Naz and Matt Foundation

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Naz and Matt Foundation

Our mission is to never let religion, any religion, come in the way of the unconditional love between parents & their children. Registered Charity 1160694

Naz and Matt Foundation was set up in 2014 following the sad loss of Matt’s fiancé and soulmate, Naz, who took his own life two days after his deeply religious family confronted him about his sexuality. The Foundation exists to empower and support LGBTQI+ (Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Q***r, Questioning and Intersex) individuals, their friends and family to work towards resolving challenges linked to sexuality or gender identity, particularly where religion is heavily influencing the situation. By tackling the problem head on and raising awareness Naz and Matt Foundation hopes to open the eyes of closed minds in communities and families so that they will love the children they gave birth to, for the individuals they were born to be.

30/09/2026

Forced marriage is sometimes wrongly framed as a cultural or religious practice. In reality, many Hindu leaders, organisations and campaigners have repeatedly stated that forcing someone into marriage goes against the principle of consent and personal choice. Yet for some LGBTQ+ people from Hindu backgrounds, pressure to marry can still be a reality, especially when families struggle to accept their sexuality or gender identity.

Marriage pressure is not always direct. It can take the form of emotional coercion, ultimatums, constant matchmaking, threats of rejection or fears about bringing shame on the family. The expectation to fulfil traditional roles can leave people feeling trapped between their identity and their relationships with loved ones. These experiences can be isolating, particularly when discussions about forced marriage often overlook LGBTQ+ survivors.

Many q***r Hindus continue to maintain strong connections to their faith, culture and family while also challenging harmful expectations. Abuse should never be hidden behind culture, tradition or religion. Everyone deserves the freedom to make their own choices about their future.

Do you know of anyone who you think might be being coerced into a forced marriage? Would sharing this post with them help them identify the abuse?

***rHindu

17/09/2026

There was the version of you that existed at home, in places of worship, around relatives, or in faith spaces. Then there was the version that existed with trusted friends, online, at university, or anywhere it felt safer to be honest.

Living this way requires constantly monitoring yourself, remembering what different people know, thinking before you speak, constantly catching yourself. This monitoring and censoring and splitting becomes so routine that one might stop noticing how much energy it takes - but it does take energy, a lot of it.

In fact, the effects often continue even after the split might not be necessary. People struggle to relax, to rest. Others might develop anxiety and depression disorders. You might feel completely disconnected from your own needs because so much attention was spent managing. You can get sick. It needs attention, because our bodies remember.

15/09/2026

For some q***r Christians, worship and preaching produced completely different emotional experiences. During worship there was uncomplicated connection, peace, comfort and belonging. Singing with other Christians, praying with one another felt genuine and accessible.

Then the sermon would move towards sexuality, relationships or "biblical marriage". The atmosphere changed instantly. People describe becoming hyperaware of every word. Wondering who around them agreed, or what's even scarier - wondering what would happen if anybody knew.

The same church and community that creates moments of profound spiritual connection can also become the place where people felt most alienated and confused. Many q***r Christians remember both experiences existing side by side.

Did your relationship with God ever feel different from your experience of church?

***rchristians

11/09/2026

LGBTQ+ asylum seekers come from countries, families or religious communities where being open was flat out incredible dangerous. Some avoided relationships altogether, others would carry out relationships in the dark - deleting messages, never taking photos together, never out to family or friends. Leaving absolutely no trace.

When people seek asylum, they may be asked for evidence that they are LGBTQ+. Documents, messages, photos, statements from partners or community organisations - but if you've spent years making sure those things don't exist, what chance do you have? The system is in urgent need of reform.

Here in the UK, for some of us, we talk about visibility as something positive and aspirational. For many LGBTQ+ asylum seekers, visibility was never an option. They learned how to avoid attention, not attract it.

+asylumseekers

10/09/2026

Today is World Su***de Prevention Day, and for us, it's deeply personal.

In 2014, Dr Naz Mahmood died by su***de. He was a doctor, a son, a brother, a friend, and Matt's fiancé. Two days before he died, Naz was confronted by his family about his sexuality.

Matt set up the Naz and Matt Foundation in his memory, so that other LGBTQ+ people and their families don't have to go through what they went through. Everything we do still comes back to Naz.

No one should ever feel they have to choose between who they are and the family, faith or culture they love. And no parent should feel they have nowhere to turn when they're struggling to understand.

This year's theme is about starting the conversation, and we couldn't agree more. Sometimes one honest, loving conversation is what changes everything.

If you're finding things hard right now, please reach out. You're not alone, and you deserve to be loved exactly as you are.

- Samaritans call 116 123, free, any time, day or night

- Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline: 0800 0119 100, 10am to 10pm every day

- Or talk to us: https://www.nazandmattfoundation.org/support/

If you're a parent or family member, we're here for you too.

***dePreventionDay

08/09/2026

In many Sikh families, keeping the family together matters deeply. Respecting elders and avoiding conflict matters, and families often pride themselves on staying close and supporting one another through difficult times.

Often, for q***r Sikhs, the family culture of protection and conformity can make conversations about sexuality or gender incredibly difficult. There might not be a big coming out argument - instead, after coming out, nobody raises it again. Parents carry on asking about work. Relatives continue discussing weddings and family events. You still attend birthdays, akhand paths, weddings and gatherings. On the surface, everything looks normal.

