Islam and the LGBTQ+ Community

Recently, in the television program Rupaul’s drag race, a Muslim contestant was questioned for their use of a Hijab in their drag appearance. While many people were offended by the judge’s comments about Islamic culture, this raised many questions for me as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. What is appropriate representation? What is the difference between celebrating one’s own culture and being offensive? And a question for myself, a privileged white male; how do minorities within the LGBTQ+ community find acceptance within themselves and their communities?

While the contestant was indeed Muslim, the judge stated that they were representing an anti-gay culture. While this may be true for traditional Islam, it was incredibly insensitive for the contestant. Growing up gay, or especially Trans (which many drag queens are) within religious/cultural communities that do not accept your lifestyle can be incredibly challenging—and these people are constantly fighting to live a normal life. Just because a religious group, whether it be Christianity or Islam, etc, may have traditionally heteronormative views does not mean that individuals should be shamed for not being heterosexual. It is up to the individual how they interpret their own beliefs within their religion, and ultimately, how they choose to express that. Especially for the drag community, which isn’t even fully accepted within the gay community, this sort of moral questioning is highly inappropriate. I do believe it is insensitive, but coming from a place of ignorance, not hate. At the end of the day, however, the intentions behind any sort of cultural, sexual, or lifestyle shaming are unjustified in my eyes.

I would like to open this topic up to the class for discussion, and see what my classmates think considering the topic of LGBTQ+ individuals within cultural and religious minorities that are seen as “oppressive” towards their sexuality. What do you guys think is appropriate and inappropriate for representation in this case—or in any others?

*****link to article for more info*****

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanschocket2/jeff-goldbum-asked-a-drag-queen-about-their-hijab