Playing gay

For once a Muslim can be sensible about coming into contact with that extremely haram phenomenon: being gay.

A 24-year-old actor from Cardiff – Said Mohamed – plays a gay man in a new film, Colonial Gods, which is being premiered at the gay and lesbian Iris Prize Festival in Cardiff.

His approach to the part – and he says he’s not gay – is one of professionalism, he says. He hopes most actors would bring a similar attitude to bear.

It’s not the first time a gay Muslim has been depicted – and at a higher-profile level, too. Dev Patel, star of the successful Slumdog Millionaire, played a gay Muslim, Anwar, in the British TV drama Skins. (Lovely line, when his mother knocks on Anwar’s bedroom door: “Anwar? Anwar? Are you masturbating? You should.”) And there was the celebrated kiss – not just a gay kiss but a gay Muslim kiss – in the UK soap EastEnders.

All a far cry from the Muslim footballers in France we blogged about yesterday, who, we were told, didn’t wish to play against a gay team, but we are now informed they will be playing after all (thanks to Dave McKeegan for that tip-off).