It takes a tremendous effort to maintain that normality. Partners are not mentioned and particular questions are carefully avoided. Family members change the subject when LGBTQ+ issues come up, or sometimes if they are raised, they are treated with scorn.

This can create a strange kind of limbo. There is no outright rejection, so it can be difficult to explain the pain to other people. At the same time, there is no real acceptance. You're included in family life, but only if certain topics remain off limits. You can attend every family function and still feel as though a significant part of your life is invisible.

Many q***r Sikhs tell us they spent years waiting for a conversation that never came, even when they knew it wouldn't. Waiting for curiosity, or even just acknowledgement that would never come. Silence can be mistaken for peace, but when nobody is willing to talk about something so central to your life, it's incredibly isolating and painful.

If this is your experience - you are not alone. There are many of us who have had the exact same experience. What's more, change in our families isn't impossible. It may never be exactly as we would wish, but it can shift, and move towards openness, even if it's only between some.

***rSikh

04/09/2026

"My mum said she'd rather tell people I was d*** than tell them I was gay."

We hear versions of this from q***r Muslims across different backgrounds, countries and generations. The exact words may vary but the sentiment remains: the conversation doesn't focus on needs or safety or next steps. Instead it's about what relatives will think, what the mosque will say, what the community will say, and what happens if people find out.

For many parents, the fear is deeply connected to izzat, family honour, reputation and belonging. They are thinking about weddings, siblings, community standing, relationships with extended family, and the possibility of becoming the subject of gossip. Some parents spend years trying to contain information, manage appearances, or keep different parts of their lives separate. Their child's sexuality or gender identity becomes something to hide rather than something to understand.

The family's image feels more important than the family's relationship. Many people describe feeling as though they became a problem to manage rather than a person.

However! We've also met parents who eventually chose connection over reputation. Parents who realised that no amount of community approval could replace a relationship with their child. Healing and repair is possible - and there is a whole community of people out there who can affirm that right here.

***rmuslims

28/08/2026

Coming out is often described as a single moment, but for most LGBTQ+ people, it doesn't end there. For those of us whose coming out was also complicated by the reactions of conservatively religious families, sometimes you have the difficult conversation, face and survive the reaction, and dare to hope for movement - only to face obliviousness.

Your identity is never acknowledged again. If you mention it, relatives react with fresh shock, insist they don't remember, or become angry that you're "bringing it up again". What was one of the most significant conversations of your life can be treated as though it never happened at all.

Being ignored doesn't feel dangerous, but it is not being accepted, and in its' own way it is dangerous. It wears away at you to face the obstruction, the forgetting, the way the conversation is redirected, the visible shame when outsides are present. It's exhausting both physically and spiritually to be faced with constant blocks, constant silence.

If this experience feels familiar, know that you're not alone, and you don't have to keep questioning your own memory of what happened. Share this post if you've ever felt like you've had to come out to the same people more than once.

***rFaith

23/08/2026

**Trigger warning** this post discusses corrective and homophobic abuse.

Violence against men and boys remains difficult to talk about. Expectations around masculinity often teach men to appear strong, self-sufficient and in control. This leaves them no room to speak openly about fear, coercion or victimisation. Many survivors struggle to identify their experiences as abuse, while others worry they will not be believed, will be judged, or will be seen as somehow responsible for what happened to them.

For LGBTQ+ men and boys, these barriers can become even more complex. Coercive and homophobic abuse is often rooted in the belief that someone's identity should be changed, suppressed or "corrected". This can take many forms, from threats and intimidation to emotional manipulation, isolation, physical and se**al abuse and relentless pressure to deny who they are. Disturbingly, this abuse is framed as concern, guidance, protection or moral responsibility This makes it all the more difficult to recognise, let alone challenge.

Within some faith and conservative communities, additional layers of shame can make these conversations even harder. Men may feel unable to speak about being victims because of expectations around masculinity, while fear of stigma around sexuality can create further isolation. Many people find themselves carrying both burdens at once, navigating the pain of abuse alongside the fear of rejection from families, communities or faith traditions that matter deeply to them.

Nobody should be subjected to violence, coercion or pressure because of who they are. Every person deserves relationships and communities grounded in respect. There is hope in knowing that more people are speaking out, finding support and helping to create spaces where others can find help too.

20/08/2026

It's been nearly three weeks since Out and Proud Parents' Day on July 30th.

Reading through this year's OAPP messages, one thing stood out again and again. So many parents wrote about fear, not because of who their children are, but because of the world they have to navigate. They spoke about rising hostility, about safety, about wondering what the future might hold for the people they love most. There was a clear awareness that being LGBTQ+ can still mean facing challenges that no parent would choose for their child.

What was striking, though, was that fear never seemed to have the final word. Running through these messages was a fierce determination to stand alongside their children, whether that meant learning, listening, advocating or simply being a place of safety and acceptance. Many parents were honest about not always getting everything right, but none of them were uncertain about one thing: their children deserved to be loved, respected and supported exactly as they are.
The stories we received were full of pride, but they were also full of protectiveness, courage and conviction. They were reminders that support is not just a feeling, it is something people choose every day.

To every parent who shared their words with us, thank you. Your messages showed what it means to stand firm in your love for your child, especially when the world around them can feel uncertain.

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https://www.nazandmattfoundation.org/

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