Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Forced marriage is sometimes wrongly framed as a cultural or religious practice. In reality, many Hindu leaders, organisations and campaigners have repeatedly stated that forcing someone into marriage goes against the principle of consent and personal choice. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 17/09/2026There was the version of you that existed at home, in places of worship, around relatives, or in faith spaces. Then there was the version that existed with trusted friends, online, at university, or anywhere it felt safer to be honest. 400
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 15/09/2026For some queer Christians, worship and preaching produced completely different emotional experiences. During worship there was uncomplicated connection, peace, comfort and belonging. Singing with other Christians, praying with one another felt genuine and accessible. 310
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 11/09/2026LGBTQ+ asylum seekers come from countries, families or religious communities where being open was flat out incredible dangerous. Some avoided relationships altogether, others would carry out relationships in the dark - deleting messages, never taking photos together, never out to family or friends. 300
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Today is World Suicide Prevention Day, and for us, it's deeply personal. In 2014, Dr Naz Mahmood died by suicide. He was a doctor, a son, a brother, a friend, and Matt's fiancé. Two days before he died, Naz was confronted by his family about his sexuality. 510
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 23/08/2026**Trigger warning** this post discusses corrective and homophobic abuse. 900
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 20/08/2026It's been nearly three weeks since Out and Proud Parents' Day on July 30th. Reading through this year's OAPP messages, one thing stood out again and again. So many parents wrote about fear, not because of who their children are, but because of the world they have to navigate. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026"My talented, troubled, autistic daughter has become my talented, happy and fulfilled autistic son. I wish you a safe, fulfilling and happy life with your partner. I will continue fighting for your right to live your best life as your truest self." - Ruth 610
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026"We tell our son we love him for who he is. We’re so very proud of the wonderful and kind person he is and that is what I believe is important. To my boy, I know you’re struggling to accept who you are and don’t yet feel able to come out to the rest of our family. 710
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026"The world scares me, it’s in becoming an increasingly intolerant place and it worries me what that means for you. But I will always love you to the moon and back. I am so proud of you for being who you are in a cruel world. xx" 610
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026"I fully support my son. His identity is valid, he is loved unconditionally, and I will always stand by him. He deserves respect, safety, and the freedom to live as his true self. Proud to be his biggest ally." - Cool runnings 610
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026"You light up the room when you walk into it, the world is a brighter place because of you. You’ve taught me so much about love and acceptance, I’ll be forever grateful. I love you to the moon and back" - Mumma Deb ☝️This is a real message from a parent. We're keeping their real name safe. 610
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026"My beautiful boy, you are loved fully , endlessly without question. I won’t pretend I don’t carry fear not of who you are , but of a world that can be so unkind , a world I wish I could change for you . I see your quiet strength , your brave honesty, the light you refuse to dim. 743
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 30/07/2026"The world can be loud and unkind but my love for you is not. I hope you grow up knowing that being yourself is not something to apologise for. I will do everything I can to make sure you feel safe and loved. Being trans isn't something to fix, it is something to love. 730
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 28/07/2026Stonewall and Pride in London issued a call to gather tonight after the attack on Berlin's Christopher Street Day on Saturday night. Visible solidarity is what can keep queer grief from turning into isolation, and after an attack like this, silence only gives fear more room to grow. 621
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 23/07/2026We see the pride, acceptance, and joy you feel for your intersex child. We want to amplify it - safely. Intersex people are born with natural variations in sex characteristics that don't fit typical binary expectations. Yet despite being part of our communities, intersex experiences are often 010
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 14/07/2026Today is the National Day of Memory. We're remembering Dr Nazim Mahmood, whose life was cut short in 2014, and every person lost to so-called Honour-Based Abuse. Some lives are taken twice. First by abuse. Then by silence. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 11/07/2026Parents of bisexual children know that visibility can be complicated. Too often, bisexual people face assumptions that they're confused, going through a phase, or somehow less valid in their identity. 510
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 04/07/2026Pride for your non-binary children is standing beside them when others question who they are. It means speaking up when they're spoken about - and sometimes now, it means keeping quiet to protect them. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 24/06/2026Pride should never come with fear, but with rising homophobia, so many LGBTQ+ people, their parents and families are being reminded that visibility needs protection - now more than ever. 400
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 23/06/2026There was a time love between women had to stay hidden. Things have changed dramatically in some ways…many of us feel we need to be careful now more than ever. 400
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 22/06/2026Things have both improved and worsened for trans people in the UK, but right now, the most vulnerable trans people and their families need our protection above all. Parents of trans people are proud, and we want them to be able to share that with us all - safely. 300
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 10/06/2026In 1988 the law called us a "pretended family relationship" - but look at us now. 300
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 02/06/2026Pride Month is often presented as something visible and widely celebrated, but that version of Pride does not reflect the reality for everyone, especially those who are not in environments where queerness is accepted or affirmed. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 28/05/2026Eid Mubarak to everyone who is celebrating. 400
