Recent Stonewall research revealed that 32% of lesbian, gay and bisexual people of faith aren’t open about their sexual orientation, especially through times of celebrating with loved ones and the wider community. So that is why representation of queer young Muslims is more important than ever.
Gen Z is the queerest generation yet with 15% of youth identifying as LGBTQ and young queer Muslims, in particular forging a community and safe space for themselves online.
To celebrate queer young muslims, Instagram has curated a list of queer Muslim creators and charities exploring their identity, connecting with their communities and driving queer Muslim British culture forward. Find the list below:
Val Qaeda @Valqada she/her
Meet Val Qaeda, the self proclaimed Bollywood Bombshell in a Burkha and Pakistani princess is the Manchester based drag queen making a name for herself. Her page is an ode to her identity as a queer Muslim with her looks capturing the beauty of her Pakistani heritage. Having started drag due to the lack of representation of South Asians in the LGBTQ+ scene, she hopes to inspire the next generation of drag queens.
Shaz @MrsPotatoQueen she/her
Shaz celebrates her queer Muslim identity through her aim of creating a safe space online for fellow Gen Z’s to come together. By creating a space where her community can feel comfortable enough to engage with each other as queer people without the worry and pressure from different cultures and religions. Shaz’s content is founded on her pride in being a queer Muslim and hope in her representation inspiring others to stand up for themselves.
Amrou Al-Kadhi @Glamrou they/them/theirs
Amrou wears many hats as an author, tv writer, film maker and drag performer. They continue to explore their relationship with both their queerness and their Muslim faith whilst being a beacon of inspiration with the inspiring work they create.
Leo Kalyan @leokaylan he/they
London-based musician Leo Kalyan’s feed is filled with beautiful Bollywood rendition’s of their favourite pop songs. They seamlessly intertwine the two in their love for their Indian and Pakistani roots.
Hidayah @hidayahlgbtqi
Hidayah is a charity dedicated to supporting and empowering all LGBT+ people, particularly LGBT+ Muslims both IRL and online. Throughout Ramadan they’ve created spaces for discussion and companionship for fellow queer Muslims to observe this time together comfortably.
The Queer Muslim Project @thequeermuslimproject
Founded to counter queerphobia and Muslim hate, one story at a time, The Queer Muslim Project provides a safe space for this community to embrace their religion and identity. Their Instagram shows the many wonderful ways to do so through, art, poetry and more from collaborators far and wide bridging the gap.
