Sex as 3ibada

Sex as 3ibada
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 at 7:00pm Central Time
with Elias Bouderdaben and Alesia Venese
Virtual Event (Zoom)

Queer folks are aware that divinity and pleasure can overlap and are intrinsically aligned. Due to the overwhelming and suffocating prevalence of Christian tradition and morality embedded into almost all aspects of our lives in the US, it is common for sex and pleasure to be posited as an antithesis to purification and G-dliness.

One of the main tenets of Islam is that of 3ibada, or worship. In this session, Alesia Venese and Elias Bouderdaben will share how an integral part of their personal practise is expanding their 3ibada to include sex and pleasure. Through discussion, participants will exchange ideas in community to continue deepening this practise with intentionality.

This session is based on Alesia and Elias' personal understanding of Islam and is geared towards a Muslim audience, but people of all faiths are welcome to join. Participants will leave with ideas to incorporate worship into their pleasure practises.

Elias Bouderdaben (they/them) is a nonbinary Amazigh Algerian Muslim poet and printmaker living on occupied Piscataway and Nacotchtank lands, who firmly believes art cannot exist outside of activism. Elias received their MFA from Howard University in Electronic Studio Art. They explore concepts of sexuality, gender, pleasure, revolution, and diaspora, at the intersections of race and spirituality in their work. Their dream is to open a Queer-affirming masjid where they live, and currently run a small affinity group called Halal And Queer Collective (HAQ Collective) to provide healing spaces for other Queer Muslims.

Alesia Venese (she/they) is a Black Feminist troublemaker, singer-songwriter, playwright, and general creatrix. She has worked in social services in the DC area for 10+ years. She is currently a caseworker for MHAP, the centralized source for housing services for people living with HIV/AIDs. She is an independent contractor of trauma informed care circles in the TIMBo method. Throughout her career, Alesia has noticed and built upon the connection between sexual wellness, self-worth, and divinity.

This is a virtual class, held on on Zoom. Please sign up to get a ticket; we will email the Zoom link once you have registered for the class.