This is Jared, he fell in love with Sean.
Jared: I fell in love with you from the moment I met you.
But Jared's family refused to attend their wedding.
Jared: It was hard because I really did want my family to be there.
Because of the community,
it was really difficult for them to attend because of the whole tradition thing.
And worst still, they faced worrying threats online.
Jared: I’ve had death threats saying if we see me and Sean my husband
in town, they're going to throw acid in my face.
They’re going to kill us, go after my family.
Will Jared ever feel fully safe to love his husband?
Jared: This is what I get typically when I'm in Darlaston.
I think we should go because I don't feel safe at all.
It’s going to be mine and Sean’s two year anniversary coming soon.
I'll show you the outfits that we wore for our wedding day.
It’s Bangladesh, that's the home country.
Like the day was amazing. We had a low key wedding
and it was the best day of my life to be honest.
It still, it still feels like yesterday that I've got married
and the happiness hasn't gone away.
Sean: What made us fall in love was his personality,
his kindness.
Jared: The one thing I fancy about Sean?
Am I allowed to be rude? Interviewer: No, no.
Sean: What do I fancy about Sean?
Despite the wedding being the happiest day of their lives,
Jared’s family chose not to attend.
Due to the judgment they received from the community about their son’s sexuality.
Jared: It was hard because I really did want my family to be there.
Because of all, because of the community. It was really difficult for them to attend.
Because if the community found out that me and Sean were getting married,
there would have been a lot of, a lot of hate going on that day.
More likely, the wedding would have been stopped if they found out.
Two years on and I’m still actually facing judgment, a lot of judgment
in my community. I find it difficult to go back to my hometown
where my mom is. It’s a really small compact Islamic culture.
Sean: Here’s your drink. Jared: Thanks.
Did you expect my family to be there?
Sean: I was, I actually was expecting your mom to turn up.
Jared: At least my sister. Sean: Or someone from your family.
But it was very disappointing and upsetting to see that.
Jared: When you knew why they couldn’t come.
Sean: It is upsetting for me because I wanted Jay to be happy and I could tell that a part of him
wasn't happy because of his family wasn’t there.
Hoping to help others that face similar judgment, Jared shared his story online.
Jared: Hey guys, welcome back to my channel.
However, his channel also attracted hate and criticism
about his sexuality and faith.
Jared: Well, my YouTube channel - Jared’s Journey - is all about my life
growing up, me coming out, the judgment I get from other people
and how I dealt with it.
On the actual not coming out video, the actual wedding day
and the video that was filmed.
People saying, 'Seriously, just leave Islam if you want to do that.'
'Hope they burn in hell.'
Like, it's disgusting things that people actually say.
'They're not even Muslim.'
I get married to a man, automatically I’m not a Muslim anymore.
I've had death threats saying if they see me and Sean my husband
in town, they're going to throw acid in my face.
They’re going to kill us, go after my family.
It did scare me. I was afraid to leave my own house.
I was afraid to walk anywhere by myself, especially at night.
Jared has returned to his hometown but still receives judgment from some of the community.
Jared: This is what I get typically when I'm in Darlaston.
I get random people just shout abuse to me as per usual.
It's kind of the usual for me.
Walk down the streets or anything and just people out there, from the cars
will start swearing and cursing.
Jared: A bit anxious to be honest because I don't know what to expect from anyone.
I think we should go because I don’t feel safe at all.
That was quite my life for 15 years.
Knowing that I’m this thing that I don't know what it is.
That I couldn't even explain what I was.
And knowing how angry my parents got,
how the community reacts to people like that.
That's why I kept it locked inside my head for so long.
So I thought you know what, I'm a bad person.
Because I was so desperate to get rid of the homosexual in me.
I’ve had Mosque teachers after Mosque teachers,
they gave me some tablets that made me really, really ill.
I lost a lot of my identity when I went there.
I lost who I was.
I was completely numb.
At an especially dark moment in his life, Jared found hope unexpectedly.
Jared: I could remember sitting in the bench trying to find kind of a sign.
Like I could remember saying to God, please just show me a light
or show me something. As soon as Sean approached me, sat next to me
and he spoke to me, I just knew from that moment like this is like a Godsend.
That was my darkest time ever.
So him coming into my life and like uplifting my life.
I fell in love with him straight away.
When you spoke to me, I automatically felt comfortable and I felt safe
that I could tell you anything. I could tell you exactly what's going on.
And then somehow I just knew you would understand.
I fell in love with you from the moment I met you.
That's the first moment I fell in love.
And from then on, I just married you.
Everything I've been through neglect and judgment from my Mosque,
from my family, from my own country.
It was worth it. To get married to Sean
because I finally found my freedom, I could be who I am.
This is the day when I became who I am.
I know I'm gay and a Muslim and I'm so proud of it.
With his marriage to Sean giving him the pride and freedom he's wanted for so long,
the couple finally feel free to love despite the judgment they face.
From my community to this one here, it doesn't compare at all.
Everyone’s open to be who they are whether they are gay; they’re Muslim,
no judgment at all.
Love is love. Love is love.
On that day on that bench, I thought I would never feel this happy.
I am proud, I am open and I just want to send a message to everyone.
Whoever is gay and Muslim, struggling,
that this can be done. This is workable.
I'm living proof that you can be gay and Muslim and live a happy life.