A Dutiful Boy by Mohsin Zaidi A coming of age memoir about growing up queer in a strict Muslim household. Mohsin grew up in a poor pocket of east London, in a devout shia Muslim community. His family were close-knit and religiously conservative. From a young age, Mohsin felt different but in a home where…
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In light of the brutal murder of George Floyd by an American police officer, British Muslims for Secular Democracy stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and is committed to fighting all institutionalised racism against black and people, as well as anti-Black sentiment towards Black Muslims. Our chair Yasmin Alihbai-Brown has written a column talking…
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Coronavirus does discriminate – a colourblind approach helps no one We should mourn all who are taken away by this virus, but some groups are getting sicker than others. Millions of white Brits become choleric when racial differentials are raised in national conversations. They do not want to know and, for years, have accused us…
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BMSD was set up 13 years ago to promote active democratic engagement and secularist principles. Secularism- often misunderstood or misrepresented- is not atheism. It is the separation of state and faith in order to guarantee every citizen equal rights. The constitutions of post-colonial Pakistan, India, Tunisia were based on secular rights and responsibilities. Post-Apartheid South…
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At a time of the global crisis of Covid 19 and the pandemic that is sweeping the world, BMSD, is grateful to NHS staff at all levels- first responders, health carers, doctors nurses, cleaners and to all the others working tirelessly in providing essential services. Covid 19 infects humans of every race, religion, ethnicity, gender and class.…
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As part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week 2019, BMS Democracy, Hidayah LGBT and Met Police North Area BCU are working in collaboration to hold a Round-table discussion about the Inclusive Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) input into the school curriculum. Due to the successful 4 part roundtable collaboration with Hidayah LGBT+ in 2019 (as…
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This project aims to amplify the voices of minority Muslims, such as LGBT+ Muslims, Black Muslims and minority sects such as Ahmadiyya Muslims.
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Who am I? Mona Al Ghussein August 2019 Who am I? I am a Palestinian Muslim born in Kuwait, raised in France and England and consider Britain my home. There is some irony in that of course as it was the British in the infamous Balfour declaration that voided half of my ancestral home in…
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Much like the debate over same-sex marriage, the on-going protests in Birmingham over LGBTQ+ education have yet again shone a spotlight on the clashes between LGBTQ+ rights and religious belief. For many in the LGBTQ+ community, it has been disheartening that almost two decades on from the repeal of Section 28, they find themselves arguing…
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8th of March marks International Women’s Day. At BMSDemocracy we are proud of the strong female leadership that founded the organisation and continues to lead it. Here is a Women’s Day message from our chair, Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: Being a Muslim woman is both exciting and challenging as the Muslim world is still pulled towards modernity…
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