slattern:

Your job when it comes to discussions about Islam and Islamic culture is not to shove yourself in like you need points for high school debate class.

DO NOT offer your own opinions.

DO NOT pull out verses from religious text like you’re in show-and-tell.

DO NOT presume that a google search has equipped you with masterful knowledge about Muslim queer and trans people.

Your job? IS TO LISTEN TO US.

When we’re talking about our decision to wear a hijab, niqab, burka, or chador? LISTEN.

When we’re talking about our decision to NOT wear a hijab, niqab, burka, or chador? LISTEN.

When we talk about our feelings on arranged and love marriages? LISTEN.

When we talk about the Quran? LISTEN.

When we talk about our decision to wait until marriage to have sex? LISTEN.

When we talk about how we’re not going to wait until marriage to have sex? LISTEN.

When we talk about queer issues in Islam? LISTEN.

When we talk about asexuality in Islam? LISTEN.

When we talk about sex positivity in Islam? LISTEN.

Because we are talking about all these things, and much more. We are having these discussions amongst ourselves.

We are not twiddling our thumbs waiting for YOU to step in and have this debate for us.

We don’t need saviors. We don’t need academics who presume to understand us better than we understand ourselves. We don’t need you to speak for us.