Sam Morsy rainbow armband: What does controversy tell us about football, religion and LGBTQ+ rights?
Clergy have differing views on the relationship between Islam and homosexuality. Some interpretations of Islam are more conservative, while others are more liberal.
In many modern Muslim countries, same-sex relationships are restricted. Homosexuality is not criminalized in Egypt but is described by some as “highly stigmatized”. BBC News Investigation 2023.
Different interpretations of religious texts in other major religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, mean followers may have different views on homosexuality.
A person’s religious beliefs do not inherently define their views on LGBTQ+, and not all followers of any one religion believe the exact same things.
Many religious people also identify as LGBTQ+.
Diego Garcia Rodriguez, a researcher at the University of Nottingham and author of Gender, Sexuality and Islam in Contemporary Indonesia: Queer Muslims and Their Allies, told the BBC that clubs and players could help promote Understanding between football and religion.
“What we have traditionally witnessed is the dominance of conservative interpretations of the Quran,” he said. “But if you also look at the work of progressive Islamic scholars, they emphasize justice and compassion. There are many Islamic scriptures that ask Muslims to uphold justice. These values ​​are also used to challenge discrimination.
“Football has the power to bring people together and unite them across differences. Football clubs and players have the opportunity to lead by example and emphasize inclusivity which strengthens the sport.”
Earlier this year, BBC News reported Britain’s first Muslim Pride event.
Farhan, one of the attendees at the Muslim Pride festival, told the BBC it was important to challenge the idea that Islam is “inherently queerphobic”.
“That’s an assumption that’s not necessarily based on fact, because if you read the parts of the Quran that purportedly condemn homosexuality, you’ll find that it’s not that clear-cut,” Farhan said.
A report released earlier this year by ILGA-Europe, an independent group of hundreds of LGBTQ+ organizations across Europe and Central Asia, suggested that LGBTQ+ rights in the UK were going backwards.
It only ranks the UK Ranked 15th out of 49 European countries for supporting LGBTQ+ rights, externalranked first in 2015.
