A man who tried to commit suicide after being attacked over his sexuality, has become the first Muslim in the UK to wed in a same-sex marriage.
Twenty-four-old, Jahed Choudhury, according to the UK Telegraph, grew up feeling ostracised because he was gay.
He, thereafter, was sent on a religious pilgrimage to change his sexual orientation.
After a lifetime of bullying that led him to attempt to take his own life, 19-year-old Sean Rogan found him crying on a bench.
The duo have since married.
“This is about showing people I don’t care. My family… think it’s a disease and can be cured, some of my family still call it a phase,” said Mr. Choudhury, the Telegraph reported.
“I want to say to all people going through the same thing that’s it’s okay – we’re going to show the whole world that you can be gay and Muslim.”
Reports said at a low-key ceremony at Walsall registry office, Mr Choudhury wore traditional Muslim attire as he wed Mr. Rogan, his partner of two years.
Although the practice is seen as a cultural taboo for many traditional Muslims, Mr. Choudhury is one of only a few openly-gay Muslim men and believed to be the first in the UK to marry another man.
Growing up with Bangladeshi parents and three siblings in a traditional Muslim household, Mr. Choudhury said he was the “black sheep” of the family.
The man, who is from Darlaston, Walsall, said he looks forward to life with Mr. Rogan.
Mr. Choudhury said, “I’d not long overdosed and I was crying on a bench and Sean came over and asked if I was okay. He gave me hope at one of my lowest points and he’s stood by me all the way.
“I stood out like a sore thumb – I never liked football, I preferred watching fashion shows on TV. I remember feeling trapped.
“It went all over school, people would spit on me, empty the rubbish bins on me, call me pig and the Muslim people would shout ‘harum’ – which is a very nasty insult in my language.”
A period of trying to “change” his sexual orientation consisted of him having a girlfriend, changing his social circle, taking medication and even going on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
According to Mr. Choudhury, the situation only got worse as he was allegedly assaulted by fellow Muslims in the street where he lived and the word “fag” was sprayed on his front door.
The mosque he had attended for 15 years no longer allowed him in and he was allegedly attacked by other Muslim boys. Feeling ostracised, Mr. Choudhury said he attempted to kill himself.
“I’d been viciously attacked by Muslim boys; my mosque told me non-Muslims were not allowed in,” he said.
“I tried killing myself and I then met Sean. The housing association got us a house in a week and we’ve been living together ever since. I proposed on Sean’s birthday last June.”
Mr. Choudhury said he has post-traumatic stress disorder, meaning he struggles to face people alone and cannot work, adding that he has now taken a significant step forward for both the Muslim and LGBT communities.
“We’re going to have a big party in Darlaston and go to Spain for a week on holiday,” he said.
The internet has since been flooded with pictures of the pair, who were captured kissing after tying the knot.
