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Living with Same-Sex Attraction as a Muslim

July 3, 2023
Tom Facchine

Are sexual desires an essential part of who we are? No matter how the world shifts, Islam is clear about not allowing our desires to define us. So what then about feeling same sex attraction? Doesn’t that automatically mean that someone is gay?

Imam Tom Facchine invites Waheed Jensen to discuss his experiences living with same sex attraction while rejecting current narratives and labels, and how we can support individuals in our communities that struggle with these feelings.

0:00 – Introduction
3:05 – Are sexual desires an essential part of who we are?
14:36 – Comparing on homosexual actions to other sins
29:19 – Attraction is broader than sexual activity
31:56 – Childhood experiences, shame, and same-sex attraction
41:10 – The hypersensitivity of people with SSA
46:30 – Same-sex attraction and mental health
56:50 – Can sexual urges change?
1:08:18 – What does true support for Muslims with SSA look like?

Want to listen on the go? Check out Dogma Disrupted on your favorite podcast platform.

Tom Facchine

Tom Facchine

Tom Facchine (pronounced fa-KEEN-ee) converted to Islam in 2010 as he was finishing his BA in Political Science. For the next few years he studied Islam and Arabic with local teachers while working with Muslim youth, founding and directing youth groups in two different communities. In 2015 he was accepted into the University of Madinah and is now close to completing a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Law. In addition to youth group activities, for the past two years Tom has directed an after school program for young Muslims called the Ramadan Academy, which operates out of the GCLEA mosque in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Tom’s academic and personal background brings a unique dual ability to relate to mainstream Western cultural norms and engage them from a traditional Islamic perspective. His unique teaching style is highly interactive and brings high-level concepts to a level that even children can understand. He is passionate about building relationships with Muslim youth and giving them the tools and confidence to live as observant, well-adjusted people of faith in our times.

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