The Parkfield school controversy was all about homophobia

The Parkfield school controversy was all about homophobia

By Saima Baig   The only reason to tell children that having two mommies or two daddies in a family is ‘not appropriate’ is if you are a homophobe. Talking about safe and healthy relationships, without considering the gender of the parents, is not something that should ever be considered unsuitable.   However, this is exactly what happened in Birmingham, UK, when Parkfield Community School introduced the No Outsiders programme, the brainchild of its assistant head Teacher Andrew Moffat.  Issues addressed include gender and gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, disability…

“My Mother Won’t Let Me Borrow It”: Homophobia At My Local Library

“My Mother Won’t Let Me Borrow It”: Homophobia At My Local Library

By Samar Esapzai   This is a cross-post I love libraries. Those who know me well know how much I’ve always loved going to the library, sifting through book after book, and pretty much spending hours there in my spare time. This was, of course, way back in the day when I was still in high school, unmarried, and had no kids. It was a time when I had so much free time that I decided to spend quite a chunk of it at my local library. Indeed it was…

Why I can’t be both gay and Muslim

Why I can’t be both gay and Muslim

By Azurewolf   I have always known that I am gay. For years I tried to reconcile this with being a Muslim by simply trying to be the best Muslim (and I interpreted ‘best’ as trying my best to do things by the book) I could be. This became somewhat trickier when I fell in love. But somehow I managed to put the two sides of me into two very separate boxes and continue as a devout Muslim, who transgressed every now and then; well none of us are perfect are we? Indeed, it was…

The Orlando tragedy brings out the same old comments

The Orlando tragedy brings out the same old comments

By Tehmina Kazi   In what appears to be the worst mass shooting in US history, 29-year-old Omar Mateen opened fire in a gay Florida nightclub at 2am on Sunday, killing 50 people and injuring up to 53 others. Orlando sheriff Jerry Demings called the shooting a “domestic terror incident” and the FBI — who already had Afghan-American citizen Mateen on their radar — are now investigating his links to terror groups abroad. His father, Mir Seddique, claimed that Mateen’s motives were not religious, and that he had been incensed…