Hi, I am 30, male and have been aware of being gay since I was 12. Im a Malaysian in KL, unfortunately born a Muslim but not a practicing Muslim and grew up in a a liberal family. I enjoy working out and always plan to travel to other parts of the world. I did my degree and masters in Australia in engineering for 5 years and for some reason being sent there again for my PhD. It is at this stage of my life I have decided to meet other LGBT people which is very difficult to do in Muslim majority Malaysia with an anti LGBT Sharia court , I hope I can meet other men and women of the LGBT community in Australia and just socialize without any fear or stigma. I find that joining this forum is my first small step in embracing my sexuality and try to be happy about it. I have not come put of the closet and declared my sexuality to my family despite my liberal minded family although I am sure they suspect I am gay all along since I have turned down several marriage proposals to my cousins by my uncles/aunts. The problem if it gets out of the family circle to my more conservtaive relatives, my family can be stigamtized. Hope to get some good feedback on my posts and get to know some people here.
Hello SgWay, welcome to EC I wish you luck in your journey! - my parents are from a muslim background and I understand how difficult it can be
Hi and welcome to SgWay to EC!!! I can tell that there ain't a better place like EC, I'm positive that you'll meet plenty of people who you can talk with and get to know^^ I know what it's like keepin' such a secret from your own family, who are open minded towards the LGBTQ+-community. I'm still doin' so myself and hopin' to come out as well one day. There's no stupid questions in here It's a place where you can be yourself completely without bein' judge!;D Enjoy your stay and hope that you'll like it here!!\^.^/
Hi SgWay, Muslim here too, married for more than 20 years and have kids (older now!), lives in the US, still closeted and at the verge of divorce (separated now). You're not alone, and I'm living this struggle myself now. I am a practicing Muslim, or trying to be one. I'm also seeing a therapist whom I hope would have a great impact on my future decisions. Let me know if I can be of any help at any time.
Hi, thanks for the comment!!! Its great to see other muslim here .At one time I wanted to just marry a woman and hope this goes away but I decided not to hurt other people but I also want meet the right person to be a partner. Joining this forum is the first step, you guys are probably first LGBT people I interacted with!!! Its great you can meet a therapist, Malaysia is not overly conservative, it is a secular country but we do have a government Islamic department called JAKIM that do broadcast anti LGBT propaganda as a disease and such and its a depressing situation for Muslim LGBT. AN example is this one last week that caused a comnmotion in Malaysia...depressing... Sexual orientation can be changed, Jakim says in new LGBT video | Malaysia | Malay Mail Online
We're here for each others sgway, and I'm glad that you didn't seek marriage as a solution. I fell in this mistake a long time ago and I regret it. Sexual orientation is not an illness to be cured from, it is a fact, this is how God created us, and the failure of Muslim scholars to acknowledge this issue at a broader scale is what bothers me most. Islam was never about condemning people for who they are, instead, finding a way to integrate anyone and everyone in the society was the main objective all the way. What Muslim scholars are doing nowadays pushes the lgbt youth away from the belief, which is a pitty, no one wants to abort his/her belief system for the sake of living the truth about own sexual orientation, but many do. It is a struggle, for me, to find this peaceful location between my faith and my truth as a gay man. I'm feeling closer to God, but also closer to my self understanding. Coming into terms with those two is my goal and I'm working hard to achieve it. Good luck with your venture, and always keep in mind .. you're not alone.
Welcome! I'm new too. That's a though thing only being able to be out to family, if that, wishing you the best
