Muslim drag queen: I want to be the UK’s next Conchita Wurst
A rising star of London’s South Asian gay scene hopes to become the UK’s answer to Austrian Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst.
Asifa Lahore has released a trailer version and YouTube video of her new track “You and I.”
Lahore is hoping the song will be picked up by the BBC in time for next year’s Eurovision competition.
Asif Quraishi, the alter ego of Lahore, has spoken to The Guardian about being gay and Muslim.
“My parents are very conservative Muslims and it took a lot of courage for me to tell that I am gay,” Lahore said. “They felt that they had done something wrong.
“When I sat down with the imam he told me that I should get married, have children and forget about how I was feeling. I told him that I couldn’t live a false life. He then said I should just remain celibate for the rest of my life. I told him that wouldn’t be possible either.”
Lahore continued: “I studied the Qur’an carefully before I came out and know what it says about homosexuality. But I told the imam that I just want to have a monogamous relationship with my partner, not indulge in wild sex orgies and live an immoral life and that on the day of judgment I wanted to tell Allah that I had lived a life where I was honest and true to myself; that I had been authentic in my actions and feelings.”
Lahore added: “Something clicked because the imam said live how you want but just don’t promote it (homosexuality). There are many imams who accept homosexuality privately but condemn it publicly because they feel they have to.”
Earlier this year, the BBC dropped a planned debate about homesexuality in Islam, featuring Lahore.
The corporation denied accusations of censorship and said the decision had been taken after the venue – a mosque in Birmingham – received threats.
Lahore’s song “You and I.”
