to gain entry into the modern world,” is quite an overstatement. There are people like Geert Wilders who urge us to reject or revise the Qur’an, and that of course is impossible. Some people do make impossible demands only to create trouble. That is quite separate from the issue of homosexuality, even if they do exploit that issue. Homosexuality is not something that can be promoted any more than blue eyes or being six feet tall can be promoted. People can experiment and “fool around” just as they might wear contact lenses or high heels, but in the end you are who you are. Heterosexuality is promoted, and in many places even mandated, but our God-given human nature will out, and homosexuals forced into heterosexual marriages by cultural and familial pressures live unhappily in loveless marriages, often leading double lives, cheating on their mates. Not only are gays and lesbians being deprived of fulfilling, loving partnerships but so are their heterosexual husbands and wives. Gay people know that a sexual orientation cannot be promoted. It can only be accepted – or rejected – that there are people of different sexual orientations, and that everyone, regardless of orientation is entitled to equal rights.

Brother Tariq is addressing the situation of Muslims living in western nations. Muslims who live in pluralistic societies, or as minorities, are obliged to respect the laws and customs of the lands we live in. In democratic nations where we are part of a dialogue where attitudes towards homosexuality are changing, we can take a voice in that conversation. Politically it is in our interest to promote acceptance for diversity. Our religion tells us to “live and let live.” Brother Tariq is quite correct when he says:

“There is no ambiguity, and ample clarity: European Muslims have the right to express their convictions while at the same time respecting the humanity and rights of individuals. If we are to be consistent, we must respect this attitude of faith and openness”

This is exactly what GLBT activists are working for – no more; no less.