Iraq's official media regulator on Tuesday ordered all media and social media companies operating in the Arab state not to use the term "homosexuality" and instead to say "sexual deviance," a government spokesperson said and a document from the regulator shows.

The Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC) document said that the use of the term "gender" was also banned. It prohibited all phone and internet companies licensed by it from using the terms in any of their mobile applications.

A government official later said that the decision still required final approval.

The regulator "directs media organisations ... not to use the term 'homosexuality' and to use the correct term 'sexual deviance'," the Arabic-language statement said.

A government spokesperson said a penalty for violating the rule had not yet been set but could include a fine.

Iraq does not explicitly criminalise gay sex but loosely defined morality clauses in its penal code have been used to target members of the LGBT community.

Major Iraqi parties have in the past two months stepped up criticism of LGBT rights, with rainbow flags frequently being burned in protests by Shi'ite Muslim factions opposed to recent Koran burnings in Sweden and Denmark.

More than 60 countries criminalise gay sex, while same-sex sexual acts are legal in more than 130 countries, according to Our World in Data.

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[–] SaniFlush@hexbear.net 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The opposite of burning a Koran is burning a gay pride flag? What, they couldn't find any Gay Bibles?

[–] Fuckass@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Considering Islam is everything in most middle eastern countries, burning the Quran is seen as an attack on their very being, so the retaliation is burning gay flags because it’s seen as an attack on the west’s core identity which is funny because that’s far from what the west values

[–] Flyswat@lemmy.ml 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Actchully...

[–] kristina@hexbear.net 4 points 1 year ago

what

[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I remember in the late 90s some guy wrote a play where Jesus and his disciples were gay. You can imagine how conservatives felt about this.

[–] mkultrawide@hexbear.net 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Jesus was, supposedly, an unmarried 30-something rabbi, which was highly unusually for Jewish society at the time. He was a carpenter (worked with wood) and his friends were shepherds and sailors (historically gay professions). The signs have always been there.

It's that or he was married to Mary Magdalene.

[–] Fuckass@hexbear.net 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Isn’t Magdalene said to be Jesus’ most loyal follower who wasn’t a disciple and understood his teachings more than any of them, while Jesus was constantly frustrated with the disciples screw ups and misunderstandings? Feel like it would be more realistic for him to get it in with her than with the men who irritate him

[–] mkultrawide@hexbear.net 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Canonically, there is very little said about Mary Magdalene in the Bible, other than that she was one of Jesus' earliest followers and witnessed his crucifixion and resurrection. The stuff you are talking about comes from "heretical" texts.

[–] Fuckass@hexbear.net 5 points 1 year ago

I like how all the heretical texts are 100% more interesting while the canonical shit is just so boring it drives me to sleep. Like, I could read about the nephelim, Judas being part of Jesus’ plan, and all that weird shit about angels and demons.

[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 2 points 1 year ago

worked with wood

data-laughing