Abdullah Ali is the name and I'm a young Black Muslim gentleman of Somali descent living in the City of Mississauga, Ontario. I study Criminal Justice at the University of Toronto, and I am a proud member of the Muslim Scholars Association on campus. That's right, there are Somali men attending top institutions of higher education in Canada, and I am proud to be one of them.
Anyone looking at me would see a six-foot-three, lean and athletic male in his early twenties, with dark brown skin and thick, curly Black hair. I am a Somali man through and true, and a proud Muslim. I am Black, I am a man, I am a Muslim and I am a same-gender-loving brother. That's part of what makes my life so difficult. If you're Muslim and you also happen to be gay, lesbian or bisexual, you should definitely keep it to yourself.
A lot of Muslims out there are living double lives. The Hijab-wearing sister who sometimes goes to the club. The pious brother who goes to the mosque on Friday and the bar on Saturday. The housewife who sleeps with her husband's best friend. Oh, and the closeted gay or lesbian Muslim. Please don't judge them. You must understand that they have no choice, folks.
As someone in a similar situation, I implore you to try to be more understanding of our plight. We've got no choice, because of the constraints of the Islamic faith. A lot of people think Islam is just a religion. The truth is that Islam is a way of life. I love my faith but its rules are draconian. I read about a Somali gal in the City of Edmonton, Alberta whose family tried to kill her after finding her in bed with a female friend. Talk about bad luck, folks.
I felt bad for the young Somali woman in question but I won't lie to you and say that I was shocked. Lots of Somali women sleep with women. Lots of Somali men sleep with other men. All of them do so in secret. The reason why is fairly obvious. The Somali community isn't known for its tolerance of queers, that's for damn sure. This Somali chick is lucky she got away with her life, seriously. If I were her, I'd leave Alberta and move someplace else.
Why am I concerned with such issues? Hope you got the hint. If you didn't, let me explain the reason why. I am a bisexual Somali man, just in case you were wondering. My situation is different, though. The woman in my life is okay with me being, well, me. Lots of bisexual Muslim men sleep with other men and their wives and girlfriends have no idea. I am not like the others. Just call me Honest Abdullah.
The lady in my life is a blessing in many ways, folks. I met Ayaan Mahmoud a decade ago, when we were goofing off at the Mississauga Community Center during summer camp. My parents used to send me to camp all the time in my younger days. Their way of keeping me out of trouble. Like I said, Ayaan and I met at camp. I felt drawn to the tall, fierce-eyed young Somali woman with the loud voice and fearless demeanor. We became friends, and have been in each other's lives ever since. Ayaan is real special to me, folks.
Ayaan Mahmoud is one of the few people out there who know about my other side, as I call my bisexuality. We're both in the same program at the University of Toronto and hang out in the same circles. My parents, Kader and Jamila Ali, know nada about my other side and I'd be surprised if they ever suspected a thing. I'm tall and masculine, and don't look or act or sound the way stereotypical queer males do. Besides, I am fairly athletic and active in the Somali community of Toronto. I am discreet, and that's probably why I am still alive today.
