Waheed: 3:56
Assalamu alaikom warahamtullahi wabarakatuh, and welcome to the new podcast series, “Voices from Beyond the Rainbow”.
I am your host, Waheed Jensen. It gives me great pleasure to be speaking to you again after three years, I am so excited to be back!
As many of you know, the podcast “A Way Beyond the Rainbow” officially ended back in 2022. Even though that journey came to a close, our correspondences did not stop – it has been an honor to read your emails, listen to your stories, and speak with you on- and offline.
In fact, for the past almost ten years, I have had the pleasure of reading and listening to countless stories of men and women from around the world who experience same-sex attractions as well as gender dysphoria, in addition to their family members, friends, and people in their circles, who have allowed me into their lives and shared with me their stories, and with that, they shared a piece of their hearts. I have had the honor of witnessing them, their pasts, their presents, their passions, hopes, and dreams. Their growth and evolution over time. Their ups and downs. Their humanness. And all of it was and is beautiful.
“A Way Beyond the Rainbow” lasted for over two years, with 88 episodes over five seasons and included many guests from around the world. We dissected the themes of same-sex attraction and gender dysphoria comprehensively and holistically, from psychological, spiritual, familial, social, and communal angles. If you have not come across that podcast yet, check out the episode show notes, I have added a link to it.
And so, after paving that way beyond the rainbow three years ago, now comes the time to listen to those voices from beyond the rainbow. To witness them. To appreciate them. To see the light and beauty emanating from them.
"Voices from Beyond the Rainbow” is a podcast by you, for you, and with you, every step of the way. It is about your stories, your struggles, your ups and downs, your triumphs, your strength and fragility. It is about your humanness.
After you shared your stories with me, it is my honor to help you share your stories with the world.
I have to give credit where credit is due, the idea for this podcast series came from a brother on the Straight Struggle Discord server, so shout out to brother Heaven for being the inspiration behind this new podcast!
Waheed: 6:45
So whether you yourself experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria, or if you’re a parent or sibling or family member of someone who does, or maybe you’re a friend or teacher, mentor or therapist or imam – whoever you may be or whatever you do in life, if these topics are part of your life, or if you’re just simply curious, this podcast is for you.
Every episode features a unique story of a man or a woman from somewhere around this world. Someone who is putting himself or herself out there, with complete vulnerability, to give us, to give you, a glimpse into their lives, as they strive on this path towards Allah SWT. On this path beyond the rainbow, beyond all the noise, beyond all the judgment and secrecy and shame, to share with us their story. A piece of their heart.
I can’t think of anything more priceless than that.
“A Way Beyond the Rainbow” was focused on a lot of research and synthesis of material, and the work involved was quite intense. We did have a couple of episodes with wonderful individuals who came on the podcast and shared with us their stories. But with “Voices from Beyond the Rainbow”, the emphasis is on you and your stories. You are the focus, the driving force, the light of the entire show. Every episode is a unique and extraordinary story.
In this podcast, inshaAllah, you will find different stories from all over the world. Some people are ahead on their paths and are coming to share many gems and lessons they have learned in their journeys. Others may not be that far ahead, and they would like to shine a light on their current struggles in a safe space. Some are married with kids, others are engaged to be married, while others are single. Some are committed to a life of celibacy, while others struggle every now and then with acting out. Some have lived the LGBT lifestyle and have changed course, others did not go down that path to begin with, while others are still experiencing an ebb and flow, so to speak. Some are connected to the Divine Presence, others are still finding their way.
I have made it a priority to feature stories from all sorts of different places and include a diverse range of personalities and experiences, so that we could all benefit and learn from their stories. I invite you all to put aside any preconceived notions, assumptions, and judgments, and join us in every episode for the sole purpose of witnessing another human being – their raw, unfiltered truth – while we open space for each other and embrace each other in our individual and collective journeys, inshaAllah.
