August 9, 2023
Iraq Media Must Refer to 'Homosexuality' As 'Sexual Deviance'
Emell Adolphus READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Iraq's official media regulator handed down a new mandate on Tuesday: all media and social media companies operating in the Arab state must now refer to "homosexuality" as "sexual deviance," Reuters reported.
According to a government spokesperson, and a document from the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC), the use of the term "gender" was also banned. If in effect, the mandate also prohibits all phone and internet companies licensed by it from using the terms in any of their mobile applications.
A government official said that final approval is needed before the mandate is officially adopted, but the announcement is a clearly indicates the state of LGBTQ+ acceptance in the state.
Although Iraq does not explicitly criminalize gay sex, there is a loosely defined morality clause that has been used to silence, censor, and in some case apprehend, LGBTQ+ people.
A government spokesperson said that a penalty for violating the recently announced "no homo" rule has not been set.
According to Our World, more than 60 countries criminalize gay sex. Same-sex sexual acts are legal in more than 130 countries.
