History
The Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity (MASGD) was launched in January 2013. The organization was formed by members of the Queer Muslim Working Group, with the support of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. Several initial MASGD members previously had been involved with the Al-Fatiha Foundation, including Faisal Alam and Imam Daayiee Abdullah.
Contents
In 2016, The Advocate magazine named four MASGD steering committee members to its list of "21 LGBT Muslims Who Are Changing the World."
Mission
The mission statement of MASGD states: "The Muslim Alliance for Sexual and Gender Diversity works to support, empower and connect LGBTQ Muslims. We seek to challenge root causes of oppression, including misogyny and xenophobia. We aim to increase the acceptance of gender and sexual diversity within Muslim communities, and to promote a progressive understanding of Islam that is centered on inclusion, justice, and equality."
Retreat
The first project of MASGD was an LGBT Muslim Retreat. The first Retreat was held in 2011, under the auspices of the Queer Muslim Working Group. Since then, the Retreat has been held each May. In 2013, the Retreat welcomed a total of 85 adults, including both LGBTQ Muslims and their partners.