Paper Short Abstract:

Inclusive Muslims in the UK have been doing and undoing how inclusion is pursued within both the Islamic and secular contexts they inhabit. I will be exploring how homonationalism and homophobia interact with inclusive Muslim experiences, discourses, and activism around Pride events.

Paper Abstract:

Inclusive Muslim communities have a focus on constructing religious rituals, beliefs, and identities that are queer affirming. The strong emphasis on diversity, inclusion, and equality within inclusive Muslim spaces in the UK reflects the intersectional needs of religious Muslims with queer identities. While allying with secular and non-Muslim queer communities is an important goal, the experiences and discourses of exclusion based on religious, racial, and cultural differences have led to the undoing of queer solidarities and redoing of racialised Muslim solidarities.

This paper will explore the experiences, discourses, and activism of inclusive Muslims with two different Pride events. Firstly, the East End Gay Pride (EEGP), which was planned to be held in 2011 but was cancelled after sustained criticism and activism, led by queer Muslims, around the homonationalist motivations of the organisers. Secondly, I will discuss the varied experiences of queer and inclusive Muslims with the annual London Pride. Overall, this paper will highlight the wide spectrum of opinions and approaches that inclusive Muslims demonstrate regarding the concept and practice of Pride in contemporary UK. Inclusive Muslims have been undoing Islamophobic exclusions in Pride events while redoing Pride within an Islamic framework.