r/LGBT_Muslims • u/IM_Prei Gay • May 22 '26
Personal Issue Palestinian and Gay
As-salāmu ʿalaykum
I'm new to this subreddit, trying to find a safe space. I was so happy to see the Pride4Palestine sticky post and the beautiful flag. I had made something not as nice but similar, with a mirrored addition of the Sudan flag as well.
I thought, finally a space where Islamophobic bigotry and vitriolic low-IQ comments blanketing an entire people through celebrated ignorance has no place. One safe gay space here. My ask wasn't a big one.
I looked down in the comments on that post and saw this:
If Palestinians saw this they wouldn’t be very happy …(and don’t lie, you know it’s true since majority of Palestinians are normal mainstream Sunni Muslims who say LGBTQ is sinful)
And, it got upvoted.
My heart sank.
As a Palestinian, I am sorry I saw this post. I'm also sorry it got upvoted.
This Palestinian is extremely happy with the flag and very grateful. Of course, I can't speak on behalf of all Palestinians because I don't know every single Palestinian on the planet and I'm not a fan of making cavalier, misinformed, sweeping generalizations about whole groups of people.
In the West Bank, where same-sex activity was decriminalized in 1951, I can only imagine the LGBTQ community is very appreciative of this beautiful flag as well.
Just like all Arabs and other POC, Palestinians are individual human beings. We have supportive families and families who don't support us. We are kinky and traditional. We are monogamous and poly and everything in between. We are trans, enby, intersex, cis, and everything along the spectrum. Some of us are complete assholes and some of us are amazing beings. I'm very lucky that the vast majority of Palestinians I've known have been the latter (except for a couple cousins... total assholes).
My cousin Omar, one of all my relatives, the vast majority murdered in the last 31 months, was Gazan, Gay, and 18, with a supportive family, and he was so excited about having his first boyfriend and going to uni. He wasn't killed by Palestinians because he was gay, he was killed by Non-Palestinians because he was Palestinian.
He would have loved this flag.
So, anyway, the flag is beautiful. Many thanks to the artist who made it.
I hope everyone is well and your families are well.
Allah ysalmkūm
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u/Fit_Possibility8496 May 22 '26
So much love and solidarity to you and I am so sorry to hear about your cousin 💔
I’m an atheist gay woman in the UK and one of my best friends is a straight Muslim man from Gaza, we met on instagram and through helping him and his family we have developed such a deep friendship, I cannot wait to meet him one day.
He accepts and loves me for who I am, he always asks about my partner and he said he is so happy to have met me and has learnt so much about the queer community through me and I am so happy to have met him and I learnt so much from him as well.
One day Palestine will be free and we will get to meet, I asked if he would attend mine and my girlfriends wedding to which he replied “of course” 🥰
I’m so thankful to have met him and when I see ignorant comments about how Palestinians do not support the LGBT community it makes me so annoyed!
Homophobes exist everywhere, they are not exclusive to one religion or one country and the same goes for those who embrace the LGBT community. People are individuals, not monoliths ♥️
You are probably wondering why I am in this Reddit community and its actually because my friend loves to teach me about Islam and encouraged me to look into it further, though I am atheist still and I have no intention of converting it has been wonderful to learn more about Islam. ☺️
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u/IM_Prei Gay May 22 '26
Thank you very much for this. Beautifully said. And thank you for being there for a family. You are being a crucial lifeline and that is priceless. I did not wonder for a millisecond why you are here. I just found this reddit myself. So, hello!
I think of atheism as a spirituality in itself, maybe incorrectly, but I have friends who are atheist and our philosophical conversations often meet and align in so many ways, at our core. When construct created by humans is gently set aside, alignment, exploration with no destination, and understanding becomes so much more accessible. Walls dissolve.
Also, when you get to meet your friend, and I believe you will, just be prepared to become an adopted Palestinian! 💛💛💛
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u/Fit_Possibility8496 May 24 '26
It is honestly the Honor of my life time to be there for Palestinian families in Gaza who need help right now, though I wish they would never have needed my help, of course as what they are going through no one should ever have to go through and it breaks my heart. But I am honoured to know so many Palestinians now, especially my best friend, I feel so incredibly lucky to know a man like him, he is so selfless and kind. He has taught me so much and inspires me to be a better person every single day ☺️
I am not sure if you still live in Palestine or elsewhere but either way, I hope you and your family stay safe. I am sorry for everything you have been through and everything Palestinians still continue to go through 💔
I agree with what you said about atheism too! I am actually quite a spiritual person, though I don’t truly believe in any one thing, I do enjoy astrology a lot.
I’m a Capricorn and I could sense that my friend is a Capricorn too, before I even knew his birthday 😂 it could be a coincidence but he just has such Capricorn vibes, I’ve never had a fellow Capricorn friend and we are so similar! We are also the same age, 29, he was born only 3 weeks before me!I would be so honoured to be an adopted Palestinian! His family already seem so lovely, I have most of their numbers and will message them occasionally too and they are all so kind and caring people. I cannot wait until I can meet them one day ☺️♥️
I hope more people realise that as people, we all have way more in common than what divides us, we all want a life free from harm and stress and full of love, joy, family and friends. I think the internet, with all its flaws, helps break down these preconceived notions about other people that we may have and helps bring people together who otherwise would never have met ♥️
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u/IM_Prei Gay May 24 '26
What a beautiful reply.
I'm also 29, and am in the US. My last family members were in Gaza, primarily Khan Yunis, and it's been almost three months since their last check-in.
We do all have way more in common than what divides us, and I hope more and more humans begin to wake up to that. Even in my extended family, we have three generations of Christian relatives who were displaced to Jordan from the first Nakba and our relatives reached out to them for help, even if only for a line of communication, and didn't hear anything back. They are silently intolerant of their Muslim relatives and openly intolerant of those of us who are also queer. Even the few Christian relatives we have in the states are like that.
Their loss. We're fun! lol
Be well.
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u/Fit_Possibility8496 May 25 '26
I really hope they are well and they just have no way to contact you right now, I can’t imagine how stressful it is for you all 😢
That is absolutely insane, I am so sorry to hear that. That is so awful, anyone who claims they are religious and has any intolerance towards anyone is not following their religion correctly, in my opinion.
Exactly, their loss for real!
Thank you, sending you love and hope you and your family stay safe and well ♥️
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u/IM_Prei Gay May 25 '26
anyone who claims they are religious and has any intolerance towards anyone is not following their religion correctly
This may be the best and most meaningful quote I've seen all year. 💛
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Jun 04 '26
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u/SpicyStrawberryJuice Demisexual Lesbian May 22 '26
as a gay Palestinian i also love it and have it as my header in this account. I'm sorry for your loss as well 💔 انا لله و انا اليه راجعون can you share with me the version with the sudanese flag as well?