A Slow and Steady Crawl for LGBT Rights in the Middle East

categories: Decriminalizing Homosexuality, International Gay Rights

Published May 09, 2009 @ 07:26AM PT

Gay Rights Beirut

There have been horror stories coming out of Iraq now for months, detailing the torturous and murderous campaign being waged against the Iraqi LGBT community. We also know stories from Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and many other Middle Eastern countries when it comes to the plight of the LGBT population. When the United Nations debated a statement in December 2008 calling for the worldwide decriminalization of homosexuality, Israel was the only country in the region to sign it.

In short, the Middle East has long been a region not entirely friendly to LGBT people. But has that fact begun to change?

One organization in Lebanon - Helem - is arguing that it might be, albeit slowly. The AP profiles them today, and in particular the organization's efforts to overturn a statute in Lebanon that criminalizes homosexuality. Lebanon's law is known as Article 534, and it prohibits sexual relations which (in the Lebanese government's eyes) contradict nature. Same-sex relationships fall under that hat in Lebanon.

As the AP notes, much of Helem's work is being done under the radar screen, because of threats of persecution and a clamp down by authorities. But the work Helem is doing is vital. It includes working with police officers to push for more sensitivity and protection for Lebanon's LGBT people, as well as lobbying government leaders and religious leaders who have historically been hostile toward LGBT issues.

Helem's mission is "break the silence surrounding sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular...and to counter the lack of information (particularly in Arabic) and the pervasive misinformation about homosexuality by providing objective, factual information, initiating dialogue, and refuting common misconceptions about homosexuality." It's a noble mission, given the region. And all-important, too, given the pandemic of global LGBT violence.

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Comments (2)

I'm Iranian, and I realize that most of my family in Iran are definitley anti-homosexuality. My cousins are much more liberal however, and they're probably more open to Civil Unions, and perhaps even Same-sex marriage than the older generation. It's parallel to how about 60% of young adults in America are pro-Same sex marriage. It's a generational problem; the older are well, old-fashion and "just" as MLK says, morally conducted by religion. Virtually every generation becomes more secular, and sometimes I believe that this is something that will be solved with time. Those Old folks in Florida aren't going to change their opinions about Gays. Neither are the people in the Middle East. It's a given that same-sex marriage will be legal in the next 20 years, mainly because the large voting block that do not support same-sex marriage in Americ are 65+, and they'll, eh, die out, which makes their vote no longer valid. The same thing will happen in the Middle East.

Another problem in the Middle East, is these clerics and such just invent laws and label them as "Qur'anic", even if they aren't in the Qur'an. Only sodomy is banned in the Qur'an. People need to understand this, and I'm glad that there is progress.

"In short, the Middle East has long been a region not entirely friendly to LGBT people. But has that fact begun to change?"

To, to answer in short: Yes, just as every new generation brings about change.

Posted by Dina Yazdani on 05/09/2009 @ 11:15AM PT
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It's very important, for the safety of the LGBT community, to continue the advancement of the LGBT rights in the Middle East. With so much unfortunate intolerance surrounding LGBT people there, it's great that Helem is pushing for the repeal of a law that must make way for equality. Although progress is being made, I hope that the progress increases much more in order to defeat the intolerance. Finally, there must be more similar organizations for this noble cause.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 05/09/2009 @ 02:05PM PT
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Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.