Too queer to believe?

According to the current predominant perception liberal sexual values and religion are at odds with each other. Orthodox religious streams often hold a narrowly defined idea of what kind of sexuality is permissible. This approach mostly rejects non-heterosexual relationships. In “modernizing” societies, these beliefs necessarily come into conflict with a civil-rights-approach that is based on the primacy of the individual. This is not to neglect the ability of religion to transform: religious beliefs are more often adaptable and heterodox than we think. Even in traditional religious settings there are those who see their belief as a way to fight for more justice for each individual. But where are the interfaces between religion, faith and LGBTI-rights? Are there approaches within religious practice that surpass and transcend a heteronormative worldview? And how can activists from both sides come together? Together with LGBTI activists and religious scholars our conference aims at exploring these questions in order to find new ways to redefine the nexus of LGBT-rights and religion.

We hope that such a meeting - attended by LGBTI activists, experts and academics studying LGBTI rights, experts on religious freedoms, and individuals from religious institutions - will contribute to the debate on LGBTI rights and religion in Germany, Turkey and other countries.

with:

• Dr. And Imam, Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed, CALEM, France
• Armin Langer, Coordinator of the Salaam Shalom Initiative, Germany
• Dr. Gerhard Schreiber, Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Religious Philosophy, Germany
• Thomas Beckmann, Activist, HUK e.V., Germany
• Dr. Muhsin Hendricks, Imam and Executive Director, The Inner Circle, South Africa
• Aylime Aslı Demir, Activist, Kaos GL, Turkey
• Sarah Weil, Bat-Kol

A cooperation with Kaos GL.

Information:  
Ewa Peteja
Project Coordination
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung e.V.
E peteja@boell.de
T +49(0)285 34 -386