The situation of homosexuals in the Middle-East
Summary :
Table of Contents
- In Iran, sodomy is a crime that can be punishable by hanging.
- 2004 was declared the Year of Collaboration, Solidarity, and Unity of Homosexuals.
- Iran's attitude of intolerance stifles the country and prevents (scientific) education research regarding sexuality and orientation.
- PGLO.net remains the most informative resource on the internet for the Iranian LGBT community.
- News of the violent Efahan raid and wrongful imprisonment was vehemently denounced.
- The tumultuous and secret lives of gay Iranians can be manifested through the words of Mani.
- Religious fundamentalism in other countries in the Middle East continues to pervade the fabric of their societies.
Abstract
Prejudice in the Muslim world has been present since the earliest of times, but homophobia in current terms has magnified in Islam since the 1800s. Throughout its history, Islam has been generally tolerant of homosexuals, despite verses in the Koran condemning homosexual activity. Like most religious scriptures, these verses have equivocal interpretations, and many Muslims infer different messages from the text.
First, some scholars believe that homosexual men were not defined as "men" in the Koran, since they lacked attraction to women. Instead these men were considered eunuchs, and were allotted to tend to the women, since they would not be a threat to them. Therefore, some believe all the reference to sexual acts or sodomy between men refers to heterosexual men. While there are these questionable matters, all of the middle eastern countries' governments wield a strict and oppressive stance on homosexuality. All laws prohibit sexual relations between same sex individuals. While punishments and indictments vary from case to case and from country to country, there is no doubt that gays, lesbians, and transgenders live very risky and forbidden lives.
First, some scholars believe that homosexual men were not defined as "men" in the Koran, since they lacked attraction to women. Instead these men were considered eunuchs, and were allotted to tend to the women, since they would not be a threat to them. Therefore, some believe all the reference to sexual acts or sodomy between men refers to heterosexual men. While there are these questionable matters, all of the middle eastern countries' governments wield a strict and oppressive stance on homosexuality. All laws prohibit sexual relations between same sex individuals. While punishments and indictments vary from case to case and from country to country, there is no doubt that gays, lesbians, and transgenders live very risky and forbidden lives.
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