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 28/05/2026Eid Mubarak to those marking Eid al Adha! For many of us, Eid includes prayer and family gatherings and lots of shared food. For many more of us, it's painfully bittersweet. 600
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 18/05/2026Parentlessness is often understood as something that happens after death, but many queer people experience it while both parents are still alive. For queer people from conservative religious backgrounds, this can happen after coming out, being outed, or no longer agreeing to hide who they are. 700
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 16/05/2026Homelessness among LGBTQ+ people is not accidental, it is entirely structural. For many queer people of faith, losing housing happens after family rejection, religious exclusion, or being made actively unsafe. 900
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 13/05/2026CONTENT WARNING - mentions of se*ual abuse and violence. Please read with caution, and prioritise your wellbeing. Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is varied. 800
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 06/05/2026Across many faith communities, conversion practices do not always look like the stereotypes people imagine. They are often informal, relational and hidden behind pastoral care. 900
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 14/04/2026Today is Naz's birthday. He would have been 46. I won't pretend it's an easy day. It never is. The reminders are everywhere - of his life, his energy, everything he was and everything we were building together. But here's what I know. 940
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 13/04/2026For people the world over, displacement isn’t a choice. It's imposed upon them. For queer people, this bind is even more complicated. To leave your home, family, culture, and community is the last option left, because home has become a place where existing puts you at risk. 510
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 11/04/2026In family and faith centred cultures, such as in Jewish communities, staying close can sometimes mean shrinking and hiding yourself. For queer people, love and obligation become tangled and difficult. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 06/04/2026Forced or heavily pressured marriages in Hindu communities don’t come from scripture. They come from social expectations that prioritise family image over individual safety. 700
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 04/04/2026For many queer Catholics, shame doesn't always begin with the doctrine - sometimes, it begins in the confessional. That tiny wooden box where you were meant to tell the truth is instead the first place you learned to lie about who you were. 610
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 31/03/2026For many trans people from conservative faith backgrounds, being seen cannot yet be about announcing yourself. 710
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 21/03/2026Eid is a day (or days!) of joy and nourishment, of reunion and prayer and celebration. We gather as families, neighbours and whole communities. For many queer Muslims though, Eid carries another layer -there is the celebration you show up to, and the truth of your whole self that you hide. 510
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 07/03/2026Across traditions, discipline is meant to bring us closer to compassion, clarity, and the sacred. But many queer people of faith, and in this case particularly queer Christians, were taught a different version - discipline meant suppressing who we are. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 28/02/2026Lent can be a complicated season for queer Christians. Many grew up with messages that made faith feel conditional.. Reclaiming Lent means approaching it in ways that respect identity and lived experience. 500
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 23/02/2026Ramadan and Lent are important times for many people of faith. For queer Muslims and queer Christians, these seasons can bring up mixed experiences, especially when faith spaces have not always felt safe or welcoming. 400
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 16/02/2026Ramadan means different things for different queer Muslims. For some it’s a grounding month of return. For others it’s extremely complicated, tender, or full of mixed feelings. However you observe - or don’t! - your experience is valid. 410
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 02/02/2026Many queer Sikhs grow up hearing mixed messages about identity and belonging. Some find deep support in their families and gurdwaras. Others face silence or pressure to conform. 300
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 01/02/2026In many religious families, queer children learn early that love can feel conditional. Even before anyone knows they’re queer, they sense the expectations. So they work twice as hard. They become the high achiever, the peacemaker, the responsible one, the child who never slips. 400
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 26/01/2026Mosques are meant to be sanctuaries. They are meant to be places where burdens ease and community gathers in the presence of something greater than ourselves. But for many queer Muslims, stepping into a mosque can bring a mix of longing and hesitation. 510
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 20/01/2026We're honoured to be nominated for the #2026TrueHonourAwards Hosted by IKWRO, the True Honour Awards celebrate individuals and organisations who have taken a stand against “honour”-based abuse. By recognising courage, commitment, and impact, the Awards aim to inspire action and solidarity. 330
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 20/01/2026Our January Rainbow Chai session is this coming Tuesday, 27th January at 6.30pm. If you're a parent of South Asian heritage with an LGBTQI+ child, this online support group is for you. It's led by Saima, a proud mum of two LGBT children who understands exactly what you're going through. 310
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 17/01/2026Many queer Muslims live double lives. One version of yourself at home, another with friends, another in faith spaces, another online. Carrying that much vigilance in your body has long-lasting consequences. Hyper‑awareness becomes muscle memory, your nervous system stays on high alert. 600
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 12/01/2026In many religious families, coming out happens many, many times. For some queer children, one parent may feel safe enough to feel vulnerable with, while the other must remain in the dark. 300
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 03/01/2026Imagine surviving rejection from your own family, being told that who you are is incompatible with your faith, your culture, your community. Imagine carrying that heartbreak across borders, believing that somewhere there must be a place where you can finally exhale in peace. 510
Naz & Matt Foundation @nazandmatt.bsky.social · 27/12/2025Support does not require anyone to denounce their faith. It does not require a parent to stop being religious, or a young person to hide who they are. What it does require is a willingness to listen, to learn, and to recognise that every person deserves safety and dignity. 620