On 11 April, London will host the "world’s first" gay and transgender Muslim pride event which has already managed to raise $20,000 through crowdfunding.
The “Imaanfest: Muslim Pride" will celebrate gay and transgender members of the Muslim community and will feature speakers, films, and an exhibition of Muslim gay and transgender history, reports Washinton Examiner.
“The media has tried to control the narrative about Queer Islamic identities for too long, often thrusting us into a horrific culture war, as if Islam is the mortal enemy of queer identity,” said Amrou Al-Kadhi, a Muslim-British filmmaker who will speak at the event.
Imaan is UK's leading LGBTQ charity for Muslims that has operated for 20 years.
“We have had to fight Islamophobia, Homophobia, Transphobia and Racism to get our voices heard and being part of this celebration is an opportunity to share the message that we are here, we are queer and some of us don’t drink beer!” a Muslim transgender activist Asifa Lahore and speaker at the event was quoted as saying by the report.