Religion

2009, 16 pages

A paper by Prof. Dr. Siti Musdah Mulia, the Chairperson of Indonesian Conference on Religion and Peace. The paper discusses the view of Islam on the issues of sexuality, concluding that the biggest obstruction for LGBT people is the religious interpretation taking place. The paper proposes a new methodology in reinterpretation in order to promote Islamic humanism.

This academic article investigates the discourses of academic African Christian theologians on homosexuality. Distinguishing some major strands in African theology, that is, inculturation, liberation, women’s and reconstruction theology, the article examines how the central concepts of culture, liberation, justice, and human rights function in these discourses. On the basis of a qualitative analysis of a large number of publications, the article shows that stances of African theologians are varying from silence and rejection to acceptance.

Although many African theologians have taken up the cudgels against gay rights, some “dissident voices” break the taboo and develop more inclusive concepts of African identity and African Christianity.

2010, 21 pages

Imam Muhsin Hendricks addresses the issue of homosexuality in Islam from the theological point of view. The article attempts to reveal that Islam, at its very core, does not condemn non-heterosexual sexual intimacy. Instead, it is embraced as part of a divine plan. Islam, in its true meaning of peace and justice, accommodates the individual’s sexual orientation as an intrinsic part of their biological and psychological makeup.

2013, 20 pages

Paper published by Apcom, the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health.

This discussion paper examines why Islam matters in preventing HIV, what
Islam and Muslim scholars say about MSM and transgender people, as well as
how this impacts on the lives of MSM and transgender people and their access
to health services. Muslim MSM were interviewed to provide some anecdotes
for the discussion paper, and desk-based research was undertaken. It provides
a number of recommendations aimed at human rights organisations, human
rights defenders, gender activists, policy makers, Islamic scholars and Islamic
organisations.

July 2013, 26 pages

American hard-line religious groups and individuals have increasingly shifted their attention to nations, where anti-gay attitudes are much stronger
and violence against the LGBT community far too common. In places like Uganda, where legislators
since 2009 have been pushing a law that would impose the death penalty for the Orwellian offense of
“aggravated homosexuality,” U.S. religious ideologues have given aid and comfort to the authors of barbaric
legislation. More and more, they are doing the same in other countries around the globe.
Now, this international battle over the constitutionality of anti-sodomy laws has moved to Belize

The legal battle in Belize is only the latest in a wider
struggle that is simultaneously being waged in countries
in Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America,
among other regions.