Michael Sinan: Mr. Gay Denmark and Practicing Muslim

Michael Sinan was Mr Gay Denmark in 2012 and the first openly Muslim participant in Mr. Gay Europe & Mr Gay World 2013.

BY ELLIOT FRIEDLAND Sun, June 19, 2016



Michael Sinan, Mr Gay Denmark 2012. (Photo: Supplied)

Michael Sinan won Mr. Gay Denmark in 2012 and became the first gay Muslim participant in Mr. Gay Europe and Mr. Gay World in 2013. He received a lot of homophobic abuse from Muslim, but also anti-Muslim abuse from sections of the gay community.

He graciously agreed to speak with Clarion Project Dialogue Coordinator about his experiences and his advice to young gay Muslims starting out.

1 Clarion Project: When you came out as an openly Muslim Mr Gay Denmark what was the response like?

Michael Sinan: When I came out the response was 50/50 good and bad. To clarify that it meant that The Gay Community was not as supportive as I might have expected from people who themselves are a minority fighting against hate and ignorance.

I received a great deal of very hateful and nasty messages from Muslims (men and women) and also from gays.


Michael Sinan. (Photo: Supplied)

2 Clarion: You won the activist prize in 2013, what was that for?

Sinan: I didn´t know I was even nominated in Germany. I found out by coincidence. It was for being out and standing up as a Gay Muslim.



Mourners following the Orlando attacks. (Photo: Reuters)

3 Clarion: What would you say to young gay Muslims who want careers that involve being in the public eye?

Sinan: I want to advise them to be extremely cautious. However be proud of who you are. Stay in faith. It is possible to be gay and a devoted Muslim.

However one should always think twice if taking the step of representing the LGBT Muslim Community and being / working in a straight environment.

4 Clarion: Were you treated with suspicion by the gay community for being Muslim? How did you cope with that?

Sinan: I have been treated with disrespect and as a joke and experienced Islamophobia in the Gay Community.

Furthermore, not to mention the Ex-Muslim Gay Community, who have been very cruel, hateful and have not taken me seriously or judged me for not being real Muslim or for staying Muslim, attending mosque, performing “salah” prayer, etc.


5 Clarion: Have you found that European Muslim communities have become more accepting of homosexuality in recent years?

Sinan: I have been very lucky experiencing many Muslims supporting me including conservative Muslims. Some actively, some passively, being afraid of what other people would think of them.

However there is a very long way to go. I was especially struck by seeing the lack of support and sympathy among Danish Muslims for the victims of the Orlando Massacre.

I was extremely disappointed seeing some “Facebook friends” being more interested in sharing their iftar food pictures or pretending as if nothing happened.

I made the decision to delete them. Hypocrisy indeed! The blessed and holy month of Ramadan and they pretend to be so good and modest Muslims but don´t give a damn about innocent people.


6 Clarion: How can tension between the LGBT community and the Muslim community be ameliorated in the aftermath of the Orlando Shooting?

Sinan: The Muslim Community in USA did a lot more for the Gay Community than The Muslim Community in Denmark.

On the contrary Imams who kept silent, refusing to comment on this terror, actually only showed hate, ignorance, intolerance, homophobia.

This will cause an increase of Islamophobia in the Gay Community. In other terms it will make life for Gay Muslims very difficult in the future, facing a great deal more Islamophobia as well as homophobia not only from gays and Muslims but also from straight non-Muslims.

Michael Sinan: Mr. Gay Denmark and Practicing Muslim