yourself – unstoppable. He’s an inspiration to me in
many ways. Here’s a guy who is 9/10 years younger
than me who’s exposed to so many things, it shows
where we are in the world when someone who’s 22
can be just anything and everything in all identities
in their life wherever they are. I was really inspired
and I learnt something that day.
JH: How anti-gay are Muslims in this
country, in reality? We know what we see in
Syria and we know what we see in Iraq. In
Britain how is it?
AL: I think the average British Muslim if they were
asked that question would say homosexuality is
wrong in Islam or homosexuality is wrong
generally. The community is divided on the issue
because you’ve got the more older, more traditional
more conservative parts of the community who
don’t get it, they still think it’s a choice that you can
turn it on and off. Then you’ve got, what I call the
Zayn Malik generation – the younger hipper
Muslims who are doing all sorts of sh*t. Very
British, very aware of all different types of
communities and lifestyles and they get it and
they’re cool with it, but when push comes to shove
they’ll always bow down to the more traditional and
conservative elements. In many ways, unlike the
black community that I think are into four and fifth
generations, I think with the Asian community and
Muslim community, we’re still very much in the
second and third generation. We’re still fighting
against a lot of traditional values. So unfortunately
those traditional values take over what people really
think. With the rise of conservatism in Islam, I
think there’s a lot of pressure from Muslims to be
more conservative or follow Wahhabism, which is a
quite strong, traditional sect of Islam, I think a lot
of people feel pressured into being homophobic, or
saying that they don’t agree with it.
JH: This return to conservatism seems to be
en vogue with the rise of stricter religion
across the globe, you just need to look at the
rise of orthodox Christianity in Russia and
Africa to see how it’s affected the gay
community. How long do you think this
return to strict religious values is going to
remain?
AL: The first thing that came to mind is will I be
accepted in my life time. If I put my hand on my
heart I don’t know. Chances are that I won’t be. I
88 THEGAYUK | ISSUE 16 | NOV 2015
can do whatever I can to push the debate forward,
but really, things will only change when things
happen right at the top. If suddenly Mecca decided
to have equal rights for LGBT people that would
send a massive wave of acceptance and tolerance
across the world. Will that happen in my life time? I
don’t think it will. This is where I don’t think the
LGBT community should be so relaxed about
equality, because equality can be taken away at any
time. So who knows what’s waiting around the
corner. Section 28 came out of nowhere and that
affected my schooling. I was heavily bullied in
school and I couldn’t go to my teachers – they
didn’t know what to do.
JH: What were you bullied most for?
AL: For being gay. I wasn’t out at school, but for
being camp and being feminine. For not being a
man.
JH: Does it get tiring being the visible one.
The one that’s holding the flame?
AL: Course it does. This time next year I don’t want
to be the only out visible Gaysian or Muslim if I’m
honest with you. In the Great British Bake Off, this
guy, Tamal Ray came out as gay, I was like “thank
god, another Gaysian”. I’m stopped in the street and
I see so many gay Asians and gay Muslims who are
like “you’re doing a great job – don’t stop!” I’m like,
“guys come on, COME ON…” This issue would be
over in 2 seconds if 2000 gay Muslims and gay
Asians had pride in Brick lane, Southall or
Wembley.
JH: Did it sur prise you when hardly anyone
from the community turned up for the
memorial, that was organised for Nazim
Mahmood, the doctor who committed
suicide after telling his family that he was
gay?
AL: Genuinely it did. In hindsight I can see, maybe
I got my hopes up. For a whole month we
campaigned. I’d done a lot of media, I had fliered.
Matt (Nazim’s partner) and I went round the radio
Of course I want people to
laugh at me, I’m a boy in a
dress wearing a burka!