Discursive strategies employed by homosexual Malaysian Muslim men in talking about homosexuality in Islam

Abstract

This research looks into how homosexual Muslim men in Malaysia convey their experiences regarding their sexual and romantic lifestyle in relation to their Islamic faith. For this research, four respondents who identify themselves as homosexual and Muslim were subjected to in-depth, semi-structured interview to gauge their experiences, thoughts and beliefs in regard to their sexual and religious experiences. Discursive Psychology (DP), more specifically, the Discursive Action Model (DAM) as proposed by Edwards and Potter is used as analytical tool to explicate the data of this research. The analysis reveals several recurring themes which appear throughout the participants’ discourses, which are (1) Disrupted Construction of Cohesive Identity, (2) Indomitable Nature of Same-sex Desire and (3) Downplaying the Severity of Same-sex Relation in Islam. The findings of this research provide novel insights into the way the homosexual Muslim’s phenomenon is perceived and thus, complicates the notion of homosexuality in Islam.

Keywords

Discursive Action Model (DAM)Discursive Psychology (DP)discursive strategies homosexuality Muslim Malaysia sexual minority

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