Queer Muslims of Boston

Address: Boston, MA

Years Active: 2013–Present

Tradition: Islam

Founded in 2013, Queer Muslims of Boston (QMOB) is a community for LGBTQ+ Muslims. According to their website, they were started by three LGBTQ+ Muslims; they also note that privacy among individuals in the community is an important value for them. QMOB hosts both religious services as well as social gatherings and activist initiatives. QMOB hosts celebrations for major holidays like Ramadan, Eid Al-Adha, and Eid Al-Fitr, as well as other opportunities for study and prayer. The group is largely community-run and prides itself on being grassroots, imagined and steered by the LGBTQ+ Muslims for which it is a welcoming presence and advocate.

“In, 2011, Kaamila Mohamed, Nabil Khan and Thouheen Alam met at the LGBT Muslim Retreat organized by Muslim Alliance for Sexual & Gender Diversity (MASGD). They befriended each other, and founded the Queer Muslims of Boston (QMOB) in February 2013. Twelve people joined for QMOB's first monthly meeting (March, 2013). Over the next year and a half, the community maintained monthly gatherings of around ten people, discussing topics like religious identity, shame & pride, patience, political struggle, Ramadan & Eid reflections, and mental health. Community members also convened a handful of times for social gatherings and outside events. Since 2018, the organization’s spiritual center has existed in a parallel group, founded by Magda Mohamed, called Union Square Halaqa, currently facilitated by Darien Alexander Williams. In 2023, QMOB celebrated its 10th anniversary at its annual iftar, with over 80 attendees.”

[Blurb provided to LGBTQ RAN by Queer Muslims of Boston on June 18, 2024]

Sources and Relevant Information:

https://www.queermuslimsofboston.org/