By Abdar Rahman Koya
HarakahDaily.net
5 November, 2011

There has been no shortage of comments about the recent controversy sparked by the Seksualiti Merdeka programme.

As a Muslim, and a straight one at that, I have never been passionate about any discussion on the issue of homosexuality. Nevertheless, I have been reading with interest several articles, not the least by Muslims, defending the programme on the basis on human rights and appealing to Muslims to tolerate homosexuals.

I have no problem agreeing with some of the points raised by the Muslim writers defending the programme, even those who always display a penchant of quoting Western philosophers to the point that their profound observations have ended up as annoying cliches.

However, a common perception underlying some of these articles is that Muslims are intolerant of the so-called “LGBT”, a term, which like “gay” and “queer”, is the current media parlance for what used to be known homosexuals and sodomites. Such a perception could be attributed to ignorance about the historical backdrop of the “gay rights” movement in the West.

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I came across this article below years ago. I haven’t been able to verify it, so if you can help, please leave a comment below.

The Toronto Star – Jan. 23, 2002

While out for dinner last week with colleagues, we sat beside three 20-something women. There was the usual posing and glances exchange, and as they paid their bill two Muslim women entered and sat nearby. Whispers were quickly exchanged and we could hear, “Why do they wear those things anyway?” … “I feel sorry for them” … and so on.

As they filed out of the restaurant, we noticed they sported a mixed collection of the following: skin tight pants, short skirts, exposed midriffs, push-up bras, high heels, jewelry, see-through or plunging tops, piercings, lipstick and makeup, and one had breast implants for certain. We observed the two Muslim women as they were engaged in close conversation over coffee.

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