Welcome! Thank you for visiting!

We are currently looking for study participants

We are a team of researchers from Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Toronto and Trent University, in partnership with Salaam Canada. You can learn more about our team here.

This study is exploring the experiences of Queer (nonbinary, trans and LGBTQ+) Muslims, and their experiences of service provision within social service organizations. We are using queer as an umbrella term, as it is most commonly used in everyday conversations. Queer allows for diverse gender identities, expressions and sexualities to exist under this larger umbrella which can be inclusive of: non-binary, trans, gender and sexuality fluid expressions, experiences and identities. By social service organizations, we are referring to: counselling/psychotherapy, group treatments, health care, settlement, mental health, sexuality and gender-related supports, and addictions to name a few. 

Research documents that Queer Muslims face discrimination in both mainstream LGBTQ+ as well as Muslim communities, which can lead to poor mental health, social isolation, and substance use. When Queer Muslims reach out to mainstream LGBTQ+ and Muslim social service organizations, they often experience racism, homophobia, transphobia and Islamophobia.  

One of the aims of the study is to understand the social service and programming needs of Queer Muslims, as well as look at the ways that social service agencies promote or hinder psychological well-being in Queer Muslim clients that access their services.

This will hopefully lead to mainstream agencies, both serving Queer individuals and Muslims, to learn how to better respond and engage with Queer Muslims in culturally meaningful ways. 

We are currently recruiting participants as of June 2021.

Study Criteria

Have you?

• Resided in Canada for at least 1 year
• Accessed/and or received social services from LGBTQ or Muslim social service agencies
• Are 16 years old or older

If you meet the above criteria, we would like to interview you. The interview will be approximately 60 minutes long (and can be up to 90 minutes). You will be given an Amazon $25 gift card for your participation.

Please e-mail muslims.socialservices@gmail.com (or use our contact form below) if you are interested in participating.

If you would like to spread the word about our study, you can use the flyer above to promote. Please right-click and save the image above to do so.

The study has been approved by REB #6589, and is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Please take a look at the resources page for non-binary, trends, and queer Muslim friendly organizations and individuals who can provide you further support like individual and group counselling, if the need arises. 

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We want to thank our partners & collaborators

Contact Us

If you are interested in learning more about this study, or are interested in participating, you can either e-mail us at muslims.socialservices@gmail.com or contact us using this form. We will get back to you as soon as possible: