This event is jointly organized by EDGE and RHEA in the framework of the VUB WeKonekt Week. It comprises a presentation of the book "Queer Muslims in Europe: Sexuality, religion and migration in Belgium" (by Wim Peumans) followed by a discussion with activists from civil society associations in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In focusing on people with different migration histories and ethnic backgrounds, Wim Peumans' talk aims to challenge the heteronormativity of Migration Studies and reveals the interrelated issues involved in migration, sexuality and religion. In particular, his lecture will foreground the lived experiences of queer Muslims who migrated to Belgium because of their sexuality and queer Muslims who are the children of economic migrants. Based on extensive fieldwork, the author will examine how these Muslims, negotiate silence and disclosure around their sexuality and understand their religious beliefs. He will also explore how the sexual identity of queer Muslims changes within a context of transnational migration.
