“The Queer Muslim Project” (TQMP) serves as a leading force in Asia’s LGBTQIA+ community, connecting over 70,000 individuals globally via digital and cultural platforms. It empowers underrepresented voices by challenging harmful stereotypes and increasing visibility for queer and diverse identities. TQMP not only confronts but also subverts oppressive usage of technology to safeguard freedom of expression. The Digital Deal Award recognizes TQMP’s pioneering use of digital storytelling to drive social change, bolster civil society resilience, and shift perceptions of marginalized communities. The jury acknowledges TQMP’s role in reshaping the digital landscape, advocating for human rights, and advancing cultural diplomacy through innovative digital media practices.
Jury Statement
The Queer Muslim Project uses art, culture, and digital media to challenge harmful stereotypes and norms, and to enable queer and Muslim communities to shape their own narratives. As visitors step into the space, they encounter three splendid curtain installations suspended from above. These curtains sway and undulate, unveiling images of queer Muslim individuals delicately overlaid onto fabric inspired by rich Islamic and South Asian heritage.
The exhibit includes a separate room for the audience to engage with digital content produced by The Queer Muslim Project, demonstrating the impact of its work. The three grand curtains embody diverse motifs, patterns and weaving styles that eloquently depict the rich history of Islamic culture. The project represents profoundly the lived experiences of queer Muslims: shaped by their origins, the cultural shift they aim to create through their narratives, and the collective need to thrive and honor their rich diversity.
Photo: The Queer Muslim Project
Photo: Simon Hadley
Credits
Founder and Director: Rafiul Alom Rahman
Communications Lead: Rachita Sai Barak
Program Lead: Maniza Khalid
This award is presented in the context of the European Digital Deal project co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme under grant agreement No. 101100036.
Rafiul Alom Rahman
Rafiul Alom Rahman is the Founder-Director of The Queer Muslim Project. He brings a decade of experience in LGBTQIA+ rights organizing, arts management, and digital advocacy. Rafiul is a 2023 UN Minority Fellow, a 2022 CCP Fellow, a 2020 SI Leader Lab Fellow, and a 2018 Acumen Fellow. In 2020, he was recognized as a “Global Innovator” by the Human Rights Campaign for “pioneering an approach to countering extremism that utilizes alternative narratives around faith, sexuality, and gender expression.”
Rachita Sai Barak
Rachita is a trans-feminist filmmaker and creative director. She leads communications at The Queer Muslim Project, creating digital content and brand identity for their literature and cinema initiatives. Rachita holds a Master’s degree in filmmaking and has spent the last decade working on short films, documentaries, media research projects, and campaigns. Her work has been recognized by OECD Paris, BFI DocNext Lab, and Screen Test – UK’s national student film award.
Maniza Khalid
Maniza Khalid leads programs at The Queer Muslim Project. They are a Swedish Institute Leader Lab fellow and served as an advisor to queer donor organizations such as Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice. They are currently part of a collective crafted by the Asia Feminist LBQ Network. With experience in organizations like Rekhta — leading Urdu’s renaissance in the mainstream — and with a background in literature studies, they infuse their love for literature and poetry in their activism.
