For many, the identities of Queer and Muslim are perceived as antithetical, as mutually exclusive. But for thousands of people, being a member of the LGBTQ Muslim community is a lived reality, and having to simultaneously combat homophobia and Islamophobia is a daily challenge. In this talk, Sahar Shafqat will talk about her own lived experiences of being Queer and Muslim in the USA. She will also talk about the current political climate, driven by the Trump campaign’s ugly rhetoric of racism, xenophobia, and Islamophobia, and how it affects the possibilities of liberation for LGBTQ Muslims.

Sahar Shafqat will deliver the Seventh Annual Georgia Harkness Lecture on October 20, 2016 in the PSR Chapel at 6:30pm. Dr. Shafqat is Associate Professor of Political Science at St. Mary’s College of Maryland. She has a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University. She is a co-founder of the Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity (MASGD), which aims to empower and advocate for LGBTQ Muslims. Sahar is an immigrant from Karachi, Pakistan, and lives in Washington, DC.