Muslim Activist to Speak on Lives of LGBT Muslims
(Posted March 11, 2013)
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HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- In a workshop at Juniata College designed to bring the topic of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Muslims out of the shadows, Faisal Alam, a Muslim speaker and activist, will present a public presentation, "Hidden Voices: The Lives of LGBT Muslims," at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 20, in Sill Boardroom in the von Liebig Center for Science.
The March 20 presentation is free and open to the public. There will be a 10 a.m. workshop, Thursday, March 21, also in Sill Boardroom, for Juniata faculty and staff.
Alam, who is Pakistani, is the founder of Al-Fatiha, an organization dedicated to supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered Muslims. He served as volunteer director of the group from 1997 to 2003.
The presentation focuses on the challenges sexual and gender minorities face in the Muslim world. Alam will begin the workshop by detailing and dispelling common stereotypes and myths about Islam, followed by a history of the often invisible and silent community of sexual and gender minority Muslims.
Alam has been an activist speaker and consultant since founding his firm Faisal Alam LLC in 2009. He is based in Atlanta, Ga.
He has extensive experience with gender and sexuality activism at a variety of jobs, including as a project associate with Alam & Associates from 2004 to 2006. He also served as a program assistant for the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools from 2006 to 2007 and as exhibits coordinator for the National Minority AIDS Council from 2001 to 2004. He also worked as a field associate for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.
He spent three years studying politics at Georgia Perimeter University. He serves as a member of the advisory committee of the LGBT Program at the group Human Rights Watch.
The workshop is sponsored by Juniata's Office of Human Resources and the Juniata student group All Ways of Loving.
Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.