So I saw someone say that How It All Blew Up isn’t actually a “Muslim book,” and WHEEWWWWW BOY, do I have something to say about that.

A book about a Muslim family being detained at the airport. Hmm. Let me check my notes.

*checks notes*

Yep. It’s a Muslim book.

On top of that, it’s about a gay Muslim teen who struggles to come out. I WONDER WHY THAT IS

Look, I get it. There is so little Muslim rep in YA. The industry still has a long way to go in representing the full spectrum of experiences.

But that doesn’t mean one person’s experience isn’t valid. Islam is not a monolith. No religion is. No IDENTITY is.

If a person says they’re Muslim, they’re Muslim. If a person says they’re queer, they’re queer. If a person says they’re trans, they’re trans. (Looking at a certain author here.) They don’t have to prove it.

So can we stop policing people’s identities? Pretty please??

Also, it’s a fucking wonder that queer people, myself included, still identify with religion when it’s messed us up in so many ways. So consider that too.