Waheed: 9:49
If you would like to be featured on this podcast, roll over the link in the episode show notes and fill out the online form. You can either choose to be interviewed for the podcast in audio form, or you can turn in your story in written form if you wish to do so. All guests on the podcast consent to sharing their stories, and no identifying information will be shared throughout the series. You will remain anonymous. I definitely prefer an audio interview, since there is dialogue involved and we can all connect more intimately, and there is definitely an option for some voice modification, if you wish, for privacy reasons. But I also understand that some individuals would opt for a written format, and that is okay. The main goal is to help you share your story with the world, inshaAllah.
The online form includes questions to help you think about your story and what aspects of it you would like to share with us. No one else has access to the answers except for me, so consider that your own safe space to share whatever you like. I regularly check the submissions, and, if selected, I will be in touch with you in due time, inshaAllah, to discuss further details.
So who can fill out the form and be featured as a guest on the podcast? If you experience same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria and you would like to tell your story, go ahead and fill out the form. If you’re a parent or sibling or spouse or family member or friend of someone who experiences same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria and would like to share your experiences and insights with us, go ahead and fill out the form. If you’re a teacher or mentor or therapist or imam or community leader, and you talk to or counsel or help out men or women experiencing same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria and would like to share with us gems from your journey, go ahead and fill out the form. We would all love to hear from you and learn from your experiences.
And the more, the merrier. An episode does not have to be limited to one person only. So if someone would like to come with their parent or friend or spouse or mentor or whoever else, I am happy to facilitate that, inshaAllah. Sky is the limit when it comes to creative ideas, and I am all ears.
Waheed: 12:14
You can find “Voices from Beyond the Rainbow” on your favorite podcast apps, inshaAllah, and we are available on the Buzzsprout website at: voicesfrombeyondtherainbow.buzzsprout.com, and the first interview is coming up in two weeks from now. We have a sequence of wonderful interviews lined up for this season, I can not wait to share them all with you!
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to email me anytime on voicesfrombeyondtherainbow@gmail.com. I read all your emails and try my best to respond at the earliest convenience, inshaAllah. And of course, our email for “A Way Beyond the Rainbow” is still active, and you can still email me on awaybeyondtherainbow@gmail.com if you have any questions or comments related to “A Way Beyond the Rainbow” podcast.
In addition to email, on the Buzzsprout website, you will find two new features – one of them involves texting us directly from your phone. Of course, your phone number won’t appear to us, so you stay anonymous, and we won’t be able to reply, but that’s a way for you to send me or my guests a one-way message, if you like.
And another feature is a support link to help support the running costs of the podcasts. Both podcasts, “Voices from Beyond the Rainbow” as well as “A Way Beyond the Rainbow” are personal endeavors. These are independent projects free from any external influence or networks or any financial incentives. The main goal behind these shows is to help men and women experiencing same-sex attractions or gender dysphoria from around the globe who wish to live a life true to Allah SWT and Islam find the proper resources and guidance on the myriad of topics they wish to learn more about and issues they face in their daily lives.
In addition to that, the financial support also goes into our “One Soul” sponsorship program that we started back in 2020 on the Straight Struggle Discord server to support brothers and sisters who would like to seek counseling and therapy services to help them with any issues they may be facing, but who do not have the financial resources to afford such services. I will add a link to the sponsorship program so you can find out more about it and donate there directly if you wish. But any extra donations that we receive through our Buzzsprout support link will also go to fund the sponsorship program, inshaAllah.
So if “Voices from Beyond the Rainbow” resonates with you, I would like to kindly ask you to hit the subscribe button to make sure you don’t miss any episodes, and help us by spreading the word, and support us on our Buzzsprout page if you like. I would really appreciate that.
Waheed: 14:53
And I guess that is it from me today!
The first voice from these voices from beyond the rainbow is coming up in the next episode. Stay tuned! And until then, I wish you love, peace, and everlasting nearness to the Almighty SWT.
This has been Waheed Jensen from “Voices from Beyond the Rainbow”. Wassalamu alaikom warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
