Working with gender and sexual minorities in the context of Islamic culture: a queer Muslim behavioural approach

Abstract

There has been a large increase in the migration of Muslim populations towards the western world and the USA in the past decade. Many have migrated in the hope of finding a safe home away from war, persecution, or a better economic situation, with many coming from Afghanistan and Syria. Gender and sexual minorities (GSM), or individuals who are not heterosexual and do not identify with their sex assigned at birth, are disproportionately over-represented within migrating groups. While most of these individuals will not have received psychotherapy in their home countries, it is likely they would receive or be required to obtain psychological services as part of the asylum process or through psychoeducational services as a requirement to receive assistance. In exploring the specific needs of Muslim GSM individuals, we highlight the diverse impacts of minority stress, shame, and how these might be mitigated through the integration of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and compassion-focused therapy (CFT). ACT and CFT may provide a helpful framework for a culturally adapted therapy that targets the needs of those experiencing intersectional Muslim and GSM identities, and can foster the cultivation of a meaningful life that can include all aspects of their identities.Key learning aims(1)To understand the context within which Muslim GSM individuals experience shame.(2)To learn to adapt an acceptance and compassion-based approach in working with GSM Muslim clients.(3)To describe how culturally competent hypotheses might inform case conceptualization with GSM Muslim clients.

Understanding the Psychological Impact of Oppression Using the Trauma Symptoms of Discrimination Scale

“…Trauma symptoms resulting from other forms of intersectionality also should be explored, such as sexual minority status and a stigmatized religious tradition. 74 The TSDS and RTS may be equally good as a screener for racial trauma, but cut-off scores for the TSDS need to be established for other kinds of oppression-based trauma.…”

Cultural adaptations of CBT: a summary and discussion of the Special Issue on Cultural Adaptation of CBT

“…Three papers (c) address the issues of gender and sexuality. One paper discusses the application of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) with LGBTQ service users (Skerven et al, 2019), another describes a case series of vaginismus therapy in Tunisia (Zgueb et al, 2019), while the third paper reports use of behaviour therapy when working with gender and sexual minorities in the context of Islamic culture (Langroudi and Skinta, 2019). Three papers (d) focus on refugees, asylum seekers and the homeless.…”

“…Working with gender and sexual minorities in the context of Islamic culture: a queer Muslim behavioural approach (Langroudi and Skinta, 2019) The number of Muslims migrating to Europe and North America has increased over the last decade. Gender and sexual minorities (GSM) are over-represented in the migrating population.…”

Theoretical assumptions to help promote diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) “in-real-life” (IRL).

“…Or they may point out how secular claims around “liberation” and “rights” have been used in ways that have displaced and disrupted the lives of Muslim women, leaving such concepts incomplete and potentially marginalizing Talia (Abu-Lughod, 2013). They may also suggest that this approach ignores or diminishes the experiences and perspectives of sexual minority individuals who strongly identify with their religious traditions or that it oversimplifies complicated issues without seriously examining related dialogue within and among Muslim communities (Eidhamar, 2014; Farhadi Langroudi & Skinta, 2019; O’Brien, 2008). Even those who may oppose Talia’s views on sexuality may nevertheless view “love is love” training as insufficient in its competency to engage religion and spirituality meaningfully (cf.…”