A Way Beyond the Rainbow

Teaser - Seasons 4 and 5

May 24, 2021 Waheed Jensen
A Way Beyond the Rainbow
Teaser - Seasons 4 and 5
Show Notes Transcript

A glimpse into the topics coming up in seasons 4 and 5 of the podcast, inshaAllah.


Assalamu ‘alaikom everyone! I hope and pray that you’re all doing well inshaAllah. So excited to be back with seasons four and five of “A Way Beyond the Rainbow” after such a long hiatus! Much love and appreciation to all of you guys for the wonderful emails and messages you have been sending me ever since we started this journey together. I am very happy and grateful to know that this podcast has been making a difference in your lives, alhamdulillah. 

As you know, this podcast aims to provide a comprehensive resource for Muslims dealing with same-sex attractions or gender dypshoria who want to live a life true to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala and Islam. In the previous seasons, we covered topics related to identity, shame, self-compassion, and vulnerability. We covered the psychological as well as the spiritual dimensions, and we went on to present different examples of support systems available, and then we tackled the topics of marriage, celibacy and marital intimacy. All of these are foundational topics in our individual and collective journeys.

With season four, inshaAllah, we will dive deep into healing and recovery work. This means taking a closer look at who we genuinely are, and where our thoughts, emotions and habits come from. We will cover the notions of self-awareness and mindfulness, and we will go deep into the realm of inner child work. We will also talk about attachments, emotional dependency and codependency, as many of us experience these in our ongoing relationships. Self-esteem and self-discipline are also important themes that will be addressed in this upcoming season, inshaAllah. Another important broad theme that will be covered is sexual recovery, so we will take a closer look at Islamic sexual ethics and gender norms and use them as proper foundations for our journey of recovery. As you know, we do not shy away from discussing sensitive or taboo topics in this podcast, particularly when these matters are of great relevance to our journey dealing with same-sex attractions. That is why I have dedicated multiple episodes in season four to properly dissect the topics of masturbation, porn addiction and sex addiction, as well as sexual abuse and rape, and to provide proper resources and practical approaches to dealing with these matters from their physiological, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social angles, inshaAllah.

In season 5, inshaAllah, we will cover broader topics that are of interest to our families and communities. There will be multiple episodes dedicated to parents and families of individuals experiencing same-sex attractions or gender dypshoria, as well as spouses, along with episodes dedicated to teachers and educators, as well as imams and community leaders. We will also cover relevant topics that have a sociopolitical flavor, such as civil rights and the Gay Liberation Movement, the roles of media and culture, and the notions of toxic masculinity and radical feminism. We will also dive into many of the “progressive” or revisionist arguments and movements that are reinterpreting traditional Muslim discourse, and we will cover many relevant contemporary topics from a proper Shari’i perspective, inshaAllah. There will also be a series of episodes dedicated to the big topic of intersex, gender dysphoria and transgenderism, from medical and physiological perspectives, as well as emotional, spiritual, Islamic and sociopolitical ones.

Of course, it goes without saying that all of these topics will involve many guest speakers and co-hosts who have kindly joined me on this podcast to share with us their research, experiences, stories and valuable insights. Can’t wait for all of you to meet them!

Can’t wait to share with you the content prepared for the remainder of this journey! Please mark your calendars, season four will premiere on Friday, the 2nd of July, inshaAllah. I look forward to talking to you then. Until then, please stay safe, healthy and happy! Lots of love and warm hugs to all of you. Wassalamu alaikom wa rahmatullahi ta’ala wabarakatuh.