Trans and queer defenders against Islamophobia

We are queer and trans activists (including queer Muslims) who are united against recent right-wing campaigns against trans and queer young people and against violence and harassment directed against Muslims and people assumed to be Muslim, including the killings in Quebec City and London. We are opposed to inherently racist and transphobic networks like Save Canada, Action4Canada, Veterans4Freedom, Campaign Life Coalition, and the People’s Party of Canada that came to prominence, in the midst of or prior to the “Freedom Convoy” (some of these networks predate the pandemic).

Many of these groups are hostile not only to trans and queer people but to Islam and people they assume are Muslim — some of these groups have actively promoted Islamophobia. They are using their current alliances with more conservative Muslims only because this strengthens their hand against trans and queer defenders. Later, as we’ve seen with all Christian Nationalist and fascist groups, they will turn to exclude and oppress Muslims again.

We are fully in support of queer Muslims and their participation in all our communities. We support the statement “Upholding Human Rights for All,” signed by close to 700 Muslims in Canada, opposing Muslim participation in the right-wing anti-trans campaigns. These anti-trans protests also define young people as the property of their parents, denying the autonomy and rights of young people, including that of Muslim young people.

We refuse and vehemently denounce the instances of Islamophobia that have occurred from some trans/queer defenders in several locations across the country. We are committed to doing all we can to stop this kind of response and to oppose Islamophobia in all its forms. Many of us have been involved in defending Muslim people against attacks in the racist and Islamophobic “war on terror;” in support of refugee rights for Muslims; and supporting the Palestinian people against Israeli occupation and apartheid. We continue this fight against racism and colonialism. We will not be distracted by this hatred in our collective efforts towards our freedoms and we invite you to do the same.

Solidarity against right-wing attacks on trans and queer young people and against all forms of Islamophobia!

Signed by:

Organizations:

NB Media Co-op (COOP Média NB), No Pride in Policing Coalition, CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) Ontario, Feminist Media Studio, Independent Jewish Voices, Mutual Aid Katarotwi Kingston, OPIRG Kingston, Queer Ontario, Showing Up for Racial Justice – Toronto, Students for Queer Liberation, Trans Bisexual Lesbian Gay Asexual at York (TBLGAY), Za’atar Collective (Kingston).

Individuals:

Idil Abdillahi, Razan AISalah, F.S.E. Arps, Beverly Bain, Sophia Banks, Gwen Bartleman & Joanne Bealy, for Confronting Anti-Black Racism Nova Scotia, Patrick Barnholden, Eris Blackburn, Kylie Brooks, Arthur Burrows, Matteo Cerilli, Dolores Chew, Faculty, Marianopolis College, Desmond Cole, Javier Davila, Sydney Derosi, Farzana Doctor, Author and Psychotherapist, OmiSoore Dryden, James R. Johnston (JRJ) Chair in Black Canadian Studies, Xan Dagenais, International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group, Susan Gapka, Trans Lobby Group, Patrizia Gentile, Sue Goldstein, John Greyson, Video/film artist, Fred Hahn, President, CUPE Ontario, Leonard Halladay, Tom Hooper, Hedley Howes, Loretta Howard, University of Toronto, Rachel Jobson, Alessandra Jodhan, Christopher Karas, Karas Legal Services, P.C., Punam Khosla, Gary Kinsman, Natalie Kouri-Towe, Graeme Lamb, Sabine Lebel, Suzanne Lenon, Jamie Magnusson, Steven Maynard, Lance T. McCready, University of Toronto, Laura Moberly, Nick Mulé, Nancy Nicol, Karen Pearlston, Jocelyn Piercey, Jake Pine, Indigo Poirier, Sabra Rezai, River Rossi, Cyni S., Madalena Santos, Amy Smoke, Robert Teixeira, Ian Tian, Daniel Tirade, Alexis Shotwell, Chris Vance, Ardath Whynacht, Benedicte Wigget, Anna Willats, A.J. Withers, Sarah Marie Elizabeth Worthman, Cynthia Wright .