Matt Mahmood-Ogston

“As a young boy I dreamt of changing the world but I was made to believe it was impossible.

After tragically losing my soulmate, the love of my life, I have no option left but to change it. “

Matt grew up in a deeply homophobic area of South Birmingham (UK) and studied photography and filmmaking after leaving school. Struggling for years to accept his own sexuality, at the age of 23 Matt ‘came out’ to himself. He finally felt strong enough to accept who he was, and how he was born.

Soon after he met Naz in a nightclub in Birmingham. Naz was 21. They quickly fell in love. They ran away to London to be themselves and escape the intense pressures of not being out to family. They grew tired of having to keep their relationship a secret, fearing what might happen if they were found out by Naz’s religious parents.

After 13 years together and engaged to be married, Naz, a successful and much loved GP, sadly took his own life two days after being confronted by his family about his sexuality. It was the first time they had been faced with the truth that their son was gay, in a long term relationship with another man and planning to get married.

One of their solutions was to tell Naz that he needed to be ‘cured’ for being gay. They did not want ‘shame’ brought upon their family.

In memory of his soulmate Naz, Matt went on to set up ‘Naz and Matt Foundation‘ an award-winning charity that tackles religious and cultural homophobia in schools, colleges, universities, families and communities.

As spokesperson and chair, Matt speaks frequently in the local, national and international press about the dangers of homophobia triggered by conservative religious and cultural beliefs. The charity’s mission is to “Never let religion, any religion, come in the way of the unconditional love between parents and their children”.

Matt has dedicated his life to preventing what happened to his fiancé Naz happening to anyone else, ever again.

He is now an international keynote speaker on the subjects of unconditional love, acceptance, motivation, religion + faith, goal setting and happiness.