(Dagbladet): King Harald’s speech during the royal couple garden party Thursday has received considerable attention, and recent days have gone viral online. In his speech, the king said, inter alia:
“The Norwegians believe in God, Allah, Altet and Nothing” and “Norwegians are girls who love girls, boys who like boys, and girls and boys who are love one another. “
in an interview with VG, in conjunction with King Harald’s voice, tells NRK profile Noman Mubashir now that he’s gay.
– Although I belong to several minorities (Muslim with Pakistani roots and gay), not the easiest combination, so it touches me deeply that the king speak warmly of all three groups, says 42-year-old.
for Dagbladet says Mubashir that the media has asked him to talk about this for over 15 years, but he long did not dare.
– I feared reactions that could come from the Norwegian-Pakistani community. At that time there was little acceptance of homosexuality. It’s thanks and praise a little better today, but we have a long way to go, he said.
– Struggled with accepting myself
He added that it also took time to be confident in himself and to accept themselves.
Friends and colleagues have known about it a long time, but it was quite another to’d share private life with all of Norway through the media. He says it has been incredibly many arduous years, but he broke through the storm and is much stronger today. Therefore he dares now to share this publicly.
– I struggled long to accept myself because of my religious background. Muslims can be very judgmental, but also gays with Hindu, Sikh and Catholic backgrounds struggling tremendously, says Mubashir.
Hope to be able to contribute strength
Furthermore, says Mubashir that no one can define his identity and tell him that he can not be Muslim and gay.
– I am who I am, and that’s how I created, he says to Dagbladet.
when he heard the king’s speech, he thought that it was a golden opportunity to tell it.
– We have come a long way in Norway, but still there are many who are struggling to be open about their orientation. Especially gays from immigrant backgrounds. They badly need role models. I hope I can contribute with some comfort, strength and inspiration, he says, adding:
– No one should have to wait 42 years before they dare to say that they are queer.
Commented on Facebook
Mubashir has also posted a message on Facebook in which he writes:
“Were interviewed VG yesterday in connection with the king’s speech. I replied that I belong to three different minorities; Muslim with Pakistani roots and gay. Not the easiest combination and something I have struggled with for many years, so it touches me deeply that the king speak warmly of all three groups in their sensible, generous and inclusive voice 
“
writing, over 550 people pressed “like” your message, and a number of people have commented on the heart during the update.
– Hope this might open some doors
Henry Asheim, Member of Parliament for the Conservative Party and openly gay, believes it is of great importance that Mubashir now open about their sexuality.
– I think it has a great importance whenever a public figure who is gay is open about it . Anyone gays, you know how it is to be 14, 15 years and sit at home and wonder if they are gays. There he thrown in have minority backgrounds, I think makes it even more important. They often end up in a “crossfire” between the family’s conservative traditions on the one hand, and being an integral part of the Norwegian, secular set of values on the other, says Asheim Dagbladet.
He thinks Mubashir now can open some doors.
– It both think and I hope . In Pride parade is a special delegation that goes with masks because they have minority backgrounds and also gays and lesbians, and they will not be seen in public even if they go in the parade. The fact that Noman’s forward and also has a minority background, I believe can create another debate in minority communities, he said.
– Challenging to be more minorities while
Ingvild Endestad, head of FRI, Society for gender and sexuality diversity, told Dagbladet that many often think that one is either gay or Muslim, instead of thinking that one can be both.
– what we do know is that for many can be challenging to be more minorities simultaneously, because they are minority in the one and the other camp. One becomes minority Muslim among gays and minority as gay Muslims, and so is also minority as gay in mainstream society. Therefore it is important that we are not talking about this as categories that are mutually exclusive, she says to Dagbladet.
She believes openness of role models has a lot to say, and that the king might have opened up some opportunities that would be Norwegian, and be several things at once.
– I think role models from diverse backgrounds who are open, you open doors for more, she says, but adds that one should not require everyone to be open and that there are many ways to be open.
Went viral
Since the speech during a garden party on Thursday, King Harald’s words in Slottsparken gone viral online. Accolades have hail in social media, and rhetoric expert Trygve Svensson described the speech as “both pro and poetic.”
Halvor Fosli, sociologist and author of the book “Aliens in their own country,” believes there is a fine intention behind speech of king Harald, but stated to Dagbladet on Friday that he feels that the king primarily talking up an ideal.
– he describes how we would like to see Norway’s future. A future with a nation that preserves trust and generosity, but I think he paints a rosy picture. It is the king’s role to have a unifying effect and appeal to the best in people, but it is not descriptive, said Fosli Dagbladet.
No comments:
Post a Comment