First Gay - Friendly mosque opens in Paris

I could not reconcile these two parts of myself Being gay, and... my Islamist beliefs about homosexuality. My name is Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed. I was born in Algiers. When I was 21 I couldn't stand the toxic atmosphere at home, anymore. I sat my whole family down and said, I am gay. And my father, who had always ignored me, ostracized me in the family, who said he would prefer me dead rather than gay, shocked me. His voice trembled. and he said, "We are all going to accept him as he is." I was ready, I felt prepared. I felt human for the first time in my life. I started the first inclusive mosque here, in the center of Paris. which is not a "gay mosque", as some have said, but a mosque open to all. We organized an inclusive pilgrimage in 2012. It was important to us to re-appropriate the cultural and spiritual heritage at the source of Islam. And I wanted to share this experience with my brothers and sisters so that they wouldn't feel a stigma because of their *** orientation or their sex. Some Muslims made it very clear that they were against the opening of the inclusive mosque. They claimed that we were making Islam dirty, we were the enemies of Islam... Sometimes, there are death threats. We should take them seriously, but we should also put them into perspective. It saddens me, but it doesn't stop me from sleeping at night. I would think the whole time what I am here to do? This question helps to re-align the important things in my life. For me, the essential thing is to help others. It is to welcome those who suffer the same discrimination as us. To discuss together, in a safe space, where they can ask questions and express themselves freely, where they can't elsewhere. My name is Ludovic-Mohamed Zahed and I am moral courage.