I can attest that Urooj Arshad is a gentle, kind, introvert who emanates warmth, groundedness and confidence. Having said that, this trailblazer who was recently named by NBC Out as one of the #Pride50: Contemporary LGBTQ changemakers, pisses a lot of people off. This includes conservatives, islamophobes, homophobes, and folks in the mainstream white-led LGBTQ movement . . . Why? Because she is an unapologetic queer. Muslim. immigrant. woman. Apparently this makes a whole lotta folks uncomfortable.
I recently spoke with Urooj to get a better understanding of the rifts within the LGBTQ movement and where queer Muslims fit in. She laid down so many gems, I hope you get as much from reading her words as I did . . .