November 14, 2022
Watch: Does David Beckham Still Deserve to Be a Gay Icon?
Emell Adolphus READ TIME: 2 MIN.
David Beckham's status as a "gay icon" is being called into question as the footballer continues his campaign to make Qatar seem like a wonderful and welcoming place for everyone – when it is in fact not safe for LGBTQ people.
As reported by CNN, British queer comedian Joe Lycett has been calling Backham out over his support for Qatar in the midst of so many public figureheads speaking out against the World Cup being hosted there.
In a video posted on Twitter, Lycett said he would donate £10,000 ($11,000) to charities supporting "queer people in football" or put the money through the shredder along with "Beckham's reputation as a gay icon."
Despite its history of human rights violations, Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy recently told CNN that the 2022 World Cup will "be an inclusive, safe tournament" and said "everyone is welcome, regardless of race, background, religion, gender, orientation or nationality."
Beckham has infamously been cosigning Qatar as a wonderful place because he is being paid a lot of money as a Qatar World Cup ambassador to do so, and he has declined to comment about the criticism around his ambassadorship.
However, his actions haven't stayed mum in the LGBTQ community.
"Homosexuality is illegal, punishable by imprisonment and, if you're Muslim, possibly even death," Lycett explained in an Instagram post.
About Beckham, Lycett added, "You're the first Premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans."
Lycett continued, "Now, it's 2022. And you signed a reported £10 million ($11.7 million) deal with Qatar to be their ambassador during the FIFA World Cup.
A report from Human Rights Watch (HRW) detailed cases of beatings and sexual harassment suffered by LGBTQ people in Qatar. According to victims interviewed by Human Rights Watch, security forces allegedly forced transgender women into conversion therapy sessions subsidized by the government.
Dua Lipa reportedly refuses to perform and denied her involvement in the event because of the region's violations.
"Qatari authorities need to end impunity for violence against LGBT people. The world is watching," said Rasha Younes of Human Rights Watch.
A Qatari official told CNN that the HRW allegations "contain information that is categorically and unequivocally false."
According to Lycett, Beckham has "always talked about the power of football as a force for good." Now it's time for him to walk the talk.
"If you do not, by midday next Sunday [November 20, 2022], I will throw this money into a shredder just before the opening ceremony of the World Cup and stream it live on a website I've registered called benderslikebeckham.com," Lycett said.
Fellow Qatar World Cup ambassador Khalid Salman told a German outlet that homosexuality is "damage in the mind." So it's nice to see everyone staying on brand.
"There are just a few days until the World Cup kickoff, but that's plenty of time for the Qatari government to end ill-treatment of LGBT people," HRW said in a November press release. "Qatari authorities should publicly condemn violence against LGBT people and formally recognize that having same-sex sexual attraction is not a mental health condition."
