The discussion “Challenges of LGBT-Activism in Religious Societies” is part of The Hague Freedom Book Fair 2017. This event is organised is cooperation with The Hague Peace Projects and Maruf.

The reason to organize this panel discussion was the recent killings of LGT activist in Bangladesh by Al-Qaeda as well as the arrest of members of the organization ‘Boys of Bangladesh’ for organizing a Rainbow Rally. These event however, are not isolated incidents. In many religious societies LGTBI people are facing intolerance and a shrinking civic space.

In many Muslim countries, The LGBT-rights movement is being painted as an anti-Islamic western conspiracy to destroy Islamic moral values by the Islamic extremists; as if homo-sexuality never existed in the Muslim world. Also in traditional christian societies, homosexuals and transgenders are facing enormous challenges and existential crisis.

In this event we want to discuss the current challenges of rising intolerance all over the world and its effect on the LGBTI movements. We want to counter the essentialization of Islam and Muslim culture as homophobic so that the Muslim LGBTI do not become more estranged from their own culture. What spaces and loopholes do exist to use existing social tolerance in the world to promote LGBT rights?

Speakers are from Bangladesh and Uganda. Names will be announced soon!