Paper Short Abstract:

How abstract notions of ‘coming out’ for Muslim Syrian gays in Berlin are articulated in day-to-day activities; what does it mean to “be Muslim Syrian” and “be gay”’? How does the relocation to Berlin enable Syrian gays to develop queer Muslim homonormative moralities and masculinities?

Paper Abstract:

"Yes, I still consider myself Muslim, but I feel - as gay - I have my own form of religion." As an interview quote echoing gay Muslim sentiments, it radiates the complex journey of Muslim Syrian gays, who found themselves in Berlin, a city embracing intersectional identities. While Syrian war refugees faced challenges building a new life in a culturally, politically, religiously, and socially different environment in Berlin, Muslim gays – most of whom were ‘in the closet’ back in Syria – face even more challenges, but also opportunities. For them, like for me, arriving in Berlin meant entering a society where gay identities and lifestyles have an established public presence and are increasingly accepted. The research is centered around the experiences of Muslim Syrian gays to elicit their maneuvers for survival, the challenges they encounter, their visibility in society, and between desires and faith, the consequential changes in their moral perspectives. Mobility allowed the flourishing of Muslim Syrian lives; the personal journeys of Muslim Syrian gays who have relocated to more affordable gay-friendly spaces encapsulate a moral transformation. Within this journey, the concept of "Islam" assumes an integral role in fostering intersectional identities that incorporate both their Muslim and gay aspects. In this undiluted exploration, gay Muslim Syrians carve a space for themselves to pursue desired gender identities, breaking away from the chains of heteronormativity. However, they grapple with the weight of entrenched norms, recurring a cycle of ‘reproduced masculinity’ to reconcile personal desires with societal expectations.