El-Farouk Khaki says human rights abuses call for a `jihad,' a struggle against injustice

His perspectives are largely the product of his own struggle – and ultimate triumph – to reconcile a multi-layered identity as a gay, visible-minority, Muslim, immigrant lawyer.

"No matter how you slice it, the denial of human rights and dignity (call for) a jihad, a struggle against oppression and injustice," explains the immigration lawyer from his small office on the fringe of Toronto's gay village, at Yonge and Alexander Sts. "Our biggest enemy is our perpetuating invisibility. By being invisible, your existence is denied.

"There are many taboo issues around us, but people choose not to acknowledge them. To create a just society, we need to talk about the dirty and dark secrets among us."