Maajid Nawaz has won the 2017 PinkNews Broadcaster of the Year Award for his LBC radio show.
The award was shared with Lorraine Kelly of ITV.
Nawaz is the founder of the “anti-extremism” think-tank Quilliam. He is widely criticised within the Muslim community because of his outspoken attacks on Muslim organisations and activists.
The homosexual act is considered a major sin in Islam and there is unanimous consensus among all schools of jurisprudence, theology and sect on the issue.
The annual PinkNews Awards has become one of the UK’s most significant LGBTQ events, recognising the contributions of politicians, campaigners, charities, businesses, public sector employers, broadcasters and journalists towards achieving LGBTQ equality both in the UK and overseas.
Nawaz dedicated his win to all the people around the world who are persecuted in the name of religion for being LGBTQ.
He said: “When I saw that 0% of British Muslims surveyed believed that being gay was morally unacceptable, when I saw that 52% of British Muslims wanted homosexuality to be criminalised, when I saw that the only 10 countries in the world that punished being gay with death were all Muslim-majority, I was ashamed, infuriated, outraged, and angry all at the same time. But I knew Muslims who were gay, and so I realised that these results were also due to fear of speaking out.
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“It requires leadership. The sort of leadership that the British Muslim Mayor of London provided here tonight. The sort of leadership that Imam Muhammad provided here tonight by offering prayers for everyone here. And that’s the sort of leadership I, and my producer Sandra, wanted to offer through my LBC show. My show aims to be a home for you all. Thank you for this great honour in being able to speak out on your behalf.”
Meanwhile, London mayor Sadiq Khan has called for a zero tolerance attitude to hate crime in London at the PinkNews Awards.
He labelled the sharp rise in hate crimes recorded in the past year as “alarming.”
Khan is the first Mayor of London to address the LGBTQ awards ceremony, speaking alongside Prime Minister Theresa May and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
The mayor told the PinkNews Awards: “Let me be clear, hate crime will not be tolerated anywhere in London. In London, you are free to be whoever you are happy, and safe.
“London is a warm, inclusive and welcoming place, and I’m grateful for all of your support over the last 16 months, not for me, but for all of us. London is open to all people regardless of race, gender and sexuality and open to love.”
The mayor also confirmed his backing for the annual Pride event.
He said: “I am proud to be the first mayor ever to lead the first annual pride parade. I’m proud to have reinstated the pride reception at City hall, and proud to have published the first ever LGBT venue charter to protect and open LGBT venues in our city.
“Our aim is to safeguard its long term presence in the great city of the world.”
