LGBT Muslims in Europe organise conference

CALEM, the Confederation of Associations LGBTQI European and Muslim, is organising a conference in December in Brussels, "to enable inclusive Muslims, and particularly those who happen to be LGBTQIA individuals, to express their sexuality in peace, while defending their civic rights and human dignity through ideas and dialogue. "

The conference also aims to 'actively contribute to a reformed and genuinely inclusive representation of Islam' and a 'positive and constructive dialogue about Islam, within the Muslim world'

CALEM brings together four LGBT Muslim organisations, from Belgium, South Africa, France, Sudan and Egypt.

Speakers at the conference include Amina Wadud, a university professor "struggling for an Islamic feminism", Islamic Scholar Muhsin Hendricks, who is a human rights activist focusing on gender and sexual diversity in Islam, Ludovic Lotfi Mohamed Zahed, founder of the French LGBT Muslim collective HM2F, and Abdennur Prado, President of the Catalan ligue for Islamic reform  -

The conference will be attended by CALEM sister organizations from Europe, the Arabic world, Asia and Africa.

CALEM say that their network is "at the avant-garde of the reflection about Islam and sexual or gender diversity." In early 2011 they were involved in creating an International Network of Inclusive Muslims (INIMuslim).

INIMuslim (“I am Muslim” in Arabic) is a collaborative initiative of official organizations and associations worldwide, and selected experts, working internationally for the inclusivity of Muslims marginalized on the basis of their sexual or gender orientation, advocating both against “homophobia” and “islamophobia”, to defend their human rights.

The conference will include much discussion but will also include an "inclusive Muslim marriage religious celebration, thanks to our inclusive imams."