The Iraqi government has recently issued a new directive to media companies, ordering them to stop using the term ‘homosexuality’ and instead replace it with ‘sexual deviance’. This move comes as traditional Islamic values are seeing a resurgence in the country, with US influence receding.
The National Communications and Media Commission of Iraq (NCMC) announced on Tuesday that it is directing media organizations to refrain from using the term ‘homosexuality’ and to use the term ‘sexual deviance’ instead. This directive applies to both news and entertainment media, as well as internet and phone companies, which are required to ensure that their apps comply. The order also forbids the use of the term ‘gender’.
A government spokesman stated that no penalty for breaking the law has been set yet, but it may include a fine. The motive behind this directive seems to be a reflection of the country’s conservative Islamic values, which perceive homosexuality as deviant behavior.
It is important to note that Iraq’s penal code from 1969 did not explicitly criminalize homosexuality, but it also offered no protections for gays and lesbians from extrajudicial harassment. However, in the 1980s, an update to the law legalized ‘honor killings’ of homosexuals by their family members. Furthermore, a 1993 amendment to the constitution introduced the death penalty for homosexual acts.
Following the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, occupation governor Paul Brenner abolished the death penalty and rolled back the country’s penal code to its 1969 version. Since then, no new anti-gay laws have been passed. However, Western media outlets have reported an increase in attacks targeting homosexuals by both police and militias after the partial withdrawal of American forces in 2012. Despite the US State Department claiming in 2019 that it had trained Iraqi security forces on the observance of human rights, these attacks have persisted.
It is worth mentioning that the NCMC, the body responsible for issuing this directive, was established by the US occupation government in 2004. This raises questions about the influence of Western values on Iraq’s media landscape and the extent to which they can be maintained in the wake of US withdrawal.
This move by the Iraqi government comes in the context of recent protests in Baghdad, where rainbow-colored ‘Pride’ flags were burned by demonstrators in response to Quran burnings in Sweden and Denmark. These events highlight the deep divisions and tensions surrounding issues related to sexuality and religious beliefs in Iraq.
In conclusion, the Iraqi government’s directive to media companies to use the term ‘sexual deviance’ instead of ‘homosexuality’ reflects the country’s conservative Islamic values and a resurgence of traditional beliefs. This move raises concerns about the protection and rights of the LGBTQ+ community in Iraq and the influence of Western values on the country’s media landscape.
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