A lecture given by dr. Wim Peumans based on his book ‘Queer Muslims in Europe’ followed by a conversation with Belgium and Dutch representatives of civil society organisations, such as Dino Suhonic and Dounia Jari of Maruf, a platform for queer Muslims in the Netherlands and the collective Queers support the Migrants BXL in Belgium.

Queer Muslims experience challenges because of the intersection of their multiple identities. They not only have to deal with exclusion based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, but also because of their religious and cultural identity. Maruf aims at offering support and visibility to their needs, wishes and challenges. Through the projects they conduct, Maruf revolves around the awareness of Queer Muslims’ intersectional identity and the empowerment of young people to find their place in society. Maruf connects Muslims and their allies with international networks and conferences, so that knowledge and tools are exchanged.

Queers support the Migrants BXL is a group of Brussels’ queers who stand in solidarity with other marginalized groups. They take issue with the ways in which immigration and LGBT policy and practices are being imagined as in competition with each other in Belgium the past years and offer an alternative approach.

Wim Peumans is a writer. He holds a PhD in Anthropology (KU Leuven). He has been affiliated to the African Centre for Migration & Society (University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg) and the School of Anthropology and Conservation (University of Kent, Canterbury). His published Master’s thesis won the Marguerite Lefèvre Award for Genderstudies. His second book, Queer Muslims in Europe, was released by Bloomsbury / IB Tauris in 2017. His latest book - a political biography - was published by Lannoo in February 2019.

The entrance is free, but please register on the following website: https://www.ies.be/content/queer-migrations